Do you see what I see? | Short Doc about Controversial Conspiracy Theorist Artist David Dees Short of the Week 2021-07-22 | From illustrating for Sesame Street to exposing the New World Order, this is the story of the controversial and recently departed David Dees, unofficial artist of conspiracy theory culture. What sent him down the rabbit hole, and is there a path out?**A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.**SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek-----------------------------------------------------------------Do you see what I see?Directed by Brad Abrahamshttp://bradabrahams.net/dyswisExcerpts from the Full Review - shortoftheweek.com/2021/07/22/do-you-see-what-i-see"From director Brad Abrahams comes a profile documentary so surreal and entrenched in the life of controversial conspiracy theorist artist David Dees, that your understanding of reality from the ‘other side’ might just come into focus. While the views of the artist in question are far from relatable, growing distrust of our institutions give way to an alarming amount of people who will understand where Dees is coming from. Abrahams' unsettling portrait of a man is so human and full of empathy that it’s hard not to feel a deep connection to both Dees’ beliefs and the brilliant, yet problematic works of art he created. A film that will frustrate, enlighten, and enrage, it provides a chilling word of warning for us all. The spread of misinformation is now so commonplace that the issues Do you see what I see? raises, is not to be ignored. Glimpsing into the psyche of someone who has gone so far down the rabbit hole, they are living in an alternate reality is a work of fiction spun from fear. Yet for Dees, this wasn’t always the case. Before the recently departed David Dees was the unofficial conspiracy theory artist for the masses, he was an artist for Sesame Street for 13 years with a promising future ahead of him. Dees’ backstory and his beliefs are what ultimately drew Abrahams, whose body of work focuses on cryptozoologists, alien abductees, renegade scientists, & conspiracy theorists, to film a profile documentary about him. For Abrahams, probing into the psychology of people like Dees coupled with the allure of the unknown is worth exploring. “No matter how bizarre the person or tale, my M.O. is to present them in a nonjudgmental, non-marginalizing manner, with disarming sincerity. Because of the darkness of his beliefs, profiling David Dees turned out to be the most challenging subject yet,” Abrahams tells Short of the Week. Abrahams wanted to juxtapose the two halves of Dees persona, a sensitive empath and rabid conspiracy theorist, allowing for enough empathy to suspend judgment. He argues that conspiracy theories used to be a phenomena most of the public could laugh at and disregard, but we no longer have that luxury. “They can consume lives, destroy families, and lead to violence,” Abrahams points out. “Instead of othering or ignoring the believers, we must understand how they got there and why they believe, so we can create a dialogue that helps pull them back from the abyss.” But there's no denying that Dees' extremist art and online presence are in any way forgivable. Abrahams asks a lot of his audience - perhaps too much. Attempting to bring back someone from "the abyss" is a massive undertaking for any one individual let alone a single filmmaker, and yet, Do you see what I see? manages to humanize its protagonist in such a way that it’s hard to write Dees off as a lost cause. It’s therefore even more unfortunate and emotionally impactful due to Dees’ passing - he’ll never get that chance. In this way, Abrahams treads into a gray area of ethics that's hard to navigate for any documentarian." - S/W Curator Chelsea LupkinReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Peeps | The Secret Lives of Teenage Girls Explored in Coming-of-Age Comedy Short Short of the Week 2022-11-21 | Five teenage girls wander around a shopping centre after school, as from the rafters above, several species of birds bear witness to their drama.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/11/21/peepsSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🦜 Peeps dir. Sophie Somervillesophsomerville.squarespace.com/films“Peeps is a bold swing from director Somerville but it’s one she lands with confidence and style and the result is fresh and hugely enjoyable short that hits the sweet spot between experimental and accessible.” 🪶🤍 Rob Munday, Managing Editorcinematography by Carter Lookerproduced by Courtney Bombellproduction design by Ahmad Arief Ariwidjayastarring Shaelyn Connor, Shyla Farrugia, Ella Callow-Sussex, Mackenzie O’Brien & Charlotte SmithReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Sex Ed | Class Pressures Teacher to Reveal Personal Life Short of the Week 2022-11-18 | A tragicomedy about a sex education teacher who lets his personal problems get in the way of his lesson. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2019/11/19/sex-edSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek💦 Sex Eddir. Alice Seabright"Likely to bring back a wave of nauseating memories from your adolescence, whilst also reminding you of all the sh*t you have to deal with as a grown-up, prepare to laugh till you cry, then cry some more"- 🥹 🤍 S/W Curator Serafima Serafimova Cast: Mark WeinmanDOP: Steven Cameron FergusonProduction Designer: Sophia StoccoCostumer Designer: Lauren MillerComposer: Roly WitherowSound Designer: Michalianna TheofanopoulouCoulourist: Johnny TullyReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Catalina | Celebrating Male Friendship & Intimacy on Idyllic Holiday Short of the Week 2022-11-14 | On Catalina Island's enchanting shores, a queer man reunites with two of his childhood best friends for a weekend camping trip. This short film explores the fuzzy and intimate boundary between straight and gay male friends.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/11/14/catalinaSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🏝 Catalinadir. Tyler Rabinowitz rubbertape.co/work/catalina“Perfectly portrays what a camping trip with your best friends feels like…My own younger days at Glastonbury UK were certainly “hazy”— nowhere near as picturesque…but ultimately Rabinowitz always brings it back to the humans at the core of the story, as they are the vital heart and soul in the film’s success.”🏕❤️ Rob Munday, S/W Managing EditorExecutive Producer and Original Score by LelandStarringSam DiGiovanni... GusRonald Peet... WillBen Holtzmuller... BrianEmily Wilson... SophieAssociate ProducerMarcos SoteloDirector of PhotographyOren Soffer1st Assistant DirectorOwen LazurCasting byFreya KrasnowEdited byKid SisterUnderwater Cinematographer... Daren Vinson Crawford1st AC... Ric Keyes2nd AC... Jacob RennertGaffer... Rigel Yaluk MosqueraSound Mixer... Kieran AltmannArt Director and Wardrobe Stylist... Djiun WangSet Dresser... Mia XavezArt/Wardrobe Assistant... Dashiell NathansonHair and Makeup... Tracy DuBTS/Stills Photographer... Benjamin RigbySpecial ThanksFilm IndependentCullen Conly & Emily RoseReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Amazing VFX Fantasy Short Film | Evenveil Short of the Week 2022-11-10 | A warrior in exile, bearing a fated weapon, enters the ruins of a dead city to unlock a mysterious power known as the Red Veil.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/11/10/evenveilSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🪓 Evenveil dir. Sam Balcomb“Whoa…Set aside the pandemic, set aside the historic difficulty of producing good fantasy genre work in the short film medium, Evenveil just feels big in a way that belies its humble origins, its green-screen heavy approach making this proof-of-concept a worthy entry in the annals of DIY blockbusters” - 🤯 Jason Sondhi, S/W Managing EditorKAEJA // Alexis PetersLALIEL // Aria SongANCANAR // Nick ApostolinaCURUGON // Dawson MullenTHE VAGABOND // Gregory Lee KenyonFINLOMË // Ralph ListerVisual Effects, Titles & Color by RainfallEdited by // Jesse SoffMusic by // Jeff DodsonDirector of Photography // Sam BalcombSound Design & Mixing // Jeff DodsonCostume Designer // Andrea WakelyLeatherwork // Kim PollardDresser // Kimi HughesKaeja’s Axe // David DelaGardelleAdditional Arms & Armor // The Lonely Mountain ForgeStunt Coordinator // Vincent FatatoMakeup Designer // Alondra Excene ShieldsHair Designer // Autumn SkibinskiKey Grip // Josh PullinCovid Compliance Officer // Sarah ElbertReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Roommates Discover Disturbing Dog Ritual | Ex Creta Short of the Week 2022-11-07 | A group of bored roommates spy on a neighbor’s disturbing ritual.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/11/07/ex-cretaSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek💩 Ex Creta dir. Jon Portmanjonportman.com/excretaEx Creta is weird, there’s no denying it, but here at Short of the Week, we believe short film is where filmmakers can take risks and try something unusual. Portman’s film does that on a number of levels and even if it is just one big “unnecessary poop joke” we enjoyed it so much we wanted to scoop it up and put it on a plate for you. Enjoy 💩. - S/W Managing Editor Rob MundayWriter, Director, Illustrator, Animator: Jon PortmanStarring: Emily Kron, Olivia Puckett, Gabrielle Anise, and Ryan WheelerSound Design and Music: Ryan WheelerBackground Art: Charlie HudsonCel Animation: Zack SpakowskReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
La Mujer de Héctor (Hectors Woman) | Natalia Lugo Stars as a Complicated Single Mother Short of the Week 2022-11-03 | After the landfall of Hurricane María, a young mother attempts to find herself as she wrestles with responsibilities to her daughter and incarcerated husband. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/04/la-mujer-de-hector-hectors-womanSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekLa Mujer de Héctor dir. Ricardo Varonaricardovarona.com/Current-Work“One of the most intricate short character portraits I’ve seen in quite some time… a deft look at the complexity that lives within every person, and this strange dance between how one perceives themself and how one is perceived by others.”- S/W Cur. Ivan Kander 👤Director: Ricardo Verona Cast: Natalia Lugo • Marián Rivera • Ρaola D. Rivera• Wendalyz RosarioG&E: Frívolo • Gabriel CruzReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
This Is Our Home | Rodent Infestation Takes Revenge | Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-10-31 | When their rodent infestation intensifies, a bleeding-heart vegan and her pragmatic roommate find themselves at odds concerning pest elimination methods both cruel and effectiveA selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/31/this-is-our-homeSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🐀This Is Our Homedir. A.K. Espadaakespada.com/storyboards"A.K. Espada, tackles animal cruelty and ethics in her ingenious short”' - S/W Managing Editor Rob MundayWritten & Directed by A.K. EspadaCinematography by Alexandra BockProduced by Anthony NicolauStarring Mor Cohen and Ruba Thérèse MansouriReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Moshari | Award-Winning Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-10-30 | The biggest horror hit of the year is this Bangladeshi short that won the coveted "Best Midnight" award at SXSW 2022. The end of the world forces two sisters together, inside a mosquito net, just to survive—but first, they must survive each other.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/29/moshariSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🦟 Moshariby Nuhash Humayunmosharimovie.com"You instantly feel immersed in the world and up to date on the tragedies that have destroyed it…learning about the obstacles Humayun (dir.) and his team had to overcome to bring Moshari to life only works to amplify just how impressive this short is”🦟 S/W Managing Editor Rob Munday Writer/Director: Nuhash HumayunProducer: Busha AfreenExecutive Producer Rashad WajahatDOP: Ejaz MehediStarring: Sunerah Binte Kamal, Onora, Moyed BhuiyanReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Ghost Dogs | Trippy Award-Winning Sundance Animated Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-10-29 | A family’s new rescue pup is terrorized by deceased pets in this spooky Sundance horror hit.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/05/26/ghost-dogsSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🦴 Ghost Dogsdir. Joe Cappaghostdogs.net"But it’s those ghost dogs that steal the show, their human hands and grimacing faces are truly the stuff of nightmares. Credit for the visuals goes directly to Cappa, as not only did he write the short (along with producer J.W. Hallford), each frame of the film was hand-animated by the director himself, over the course of two years.' - 👻 S/W Curator Rob MundayJoe Cappa - DirectorJ.W. Hallford - ProducerJoe Cappa - AnimationJoe Cappa - WriterJ.W. Hallford - WriterJoe Cappa - Key Cast - "Rancher"J.W. Hallford- Key Cast - "Bowling Announcer"Olivia Carmel- Key Cast - "Ghost Dogs"Nicholos Poss - MusicPatrick Carroll - Background ArtDave Cappa - ColoringReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
