Archives

Drama, Suspense

A Life Less Ordinary

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Personal Spectator
Belgium
Do you sometimes feel like you’re invisible? Do you feel your life just happens without anyone noticing? In a deserted cafeteria, a handsome stranger offers a young woman an unusual proposition that he guarantees will cure her seemingly bland existence. His offer sounds strange, yet appealing. What should she do? What would you do? Written, directed and edited by Emmanuel Jespers. Personal Spectator is based on the play “Les 7 Jours de Simon Labrosse” written by Carole Frechette. Principal cast: Tom Harper and Emily Hamilton.
– Watch the film again at emmanueljespers.com.

Eiffel Tower
Sweden
It’s Sunday morning. Jacob, a middle-aged man, tries to tell his wife about the dream he had. In his strange dream, Paris had its usual French charm, but the Eiffel Tower was missing. After lending him her ear, she asks, “What’s an Eiffel Tower?” Then things get really weird. Jacob quickly learns when you can no longer trust things you have taken for granted, your whole world is turned upside down. Written and directed by Niklas Radstrom. Principal cast: Stellan Skarsgard (The Exorcist: The Beginning, Breaking the Waves) and Pernilla August.

Drama, Suspense

Follow Your Heart

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The Date
Germany
As a young German man, Michael had a one-night stand with an American girl in New York. Back then, they made a promise to meet again in Central Park twenty years in the future. Now, 20 years later, Michael returns to New York and waits at the arranged spot in Central Park. Will she show up? Directed by Andreas Samland (Day 26, which aired in season three of Imagemakers). Principal cast: Ecki Hoffman and Sarah Louise Lilley.

Passing Hearts
Sweden
A young boy goes on a secret quest for answers after receiving a mysterious letter. This very moving tale reveals the unexpected ties that bind people who have never met. This award-winning film is inspired by an article that writer/director Johan Brisinger read in a newspaper. Principal cast: Max Enderfors, Kicki Bramberg, Angela Kovacs and Jan Mybrand.

Suspense

Weapons of Mass Deception

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Underground
USA
A woman on a subway discovers she is being watched and followed by some suspicious men. Despite her attempts to lose them, they are still closing in on her. This will turn into one heart-racing commute she will never forget. What are you afraid of? Just get a ticket and hold onto your seat. Written, produced and directed by Aimee Lagos and Kristin Dehnert. The story is inspired by an unnerving experience Kristin had taking the subway in Paris. Principal cast: Anne Ramsay, Shaun Toub, Don McGovern and Dwayne Wycoff.
– Watch the film again, kristindehnert.com.

The Mongoose
Germany
The German Federal Police have set up a risky undercover sting operation to stage a fake plutonium deal with a terrorist. This takes the special SWAT team to a posh hotel suite for the showdown, but as they are waiting to strike there is an unplanned turn of events. A nail-biting short directed by Philipp Osthus. Principal cast: Stefan Rudolf, Mark Zak, Mignon Reme, Stephan Schad, Sarah Maria Besgen and Henning Schimke.

Animation, Drama

Heavenly Bodies

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Milo 55160
Canada
Milo knows eternity is a long time to wait for a promotion. Milo is Heaven’s loneliest bureaucrat who spends everyday the same as the day before — processing disoriented and angry “newly-deads.” One day he meets an unusual boy, a “near dead” boy named Will, who is between both worlds. When Will mysteriously disappears, Milo is forced to leave his office desk and embark on a purgatorial odyssey through the afterlife. What he discovers drastically changes his life, literally, forever. Written and directed by David Ostry. Principal cast: Patrick McKenna, Alec Stockwell, Mark Caven, Graham Kartna, and Anne Tager Page.

Dad’s Clock
Australia
An elaborate and imaginative animation based on a father’s quest to build a clock before he dies of cancer and of a son’s attempts to reconcile their distant relationship. Written and directed by Dik Jarman, who is also an architect (in addition to being a puppet maker), spent two years making this film. The film is made even more personal by the inclusion of objects owned by his father — for example, a compass is used to as the bird’s beak.

Comedy, Drama

Modern Love

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High Maintenance
USA/Germany
Jane’s marriage has become routine and boring. She’s frustrated and unhappy. Her sex life is robotic. Fortunately, this story takes place in the future and technical advances has provided the answer — it’s time for an upgrade! This film received a Student Academy Award and was directed by NYU Film student Phillip Van. Cast: Nicolette Krebitz and Wanja Mues.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To learn more about the filmmaker visit phillipvan.com

Turn-off
France
The department store is a microcosm for suburban life. A married couple argues incessantly in canned goods while two people make a romantic connection in lingerie. Writer/director Philippe Lioret asks does marriage spell the end to happiness and great sex? Cast: Veronique Balme, Bruno Bayeux, Annelise Hesme, and Yvon Martin.

Stuff
Canada
A man who has nothing. A woman who has everything — including shoes, lots of shoes. Guess what happens when they move in together: the ultimate battle of wills. Their apartment becomes a battlefield, and the war between the sexes begins. Written and directed by Karl Raudsepp-Hearne. Cast: Linda Roessler and Martin Thibaudeau.

Come
Norway
A single word reminds two old people of their youth, their love and how far they have come together. Written and directed by Marianne Olsen Ulrichsen. Principal cast: Ruth Gurholt, Thor Ivsersen, Gry Olsen Ulrichsen, and John Kristian Hansen.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To learn more about the film visit pov.imv.au.dk.

