Archives

Drama

Love and Philosophy

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Love and Roadkill
USA
Your car breaks down on an isolated country road. Your cell phone dies. A strange man stops and asks you if you need any help. What would you do? Fear and trust are essential human traits, but can also build a wall between people. Director John David Allen examines the power of human compassion as well as the meaning of lifeall in just 14 minutes. Based on the one act play by Rose Caruso. Principal cast: Madeleine Potter and Bill Camp.
– To learn more about the film visit loveandroadkill.com.

That and Everything Else
Canada
A young couple is going through a rough patch in their relationship. One minute they make each other laugh. The next minute they make each other cry. They can’t figure out if they are fighting to break up or fighting to stay together. Love can be so frustrating. Why is love such hard work? Written, directed and animated by Patrick Boivin. Principal cast: Karine Lagueux, Louis Tremblay, Gyslain Tremblay, Raymond Cloutier and Olivier Bolduc.
– To watch the film again visit filmnet.com.
– Watch the film again, below.

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Drama, Suspense

Boys Will Be Boys

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Formic
Germany
Size doesn’t matter in this intricately orchestrated confrontation between a skateboarder and an ant. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony accompanies a seamless mix between slow motion, live action and CGI in this award winning short film. Directed by Roman Kaelin and Florian Wittmann.
– Watch the film again, below.

Small Change
Australia
A boy is forced to grow up quickly when his mom leaves his dad. His father is overwhelmed and reeling from her departure. His little sister is acting like a baby. It’s up to the little boy to take charge. The family learns small change can make all the difference in the world. Written, directed and edited by Anna McGrath. Principal cast: Minnie Liszukiewicz, Ziggy Liszukiewicz and Ditch Davey.
– To view an interview with the filmmaker visit youtube.com.

Miracle Fish
Australia
Joey’s 8th birthday will be a birthday he’ll never forget. School bullies tease him about his stupid birthday present. He wishes everyone in the world would just go away. Joey hides out in the school nurse’s office and falls asleep. When he awakes, he finds his school empty and wonders if his wish has come true. But his fantasy is shattered, when an even darker thought than being the last person on earth confronts him. Directed and written by Luke Doolan. Principal cast: Karl Beattie, Brendan Donoghue, Tara Morice and Kieran Darcy-Smith.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To learn more about the filmmaker’s reaction to his 2010 Academy Award nomination visit news.ninemsn.com.au.
– To learn more about the film visit miraclefishmovie.com.

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Animation

Amazing Animation

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Rockfish
USA
There is something lurking deep below the ground, something ancient, something hungry, something very big … and very angry. An intergalactic exterminator uses an elaborate rig to drill a hole to catch the mother of all rockfish. Strap yourself in and get ready for the ride of your life in Tim Miller’s thrilling animated short. Action/adventure actor Vin Diesel has bought the rights to make Rockfish into a feature film.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To read an interview with the filmmaker visit awn.com.

Descendants
USA/Germany
Jealousy, pride and revenge conspire to set one flower against another in this exquisite tale depicting evolution in action. One is a beautiful white flower full of wonder; the other, a decaying red flower (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg) wise to the wickedness of the world. Stunning animation enchants this forest fable about the dream of reaching the unreachable and the fact that something good can come from something evil. Directed by Heiko van der Scherm and Patrick S. Cunningham.
– Watch the film again, below.

Garbage Angels
Canada
Inanimate objects in a garbage dump take on the behavior of African animals in this ingenious animation by Pierre Trudeau. In this throw away world, the spirit of everything lives (recycles) on.
– To learn more about the film visit pierremtrudeau.com and shortfilmcentral.com.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA6X7-rvEWQ

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Comedy, Drama

Not the Same Old Song and Dance

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Sigh!
Canada
A romantically challenged grocery store clerk wonders if he will ever find a girl. If he only knew that the girl of his dreams could be found in aisle number four … The classic song sung by Fats Waller, “When You and I Were Young, Maggie,” provides the backdrop of a love that might have been. Directed, written and produced by Benjamin Steiger-Levine and Joe Cobden. Choreography by Ame Henderson. Principal cast: Joe Cobden and Sarah Manninen.
– Watch the film again, below.

