UPDATE (March 1, 2012): Future Shorts has added The Arm to the program. See the synopsis below!
I’m happy to share the full program for our April 13 screening with you today. We’ll be showing two acclaimed Canadian shorts in addition to the Future Shorts pop up festival slate. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more information about each film individually, but for now, here’s the overview. If you like what you see, why not save $2 and get your advance tickets now?
DIMANCHE (Sunday)
Dir: Patrick Doyon
Canada – 2011
This animated short is a love letter to children’s imagination. After church, a family gathers at grandma and grandpa’s. It’s a Sunday like any other, except for the factory closing that has the grown-ups worried. As usual, a young boy chases away his boredom by playing with coins on the railroad tracks. He finds, to his surprise, that there are amazing sides to some coins. This animated fable for the whole family shows us how important it is to see life through a child’s eyes — even on a grey Sunday afternoon.
- Nominated for Academy Award, Short Animated Film
Duration: 9:00
BEAR
Dir: Nash Edgerton
Australia – 2011
Edgerton wrote, directed and starred in Bear, the sequel to Spider (2007). The film centres around the main character Jack, unfolding his tangled relationship and examining whether he’s learned his lesson or not. Described as a black comedy without social commentary, Bear is a follow up but also stands alone as its own piece. “Because I tend to play things fairly straight and never set things up like it’s a drama or a comedy, the audience doesn’t know what it’s going to be, and something about that really works,” says Edgerton.
- Nominated for Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at Cannes Film Festival
Duration: 08:55
QUADRANGLE
Dir: Amy Grappell
United States – 2010
An examination of a four-way affair, this documentary explores the story of two “conventional” couples who swap partners and live in a group marriage in the early 1970s. Set in Long Island, New York, this domestic living experiment unravels and challenges the boundaries of social convention, marriage, monogamy and desire. “Inspired by the discovery of my father’s photographs, taken at the height of the poly-amorous affair, and in an effort to come to terms with my own past, I decided to interview my parents. The film does not propose answers and strives to remain objective. It explores two people in a certain time. It tells a story,” says Grappell.
- Honorable Mention for Short Filmmaking Award at Sundance Film Festival
Duration: 19:00
THE ARM
Dir: Brie Larson, Sarah Ramos, Jessie Ennis
United States – 2012
Directed and written by a female trio, “The Arm” tells an up-to-the minute social commentary on teen love in a time of technology. Written over the course of three hours on a Greyhound bus from Dallas to Austin, this short centres upon two main characters, Chance and Genevieve, who start a texting relationship only to realize they were never in a relationship at all.
- Special Jury Award for Comedic Storytelling at Sundance Film Festival
Duration: 9:00
LOVE YOU MORE
Dir: Sam Taylor-Wood
United Kingdom – 2007
Inspired by the hit song “Love You More” by the Buzzcocks, this short is the tale of two punk lovers, Georgia and Peter, in 1978 London. Tender and explorative, this short film directorial debut by Taylor-Wood (Nowhere Boy) was written by Oscar nominee Patrick Marber and produced by Oscar winner Anthony Minghella.
- Nominated for BAFTA (UK) Award
- Nominated for Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at Cannes Film Festival
Duration: 15:00
TO DIE BY YOUR SIDE (Mourir auprès de toi)
Dir: Spike Jonze and Simon Cahn
France – 2011
Created from 3,000 hand-cut pieces of felt, Jonze’s tragicomic stop-motion animation takes place in an old Parisian bookshop (the famous Shakespeare and Company) where at night the covers come to life. It’s the story of a felt skeleton who falls in love with a beautiful and sassy vixen. Co-directed by filmmaker Simon Cahn with designs by Olympia Le-Tan, this short is sweet, sad, spooky and a bit whimsical. Jonze says, “A short is like a sketch. You can have an idea or a feeling and just go and do it.”
Duration: 7:00
THE MAN WITHOUT A HEAD (L’homme sans tête)
Dir: Juan Solanas
France – 2003
Created over 4 years, Solanas’ short debut is the story of a man who lives alone, head-less, in a room overlooking a vast industrial space. Visually astounding and technically accomplished, this animated short reveals love and happiness and one man’s pursuit of romance amidst life without a head. “We’re living in a period where cinema is a product; movies are becoming more and more commercialized. Short films are one of the last real places for artistic freedom – they’re important to celebrate just for that,” says Solanas.
- Winner of the Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival
- Cesar Award (France) for Best Short Film
Duration: 18:00
VENUS
Dir: Tor Fruergaard
Denmark – 2010
Venus is an erotic comedy in claymation about rediscovering one another and finding the spark where you least expect it. An official selection of the Los Angeles and Annecy Animation Festivals, among others, Venus tells the story of Caroline and Rasmus, a confused couple who’ve not had sex in four months. To solve this, they decide to visit a swingers’ club to see if it might salvage their relationship.
- Grand Jury Sparky Award at the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival
Duration: 7:00
TROTTEUR
Dirs: Arnaud Brisebois, Francis Leclerc
Canada – 2010
A metaphor of adversity, an infernal race against a merciless adversary. A duel to settle between a young man and a locomotive.
- Canada’s Top Ten 2011
- Best Canadian Short at the Edmonton International Film Festival
Duration: 8:40
We screen at the NFB Mediatheque (150 John Street) on Friday April 13, 2012 at 7pm. Grab your tickets now!