We Want Faces So Bad | Faceless Dark Comedy Horror Short of the Week 2022-10-27 | Alexx must ‘face’ the reality of her overnight transformation when she joins her faceless friends in their nightly manifesting ritual. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: [shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/27/we-want-faces-so-badSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🕯 We Want Faces So Baddir. Matthew Van Gesselapplehousepictures.com"To say that the concept of We Want Faces So Bad is out there would be an understatement...this entertaining short expertly juggles comedy and horror to convey a surprisingly emotional story through a prism of absurdity.' - S/W Curator Céline RoustanCast:Cricket BrownJasmine KimikoRebecca BrinkleyMeagan Kimberly SmithCrew:Music/1st AD: Tanner PoffCinematography: Grant ConversanoEditing/Sound Mixer: Adam ConversanoProduction Design: Tij DoyenReRecording Mixer: Louis H. DeFeliceWig/Makeup: Madison McLain1st AC: Juliana RellaGaffer: Kyler SkipperColorist: Robindeep SinghReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Live Forever | Musical Tribute to Gruesome Horror Film Deaths Short of the Week 2022-10-24 | Based around an anthemic song that sees the dead unite across genres and time, Live Forever is a musical love letter and tribute to the poor victims of horror films who didn’t make it to the sequel.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/24/live-foreverSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🧟♂️ Live Foreverdir. Gustav Egerstedt "Horror fans rejoice! ‘Tis the spooky season to celebrate… the dead?! In a truly morbid musical you never asked for – but I secretly hoped for – Gustav Egerstedt’s Live Forever will fill your hearts with dread!"-💀🎉 S/W Curator Chelsea Lupkin DOP: Kenneth IshiiSet design: Jacob MohlinMake up: Soley AstudottirStylist: Sofia RingertzEditor: Björn ClausenSound design: Olle Ljungman, Mikael LindbladOnline artist: Anders BergénColorist: Rickard AhlbeckStarring: Sarah GierckskyFille AngeleLilja Li GilleJulia DehnischXindian YanTomio ArakiLaurence ZaccheusReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Gas Can | Farmer Refuses to Help Stranded Indigenous Family Short of the Week 2022-10-20 | A drama set in 1970’s Saskatchewan, a Cree family who run out of gas and ask an old farmer for help while moving to the city. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2020/06/09/gas-canSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek⛽️ Gas Candir. Mattias Grahamgascanfilm.ca“No one should feel unsafe in their own homelands, and my hope is that the ending to this film ultimately provides an optimistic and hopeful note as Anthem and Janie continue their journey"- 🫶 Dir. Mattias Graham Anthem - Simon MoccasinThe Farmer - Lyndon BrayJanie - Candy FoxBenjamin - Trenyce YuzicappiCinematographer - Derek BranscombeArt Director - Jeremy SandorProduction Manager - Matt BelangerSound Recordist - David RomanPicture Editors - Paul Chotel & Mattias GrahamColourist - Martin GaumondReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Samurai Frog Golf | 2D Style on CG Animated Action Short Film Short of the Week 2022-10-17 | A retired frog samurai wants nothing more than to be left alone and spend his remaining years in peace on the golf course. But when he unwillingly becomes the protector of a baby turtle he must draw his club for one more round. An animated amphibious adventure for golfers of all ages.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/17/samurai-frog-golfSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek⛳️ Samurai Frog Golf dir. Brent Forrestmarza.com/sfg"As a whimsical, pretty, and excitingly kinetic action short film, Samurai Frog Golf delivers truth in its advertising…Whether it is a strong basis for a long-running televised serial? That is a more challenging question, but I would be intrigued to find out.”— S/W Curator + Co. Founder Jason Sondhi 📺👀Story and StoryboardBrent ForrestArtJose SanchezRyan WheelerModeling SupervisorFumiaki TaharaModelingJun MasudaAsumi MasugiEscosora Clemhyn MoralesBrent ForrestRigging SupervisorTatsuya AkagiRiggingRyohei NagamineCha Chia WeiRyoya OtaniHarshad BariMaria Dolores PaculanLayout / SetdressKengo NukizonoJose SanchezTatsuya AkagiBrent ForrestAnimation SupervisorTomokazu SakamotoAnimationKeisuke Christopher HirataPereira TarquinJames YoungVictoria OentoengDaniel DarmawanSesarini HambaliPralhad ShivaneSpecial EffectsBrent ForrestLighting and composite SupervisorNozomu KondoLighting and compositeShohei OtsukiNaoto KawaguchiFumiaki TaharaPipeline and ToolsTatsuya AkagiTechnicalTakamasa MatsunariEfrizal HardimanKim SolMusicDavid ArcusSound DesignYuta SaitoProject ManagersRina OnoueOh SeowonSaeko OnoHiroki TamanahaSpecial ThanksEmily ForrestKaoru ForrestGaetan GuidetDavid BullDirectorBrent ForrestCG SupervisorTatsuya AkagiCG DirectorFumiaki TaharaProducerMayumi TachikawaExecutive ProducersAkira SuganoHaruhiro UchidaReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
My Condolences to Your Future Lovers | LQBTQIA+ Romance Short of the Week 2022-10-13 | Determined to fight for her summer love, idealist Vicky argues passionately for young love and picture-perfect movements, convinced Stacey is just scared--- or, even worse, in the closet. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: [INSERT LINK TO REVIEW]Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🚗 My Condolences to Your Future Loversdir. Jessica Dowse thedailylunge.com/my-condolences-to-your-future-lovers “We all remember how passionate we were (still are?) during those formative years of early adulthood, and throughout the erstwhile lovers’ outbursts of emotion, Dowse subtly adds a thematic layer that complicates the conversation’s overt sincerity—one that is only seen when we have the required distance from the situation….we easily can picture how they both got swept up in their summer fling in the first place.”- S/W Curator Céline Roustan🧨☀️Stacey: MEGAN WALKERVicky: ALEXANDRA HANNANTProduction Companies: THE DAILY LUNGE & BLUE ROBIN PRODUCTIONSWriter & Director: JESSICA DOWSEProducer: ANDIE RICHARDSONDirector of Photography: OSCAR PARTRIDGEMusic & Songs: TWO TWENTY TWOAlien man: DAN VAN DAMNFestival guy: JEANPIERRE MANNBouncing woman: VANESSA IBBETTParty dude: TOM MELVILLENosy man: LEE COXONNosy woman: VICKY COXONMan in love: MATTHEW CONNOLYWoman in love: PIPPA SNADDENCamera Operator: CALLUM TUNMORE1st ac: ALEX WILLIAMSCamera Trainees:LUKE STACEYJAKE DE LA MOTHESound Recordist: FREDDIE NEVISONGaffer: ASH LANG WEN LISpark: ANDREW ALEXANDERProduction Assistants:GRACE MASONTAOFEEQAT OLANLOKUNOLIVIA PRENDERGASTVFX Artist: LUKA STEMBERGERSound Editor: DOM LANCASTERColourist: KAROL CYBULSKI AT CHEATGraphics: ALEX DOWSEBTS Photographer: ROSALIND ALCAZARCatering:EMILY HYNEJO HYNE"My condolences to your future lovers"Written & Produced by: TWO TWENTY TWOPerformed by: JADE ELLINSLocation: LEE VALLEY CAMPSITECar: CLASSIC CAR HIRE UKSpecial thanks to:PAUL SARGEANT AT PROCAM/TAKE 2 FILMSReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Joe Buffalo | Skateboarding to Survive | Documentary Short Short of the Week 2022-10-10 | Joe Buffalo is an Indigenous skateboard legend. He’s also a survivor of Canada’s notorious Indian Residential School system. Following a traumatic childhood and decades of addiction, Joe must face his inner demons to realize his dream of turning pro.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2021/10/08/joe-buffaloSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🛹Joe Buffalo dir. Amar Chebibamarchebib.com/joe-buffalo“Amar Chebib’s 16-min documentary shares [Joe’s] incredibly empowering story, painting a deeply touching portrait of a man who was saved by his passion and literally captures the spirit behind the importance of always getting up, whenever you fall.”- S/W Curator Céline Roustan 🫶Director –Amar ChebibProducer –Hayley Morin, Mack Stannard, Amar ChebibCinematographer –Liam MitchellScreenwriter –Joe Buffalo, Amar ChebibReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Buzzkill | Peer Pressure Leads to a Dangerous Game...| Coming of Age Short Short of the Week 2022-10-07 | Peer pressure leads a South Florida tween desperate to fit in, into a dangerous situation with her younger sister.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/24/buzzkill Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🏊🏻♀️ Buzzkill dir. Kathy Mitranikathyemitrani.com"“As a 40-something year-old man, I’m never going to know what’s it’s like to be a teenage girl, but Buzzkill lets me live the experience for 11-minutes!” - Rob Munday, S/W Managing Editor💅'Cast:Sofia Abad Ariella Abad Dani Hernandez Zach Chanlatte Joss Mordecai Cristal Bella Shamyr Touze Jason Lozama David DeSouzaCrew:DOP - Logan TriplettProduction Design - Joyce Esquenazi Mitrani1st Assistant Director - Natalia Luque2nd Assistant Director - Erin Jade LunaPAs - Jacob Javor and Conor CallahanCasting Assistant - Amie Song1st AC - Mike Lemnitzer2nd AC - Humberto BlancoGaffer - Samuel RomeroKey Grip - Danny RodriguezSwing - Mike DejanouPhotographers - Hester Esquenazi, Kanne VeeSound Mixer - Arthur BeyerBoom Operator - Gerald PainEditor - Kathy E. MitraniAssistant Editor - Kanne VeeColorist - Jenny MontgomerySound Edit/Design - Ander Agudo, Todd YeagerSpecial Effects - Esteban GarciaMusic - Zach Chanlatte, King KilozReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
July. | Dark Thriller Drama where Prank Goes Horribly Wrong Short of the Week 2022-10-03 | When Tarjei meets his old friends during the summer, years after high school, a childish game develops into a morality play and Tarjei involuntarily witnesses his and his friends shortcomings. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/10/03/julySubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🪨 Juli(July.)dir. Mauritz Brekke Solberghttps://www.solbergfilm.no/ "The film’s alluring romanticism of youth, coupled with true adulthood on the horizon, makes July’s dark exploration of responsibility a heart pounding ride that will leave a lasting impression.” - S/W Sr. Programmer, Chelsea Lupkin🤯 DP: Jørgen Klüver 1st AC: Sebastian Storakeren 2nd AC: Emilie SolbergSteadicam operator: Atle HoltanProduction designer: Mira LandaMake up: Denise Aastrøm Costume: Amalie Hunn Gaffer: Tobias Olsen Johnsgaard Lighting technician: Joakim Tutturen Production sound mixer: Helge Bodøgaard 1st AD: Kjetil Jore Production assistant: Olav Trellebø Editor: Brwa VahabpourSound designer: Therese Diesen Composer: Thomas Daviknes HansenReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
World Wide Woven Bodies | A Young Boy Becomes Obsessed with the Early Internet | Coming of Age Short Short of the Week 2022-09-29 | In the early days of the internet, a young Norwegian boy explores the web's true potential--porn. This complicates his relationship with his parents, and their house becomes a minefield filled with uncomfortable interactions. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2016/12/06/world-wide-woven-bodies-2Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🧑🏻💻World Wide Woven Bodies (Verdensvevde Kropper)dir. Truls Krane Mebyhttp://www.trulskranemeby.no/bodiesintheweb"..exploring a unique period of recent history where the technological and spiritual became inextricably entwined, and, utilizing period-correct production design, with gorgeous 35mm film to better contrast themes of digital vs. physical...Meby thoughtfully illustrates the embrace and distaste of new technology..despite the inherent difficulty of making a computer interaction cinematically appealing, [capturing] both the playful nature of a child and the scariness and shame of coming to terms with the new-found desire that comes with adulthood. - 👏S/W Curator Chelsea LupkinProduced by Jannik Dam Kehlet, Nord-Norsk FilmproduksjonCinematography by Benjamin LoebReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
