The MPI Original short film The Art of Inflation, written and directed by MPI filmmakers Brett Wietecha and Tim Hedberg, has won the Best Short Film award at the Sedona International Film Festival, one of the nation’s premier celebrations of independent cinema.

Set in Venezuela during the country’s economic collapse, the film follows two brothers forced to work on a militia-run coca farm as they secretly plan their escape. When the younger brother risks everything for freedom—and for the girl he loves—their bond and survival are put to the ultimate test.

Watch the trailer below and visit the events page to find a screening near you.

The Art of Inflation was developed in MPI’s Short Film Lab and produced through the MPI Production Lab. Both filmmakers are also part of the inaugural First Feature Lab cohort and are now developing the project into a feature-length film.

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