Tanghi Argentini
Belgium
A lonely middle aged office clerk decides to hook up with a woman on the internet. She loves to tango. There’s only one problem. He can’t dance. He pleads with a co-worker to teach him to dance. After much cajoling, he accepts the challenge. Little does he know what he has gotten himself into. This surprising and charming Academy Award nominated comedy is directed by Guido Thys. Principal cast: Dirk Van Dijck, Koen van Impe and Hilde Norga.
– Watch the film again at vk.com.

Sparrows
Germany
A man meets a woman in the bar. The romantic dance begins. What starts as an unassuming boy meets girl story turns into a technical tour de force of filmmaking with a touch of opera, tango, reggae and disco thrown in. The complex film was accomplished in one amazing tracking shot. Viewers will be scratching their heads as to how they pulled it all off. Written and directed by Jan Speckenbach. Principal cast: Johannes Kuehn and Filipina Henoch.
– Watch the film again, below.

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Drama

Reality Bites

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This Is Her
New Zealand
As she reflects back 20 years earlier while in the throes of childbirth, Evie’s devastatingly acerbic commentary reveals exactly what life has in store for her baby daughter, her husband and herself. Happy endings … only happen in fairytales. Directed by Katie Wolfe. Principal cast: Mia Blake, Fraser Brown, Christina Du Plessis and Caitlin Bossley.

Dog Fixation
Spain
Hector wants a dog. His parents don’t. They hope by ignoring him he will forget about it. As time goes on he just gets more adamant. Hector discovers you can’t always get what you want, but if you try some times, you get what you need. Written and directed by Patrick Bencomo. Principal cast: Cesar Vea, Fatima Baeza and Hector Mangas.

Ten
France
Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. What happens when you’re an adult and you still believe this old wives’ tale? Marc goes to a psychiatrist in hopes of overcoming his phobia. Written and directed by Jules Janaud, Fabrice Le Nizet and Francois Roisin. Principal cast: Lucien Momy, Alain Choquet and Ian Faure. Watch the film again:

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Drama

Imagine a World Without Me

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See You
Denmark
Fourteen year old Nete’s world collapses when her twin brother Noah is killed in a car accident. The family decides to move to Copenhagen to start life anew. Nete, still traumatized by her brother’s death, begins classes in a new school, but the day she starts, she finds she is not the only new student. To everyone else he is just the new boy, but Nete is in total shock … because the boy looks exactly like her brother. Get out your handkerchiefs for a surprising and touching film highlighting the important connection between brothers and sisters. Written and directed by American Film Institute graduate Jesper Waldvogel Rasmussen. The film was short listed for the 2009 Academy Awards. Principal cast: Coco Hjardemaal, Mikkel Juul Jensen, Henrik Birch and Julie Carlsen.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To purchase this film, go to iTunes.

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Drama, Suspense

Bleed to Love Her

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Shadow of a Doubt
Denmark
Liv wants to fall in love, but choosing to love another person means having to confront your inner doubts and fears. Commitment is frightening when running away seems like an easier option for a young couple of the cusp of a big decision. Written and directed by Esben Tonnesen. Principal cast: Rita Angela, Nicolei Faber, Anders Hove and Sara Quist.

Ellie, After the Love
Belgium
Would you die for love? After the death of a young man due to suspicious circumstances, a seductress is brought in for interrogation. It is soon discovered the woman has eerie connections with other men who have also died mysteriously. The detective wants to expose her secrets and understand the seductive power she has over men. The trap has been set, but by whom? Written and directed by Vincent Guillemot. Principal cast: Flora Thomas and Simon Homme.