A Film About a Pudding | Award-Winning Animated Comedy Short of the Week 2022-09-26 | After Ronin neglects to clear up her dropped groceries, they start to mix and bubble, transforming into a small pudding - which begins to grow at an alarming rate 😳.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/26/a-film-about-a-pudding Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🍮 A Film About Pudding dir. by Roel Van Beekzwoerd.com"A Film About a Pudding would be easy to dismiss as just a bit of fun, but there are numerous layers to both the story and style that make it much more than that – also, who doesn’t love a good pudding?' - S/W Managing Editor Rob Munday 😋🍴Directed and Animated by Roel Van BeekProduced by Jack PollingtonStory by Roel Van Beek, Julie Nørgaard Bonde Jensen, Jack PollingtonCinematographer: Sonja HuttunenProduction Designer: Freddie BurrowsEditor: Raluca PetreComposer: Madison WillingSound Designer: Henry SimsColourist and Online Editor: Nigel TadyanehondoProduction Manager: Kate MantLead Model Maker: Beth SlaterCast:Ronin – Eleanor AnwenReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Generation | Experimental A.I Animation on the Human Experience Short of the Week 2022-09-22 | A brief journey through the human experience as seen by the eyes of an Artificial Intelligence.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/22/generationSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek💥Generationdir. Riccardo Fusetti"Attempting to portray, what director Riccardo Fusetti describes as, “the overwhelming feeling of human life”, Generation is an ambitious two-minute short that manages to provide a thought-provoking reflection on life, while also showcasing how AI technology can be used to good effect. A mixture of animation and dance, soundtracked by a celestial voiceover, Fusetti’s film is a welcome reminder of all you can achieve in a little over 120-seconds.' - S/W Curator + Managing Editor, Rob Munday🌙✨Performance and Choreography by Evie WebzellNarrator: Paul ThomsonDirector of photography: Natalja SafronovaFocus Puller: Dominika BesińskaGaffer: Dorothy DeeOriginal score and sound design by SINKSound Mix: Alex O'DonovanColorist: Stef ColosiEdit and VFX: Riccardo FusettiSpecial thanks: Brendan CoxReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Trooper | Shocking Deathbed Confession of an Ex-Cop Captain | Crime Drama Short Film Short of the Week 2022-09-19 | When an ex-cop's deathbed confession reveals a terrible crime, a dutiful daughter is forced to weigh the differences between the stories we tell ourselves and the truth.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/19/trooperSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🚔 Trooperdir. Joe Stankus"In Trooper, writer/director Joe Stankus explores, with subtlety and nuance, the repercussions of this inadvertent admission and how it shakes the worldview of its main character...the film definitely makes you realize that our parents/family members can be at the same time the people you know the best and the least. ' - S/W Curator Céline Roustan🤔Producer: Richard LevinDirector of Photography: Nada StjepanovićEditor: Jasmine ThimothéProduction Designer: Maryam KhosraviAnnie: Allison Jean WhiteJed: John AdamsThe Ringer: Sean WeilCapt. Ben Donnelly: Robert James HickeyReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
The Dispute | BFF Comedy about Big Dreams Short of the Week 2022-09-12 | Two best friends, from South Central Los Angeles, fantasize about living lavishly when a pre-approval letter for a credit card with no set spending limit suddenly arrives in the mail.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/12/the-disputeSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek💸The Disputedir. Mikey Alfred "The Dispute is authentic, stylish as hell, and thoroughly entertaining, and whilst the message at its core is a familiar one, it’s also hugely important and you’ll do well to be reminded of it every once in a while. And, if it just so happens to be by two formidable, jumpsuit-clad forces of nature, I’m certainly here for it!' - S/W Curator Serafima Serafimova 🔥🥰🔥Malcolm Washington - ProducerSamuel McIntosh - Co-Produced ByAli Brown - Executive ProducerCorie played by Olivia TreeceNanny played by Yvonne RoncerosHomeless Man played by Scott Douglas MachLachlanCasting by Dan BernsteinCinematography by Ayinde AndersonReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Pizza Monster | Dark Comedy about Pizza and Heartbreak Short of the Week 2022-09-08 | From the tears of his failed relationship and a pile of pizza leftovers, a monster is born giving a once rejected man a new lease on life and a chance at love again. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW:shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/08/pizzamonsterSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🍕🧍🏼♀️Pizza Monsterdir. Kurt Platvoethttps://julyfilm.nl/films/pizzamonster/"“Pizza monster seamlessly blends sub-genres together, and the result is a twisted modern-day vision of a love story that’s possibly not to everyone’s taste. For me though, watching the short film for the first time was like trying a new dish that I didn’t know I loved until I tasted it. In my book, it’s a recipe for success...[leaving] you hungry for more…” - S/W Curator Serafima Serafimova 🍽' Cast: Sallie Harmsen, Benjamin Moen, Ergun SimsekWritten and directed by Kurt PlatvoetProduced by Julia Rombout | July FilmExecutive producer: F. Carter Pilcher | Shorts TV1st A.D.: Thom ArendsD.O.P.: Floris VerweijGaffer: Koen van BergenArt Direction: Cecile HanrathWardrobe: Fleur FeringaSpecial make-up effects: Rob Hillenbrink & Erik HillenbrinkMU & Hair: Tamer Al-SadatSound recording & Sound design: Sam HuismanEditor: Augustine HuijsserMusic: Canshaker PiVFX & graphic design: Roel MeijeringColor Grading: Laurent FluttertReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Homesick | Dark Comedy Thriller About Becoming a Kid Again Short of the Week 2022-09-05 | "Homesick" is an absurdist thriller about an unhappy man who attends a retreat offering adults a second chance at a happy childhood. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/09/05/homesick-will-seefriedSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🧸Homesickdir. Will Seefried wolflightfilms.com"This fixation on the past is personal for Seefried. Writing to us, he remarks “I’m fascinated by how we recreate childhood experiences in hopes of finding different outcomes. This tendency has shaped my adult life and the lives of many people I love. What would happen if we could go back and undo the childhood tragedies that have shaped our adult selves? Would things be different? Would we be better, happier, more functional people?” Selfishly, I hope Seefried does not find a way to fix his past, because his collection of traumas has produced a gifted artist capable of creating one of my favorite shorts of the year.' - S/W Curator + Co-founder, Jason Sondhi 🥰Eduardo: Hiram DelgadoMom: Leslie Fray Dad: Motell Gyn Foster Man with Ponytail: Tom Nelis Woman on Phone: Jennifer Reagan Director: Will SeefriedDirector of Photography: Cory Fraiman-LottProducer: Hannes OttoProduction Designer: Cheyenne FordSet Dresser: Suzy KlannAssistant Director: Grace Merriman1st AC: Alice Boucherie 2nd AC: Sam ShoemakerGaffer: Glenn BrownGrip: Michael Bradley CohenSound Mixer: Joe CantorMusic By: Andrew Orkin Sound Design: Arjun G. Sheth Color and Finishing: Company ThreeColorist: Kath Raisch Finishing Producer: Zac GobetzColor Assistant: Andrew Mirmanesh Jake WhiteFinishing Executive: Jim GardnerHead of Production: Margaret LewisEditor: Eva Du PreezPost Production Consultant: Wilhelm Conradie2nd Assistant Editor: Izel Van der MerweOnline Editor: Molly GillisVFX Supervisor: Ivy LiaoAssociate Producer: Roelof StormProducer’s Assistant: Larica SnellProduction Assistant: Cameron Quigley Production Company Wolflight Films Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Heartless | Dystopian Sci-Fi Short Short of the Week 2022-09-01 | Young couple Anna and Gunnar are deeply in love but they live in a society where people are assigned a new spouse by lottery every seven years. As their final day together approaches, they grapple with the nightmare of being torn apart and facing life with another partner.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2022/0...Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🥚Heartlessdir. Haukur Björgvinssonwww.directorhawk.com"Having first seen Heartless early in 2022, it was a film the S/W team instantly wanted on our platform. Sci-fi shorts of this quality are a hard find and with the passion for the genre online, you’d hope Björgvinsson’s film will find a passionate, appreciative audience within the internet communities. Those who love Heartless as much as we do at S/W HQ, will be happy to hear its director already has a series of new projects in the works, including a scripted anthology series titled Wastelands – set in the Highlands of Iceland – and two feature film projects.' - S/W Managing Editor Rob Munday ❤️Starring Bríet Ísis Elfar, Jóhann Kristófer Stefánsson, Ísar Máni Birkisson, Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson, Director of photography: Ásgrímur GuðbjartssonEditor: Úlfur Teitur TraustasonComposer: Herdís StefánsdóttirProps: Kristinn Arnar SigurðssonSound: Sindri Þór KárasonReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Somewhere Higher | Weed Love Stories Short of the Week 2022-08-29 | Recreational cannabis users share how the herb has helped them process grief, be more creative, and engage more completely with their loved ones💚Marijuana has been legal in Michigan since 2018 — but consumers know the activity is still stigmatized. They know people are still in prison on charges from before Prop 18-1. They know you can still lose your job if you fail a drug test. They know people still assume that anyone who gets stoned is a burnout. In this vibrant anthology, cannabis users tell us the other side of the story. They tell us that the perspective and clarity offered by cannabis far outweigh the vague, supposed risks. Whether they’re a poet seeking inspiration, a boxer recovering after a fight, or a young Muslim seeking a closer relationship to God.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/29/somewhere-higherSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🍃Somewhere Higherdir. Mohammad Gorjestani"Although I don’t smoke weed myself anymore, Somewhere Higher reminds me a lot of what it was that I enjoyed about marijuana for many years – that sense of community, that sense of freedom, that alternative state of consciousness. I’m sure Gorjestani had a lot more in mind than just promoting cannabis use in his short, but he presents a glowing case for the benefits of the much-maligned herb and adds a fresh new perspective to the conversations around it. On top of that, Somewhere Higher is just an outstanding short film, consistently inventive throughout, the talented filmmaker and his equally skilled crew ensure they keep the engagement levels at a peak for the complete duration of the piece and that is no easy task." - S/W Curator Rob Munday😶🌫️Creative Director: Omid FatemiDirector of Photography: Michael FernandezDirector of Photography 2nd Unit: Jeff SukesLine Producer: Rodney Byerson1st Assistant Director: Joe LikinsProduction Supervisor: Ritchie PiertProduction Manager: Aaron ArgomidoProduction Supervisor: Marissa ClementProduction Coordinator: Nicki Howe1st Assistant Camera: Kevin Waltz, Danielle Grow2nd Assistant Camera: Cam MonementSteadicam Operator: Greg JohnsonDigital Imaging Technician: Josh NagyLoader: Kara MiccelafStill Photographer: Ali LapetinaStills Photographer Assist: Anastasia CheathamGaffer: Patrick GeorgeKey Grip: Steven VanMaeleGrip: Creig Symmons, Trevor StevensArt Director: Pat BirdArt Assistant: Devin DurocherWardrobe Stylist: Ayana O’NealHair & Make Up: Sarah Bahlibi, Lauren BeverlySound Mixer: Aaron Eschenburg, Mark HaygenLocations Manager: Tom MoisidesLocation Scout Asst: Jennifer ZapinskiCOVID Compliance Officer: Teresa Petersen, Alex Nardelli, Charlene DwyerCatering/Craft Services: Chef CurtisDirectors's Production Asst: Tytiana SteeleProduction Assistant: Ryann Kearney, Scott Eberline, Nari Garner, Greg Johnson, Michael Rentz, Hylee SouderSet Medic: Dave CrabtreePost-Producer: Rocco CampanelliEditor: Ashley RodholmAssistant Editor: Omri ShirFilm Processing FotoKemTitle Design & Art Director: Eileen Tjan, Other StudioSpoken Word Voice Over: Rodney LucasSmoke Break Voice Over: David George, Mohammad GorjestaniColor: NtropicColorist: Ayumi AshleyColor Producers: Will Mok, Laura NoonanSounds Design & Mix: Sonos SanctusSound Design: Trevor RichardsonRe-Recording Mix: Zach DykeSound Design & Mix Producer: Jake MerrittMusic Licensing, Soundstripe, Pond5Smoke Break Animation: Thomas Harrington Rawle, Thiing Studios3D Animation: Eric Peschel2D Animation: Prashanti AswaniDigital Cleanup & Painting: Eric Peschel, Quico EnciniasAssociate Producer: Madeline MoitoizoResearchers: Emily Thomas, Ali Lapetina, Eileen Tjan, Kyle Baxter, Meredith ClarkAssistant Researcher: Brian OscarCasting Research: Dionne CochraneReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.
