Date and Time
Saturday, January 31st, 2026
7:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Tickets
*1/2 price for children 13 & under when accompanied by an adult
Three Cinema Shorts – One Night Only
The Shepherd Center will be hosting three local award-winning directors, each showcasing their 20-minute short films for us. There will be a Q&A at the end of the evening with all of the directors and the audience!
*This event is rated PG-13
Drowned
Directed by: Ryan Nunes
This story follows a single mother battling chronic illness while fighting to keep custody of her child. As her life begins to unravel, she must find the strength to stay afloat in a system that keeps pulling her under.
Cold Summer
Directed by: Nick Bernat
In the middle of summer, Ellis insists she’s cold. As preparations unfold around her, she remains distant — refusing to acknowledge what everyone else has already accepted.
Widow’s Peak
Directed by: Julia Harley
A sailor gets lost at sea and his wife has only one choice but to find her true love. Saddened Mimi gets dressed as a cabin boy to sneak aboard her love Loui’s old ship. With the turmoil of disguise among gritty men, will she find where her love Loui resides?
About the Directors
Ryan Nunes
Ryan Nunes is a New England based filmmaker focused on grounded, character driven stories that explore mental health and human connection. A UMass Dartmouth BFA Digital Media graduate and award-winning creator, his work aims to spark empathy and conversation around stigma, shame, and healing.
Nick Bernat
Nick Bernat is a Dartmouth-based filmmaker focused on narrative storytelling built around atmosphere, restraint and psychological tension. He studied film at Fitchburg State College and music at Berklee College of Music before earning an English degree from UMass Boston.
After stepping away from filmmaking for over a decade to work in the tech industry, he returned to film in 2021 and has since become an active presence in the New England independent film scene, working across disciplines as a writer, director, editor, and composer.
His short films have screened at regional and national film festivals. The Planner won Best Film at the 2024 Providence 48 Hour Film Festival, and Sunrise Is an All Night Process won Best Director at the 2025 New Bedford 48 Hour Film Festival. His short Mr. Glow was nominated for Best South Coast Film and Best Youth Performer at the 2025 New Bedford Film Festival.
As a screenwriter, his feature-length scripts Become Like Children and Blue Moss have placed in multiple national competitions, and as a writer his short story The Baptiste Canticle was published this year in issue #44 of Elegant Literature. He is currently developing his first feature.
Julia Harley
She began her filmmaking journey through animation and experimental projects before moving into narrative short films. Julia has worked on numerous creative projects, including animated shorts, narrative films, and music videos, with notable collaborations on the music video for the band Twiztid ‘Role Models’ .
Her short film Widow’s Peak reflects her signature visual style—atmospheric, emotionally focused, and rooted in strong character work. She is the recipient of the New Bedford Film Festival – Best Animated Short award and continues to create across film, animation, and visual art.
Alex Binette
Alex Binette will be Julia’s proxy presenter for this event!
She is a former supervisor at the New Bedford Whaling Museum whose background in whaling history and maritime folklore informed the development of Widows Peak. Working closely with filmmaker Julia Harley, Alex contributed historical research and collaborated on the physical fabrication of the sea monster, helping bring the film’s stop-motion world to life. Her involvement throughout the project reflects the film’s blend of regional history, myth, and hands-on craftsmanship at the core of Widows Peak.
