A selection of eclectic, electric and wildly entertaining examples of the art of short film from Romania, Iceland, Germany and the USA, from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2007
A World of Shorts: Short Films from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
Short film is perhaps the most vibrant yet under-appreciated form of filmmaking in the world today. Not only does the short film act as a launching pad for emerging filmmakers, it's a place for feature filmmakers to return to their roots and experiment or "play" without the constraints and pressures imposed by features. As the films in this programme show, the most successful short films tell a story with economy, precision and originality. Direct from the Sundance Film Festival comes this selection of eclectic, electric and wildly entertaining examples of the art of short film.
The Tube with a Hat 2006
Marian, a seven-year-old boy, and his father set out from their small isolated Romanian village. Their mission: to find someone to fix their old TV set. As they lug the TV through fields, on buses and into the city, father and son encounter more than their share of obstacles, but in the process learn valuable lessons about each other and about the importance of the small things in life.
Death to the Tinman 2006
Upon losing both his limbs and his lover, the Tin Man of Oz is determined to get his chaotic life back on track in this provocative, original twist on Frank L. Baum's The Wizard of Oz.
Bitch 2006
Bitch (yes that's the only name she has!) is a pop-culture vigilante, who administers "beat-downs" to many deserving folk. Be it your pretentious taste in music, your "fugly" clothes, your insipid pseudo-intellectual rantings, or your poseur attitude, she will find you and she will make you pay.Bitch thinks love is for losers, until she meets a guy as antisocial as she is. Can they regulate the poseurs of the world together? Only if she can win him – but she may have to kick his ass first.
Family Reunion 2006
New York lesbian Katrín is returning to her native Iceland for her grandfather's 70th birthday. While her family in Reykjavik unwittingly engages her in discussions about marriage, children and her future, Katrín sneaks in phone calls to her girlfriend in New York. As she struggles with coming out, word starts to spread, and Katrín realizes that she may have no control over when and how her secret is revealed.
The Oates' Valor 2006
Fourth chair trombonist Boyson Oates bends to his demanding father's will and quits the high school marching band. But tension between the two reaches breaking point and threatens to blow their relationship to smithereens in this delightfully offbeat, uniquely crafted tale.
Motodrom 2006
Do their motorbikes run on petrol or adrenaline? In a dizzying game with death, the hell riders at a fairground defy gravity as they make their breathtaking rounds along the walls of a steep wooden tub. Their contempt for the risks is depicted with stunning visuals and a pulsating soundtrack, and the spectacular stunts have a perilous beauty. Motodrom is a documentary ode to a vanishing fairground attraction for real men.