Mens vi venter (While we wait) | Bloody Dark Comedy Short Short of the Week 2022-08-25 | A woman reflects on her rosy relationship.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/25/mens-vi-venter-while-we-waitSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🩸Mens vi venter (While we wait)dir. Kamilla Alnes"Relationships are messy. Yes, we need them in order to live a fulfilled and healthy life, however, the joyful moments they bring us always come with strings attached to copious amounts of pain and misery. Mens vi venter (While we wait), directed by Kamilla Alnes, is centered around a very special kind of relationship – one that half of the world’s population is intimately familiar with, yet one that is rarely talked about." - S/W Curator Serifima Serafimova 🌹Cast: IDA NILSEN & EIRIK HALLERT Cinematographer: MATT WESTON Editor and colorist: JESPER VIGANDER EDWIN Composer: EIVIND HANNISDAL Sound Design: KAREN BAKER LANDERS, BJØRN ESPESETH. Production sound mixer: EMMA LINNEA LARSEN Sound mixer: PETER SATUBLI Supervising sound assistant: PHIL MORRILL 1st AD: ALEX SUCIU, MARIUS NYSÆTER1st AC: ASTRID ALEXANDERSSON Makeup: ANETTE TENNFJORDCostume: MARIE SOFIE ISTAD NESSET Music by: EIVIND HANNISDALVocal: VICTORIA OFTESTADGuitar: TOMAS LAUKVIK NANNESTADGuitar: BROR VEGGE KOLSRUD DIT: CAMILLA KRÜGER SKOGENSet design: HANNE SAGSTUENPoster design: HEIDI BENDIKSEN FOLKESTADCoordinator: SIRI HOVE LINDSETH & JON PETTER ALNES Subtitles: BJØRN GIERTSEN Mastering: TOM JOELSEN & ESPEN SKJETNEReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Americanized | Basketball Coming of Age Short Short of the Week 2022-08-22 | Growing up in Oakland’s hip-hop culture, Eng struggles with her Chinese American identity. To her high school basketball team, she’s just that girl who sits on the bench; but to the Asian kids she’s "Americanized." As her sophomore year of high school comes to an end, Eng tries to find a sense of belonging within the two worlds that don't accept her.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/22/americanizedSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek🏀 Americanized dir. Erica Engericaeng.com/americanized" In Americanized, writer/director Erica Eng paints a portrait of a teenager struggling to fit in, caught between her identity and aspirations. Despite the specific cultural background of the story, it has an undeniable universal appeal, which makes the story all the more engaging and emotionally compelling.' - S/W Curator Céline Roustan⛹🏻♀️CASTLead “Eng”: Terry HuSupporting “Steph”: Amber GastonPrincipal “Nee Nee”: Helen OngPrincipal David”: Charles YanPrincipal “Denise”: Shannon DangPrincipal “Coach Carr”: Mark NeelyPrincipal “Tori”: Sharar Ali-SpeaksPrincipal “Meuy”: Jo MendozaCREWWriter/Director: Erica EngProducer: Simran MahalCinematographer: Drew DanielsCasting Director: Claire KoonceProduction Designer: J.D. MoranWardrobe Stylist: Jillian KnoxEditor: Bowei YueMusic Composer: Aiko FukushimaSound Design & Mix: Bo PangReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Dead. Tissue. Love. | Experimental Documentary Short on Necrophilia Short of the Week 2022-08-18 | Dead Tissue Love is an intimate experimental documentary exploring and examining a female necrophile, as she journeys and recounts her life experiences. The film has garnered international recognition, screening at SXSW, Ann Arbor and Encounters. It has been described as “Subtly Suggestive… Gently Disturbing” in a review by The Telegraph.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2019/10/29/dead-tissue-loveSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekDead. Tissue. Love dir. Natasha Austin-Greennatashaaustingreen.com/dead-tissue-love"The opening lines of narration in Natasha Austin-Green’s unique short documentary Dead. Tissue. Love instantly intrigue— “I think, it kind of planted this little seed in my mind and I started thinking, I wonder what that’s like, what type of people do that”. Planting its own seed, these admissions from our unseen narrator perfectly set the scene for what is about to come—a frank and open revelation about forbidden sexuality and desire. If you’d have told me at the start of 2019, that one of my favorite films we’d feature on S/W this year would be an experimental doc about a female necrophile, I wouldn’t have believed you!Setting out to examine “how immense the loneliness and the isolation would be if a person’s sexuality was deemed to be repugnant and grotesque by society”, if the idea of a necrophile detailing their impulses and urges on camera makes your skin crawl, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. This isn’t a film designed to shock or disgust, it’s a surprisingly gentle and relatable doc, intent on showing the human side to something many would deem “unimaginable”.' - S/W Curator Rob Munday ☠️Sound Designer and Composer: Joe Crouch Production Designer: Matty CrawfordEditor: Tom WindsorCinematographer: Bradly Graham1st Assistant Camera: Tom StephensStarring: Antonia Purdie, Murron McDermid and Jekatharina AlonikovskayaNarrator: Afsaneh Dehrouyeh Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
The Cloud Racer | Sci-Fi CG Animated Short Using Unreal Engine Short of the Week 2022-08-15 | Set in the near future, a young man and his blue-collar mechanic father compete in a qualifier for an advanced racecraft competition, through a treacherous course against elite racers that runs through the now "Ghost City" of Los Angeles.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/15/the-cloud-racerSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekThe Cloud RacerDir. Joe Sillwww.impossible-objects.co"A sci-fi proof-of-concept short heavily indebted to underdog sports films, cinematic aviation spectacles, and old-school chase filmmaking. While the 100% CG film soars via its cutting-edge "virtual production" techniques and real-time workflows, its soul is firmly grounded in old-school Hollywood sensibilities, resulting in a glossy confection that is a pleasing amalgam of forward-looking futurism and nostalgia."- S/W Curator, Jason Sondhi ☁️🏁Directed by: Joe SillVirtual Production Company: Impossible ObjectsProducers: Joe Sill, Jerad Anderson, Matisse TolinWriter: Matisse TolinVirtual Production Supervisor: Luc DelamarePerformances by: Heston Horwin, Chase Cargill, Stephanie Kerbis, Trevor StevensVocal Performances by: Bobby Doughnuts, George C. OwensComposer: Trevor DohertyEditorial: Impossible ObjectsColor Correction: Impossible ObjectsAudio Post Production: One Thousand BirdsSound Design & Mix by: Jackie! ZhouAdditional Sound Design: Torin Geller, Myra Al-RahimOTB Executive Producers: Guin Frehling, Kira MacKnightReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
West By God | Romantic First Date Short Film Short of the Week 2022-08-08 | A West Virginia teenager goes on a date with a local drug dealer.Premiering at Berlinale 2022 before going on to win a prize at SXSW, this sensitive depiction of awkward young love stands out for its unusual setting and impressive lead performances. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/07/west-by-godSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekWest By GodDirector Scott Lazerhttp://www.scottlazer.cominstagram.com/scott_lazer"It’s summertime in a small West Virginia town. School is out and most of the kids battle the heat every day at the local public pool. After exchanging a few looks and then communicating via text, high schooler Nelly and local drug dealer Dane meet up for a date. In "West by God", director Scott Lazer paints a moving and compelling portrait of a first date, with its fair share of awkwardness and vulnerabilities, carried by two fleshed-out characters brought to life with stellar performances." - S/W Curator Céline RoustanCASTNelly: Aphrodite ArmstrongDane: Kyle RiggsFiona: Michael WashingtonLee: Hayln LeggCREWDirector of Photography: Taylor McIntoshCasting Director: Catherine LellieColorist: Derek Hansen1st AC: Manny RodriguezGaffer: Derrick BillsProduction Sound Mixer: Rob BluemkeSound Designer & Mixer: Dean WhiteTitle Designer: Aaron VintonProduction Assistant: Claire LazesReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
The Ref | A Teen Ref is Pushed to the Edge | Award-Winning Comedy Short Short of the Week 2022-08-04 | A referee struggles to maintain control over a 2nd-grade basketball game⛹🏽♀️.From the team behind the Short of the Week Award-winning film "Mixtape Marauders" a young referee, dealing with personal tragedy, is pushed to the edge by the chaotic mix of players, coaches, and parents. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/04/the-refSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekThe RefDirected by Peter Edlundhttp://visualpollution.us/portfolio-item/the-ref"Drew is the sole referee of a second-grade basketball game. Between the rambunctious kids, the overzealous coaches, and (worst of all) the parents, the gym quickly turns into a scene of uncontrollable chaos. With this scene set, it is our great pleasure to welcome back to S/W the Edlund brothers (The New West, Mixtape Marauders), with their latest short The Ref. This new collaboration, co-written by the duo, finds them once again exploring the balance between over-the-top laughs and character-driven feels, resulting in a film that perfectly delivers in those two registers.Ian Edlund had been prompted by his brother, Peter, to come up with a short film that would take place in a single room. According to Ian he was, “Listening to Title Fight’s “Blush” (editor: the song at the beginning) and crossing Atlantic Avenue, I saw an image of a referee slamming a ball to the ground in frustration”. This random scene is what Ian credits as the first spark of inspiration for The Ref, as he was transported back to his experiences watching his brother in youth basketball—first as a player, then as a referee—where he witnessed first-hand the sometimes abominable behavior of over-zealous parents.With a premise set, the character-drama needed developing. Ian plays the main character of the film, Drew, a young man on the cusp of the transition to adulthood, but who is dealing with a recent tragedy. Ian shares with us that Drew was envisioned as “someone who has had to become an adult too fast and is privately dealing with personal hardships while their friends and peers start to move onto bigger and better things”. This element of late teenage, early twenties "stuckness" is a theme familiar from the creative team's Shorts Awards-winner Mixtape Marauders, though here the filmmakers play it with a more tragic edge. Still, with the basketball game providing a comedic element, the two aspects pair well—Drew's backstory complements the absurdist farce of the game and provides an emotional angle that gives the film depth.The film relies on the very delicate juggling of tones. On one hand, you have the mounting chaos that, from the comfort of our seats, we can only find funny and ridiculous. On the other hand we have Drew, in a hard moment of his life just trying to get through the game. To be at the same time emotionally compelling and funny (albeit darkly so) is a hard thing to achieve. Instead of falling into broad caricatures, the film surprisingly remains nuanced and allows us to enjoy the escalating tension while at the same time feeling for Drew and what he is going through.Ian’s performance is quite remarkable, as most of the talking is done through his eyes. He nails the lines that contribute to the comedic facet of the film, but it’s when he does not speak and quietly reacts to what is said that he really embodies the character. Very early on, his pain is present without feeling force-fed, but slowly, as the film unfolds, he infuses more and more anger into his character, until the liberating and greatly satisfying climax.' - S/W Curator, Céline RoustanCast: Ian Edlund, Frank Boyd, Emily Chisholm, Kevin Kelly, Keaton Whittaker, Christopher Goodson, Ian LerchProducer: Megan LeonardCo-Producers: Séverine Tibi, Anaïs CalmelsExecutive Producers: Douglas Choi, Brian LaMacchia, David ChenDirector of Photography: Ty MigotaSound Design/Re-Recording Mixer: Jason AlbertsScore: Erik BloodMusic: Title FightReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Perennial | LGBTQIA+ Short Film about Womanhood Short of the Week 2022-08-01 | A trans woman helps a pre-teen girl navigate her first period as they both discover what it means to "become a woman."A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/08/01/perennial Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekPerennialDirected by Naomi Cubero"Perennial is one of those films that you should let wash over you. The narrative arc is not built around a key dramatic moment or a potent climax—the film is a slow-burn, carried by subtlety, the authenticity of the screenplay, and compelling lead performance. To be able to successfully captivate the audience with such a simple premise is, of course, a testament to the filmmaking craft (and in terms of directorial vision the last shot is an emotional roller coaster) but first and foremost Perennial is a showcase for exquisite writing. Cubero pens a sensitive screenplay that depicts, with honesty, a new facet of a situation we’ve seen many times before"'- S/W Curator Céline RoustanTeddy Qin - JuneAmy Vivanco - LouJunior Orellana - DannyWynne Anders - ClerkEmily Somin Park - EditorOlivia Malesco - CinematographerOlivia Curti - Production DesignerAlison Hale - Post ColorC Sang Lee - VFXIto Choho - Sound DesignAurélie Webb - Composer Danielle Benedict - Re-Recording MixerCamila Grimaldi - 1st ADLaine Elliott - Script SupervisorSophia Loren Heriveaux - Line ProducerFangda Helen Cao - Co-ProducerEmily Somin Park - 1st ACMarissa Gabrione - 2nd ACLucy Smith Williams - GafferCece Chan - Key GripIto Choho - Key GripKylie Murphy - Key GripHunter Kaufman - GripNoah A. Mezzacappa - GripAlex Tolerico - GripLA Harold - Sound MixerDanny Roberts - Sound MixerMargot Sibson - Sound MixerJulia Sipowicz - Sound MixerBernie Torres - Sound MixerAlicia Qian - Boom OpBrett Morrow - Boom OpJoey Schweitzer - Boom OpAllegra Licci - Art DirectorNakima Mayfield - Wardrobe SupervisorNikki Knight - DITLexi Pang - DITReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Second Team | Queer Comedy Short Film w/ Francia Raisa and Danielle Savre Short of the Week 2022-07-29 | A scorned stand-in actor for a hit TV show distorts the script to publicly undress her costar. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/29/second-teamSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekSecond TeamDirected by Ria Pavia"Jackie and Molly may have broken up, but they still have to spend their days together acting like best friends in their jobs as stand-in actors on a seemingly basic sitcom called 2 Millennial Girls. With her directorial debut Second Team, director Ria Pavia defies expectations by playing with the established and well known codes/tropes of multiple genres to deliver a fun, exciting, surprising, witty and clever comedy that leaves you wanting for more.I cannot stress this enough, Second Team is one of the best comedic surprises I have had in a long time! With multiple layers, it keeps on giving until the last second, with Spider Chambers’ sharp edit not only enhancing the comedy of the film, but also helping to retain the audience’s engagement in an incredibly efficient manner. When the film begins, I have to admit that I was the first one rolling my eyes, expecting yet another shallow and pedestrian parody of film sets. Very quickly though, I was proven wrong! The film reveals its self-awareness, and does not solely rely on the gimmick of a (bad) show within the film. From there, my newfound careful optimism swiftly turned into full blown investment, as the short unfolds at a very enjoyable pace, revealing trick after trick throughout its 10-minute run-time.The premise is so unusual and so awkward - two great ingredients for comedy - that I assumed it was completely invented by Pavia and writer Anni Weisband. Again my expectations were proven wrong when Pavia shared with us that it's actually based on a true story: “the script and actors were lame, but the stand-ins for the stars had previously been romantically involved and recently broke up so watching their forced interactions kept video village endlessly entertained”. Using this real life situation as the inspiration for their short, they used it as the starting point for for a narrative which identified the true comedic potential of the situation.Where the film really succeeds though is in how seamlessly it goes back and forth between what’s happening on set and what’s happening at video village with the crew. By doing this, Pavia ultimately creates two storylines, each time placing us in two different perspectives each with their own particular sense of humor. By regularly switching the point-of-view throughout Second Team you start to feel as if you're part of the crew on set. Whether in a directors chair alongside the filmmakers, first reacting to the mind-numbing TV show they're filming and then to the drama unfolding between the two stand-ins, or out on the floor getting to know the personalities of the cast, this approach creates a kind of cinematic echo that magnifies how fun and delightfully dramatic this short really is.The film had all the elements to work, but to actually land, the cast had to deliver. The chemistry between Francia Raisa and Danielle Savre is so captivating, as one gets increasingly frustrated, the other is amused and you can't wait to see what will happen next between these ex-lovers. The way they distort and use the lines their characters are supposed to be saying to communicate is ridiculously fun to watch. I would also add that I found it quite fun to see the two renditions of the same scene, which ultimately proves that even the most basic and bland conversation can be delivered in a very entertaining way.The zingers that came from behind the monitors, where the crew are all watching this unexpected drama unfold, are hilarious, their reactions summing up exactly how we feel as viewers. Props need to be given to Chester Lockhart though. Their character is potentially the one the audience identifies to the most, even though most of us (unfortunately) probably got the Nickelback reference, their evolving delivery of each subtle jab constantly nails it, wrapping the film with the perfect line: “That is definitely not in the script”.Second Team started its festival journey back in that infamous year that was 2020, with a first selection at the Palm Springs ShortFest, that was then followed by a raft of other festivals ahead of its online debut on S/W today. In addition to her ongoing work as an acting coach on Freeform’s grow-nish, to our great delight, Pavia is currently developing Second Team as a series.' - S/W Curator Céline RoustanReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
