Broken Arts Entertainment Festival Eligible Shows

CHOOSE THE BEAR EP01 Technical Difficulties

CHOOSE THE BEAR — EPISODE 1 “TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES” | Official Sci-Fi Audio Drama Welcome back to CHOOSE THE BEAR, the cinematic sci-fi audio drama set deep inside Zenith Aerospace — the most powerful private defense + space corporation on Earth. Episode 1, “Technical Difficulties,” follows new recruit Callie “Bear” Winter on launch day as she battles malfunctioning tutorials, an overly cheerful autonomous flight suit, and a co-pilot AI she immediately names “The Manipulation Engine”… (Nippy). This episode blends comedy, tension, claustrophobic space realism, corporate dystopia, and character-driven sci-fi. If you love The Expanse, Red Dwarf, Becky Chambers, WALL-E, Severance, or Interstellar, you’ll feel right at home. As Callie launches toward the mysterious orbital “Communities,” she forms an unexpected bond with her capcom, Diana, who becomes her lifeline through panic, snark, and a whole lot of “huggy-tingly” flight suit calibration. When the engines finally cut out and Earth rises in the window… she’s forced to confront why she’s here, what she’s running from, and why trust — even in deep space — is never simple. Turn your volume up. Put on your best headphones. This is where the real journey begins. CAST Hannah Lee DeFrates — Callie “Bear” Winter Antonella Pérez Ferrero — Diana Meredith Nudo — Nippy / Onboard AI 🎙️ CREW Written by: Aly Kantor Directed by: Helen May Produced by: Jack Davis Soundscape Engineering: Bob Sawyer Video + Scenic Production: Joe Swenson Featuring music by Grand Hotel ABOUT THE SERIES CHOOSE THE BEAR is a near-future sci-fi saga exploring: AI ethics & manipulation Corporate-controlled survival lotteries Spaceflight anxiety + dark humor High-stakes humanity under pressure A growing conspiracy far above Earth This is Episode 1 — the beginning of the mission, the beginning of Nippy, and the beginning of a partnership that may determine the fate of every human left alive. 🔔 CALL TO ACTION 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment your favorite moment or quote 📌 Subscribe for weekly drops

Choose The Bear Prologue: AWOL

Welcome to CHOOSE THE BEAR — a cinematic, immersive sci-fi audio drama set inside the ultra-mysterious walls of Zenith Aerospace, the most powerful private defense + space corporation on Earth. This prologue episode (“AWOL”) follows Lieutenant Callie Winter — a desperate, war-traumatized soldier with nowhere left to go — as she arrives at Zenith for a life-changing interview that could determine the future of humanity itself. The world is collapsing, governments are failing, and Zenith’s C-Suite is quietly selecting who actually gets to survive the incoming extinction event. This sci-fi thriller blends dystopian corporate satire, dark humor, psychological tension, and near-future worldbuilding. If you love Black Mirror, Severance, Foundation, The Expanse, or Mr. Robot — this series is for you.   CAST: Hannah Lee DeFrates (Callie), Steve Mize (Zed), Antonella Pérez Ferrero (Diana), Paul “Dela” Ross (Leland), JP DeGennaro (Rion), Bernie Horton (Pete). Written by: Aly Kantor | Directed by: Helen May | Produced by: Jack Davis | Soundscape Engineered by: Bob Sawyer | Video + Scenic: Joe Swenson. Featuring music: “End of the World” by Grand Hotel. This is Episode Zero — the beginning of a conspiracy, a survival lottery, and a morally impossible decision that will affect every human left alive. Turn your volume up, put on headphones, and step into Zenith. This is how the end really begins.

Something in the Water

Choose Love No Matter What! Written by Hannah Lee DeFrates Starring: Yana Ramos - Janet Jack Dumas - Adam Karin Orenstein - Betty Gabriel Blaze - Cruiser Jackie Youm - Deedee Directed by Bernie Horton Sound Engineered by Yana Ramos Graphic Design by Cathy Tran Executive Producers: Joe Swenson and Cole Dzubak

The Haunting of Professor Grimsby's House of Wayward Spirits

4 grad students find a cheap rental, what could go wrong? Written by Joe Swenson Starring: Jack Dumas - Jamie Hannah Lee DeFrates - Rosa Jamie Lee - Clara Gabriel Blaze - Drew Dana Sharrow - Professor Grimsby Melissa Watson - The Spirits Directed by Cole Dzubak Sound Engineered by Yana Ramos Graphic Design by Cathy Tran Executive Producers: Joe Swenson and Cole Dzubak

reANIMA

The final show of The Future Audio Fiction Podcast Anthology is reANIMA by Aly Kantor. Aly's imaginative approach to capturing the human consciousness surrounding the conversation with artificial intelligence will blow you away. The acting is tremendous as the chemistry between the two main characters is relatable and really top notch. Written by: Aly Kantor Produced by: Lora Hogan (Appetizers or "On An Island Somewhere", In The Caravan) Directed by: Helen May (Quarantine 2038: Mutation, A Fragile Mind Season 2, A Voice From The Void, The Sun The Moon and Salena, Heatwave, Clouds, Hanging on for Near Life) Featuring: Gwen Fraser (A Fragile Mind Seasons 1 & 2, Angel Flight) Featuring: Shelby Parker (Backseat Driver, Rotted) Featuring: Helen Cheng Mao (That Last Summer, April 11th 2028) Editing and Soundscape by: Joe Swenson