Drama

From the Mouths of Babes

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The Runaway
Germany
On his way to an important meeting, Walter bumps into a child he has never seen before. 6 year old Yuri insists on Walter taking him to school … and keeps calling him daddy. In an attempt to clear up the confusion and to get rid of the little nuisance, Walter starts a search for Yuri’s mother with surprising results. Ulrike Grote directed this Student Academy Award winning film. Principal cast: Peter Jordan, Maximilian Werner and Monica Bleibtreu.

Little Girl Waiting
Mexico
Eight year old Angelica wanders around the airport looking for her parents. She corners Carlos and Ana, two strangers who have never met before, and tells them they are her parents. They both have planes to catch and don’t know what to make of this strange little girl. This is writer/director Esteban Reyes first film. Principal cast: Maria Fernanda Urdapilleta, Juan Rios, Julio Casado and Ximena Rubio.

Drama, Suspense

Love Isn’t Pretty

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Love Story
England
Why do people love people? … because they can’t help themselves. A young girl asks her father, “Why do you love mommy?” As the man considers this question, he remembers the first sighting of his future wife which reveals the depth and complexity of his love for her. You know you’re in love when you realize there is nothing you wouldn’t do for them. Written and directed by Amit Gupta. Principal cast: Anthony Green, Shelley Conn, Colin Salmon and Alan McKenna.

Ordinary Love
Germany
On the seventh anniversary of his wedding day, a police officer not only has to solve a murder case but also his marital problems. He interrogates the man suspected of murdering his own wife. He seems to push all the right buttons and quickly gets a confession. How did he do it? The investigator and the murderer share a lot more in common than at first glance. Written and directed by Oliver Dieckmann. Principal cast: Jan Gregor Kremp, Michael Mendl, Carolin Fink and Suzanne von Borsody.

Drama

Just a Girl

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Missed
England
Will is shocked when he’s told that a girl who worked in his office died while away on holiday. He feels a sense of loss and regret for not having taken the time to get to know her better. The next day he’s even more surprised when he sees her walking passed the window of the café in which he’s sitting. He can now make amends, but is he too late? Written and directed by Guy Ducker. Principal cast: Jalaal Hartley, Sarah-Jane Pitts and Dan Mersh.
– Watch the film again, below.

River Child
Scotland
On a hot summer’s day, two girls head for the river to cool off. The self-assured Janice is almost a woman. The dreamy Katie is still a child. A dramatic event by the river alters the destiny of one of the girls forever. The film won the Scottish equivalent of the Academy Award in 2008. Directed by Damian Wood. Principal cast: Gemma Houston, Sinead Carroll and Darren Russell.
– Watch the film again, below.

Pink
Canada
Set in 1976 apartheid South Africa, a ten year old white girl attends the funeral of her black nanny, killed during a protest march. Sympathies shift swiftly in this stark examination of how politics are truly lived. Directed and edited by Ed Gass-Donnelly who made his start directing in the theater. Pink was originally created as a theater piece. Principal cast: Marian Wihak.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d76xWdajOY

Comedy, Drama

Life Is Full of Surprises

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The Bloody Olive
Belgium
It’s Christmas Eve 1951. Werner and Mylene are looking to forward to a quiet evening when the doorbell rings. It’s Sam, Werner’s business partner. He has discovered than Werner has been falsifying the books and wants his money back. This is the beginning of a night full of surprises. If you like stories with twists, you’ll lose track trying to count them all in this award winning tongue-in-cheek film noir. Written and directed by Vincent Bal. This story is based on a French comic strip entitled Imbroglio. Principal cast: Gene Bervoets, Veerle Van Overloop and Frank Focketyn.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To learn more about the film visit pov.imv.au.dk.