The Tunnel | Based on True Accounts Short of the Week 2022-07-25 | Three refugees run the race of their lives from Calais to Dover through the Euro Tunnel, trying to beat the trains and overcome their terror in a bid to reach their freedom and start new lives in the UK. Based on true accounts.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/25/the-tunnelSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek"In all-out action short, inspired by the real-life accounts of London’s Iranian community, The Tunnel immerses its audience in a race against the clock as three desperate refugees attempt to cross from France to England via the channel tunnel. A film with dual impact, Arash Ashtiani’s short shines a light on the life-or-death situations many will have to endure in the search of a better existence, while also showcasing the filmmaker’s impressive directorial flair.With only the first 90-seconds of his short set outside of the eponymous tunnel, Ashtiani amplifies the claustrophobic, perilous setting by having his three protagonists not only battle time, in a race to get to safe points as trains tear past at breakneck speed, they also have to sneak past workers and fight the growing tensions within the group to survive. We don’t often see short films so dedicated to action and The Tunnel doesn’t seem interested in complex backstories for it characters, if anything, knowing so little about them helps to highlight the fact that this is a situation faced by so many, on a regular basis.With the understanding that this is a story grounded in reality, the stakes are obviously high throughout The Tunnel and Ashtiani uses all the filmmaking tools available to him to ensure the film captures this tension. Speaking to S/W about his production, the director explained how they built a set of a cross section of the Euro tunnel and then used “a huge mirror at one end to form some camera trickery” so that their tunnel looked double the actual size. To make the scenes more dynamic, DP Nick Morris came up with the idea to use an LED screen with looped footage and have the cast run on a travelator, to get the sense of the frantic movements that would be involved in the real life situation.For the film to be successful though, you really had to believe this trio were in grave danger from the approaching trains and Ashtiani casts the vehicle almost like a fourth character – a villain hunting them down – in his film. To ensure these scenes were believable, Production Designer, Mike McLoughlin came up with the idea to create a scale model of the Euro Tunnel and use a Hornby Eurostar train model, which they shot with a “tiny lens” (a process the director described as “magic”). They then took this footage and worked with an “incredible VFX studio”, who helped to “lengthen many of the shots of the train traveling through the tunnel”. Overall, the production of The Tunnel is hugely impressive, certainly equal to what you’d expect to find in a feature, and credit there has to go to the team at Griffin Pictures, who got a lot out their tight budget.Shortlisted for the Best Short Film BAFTA in 2022, The Tunnel was released as a Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere at the end of June 2022. Speaking to Ina Pira for that premiere, Ashtiani reveals he’s now working on a feature length version of this short and has a feature length documentary about Esmaeel Khoei, an exiled Iranian poet, set for release in October this year." - S/W Curator Rob MundayDirector - Arash AshtianiProducer - Anna Griffin, Anna Seifert-SpeckScreenwriter - Arash Ashtiani, Daniel MetzCinematographer – Nick MorrisProduction Designer – Mike McLoughlinCostume Designer – Elle WilsonHair & Make-Up Designer – Lily BeckettOriginal Music & Sound Designer – CJ MirraOriginal Vocals – Medusa TNEditor – Stuart GazzardLine Producer – Lauren ParkerVFX – Static FXReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Willing To Go There | Horror Short Film (Deborah Ann Woll) Short of the Week 2022-07-21 | An actress answers a call from an unknown number and the conversation takes a strange turn as the man on the other end preys on her deepest vulnerabilities.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/21/willing-to-go-thereSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekWilling To Go ThereDirected by Laura Becknervimeo.com/laurabeckner"Phone calls are inherently contradictory in nature: intimate yet physically distanced—there’s a little voice whispering in your ear that is potentially thousands of miles away. Or, perhaps, it belongs to someone who is hiding in the bushes outside…Playing like an amalgamation of the legendary Scream opening, Compliance (the 2012 thriller from Craig Zoble), and a scammer narrative ala the Hollywood Con Queen, Laura Beckner’s Willing to Go There is a sparse and taunt cinematic thriller, utilizing very simple cinematic collateral (a single actor and a location) to craft something both uncanny and creepy in equal measure.Based on a true story (one Beckner had personal experience with) of a strange phone predator who preyed upon vulnerable actors back in 2018, Willing to Go There mines a lot of very “of this time” material (isolation, anxiety, a desire to connect, the way Hollywood preys on female actors seeking opportunities) and centers it around one very creepy phone call. It’s the rare horror thriller that is unnerving without ever resorting to cheap tricks: no “boo” jump scares, no lame monster reveal and/or cut-to-black ending. Instead, it’s a taunt and psychologically gripping piece that patiently builds its sense of dread.While the film’s plot is simple, the craft is next-level. It’s an accomplished and patient piece of filmmaking: every shot feels purposeful, and the dim and moody lighting is scary without feeling over-stylized (e.g. not an excessive amount of teal and tungsten lighting). Beckner wields all the cinematic resources at her disposal—sound, cinematography, location—with aplomb, resulting in something that feels meticulous and controlled.As Beckner relates to Short of the Week:“I wanted to explore the roles we play to please others and the danger of openness and vulnerability. My idea was that the camera, the sound and cinematography, would enhance these movements of danger, shame, and power already woven into the story. I come from a comedy background, I am comfortable with wit, landing a beat with laughter. Here I went the other way. I wanted to have something primarily mental and emotional play out visually… to build a sense of dread, a slow burning bridge to nowhere.”Although they may ostensibly seem simple to produce, handling phone calls on screen can be a tricky endeavor. Typically, actors are simply “pretending” to hear the other caller and the voice on the other line is added via ADR in post. But, Beckner knew this wouldn’t give the conversation the tension and precise timing she wanted: she needed both actors to be able to respond and react to one another in real time. As such, both the central actors used earpieces to talk to one another for each take. I think the verisimilitude of this approach—the authentic back and forth of their interaction—is, ultimately, why the piece feels so gripping.I do think the film fizzles by its conclusion. I can sense it’s striving for something “more”, drifting to something surreal where the protagonist is able to reverse the power imbalance of the dynamic. But, I’m not completely clear what the film is attempting to say and I sort of wish it would have stayed in the unnerving discomfort of it all—in this feeling of being taken advantage of by someone via the power of their voice. But, it’s still a compelling ride, the kind of short film that shows burgeoning potential from a talented director. With talks to convert Willing to Go There into a feature, I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot more from Beckner in the future. - S/W Curator Ivan KanderStarring: Deborah Ann Woll, Dylan Kenin Cinematography: Ludovica Isidori Editor: Max GoldblattMusic: Benjamin WynnSound Design: Rolando NadalExecutive Producers: Lori Berlanga, Stevin KnightProduction Design: John Isaac WattersSet Designer: Sydney WayserSet Decorater: Jeremy RocineHair & Make Up: Nikki PowellSound Mixer: Josh GersonGaffer: Olesia SavelevaGrip: Michael LiskaProduction Assistant: Robert SpuhlerAssistant Camera: Nobuyoshi SakuraiColorist: Élodie IchterCovid Compliance Officer: Jessica DowdeswellReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Demon | Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-07-18 | A wounded stranger finds a secret on his rescuer's property. A film shot entirely via the light of the full moon.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2018/10/31/demonSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekDemonDirected by Caleb Slaincalebslain.com"Elegiac…mysterious…enrapturing. There are a lot of adjectives you could toss at Caleb Slain’s Demon, none of which feel successful in properly representing it. It’s a tough film to describe. It’s also a film, that, on first blush, might even seem self indulgent. There’s the perfectly executed long takes, the 20+ minute run time, the flowery, stylized language, the slavish adherence to self imposed criteria (in this case, shooting entirely via the light of a full moon). But, when you’re as talented as Slain (a multiple alum of the site), you’re allowed some auteur-esque quirks. Demon, despite its length, is a gripping chamber play drama backed by an unrelenting sense of supernatural unease. It’s gripping from start to finish.In a loose sense, the film is a horror movie (and thus appropriate for Halloween programming). But, as a one-act play, it’s predicated more on a character-work than outright scares. The tension comes from trying to deduce the interior mindset of the three characters: who’s lying? Who’s hiding something? What do any of them actually want? It’s a compelling battle of wits. We watch the balance of power see-saw back and forth. I mentioned the film’s flowery language, and it’s just hard not to notice how gifted Slain is with crafting unique sounding dialogue. It’s stylized to be sure—characters talk like they belong to a different time—but it, somehow, works. Turns of phrase are clever, and there is an overall cadence to the delivery that’s just fun to listen to. Slain is especially good at implementing repetition. It’s practically lyrical—Tarantino-esque, elaborate exchanges are as satisfying as action set pieces.But, of course, the “hook” here comes via Demon’s unconventional visual approach. First, there’s the long takes. Slain, who contributed to the terrific Takeaway scenes project, is no stranger to using elaborate “oners” as part of his cinematic arsenal. But, he amps up the difficulty here, by choosing to shoot in the middle of desert…at night…with no auxiliary lighting. A full moon becomes the primary blue source (something that is often faked in most standard film shoots), and this creates a lovely contrast with the warm fire and lamp light. It’s a beautiful palette of blues and oranges—the kind of thing that cinematographers try slavishly to recreate via artificial means. Yet, Slain and his team got mother nature to provide it for free. But, as with all things, there was a cost…I’m of the opinion that the story behind a film doesn’t make for a good film. After all, only what makes it on screen, ultimately, matters. But, still, it’s hard not to admire the sheer complexity and audacity of what was attempted here. The challenges, both personal and natural, that Slain and his team encountered when making the film were intense. We highly recommend you check out the film’s website if you’re interested in a full play by play of all the trials and tribulations they were subjected to.So, was all the hard work worth it? As they say, the proof is in the pudding. The choice to shoot it in such an unconventional way really does give Demon a unique feel. As curators, we’re awash in pretty Alexa and RED cinematography, so, when something stands out, we do take notice.As you’d expect, Slain is hard at work on future projects, including a feature adaptation of Demon. Let’s just hope that if the feature happens, it’s less taxing on him physically. As film fans, we’re banking on him having a long and fruitful career." - S/W Curator Ivan KanderReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
