News

'Whispers From the Core' Earns Acclaim for Original Score and Experimental Excellence

11/5/2025

Marcelle Abela's poignant experimental film Whispers From the Core has been honored with two prestigious awards at the 2025 IndieFest Film Awards: the Award of Merit Special Mention for Original Score and the Award of Recognition for Experimental Film. Based on true events, this haunting cinematic elegy explores survivors' untold stories under the charred veil of nuclear cataclysms, where generational silence echoes with the shrieks of forgotten ghosts. Directed, written, and produced by award-winning filmmaker Marcelle Abela, the 9-minute short features evocative performances, alongside a mesmerizing original score that amplifies its emotional depth. "These awards validate the raw vulnerability we poured into Whispers From the Core," said Abela. "It's a tribute to the resilient spirits scarred by history's deepest wounds, reminding us that whispers can roar when given voice." Whispers From the Core marks Abela's latest festival darling, following its world premiere at the Amadeus Cinema in Estonia and its upcoming American debut at the Culver City Film Festival. The film continues its acclaimed run, with a soundtrack album available via Avinu Films.

'Whispers From the Core' Named Finalist at the 68th Rochester International Film Festival

11/4/2025

Experimental short film illuminates the haunting legacies of nuclear catastrophe.

Marcelle Abela's poignant experimental short film Whispers From the Core has been named a finalist in the prestigious 68th Rochester International Film Festival (RIFF), taking place April 30 through May 2, 2026, in Rochester, New York. Called "a visually stunning, chilling reminder of something everyone needs to remember and never forget, with a vibrant and haunting musical score" by the festival's jury, Whispers From the Core weaves the devastating legacies of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Chernobyl into a tapestry of betrayal, resilience, and whispered warnings from the earth's core. Produced under the Avinu Films banner, the film marks another milestone in Abela's acclaimed body of work that blends music, narrative, and visual poetry. "We are thrilled and deeply honored by this recognition from RIFF," said Abela. "This film is a call to listen to the whispers of our wounded world — may it resonate with all who watch it and inspire action." The Rochester International Film Festival, one of the oldest continually running film festivals in the United States, celebrates global cinema with a focus on innovative storytelling. Finalists compete for top honors, with screenings and the awards ceremony being held at the George Eastman Museum's famed Dryden Theater.

'Whispers From the Core' Earns Acclaim for Original Score and Experimental Excellence

'Whispers From the Core' Named Finalist at the 68th Rochester International Film Festival

Archives