Watch High Maintenance again:

Watch Come again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TODOCZt5CU

Drama

You Can’t Be Too Strong

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Breathe
Australia
Life is much different than it is in your dreams. The union with another human being can be a source of great comfort but at times can also cause deep misery. Sleep deprivation and worries about the fragile health of their new baby bring the emotions of a young couple to the breaking point. Juliet Porter wrote and directed this emotional and brutally honest film. Principal cast: Scott Johnson and Jane Allsop.

Tougher Yet
Germany
Marcus has a secret. Sarah has a secret. Neither has the nerve to tell each other. What appears to be a rough patch in their relationship builds to something much more complicated and life changing. Their silence leads to a misunderstanding that threatens to tear them apart. Written and directed by Felice Goetze. Principal cast: Karoline Schuch and Matthias Walter.

Drama

Skin Deep

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Beauty Queen
Ireland
Jennifer Dugan is beautiful, and she knows it. She feels her beauty entitles her to the good things in life and feels no sympathy for those less fortunate than her. That is until one day when she has an epiphany at an audition that changes her perspective on life. Written and directed by Brendan Muldowney (The Ten Steps, which aired in season four of Imagemakers). Principal cast: Ailish Symons and Britta Smith.

The Body Against
Spain
Bombarded with images in the media of perfection, girls are faced with unrealistic expectations of beauty. A young woman obsessed with her image takes a dark journey into the labyrinth of her own perception. Her body becomes a prison for the world to see as she lives the self-destructive dream of becoming what she is not. Written and directed by first time filmmaker Eduardo Chapero-Jackson. Principal cast: Macarena Gomez, Sarai Encinas Martin and Yaiza Guimare.

Suspense

Your Cheatin’ Heart

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RedBlack
England
London, 3am. A woman stands alone in the night until a cab driver sees her and offers her a lift. Their small talk turns to seduction as they navigate a dark city full of foreboding and dark possibilities. Shot over the course of a single night, RedBlack is a taut, sexy, dream-like journey with a shocking climax. Written and directed by Mal Woolford. Cast: Molly Ryman and Anthony Barclay.
– Watch the film again on vimeo.com.
– To learn more about the film visit rdblk.com.

Across the Hall
USA
A quiet night takes a dangerous turn when Julian receives a frantic phone call from his best friend, Terry. Terry claims to have followed his unfaithful fiancée, June, to a seedy hotel on the other side of town. To make matters worse, he’s staked out the room across the hall from her, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a revolver in the other. Julian pleads with his friend to stay put while he rushes to avert disaster. But is Terry truly as desperate as he sounds or has Julian been playing into his hands all along? Written, directed and edited by Alex Merkin. Principal cast: Adrian Grenier (HBO’s Entourage), James Oliver and Natalie Smyka.
– Watch the film again, below.

Watch Across the Hall again:

Drama

The Kindness of Strangers

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When Elvis Came to Visit
Sweden
On the outskirts of Stockholm a small but momentous meeting occurs between Lukas, a young man who despises immigrants, and a young boy named Elvis. Elvis and his Iranian family just moved into the flat across the hall. Due to circumstances beyond his control, Lukas is forced to baby sit the young Elvis. What happens to prejudice when it is faced with the simplicity of a child? The award-winning short is written and directed by Andreas Tibblin. Principal cast: Josef Saterhagen, Ben Solimanaznavi and Leila Hadji.

The Passage of Mrs. Calabash
USA
An overnight train hurtles through the barren winter from Chicago to New England. A young white gas station proprietress and a retired African American astrophysics professor share a sleeper car. This unlikely couple exchange stories of love and loss and reveal their deepest secrets. Written, produced and directed by Scott Tuft, the film sketches a skillful meditation on the notion that sometimes only a stranger can help you with the most personal and difficult transitions. Principal cast: Katherine Cunningham-Eves and Charlie Robinson.

Suspense

Dreams to Die for

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Before You Hit the Ground
Sweden
It is supposed to be impossible to die in a dream. The common belief is that one always wake up before it happens. But, what if you can learn to control your dreams? Aston, who is haunted by his dead girlfriend, believes that if he manages to die in a dream, he will be able to see his girlfriend again and get a sneak peak of what is waiting in the afterlife. He discovers he can’t attempt this dangerous task on his own. He meets Siri who is also willing to tempt death and becomes his accomplice. Directed by Magnus Holmgren. Principal cast: Emil Johnsen, Tvoe Edfeldt and Liv Mjones.

Comedy

Little Girls, Big Trouble

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The Pick-up Artist
Germany
Olli is a playboy. He finds himself just as he did the morning before — in another strange woman’s bed. As he plans to make his escape after another conquest, he comes face to face with his worst nightmare — the woman’s 6 year old daughter. Little Yvonne is not happy with the unlucky love life of her mother and decides to take matters into her own hands. Produced and directed by Steffen Weinert. Principal cast: Steffen Groth, Chantal Hourticolon and Nina Weniger.
– Visit the film’s web site at (note: only in German) the-pick-up-artist.com.

Big Girl
Canada
A battle of wills develops between nine-year-old Josephine and her mother’s new boyfriend — a “lowly” bartender. No longer the sole object of mom’s affection, Josephine challenges this new interloper to a winner take all competition. He may be man enough for her mother, but is he man enough to take care of them both? This bittersweet tale of modern family politics is written and directed by Renuka Jeyapalan. Principal cast: Samantha Weinstein, Kris Holden-Ried and Patricia Fagan.