A Fathers Day | Horror Zombie Short Film Short of the Week 2022-07-14 | Unexpectedly reunited with his daughter amongst the ruins of the world as they knew it, a father is determined to make this day special, even if they are already dead.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2018/06/17/a-fathers-daySubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekA Father's DayDirected by Mat Johnsmatjohnsfilmmaker.com"For this year’s Father’s day short film selection, we bring you a touching tale of a girl and her father and the connection they form over the course of a lovely afternoon. Oh, and did I mention that they are both flesh-eating zombies?From Short of the Week alum Mat Johns (Run) A Father’s Day is a simple concept well executed. Taking the “zombie feels” we first felt way back with Cargo (which recently debuted on Netflix in feature form) and fusing it with a Troma-esque love for bloody gore, Johns crafts a different spin on a classic father-and-child bonding story. While the film takes a while to amp up, Johns really manages to give the film an emotional kicker. It’s a doubly impressive cinematic feat as A Father’s Day has to overcome the visceral gore to forge such a compassionate reaction. Not to mention, the film is completely dialogue free (zombies don’t talk, after all).Is this a great zombie film? Admittedly, I’m somewhat of a prejudiced curator. Personally, I have a bit of an issue with the genre as whole—I think I’ve been undead-ed to the point of exhaustion, so my barometer is somewhat broken. While we wish the film took place in slightly more original milieu (seriously, can we put a moratorium on overhead shots of zombies feasting on human innards), I can’t help but admire Johns’s ability to straddle such widely different tones and genres within the same film. Like with Run, he has a real knack for subverting audience expectations in terms of what sort of movie they think they’re watching.Audiences seemed to have agreed. The film, which was partially funded by Creative England and BFI Network’s iShorts 2 scheme, played a slew of festivals all around the world. Now, fittingly, the film premieres online on Father’s Day here on Short of the Week.In communicating with Short of the Week, Johns writes:How do you make zombies cute and appealing? What can you do creatively beyond satisfying the bloodlust of a genre audience? I like films that show us something hideous and lovely all at once. I also wanted to raise my game as a filmmaker by taking on the challenges a production like this presents: ambitious make up and character design, almost exclusively outdoor locations, working with young actors – all on very modest budget.”As for what’s next, Johns is currently in development on two feature-length dramas. And, following in the footsteps of similar genre fare like Cargo, he’s also hoping to adapt A Father’s Day into feature form. We wish him luck!"- S/W Curator Ivan KanderReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Lucy | Short Film about Obsession and Sound Short of the Week 2022-07-11 | A solitary Foley Artist secretly films his neighbor and reconstructs the sounds of her life, while creating an imaginary relationship that leads him to discover closely the true sound of his obsession: Lucy.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/11/lucySubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekLucyDirected by Robert Gutierrezwww.elliving.tv"Unless you’re in the film industry, or you’ve seen shorts like The Secret World of Foley, Footsteps or Death of The Sound Man, it’s likely that the term foley artist doesn’t mean much to you. These are the people who create and masterfully blend layers of sound – the part of the film that the audience is least consciously aware of, but which is invaluable in shaping a convincing world where films live and breathe a life of their own. Foley artists possess artistry and imagination and watching them work is nothing short of extraordinary, and the lead character in today’s feature is no exception. This talented foley artist, however, also happens to have an unhealthy obsession with his neighbour from across the street. It might seem inaccurate, even inappropriate, to call a film about loneliness, voyeurism and stalking ‘charming’, but it also happens to be the perfect word to describe Lucy. Directed by Roberto Gutierrez, the fifteen-minute short does a brilliant job of turning a villainous character into a loveable one, in part, thanks to the pointed direction and sharp editing, but also, rather fittingly, thanks to the pitch-perfect sound design by Jesús Guevara. The film fascinates by offering a peek into the lesser known world of foley, and captivates with its exquisite cinematography and dramatic storytelling. Much like the handiwork of a foley wizard, watching Lucy is like trying to follow an elusive magic trick, and as such, deserves to be seen and heard on the biggest and best device you can get your hands on.The story follows Raúl – a lonely, middle-aged foley artist who becomes obsessed with a woman he calls Lucy. He secretly films her daily life from across the street and spends his own time adding sounds to the footage. One day, he captures on tape the moment Lucy finds out that her partner is cheating on her and throws him out. Seeing her in this vulnerable state, Raúl’s obsession intensifies and the line between imagination and reality starts to blur and disappear. I must confess that I am a huge fan of films that reveal the secrets of sound design and sound editing. Even though Lucy is a drama, one of the things it does so well is what other documentaries on the subject usually do – it challenges the assumption that sound is simply recorded along with the visuals when, in fact, it very often isn’t, and is instead added afterwards. Watching Raúl, as he creates the soundscape to his neighbour’s life is utterly enchanting – his painstaking attention to detail, his determination to get every sound perfectly right and his palpable passion. These are winning human qualities that we, the audience, naturally find appealing and so it becomes quite difficult to dislike this lonely, sweet, middle-aged man, regardless of the fact that his actions are less than savoury.The film’s production values also deserve a shoutout. Every shot is beautifully lit and graded with bright, contrasting colours and a subtle sepia wash, giving the film a retro vibe. There is also a dreamy, surreal quality to the aesthetic, as if the entire film is filtered through the imagination of its central character, and as his delusions around this one-sided relationship worsen, so do the colours, lighting and composition become more otherworldly and spellbinding. Then, of course there’s the sound design. We can assume, with a level of certainty, that the sounds which Raúl is recording to Lucy’s tapes in the film, were actually added in after shooting the scenes, by Guevara – the film’s sound designer. And whilst trying to wrap your head around it might be difficult, one thing is crystal clear – Lucy was a labour of love and no corners were cut. And the result speaks volumes." - S/W Curator Serafima SerafimovaReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Catisfaction | Animated Short Film About Cats Short of the Week 2022-07-08 | This is a story about relationships and how they can shape our life forever.It’s also about a weird character and his cat who claims his way to the eternity. Maybe it’s just a story about a man and a cat. But a good one.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/07/08/catisfactionSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekCatisfactionDirected by Andre Almeidacatisfactionshortfilm.com"From cooking cats to box-loving felines, the internet has a hunger for cat videos that will never be sated. On Short of the Week alone we could put together a 10+ title playlist, featuring space exploration, scary kitty’s with a thirst for human body parts and cat pianos, dedicated to our furry friends. A new title to add that list is André Almeida visually-impressive and conceptually strange animated short Catisfaction.Born from a real-life experience, where Almeida almost had an accident after a cat ran in front of his Vespa, Catisfaction follows a tired pet owner as he slumps into his favourite chair and drifts off to a world of giant felines and flying scooters. Although originating from an IRL encounter, Almeida’s short certainly isn’t aiming for authenticity here, with its rubbery characters and strange universe, it’s a trippy experience deserving of multiple viewings.If I’m honest, although I love the off-kilter, unexpected direction the story takes, Catisfaction’s narrative isn’t my favourite element of the short. Created without a script and starting from the image of a character with open arms riding a Vespa, the film has a freewheeling spirit that is both invigorating and a little frustrating. “I started developing moments around the characters: the Man and the Cat”, Almeida explains as we discuss the production of his short. “Those moments were created without any constraints and completely based on my imagination”. It does almost feel like animation improv at times and again the results are surprising, intriguing and a little puzzling.With the bizarre twists and turns Almeida’s storyline takes, he needs some knockout visuals to bring his story to life and Catisfaction certainly doesn’t disappoint in this department. The opening scene of the bug-eyed cat waiting at the door for its owner, almost vibrating from purring, instantly catches the eye with its attention to detail, but it’s when we enter that dream world that the aesthetic kicks it up another gear. The character design on both the Man and the Cat is just wonderful. The stretchy, almost translucent skin of the “human” character is unsettling and mesmerising, his dangling limbs and realistic movements (as he hangs from the monkey bars in a playground) creating quite the contrast to the childish, simplicity of his face. If that wasn’t enough to impress, cue the giant cat!Making his entrance on a scooter, before eerily staring at the Man with its pupil-less eyes, I didn’t know it was possible to both love and fear a character until I met Almeida’s Cat. The sight of it galloping through a flower-filled meadow with angel wings strapped to its back is an intoxicating experience, while the grin it gives from a rain-soaked alley is enough to induce instant nightmares. With both the characters here their story arcs aren’t clearly defined, but their company is undeniably enjoyable and when Catisfaction ends you’re left eager to spend more time with this strange man and his cat.Having its world premiere on Short of the Week and made using a combination of Cinema 4D, Arnold Render, Marvelous Designer, After Effects and ZBrush, Catisfaction is Almeida’s first short film and what an eye-catching, unforgettable debut it is. Explaining that he wanted to both display “the endless possibilities of animation” and “inspire someone with my work” when creating his film, if this is an introduction of what we can expect from the self taught filmmaker, we can’t wait to see where his imagination takes him next. - S/W Curator Rob MundayReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Refuge | Sci-Fi Short Film Starring Nikohl Boosheri Short of the Week 2022-07-04 | Set in the United States in 2020, a brewing cyberwar between the US and Iran puts Sonia, a young Iranian who has recently arrived to America, at risk of deportation. Her only escape may come at a greater price than she’s willing to pay. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2019/05/14/refugeSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekRefugeDirected by Mo Gorjestanihttp://www.evenoddfilms.com/refuge"Good Sci-Fi is always about the present. We love it for its far-out speculative visions of the future, but it is really what it says our current world that makes it resonate. Set in the year 2020, Refuge is a work of near science fiction, and is therefore modest in its predictions of technological innovation. What it is astute at is politics and history, crafting a geopolitical drama that was perceived as too cynical upon the film’s release in 2014, but which, in 2019, is proving eerily prescient.Sonia is an Iranian immigrant. A journalist by trade, she struggles to make a living in her adopted home, but is well known in the diaspora for her blog, where she covers issues of her homeland. The blog is named after one of her friends, an activist jailed by the Iranian regime, suggesting high stakes for Sonia—if she is forced to go back, persecution for her politics seems likely.Unfortunately for her, current events have upped the chances of this devastating outcome coming to pass. Cyber attacks linked to the Iranian government have swept through America’s infrastructure, and a reported hacking of the Immigration and Naturalization Services database has called into question the validity of thousands of immigrant green cards. Officials are saying comforting things: don’t worry, trust the process, we’ll get this sorted out—but Sonia keenly senses the possibility of brewing jingoist sentiment effecting policy, and when her status is flagged for review, she is terrified. It is at this moment that an Iranian-American biomedical researcher, possessing contracts with the Department of Defense, proposes an offer to Sonia that could secure her future in the country. However the offer has quite the catch…Director Mo Gorjestani is a filmmaker we know well, someone on our radar for years, and whom recently has achieved incredible success with his award-winning brand work for companies such as Airbnb and Square. We caught up recently, and when he mentioned that he was working on a feature adaptation for Refuge it caused us to take another look at this film we always admired, but which had fallen through the cracks of our programming a few years back. Revisiting the film, it was uncanny how so many of its plot points, which, at the time, were plausible but far-fetched, no longer feel that way. Consider that in the 2014 we were only a few years removed from the Green Revolution, which seemed to herald political reform in Iran. Obama was president, and the landmark Iranian Nuclear Deal was progressing towards completion. Few would have predicted foreign hacking to take center stage of an American presidential election, or immigration becoming the flashpoint of American politics, heralding the rise of Trump and unleashing xenophobic sentiments throughout a country that once prided itself as the “melting pot” of the world. On the front page of today’s New York Times is the story “White House Reviews Military Plans Against Iran, in Echoes of Iraq War”. Sobering stuff. As an Iranian immigrant himself, Gorjestani was perhaps perfectly positioned to perceive the cracks under the surface of American society however, and Refuge is a reflection of that. The Iran-America relationship has been fraught for decades, but Gorjestani’s keen insight is how it is invariably ordinary people who get caught in the grinding wheels of geopolitical machinations. Pair that with the second theme of the film, the biomedical researcher’s Faustian bargain towards Sonia and its technological exploitation of marginalized and vulnerable people, and arguably Gorjestani has, in this film, nailed the two dominant societal crises of the past 5 years—identity politics, and the dominance of a disproportionately powerful, yet morally ambiguous, tech industry. - S/W Curator Jason SondhiReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Belongings | A Short Film about Loss Short of the Week 2022-06-30 | After the death of his mother, a man returns home to a house -- that may or may not be haunted -- searching for clues about where she's gone in the things she left behindA selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/06/30/belongingsSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekBelongings Directed by Alex Coppolastoopkidpictures.com"To try and cram this film into a neat little category is nigh on impossible as it has a bit of an identity crisis. But it turns out that part documentary, part fiction, part comedy and part horror/thriller equals a quick-witted, captivating and wonderfully wholesome short that defies both genres and expectations.Directed by Alex Coppola and written by Morgan Talty, who also stars as himself, Belongings is an intelligent gem that’s candidly crafted to get real emotions and laughs when you least expect them. Reviewing the ten-minute film almost seems like doing it a disservice because the old adage that the less you know the better, very much holds true here. So read on at your discretion. Largely relying on the documentary genre’s tried and tested techniques – talking head interviews coupled with pseudo-vérité footage to compliment them – Coppola tells Talty’s story as he returns to his childhood home in search of answers after his mother’s passing. Before you write this off as a cliche-studded tearjerker however (although shedding a few tears is not out of the question), I should mention that the film is centred around a genuinely creepy and equally hilarious haunted house story, making the experience of watching the narrative unfold deliciously surprising and delightful. We spoke to both Coppola and Talty to find out how the film was conceived. “As a prose writer, it’s not every day I get to create something visual, and so I thought it would be interesting to take some of my nonfiction and string it together into a short film. I had been working on a piece about my mother and her passing, but hadn’t really completed it until working on the film – writer Talty shared with us. To which Coppola added – “I had read Morgan’s work and loved his voice. It’s so funny and self-effacing and poignant. We wanted to make something that — while it did feature elements of documentary and narrative — still felt like traditional storytelling.”Belongings does indeed have the skeletal structure of a traditional autobiographical documentary, but it’s fleshed out with enough flair and originality to make the film fresh and distinct. The majority of the visuals are what you’d expect from the genre, but those are also interspersed with slick, slo-mo tracking shots paired with an unnerving, otherworldly sound design, which should feel out of place, yet doesn’t. The narrative takes some pretty unexpected directions too. Like when you’re completely sucked into the story of the haunted house and Talty comes out with the outrageously funny line about the poop on the single sheet of toilet paper, or when the mood suddenly changes in the final act, to a more reflective and introspective one. These are intelligently structured stylistic decisions and plot twists which are meant to wrong-foot the audience and make us question the validity of all we’ve seen and heard thus far.And this game of deception is a running theme throughout the film. After finding out more about how the film was made, I found myself rewatching and questioning everything. Was that really Talty’s mom’s diary? Is the woman on the phone really his sister? Is that really the house he grew up in? But ultimately, the answers to these are irrelevant. Because Belongings oozes with authenticity and warmth, and however much of it is scripted or acted (and I suspect very little), it’s all rooted in Talty’s love for his mother and the heartache over losing her. And is there anything more real than that?"- S/W Curator Serafima SerafimovaReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