Life’s Hard
Romania
At knife point, a thief jumps into a young woman’s car while stuck in traffic to avoid the police. The frightened young woman becomes dumbstruck when the thief starts complaining about her dangerous driving. They both start arguing that each one’s life is harder than the other’s life. This unusual relationship takes twists and turns until it reaches a surprising climax. Written and directed by Gabriel Sirbu. The film won the Audience Prize at Aspen Shortsfest in 2008. Sirbu currently teaches film at the Romanian National Film School in Bucharest. Principal cast: Claudia Prec and Andi Vasluianu.
– Watch the film again, below.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB041MXW1Rw

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Comedy, Drama

Chance Encounters

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On Time
USA/Germany
A young man sits dumbstruck in an airport terminal. His fiancé has refused his offer of marriage. A traveling salesman sits next to him and offers to sell him a remarkable invention. In his suitcase is a product that will allow him to see thirty seconds into the future. A pretty outlandish claim, or so he thinks, until he witnesses it in action. Had he had this before, he could have prevented his current broken heart, but is knowing the future all it’s cracked up to be? Directed by Ted Chung. Principal cast: Kai Albrecht, Peter Farkas, Sabine Krause and Greta Galisch de Palma.
– Watch the film again, below.

Gnome
USA
A sheltered suburban wife accidentally hits a car in a bad part of town. Expecting the worst, she is shocked when three transvestites emerge from the car. She reluctantly accepts a ride home from these complete strangers. She comes face to face with her own fears and prejudices. We all play roles and wear costumes. The question is do you play the role or does the role play you? Based on a true story. Prior to directing and writing this short film, Jenny Bicks produced and wrote numerous episodes of Sex and the City. Principal cast: Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Joe Holt, Joey Cee and Michael Benjamin Washington.

Itsy Bitsy
USA
David is having a hard time getting up the nerve to ask his girlfriend to marry him. After another sleepless night, he goes into the kitchen for a midnight snack only to find he is not alone. He discovers you can’t always pick the perfect time or place to pop the question. The only thing standing between him and the love of his life is a spider … a REALLY BIG spider. Written, produced and directed by David May with amazing visual effects by Paul Hargrave. Principal cast: Brett Simmons and Amanda Zarr.
– Watch the film again, below.

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Drama

You Sexy Thing

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Pierre, a Hole with a View
USA
Vermin need love, too. Follow the trials and tribulations of a French mouse and his gorgeous new roommate. Never mind that the roommate is human. As the saying goes, one doesn’t always choose who you fall in love with. A charming love story about unrequited love inspired by the classic animations from Warner Brothers and Tex Avery. The film took writer/director Dan Brown two years to complete. Principal cast: Tasha Smith and John Armstrong (voice over).
– Watch the film again, below.

Mickey and Maria
Germany
Twenty year old Maria goes to a birthday party in hopes of escaping her troubles. She has just broken up with her immature boyfriend and has become disenchanted with men and love. That is until nine year old Mickey offers her the most romantic proposal ever. Directed by Steffen Reuter. Principal cast: Stefanie Stappenbeck and Max Schmuckert.

The Aviatrix
USA
Anne has no friends, lives with her mother and has cancer. Her escape from reality exists in the form of The Aviatrix, an intergalactic superhero alter ego who rockets through space to fight the power of evil on distant planets. Anne’s fantasy world is her only way of experiencing adventure and romance in her lonely life until Miles shows up. Written and directed by Virginia T. Burton. Principal cast: Jessica Robertson, Nicholas Yedinak and Barbara Chisholm.
– To learn more about the film visit theaviatrix.com.
– To read an interview with the filmmaker visit independent-magazine.org.

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Animation

Intelligent Design

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One Rat Short
USA
A subway rat finds himself in an amazing adventure of love and loss on a dark Manhattan night. The award winning animation was written and directed by Alex Weil (the same man who directed the classic Cars music video You Might Think).
– Watch the film again, below.

The Cathedral
Poland
An explorer discovers what appear to be the ruins of an ancient cathedral on the edge of an abyss. His journey at an end, he stands and waits for transformation. Tomek Baginski’s Academy award nominated film is based on the Jacek Dukaj science fiction novel.

Mirage
South Korea/USA
A bio-mechanic robot must fill his glass chest with water to stay alive. When his survival depends on the possible death of another, he uses his ingenuity to solve the problem. The stunning animation won a Student Academy Award for filmmaker Youngwoong Jang and took two years to complete.

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