Looking at Animals
USA
A new neighbor has moved into the suburbs. He is a retired wildlife photographer who made his living observing and predicting behavior of predators in the wild. This talent comes in handy with a clairvoyant mother and her angst-ridden teenage son as neighbors. Based on a short story by Josh Goldfaden. Directed and produced by Marc Turtletaub. His other film credits include co-producing and acting in the feature Little Miss Sunshine. This is his directorial debut. Principal cast: Will Patton, Robin Wiegert and BJ Wallace.
Archives
Alone Again (Naturally)
All My Dreams on VHS
England
James dreams every night. Fortunately, due to an amazing new technology, he has the ability to record all of them straight to VHS and watch them again at his leisure. When Erica, a sexy colleague at work stops by one evening, she finds something surprising amongst the titles. Curiosity gets the better of her. While he steps out for a minute, she pops in a tape with her name on it. What happens when subconscious dreams become public? Written and directed by Timothy X Atack. Principal cast: O.T. Fagbenle and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
– Watch a preview of the film, below.
– To learn more about the filmmaker visit timatack.co.uk.
Caresse
Holland
An unexpected blizzard forces Victor to spend a lonely Christmas Eve in a Baltimore hotel. Stranded in a foreign country, he decides to get a companion for the night. When the beautiful woman sits down next to him at the bar, the line between real love and paid love gets blurred. Written and directed by Jim Taihuttu. Principal cast: Pierre Bokma, Sylvia Hoeks and Frank Sheppard.
– Watch the making of this film, below.
– To learn more about the film visit caressedefilm.nl.
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My Precious Daughter
Finding
France
A secret agent is contacted by another spy to find the daughter he hasn’t seen for 18 years. Contacting the daughter will expose their covert identities. In spite of the risks at stake he accepts. He tracks her down and his thoughts go back to his own daughter who thinks he is also dead. Word has gotten out and a contract has been put out on both of the men’s lives. How much are they willing to risk to see their daughters? Written and directed by brothers Louis and Jesse Salto with a beautiful music score by Sebastien Galina. Louis was born in Mill Valley, California. Jesse was born in Katmandu, Nepal. Their mother is Danish and their father is Polish. The globetrotting brothers now call France home. Principal cast: Robert Dauney, Terence Bulley, Gabriella Wright, Danny Verissimo and Joe Sheridan.
– Watch the film again, below.
– To learn more about the film visit finding-themovie.com.
Fair Trade
Germany/Morocco
The shortest distance and at the same time the most obvious divide between Europe and the Third World is the Straits of Gibraltar. Anything can be bought here for the right price. A young woman from Spain has come with a shocking request. Is a fair trade in the offing? Written, produced and directed by Michael Dreher. Principal cast: Judith Engel and Barnaby Metschurat.
– Watch the film again, below.
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Love and Philosophy
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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Boys Will Be Boys
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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Amazing Animation
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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Not the Same Old Song and Dance
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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