100,000 Acres of Pine | Animated Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-06-27 | Ranger Megan Patel must uncover the mystery surrounding her brother’s death. But following his footsteps, Megan discovers a darkness she might not escape.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2020/11/02/100000-acres-pineSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek"What is it about the woods we find so frightening? Sam Raimi unleashed a flesh-possessing demon into them in his cult ’80s horror The Evil Dead, while The Blair Witch Project trapped us within their disorientating surroundings in the ’90s. Over twenty years later, filmmakers are still taking to the wilderness to provide a backdrop for their scary stories. With The Animation Workshop grad film 100,000 Acres of Pine we’re not thrust into a real-life forest, but a CGI one, as this animated short invites us to join Ranger Megan Patel as she descends into the depth of the woods on a mission to understand the mysterious circumstances around her brother’s death. Halloween might be over, but we’ve got one last “scary” film for you!Admitting “unsettling, spooky and mysterious things just set my heart on fire”, director Jennifer Alice Wright’s seven-minute Horror follows Megan as she retraces her brother’s last steps, on the hunt for answers. As she travels deeper into the woods things begin to change and shift around her and soon she finds herself in locations, with no memory of how she got there. Soundtracked by recordings of her sibling’s final thoughts – “whenever I come out in these woods, I end up regretting it” – captured onto cassette tape, 100,000 Acres of Pine feels as much a journey into the mind, as a journey into the wilderness.Sporting an almost tactile feel to its 3D animation, director Wright (who created the film with a team of 10 other Animation workshop students – full credits in Vimeo description) reveals she was initially drawn to making the film in stop-motion as it felt like the best approach for “capturing that creepy, uncanny valley feeling”. Opting not to pitch her idea as a physical animation, as she believed the rest of her class wouldn’t pick it as one of the films to be made, she instead went for a more digital approach, selling it as a CG animation that replicated the stop-motion style.“Due to the puppet influence I wanted everything to be very textural, you should be able to look at an object and know exactly what it would feel like if you ran your hand over it”, Wright explains and if that was the aim of her aesthetic, they really nailed it. The characters, in particular, have a solid weight to their design, with close-ups on Ranger Megan almost making her look as if she has been carved out of one of the trees from the film’s title.Fitting nicely into the Eco Horror subgenre brought to prominence in recent years by Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation (and more recently the novels The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey and Eden by Tim Lebbon), yes 100,000 Acres of Pine features some kind of supernatural presence, but more so it feels like a film about nature fighting back. What it’s in conflict with (humankind we assume?), is never clear, but like many of the stories of people vs nature that have proceeded it, in this narrative (unlike real-life) the environment is winning the battle." - S/W Curator Rob MundayReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
How To Say I Love You At Night | LGBTQ Short Film Short of the Week 2022-06-23 | When Paul (Chris Petrovski) refuses to leave, Benny's (Mat Vairo) easy night of sex and drugs takes a strange turn in this sixteen minute single take film exploring notions of male-on-male intimacy, sexuality and violence.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2020/10/20/how-to-say-i-love-you-at-nightSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekHow To Say I Love You At NightWritten and Directed by Andree Ljuticahttp://www.andreeljutica.com/how-to-say-i-love-you-at-night"We’ve all traded awful sexual encounters stories with our friends. At their best, they are awkward anecdotes of clumsy intimacy, full of humour. At their worst, they are horror stories, filled with fear and regret. In How To Say I Love You At Night, writer/director Andree Ljutica employs the “hook-up gone wrong” premise to explore themes of intimacy (both physical and emotional) and violence, outside of their usual arenas in cinema.***Please note: If you want to truly understand How to Say I Love You at Night, watch the film until the end – right until the end of the credits. Otherwise, you’ll miss what provides the audience with the Aha! moment needed to understand the emotional depth of the story.***Ljutica’s 17-minute short, tells the story of Benny and Paul, a couple of young men matched on a hook-up app. What was supposed to be an ordinary night of casual sex at Benny’s place, quickly turns into an uncomfortable and disturbing encounter, where the audience is constantly on edge, never knowing which way the narrative will turn next.Inspired by the real-life experience of one of Ljutica’s friend, after he shared his story (similar to that in the narrative of the film), not only did it stick with the filmmaker for days, it left a lasting emotional impact on his friend. Described by the director as “a rather harrowing tale…equal parts banal and terrifying”, the magnitude of the event is actually quite hard to quantify as nothing truly dramatic happens. However, the emotional depth is actually quite insidious and that’s something Ljutica was fully aware of when penning the screenplay.From its opening scene, we’re given early indications that this rendezvous won’t end happily, yet despite signalling the outcome of the film from the onset, How to Say I Love You at Night still manages to remain unpredictable. Early on in Ljutica’s narrative, the director injects a sense of intrusion into his short. At first unsettling, this feeling becomes contagious through the screen, building to an unshakable sense of anxiety and dread, that something bad will surely happen.Despite the specifics of the situation, there is something truly universal in the themes and emotions How to Say I Love You at Night explores. Whether it be in a sexual encounter or simply getting in an uber, any situation where a certain level of intimacy is forced between two people will always be tinged with that fear of the unknown. “We’re all in a regular state of having to trust strangers”, Ljutica explains, “so many people identified with this experience. It wasn’t at all meant to be a cautionary tale, but I suppose it does strike a nerve”.Not only is there this growing sense of unease, that Ljutica subtly infuses throughout the film, but in the aftermath of his story, we are hit by a more complex dilemma that adds a whole new psychological layer of understanding to the narrative. “Morality made an interesting interplay with his more immediate fight-or-flight responses to this person’s aggression”, Ljutica reveals as we discuss the motivations of his characters.At the end of the day, this is quite a simple drama with an extremely well-written and uncomfortable dynamic between two young men, but Ljutica manages to take his film to the next level by trapping us in that apartment with them. Through DP Arseni Khatchaturan‘s photography, they bring us into the scene and make the tension feel almost palpable.A sense of claustrophobia is introduced through the 4:3 aspect ratio, which contributes to that feeling of forced intimacy but also lets us witness the night unfolding as if we were present, witnessing the events with a limited perspective. While capturing their story in a single take (which Ljutica describes as “rigorous”, but “freeing”), injects a sense of urgency to the scenario, adds to the authenticity of the story and also heightens that sense of dread that is constantly building throughout the film. " - S/W Curator Céline RoustanReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
The Fourfold | Animated Short Film based on Indigenous Wisdom Short of the Week 2022-06-20 | Based on the ancient animistic beliefs and shamanic rituals in Mongolia and Siberia, The Fourfold provides an exploration of the indigenous worldview and wisdom.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/06/20/the-fourfoldSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekThe FourfoldDirected by Alisi Telenguthttp://alisitelengut.com/The-Fourfold-2020"With recent data suggesting we could now be facing a faster and more abrupt climate breakdown, there's no denying the environmental crisis is at tipping point. Would we be at this point if we felt differently about the world in which we live? For many Indigenous people, they believe that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence, a belief commonly known as Animism. Introducing this ideology, with the hope of prompting its audience to consider other ways of thinking about nature outside of the Euro-Western thought is Alisi Telengut's acclaimed animated short The Fourfold.Blending experimental animation with documentary elements, Telengut's oil pastel world opens with a vision of an Ovoo (a shamanic stone altar used as a shrine in Mongolian practices), with the narration (provided by the director's grandmother) introducing the audience to its purpose. Over the next seven minutes, we're introduced to similar rituals, including milk libation and fire worshipping, the organic nature of the animation helping us to understand this is a film designed to make us consider our relationship with the environment and how we interact with it.A Canadian artist of Mongolian origin, this is obviously a personal film for Telengut, with the director explaining (in this interview from Sundance '21) that as a child she "heard about the rituals from my grandparents who used to live as nomads". Taking inspiration from this family history, the filmmaker felt compelled to share these stories and beliefs as a way to promote alternative thought in her audience and change the perspective of nature as a static environment.It's a fascinating starting point for a film and Telengut breathes life into her thought-provoking concept with an impressive under camera aesthetic of oil pastels and various flora. "The process is to animate on the same artwork over time which is very different from ‘clean-looking’ traditional animation", the director reveals in this interview on filmdaily.co. Adding that "the birth of every frame is to erase the older one, leaving some traces of previous frames behind", it feels like perfect method for conveying her themes and message.The use of plants to compliment the painterly technique is another inspired decision, as it amplifies the real world implications of her film. Yes, the animation and storytelling here is more abstract than we'd usually feature on Short of the Week, but the power and impact of the film's craft and message meant it was a short we just couldn't ignore. As curators our programming is based around innovative filmmaking and pushing boundaries (both which The Fourfold displays), but it would feel neglectful of us never to consider the spirit of a film and this was our main motivation behind selecting Telengut's film. There's just so much heart at its core." - S/W Curator Rob MundayReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Baby | LGBTQ Short Film about Love Short of the Week 2022-06-16 | Baby is a queer coming-of-age love story that introduces us to the world of Ali, a Dominican-American teenager from the Bronx, on a Saturday afternoon.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2020/09/18/baby-2Subscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekBabyDirected by Jessie Levandovmalaforever.com/baby"Opening with a seemingly innocuous scene, where a group of teens hang out on benches smoking and listen to music, the early imagery in Jessie Levandov’s coming-of-age short Baby immediately conjure assumptions about how these individuals must be somehow “tougher“ than your average American. It’s stereotypes and preconceived notions like these that Levandov is counting on. A tale of queer first love and the hurdles that young adults must overcome, Levandov’s eight-minute short is a surprisingly touching film that amplifies the quiet moments in an otherwise noisy urban jungle. More than just an ode to budding romance, Baby is a love letter to New York City and poetically confronts themes of LGBTQ identity and toxic masculinity with a delicate hand. Capturing the youth culture in the city and drawing attention to the little details that make her characters so specific to it, Baby introduces us to the world of Ali, a Dominican-American teenager from the Bronx. Spending his Saturday afternoon focused on his romantic goals, as we follow our besotted protagonist Levandov’s cinéma vérité style makes his journey that much more compelling, crafting a believable portrait of a young person coming into their queerness for the first time. Of course, this is a realization that the viewer won’t have until the very end of the film, as Levandov works to build up our preconceptions as we observe how Ali is expected to behave first.While the interactions that Ali has with his barber and a deli clerk seem harmless on the surface, their repercussions become apparent nonetheless. As we begin to realize that Ali has been portraying a more masculine version of himself to meet the status quo, his fearlessness to seek out love feels even more empowering. Frankly, it was hard not to break into a toothy smile from the sheer joy of Ali’s reciprocated love on the basketball court. Call me a romantic, but I very nearly swooned!“Baby engages themes of toxic masculinity from my perspective as a queer femme,” Levandov explains as we discuss the aims of her film. “It is an ode to the youth I’ve taught. It is an ode to how queer folks have to navigate shame while coming into our queerness and desire, clawing our way out of harmful narratives that prevent us from being our most authentic selves”.“It is an ode to all queer youth, past, present and future, who seek joy in a world that tells us in so many ways that we don’t belong”, Levandov adds. “Our stories don’t always end in a cinematic triumph – it’s often the quiet victory of holding a hand, or playing a game of basketball, that carves out the space for intimacy, tenderness and joy in our lives. I wanted to convey a quiet, personal victory – and show through this quiet story, how powerful one moment can be, when we are able to choose ourselves and connection with people we love.”“I wanted to tell a tender, queer coming-of-age love story that brings you into the world of this particular group of young folks”Levandov taught filmmaking in New York City public high schools for almost a decade. Baby was therefore inspired by, and produced in collaboration with Levandov’s high school students during her final months as a teacher. “I adore teenagers, I think they’re brilliant”, she declares as we discuss the influences behind her filmmaking. “They have so much to say, and it’s such a specific and tender time in one’s life where you’re really trying to figure out how to carve out space for yourself in order to be who you are. I wanted to tell a tender, queer coming-of-age love story that brings you into the world of this particular group of young folks in New York City”.Performed by a cast of non-actors, Levandov got former students, and friends of former students, to play the characters in Baby. To ensure her story felt genuine, the filmmaker wrote a script with action, beats and loose dialogue, so her actors could improvise and inject a bit of themselves into their roles. The effect is a low key, extremely authentic story that feels believable in a truly tangible way. This level of realism, coupled with her aforementioned use of cinéma vérité, also helps to bring gravity to some of the heavy subject matter in Baby. - S/W Curator Chelsea LupkinReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Explosions | Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Short Film Short of the Week 2022-06-13 | As gravity appears to fail all around them, the inhabitants of a neighbourhood begin to mysteriously float into the sky.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2013/07/23/explosionsSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekExplosionsDirected by Christopher Frey"Written, directed and produced by Australian filmmaker Christopher Frey, Explosions is a gravity-defying short showcasing the many talents of its multifaceted creator. Funded by the Australian Film, Television and Radio School’s Creative Fellowship award back in 2011, Frey’s visually stunning film explores themes of genre subversion, religion and philosophy.Dialogue-free, Frey’s film follow its protagonist, simply known as ‘the girl’, as she frantically attempts to escape the fate that has befallen those around her. Visualising his film through the sumptuous slow-motion photography of cinematographer Edward Goldner, the director completes the look of his short with some feature-worthy VFX – created by Frey himself. Rounding off his production with a subtle and haunting score, also composed and produced by Frey, Explosions combines its many parts in perfect harmony, creating an film made to be experienced – not just watched.Despite its rich visuals, Frey’s short is much more than just an exercise in aesthetics, as his mysterious and captivating storyline makes this a short brimming with atmosphere and intrigue. With no attempts to explain the apocalyptic event unravelling in his narrative, Explosions leaves its audience to decipher this ethereal happening – act of god, scientific phenomenon, extra-terrestrial activity or something else?Playfully blurring the boundaries of experimental and mainstream filmmaking, Explosions’ showcases the loose narrative and poetic feel usually found in abstract film, whilst also displaying the jaw-dropping visual flair more at home in a Hollywood blockbuster. It’s a blend that doesn’t always work when the balance is heavily weighted to one side, but with Explosions Frey has the equilibrium just right and successfully avoids the many pitfalls that could have resulted in his short aimlessly floating in the ether, like the subjects of the film. - S/W Curator Rob MundayReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Strikers | Short Documentary about Wii Bowling Team Short of the Week 2022-06-09 | Every Spring, Illinois’ Affordable Assisted Living Coalition holds a Wii Bowling competition in Springfield, IL. As the reigning champs of Eden Supportive Living take on their old rivals from Bolingbrook, it looks like the competition is bound to be fierce. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/06/09/strikersSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekDirected by Amber Love & Andrea Raby"We’re all familiar with bowling leagues, but did you know that thanks to technology, and in particular Nintendo, bowlers can now compete in locations other than alleys? In Springfield, IL, (pre-covid) a yearly Wii Bowling competition was held, where just like in any tournament, different teams battle against one another in knockout rounds, with the reigning champions doing their best to defend their title against rivals old and new. In Strikers, directors Amber Love and Andrea Raby give their audience front row seats to this event, which promises to be a wholehearted yet epic journey.Given the unusual nature of this competition, the first question we had for the duo behind Strikers was how they heard of the contest and how they ended up being present for what turned out to be the last tournament, to date (damn you covid!). One could easily say that this story was just meant to be captured by the Love/Raby team, as they confess that “various dance and sports teams for elders was a pretty common conversation topic” for them. Both acknowledging the importance of friendship and community, one of the first things that fades away when moving to an assisted living facility.Members of the Eden Strikers team are all given bowling names - above we see 'Gefilte fish', one of the crew's newest members.Serendipity hit in Winter 2019, when Love heard a podcast that mentioned Wii Tennis competitions. Cut to two months and some research later, upon discovering that a contest was held not too far from their Chicago base, they set-off for Springfield. Explaining that they initially had no real plan, in true non-fiction manner they let themselves be guided by the event. It just so happened that they ended up focusing on the number one team simply because that’s the closest team to where they live. Again FATE!While the format and structure of Strikers is quite conventional, it’s the sense of community and the way they shaped the footage that gives the film its welcoming nature. As the competition unfolds in front of our eyes, while it is the pacing and stakes that initially keep us engaged, it is ultimately the friendship between the bowlers that comes across strongest on screen and stays with the audience long after watching. The charismatic personalities of the individual team members adds a fun and entertaining atmosphere to the film and like the good natured bowlers at its core, Strikers just feels impossible not to like.With their loose approach to filming, the editing process was always going to be vital in really capturing the spirit of this event and its participants. Love, also credited as the editor, builds the story by alternating between talking head interviews and "action" footage, painting the big picture of this competition while simultaneously revealing its emotional impact on every single one of the contestants. The result is a truly immersive viewing experience, but the directors were also keen that they represented the Eden Strikers fairly and accurately and even allowed the team to give their feedback throughout the editing process.Love is currently finishing a new short in collaboration with Firelight Films and PBS, with a scheduled release in the upcoming fall, and is in the early production and financing stages of her first documentary feature, One Another, part of the 2022 Kartemquin Films Diverse Voices in Docs fellowship. While Raby is working as producer on two new projects: idols, a documentary feature by director Brian Lu that promises a lyrical portrait of a K-pop dance crew in Madison, WI and No One Asked You, a feature doc directed by Ruth Leitman following reproductive rights organization Abortion Access Front.' - S/W Curator Rob MundayEditor: Amber LoveCinematographer: Remsy AtassiAssistant Camera: Ryan GleesonSound Recordist: Peter DormanSound Mixer: Joe GriffinColorist: Dakota JohnstonConsulting Producers for IF/Then Shorts: Chloe Gbai, Caitlin Mae BurkeFeaturing:Joe AlbertiniJeff ParkerJohn Marozas Tim NicklesTony ZarbRick AbbinanteWayne SmallwoodMichael MalinaVonnie HeagyAlbert NavarroPeter KowalewskiMichelle Silzer Edy Hernandez Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Hysteric | Horror Short Film Short of the Week 2022-06-06 | A mysterious sound, a mother stricken with madness, and two daughters caught in a fight for survival.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2022/06/06/hystericSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekHystericDirected by Rod Blackhurstwitchcraftmotionpicturecompany.com"The proof-of-concept short has gained something of a bad rap in recent years. Anyone with a real passion for short film will talk devotedly about the merits of the format, how it should be praised for all the opportunities it offers filmmakers and not just seen as a stepping stone for career progression. The proof-of-concept short feels like the antithesis to this belief: a film made entirely with the purpose of showcasing a project’s viability. But what if that short wasn’t just about introducing a narrative to studio execs and potential audiences? What if instead it is offering proof of a filmmaking ethos and evidence of how a director works with his crew? Would that change your mind?This is the approach Rod Blackhurst took with his 10-minute short Hysteric (originally-titled Murmur), a film he created as evidence of how he’d tackle the “the tone, style, and craft” of a studio film he was being considered as director for. He wasn’t trying to sell this particular premise or build a fanbase for a new fictional universe, he was trying to showcase his own directorial talents and prove that he had what it takes to be ‘trusted’ with this studio movie. That particular project never materialised, but Blackhurst wants to use that experience, and the resulting short film, as a call-to-arms to fellow filmmakers. As the director of an award-winning survival horror, a critically acclaimed Netflix doc and a true-crime series, it may come as surprise to hear that Blackhurst has suffered his fair share of setbacks over his filmmaking career. Stating that “no matter what us creatives do, gatekeepers find reasons to say no”, the director reveals, in conversation with Short of the Week, that “everything I’ve succeeded with professionally I was told ‘no’ too”. Those rejections obviously had an effect on Blackhurst – who describes the creative process as “gambling on ourselves over and over again, proving our vision, our talent and our ability to do what people think we can’t” – but instead of stewing on them and becoming bitter, he’s used them as motivation and wants to use those experiences to help emerging directors.With that in mind, Blackhurst laid out his filmmaking philosophy in this open-letter, titled The Calvary is Not Coming (credit for that title goes to indie-filmmaker Mark Duplass), which details 12 important lessons, he wished he’d discovered earlier in his career. Snippet below:A filmmaker is a storyteller. Humanity needs stories to help understand the world. And stories need storytellers — people who both know how to tell a story, and which stories to tell. Filmmakers are part of this ancient and grand tradition. A filmmaker has “vision”. A filmmaker identifies what story they are going to tell and not just why they are telling it, but why they are the only person for the job.From my own conversation around the proof-of-concept film, I’d surmise that one of the main issues with this particular sub-genre of short is that it feels like it’s cheating the format. It isn’t taking up the challenge of telling a rounded, complete story in a limited run-time, but instead presenting a snippet of a larger on-screen universe to entice an audience, and funders, to invest further in it. While this is certainly a criticism that could be levelled at Hysteric, as the opening titles do a lot of the heavy-lifting with regards to the exposition and the nature of the ending feels a little unsatisfying, the many positives here surely outweigh the negatives?Blackhurst’s a firm believer that “craft matters” and that’s certainly on show in this film, which is immaculately crafted. Presented as a one-take short – even if you notice the joins, it’s hard not to be awed by the camerawork – the continuous action amplifies the tension to 11, immersing the audience in the nightmarish scenario of Hysteric. That taut atmosphere is again intensified by a number of other filmmaking choices, the weather and setting (close to a lighthouse). Both of which would have added extra complexities (rain towers and lights on telescopic construction lifts) to the shoot, but end up feeling vital to the tone of the film and again, showcase the dedication to craft from the director and his crew. [continue reading on shortoftheweek.com]" - S/W Curator Rob MundayReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
Squirrel | Dark Comedy Short Film Short of the Week 2022-06-02 | A meager apology tests a woman's fortitude to forgive.A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films.SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submitFULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2019/07/24/squirrelSubscribe to S/W on YouTube!Website: http://www.shortoftheweek.comInstagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeekFacebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweekTwitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweekSquirrelDirected by Alex Kavutskiyalexkavutskiy.com"There’s nothing funny about getting a serious injury from a car crash, yet Alex Kavutskiy‘s Sundance and Fantastic Fest crowd pleaser, Squirrel, is a comedy so black it’s hard not to laugh. When a pathetic apology tests a woman’s capacity for forgiveness, two unlikely strangers embark on a journey to find closure. A film that explores social etiquette in the face of the unthinkable, Squirrel is a twisted cringe-comedy where the absurd humor and dry performances will make you laugh, then instantly feel guilty about it.Squirrel stars Max Jenkins who turned heads in the comedy scene with his guest role on the web-series turned HBO hit, High Maintenance. Here he plays opposite fellow television comedian Andrea Rosen, and both actors expertly pull off Kavutskiy‘s deadpan writing, which wittily pokes fun at performative apologies and the selfish reasons people seek forgiveness. When Patrick (Jenkins) reveals that he was texting a rather bad joke from a movie when he ran his car into Noreen (Rosen), Kavutskiy proves just how long a joke can go on and still be funny. Simply put, comedic timing is everything, and Squirrel is proof of that. While on the subject of timing, Kavutskiy explains how serendipitously his cast came to be: “The original seed was wanting to write something for Andrea Rosen and Max Jenkins. I was big fans of both and I thought they’d be incredibly fun together on screen. I had just worked with Andrea on an Adult Swim project and Max was visiting LA for pilot season, so I had a window to make something,” Kavutskiy told Short of the Week. In true indie filmmaking fashion, the pieces certainly fell in place just when they needed to. Kavutskiy, born in Kiev and raised in Los Angeles, is a self-deprecating sort, and as such seems surprised by Squirrel’s success—which only makes his responses about how the film came together and how it works that much more funny. “The premise is obviously pretty silly, so I was worried about getting the tone right, but fortunately, I had a really terrific team who took everything seriously. The actors didn’t wink at the camera, Ryan didn’t light the shots to look dumb, Ester didn’t dress the sets all goofy, Jason didn’t score it to be funny, etc.,” Kavutskiy deadpans. Whether you find Squirrel “silly” or not, it’s made quite a wave on the festival circuit, with notable accolades such as a selection at Sundance, the Grand Jury Prize at Fantastic Fest, as well as Audience Awards at Calgary Underground and the Chicago Critics Film Festival. We saw it last fall and were instantly smitten, but had to wait for Alex to hear back from a few festivals before featuring. Hello Sundance! With that bump the film received further play, and today it is debuting online as a Staff Pick Premiere. Kavutskiy is currently working on another short, which he describes as “exactly the opposite” in tone from Squirrel, while pitching television content and working on a feature. “All the clichés”, he says. Kavutskiy can pretend that his talents are nothing special, but we respectfully agree to disagree." - S/W Curator Chelsea LupkinReproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.
