We’re already nearing the halfway point of the festival, which as wild as that sounds, just means that we’re only getting started here at HollyShorts. So many incredible films have already been screened here, and there are still so many more to come. Today’s slate has an incredible array of films to choose from, starting early with the Midnight Madness block that starts as soon as the clock ticks over the Sunday. There will thankfully be a significant break in between that block and the next as starting in the afternoon will be the AAPI block, as well as entries from classic film genres such as Romantic Comedies, Documentaries, Sci-Fi and Thrillers. It’s sure to be an amazing day of short films, and while those reading this might have missed the screenings for today, there’s still time to get tickets for future days. And in addition, there’s plenty of opportunity to see all the films from the comfort of home, as all the films will also be streaming on BitPix. While this is definitely not all of the favorites here at the festival, one film from each block has been selected as a highlighted film to show off the breadth of talent that is curated at this festival. So feel free to see what I had to say about a few of today’s films, and read past my thoughts to see the interview I did with Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, co-writers and co-directors of Jane Austen’s Period Drama. A big thanks to them for taking the time, and a big congratulations to all of the filmmakers selected and gracing us with their creativity today.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Re-Memory Foam ™ – Starting these highlights off right is this film starring Malcom Nicholas, Cashae Monya, and Ali Damji. Written by Nicholas, alongside directors Zachary Bailey and William Phoenix, this is a wild, frenetic film that focuses on a mattress salesman who sells something very, very unique. This film is creepy, with Damji especially putting in a frankly unsettling performance, and it adds in some old-school effects to give it a very specific vibe that really adds to the overall atmosphere. Hard to describe but highly recommended.
AAPI
Fishtank – A brilliant and surreal film, it follows Jules (Tiffany Chu), a recovering alcoholic whose bouts with vomiting while drunk bleed into her sober life, only instead of alcohol coming up, it various species of fish. Unsure of why, Jules continues to live with her new collection of aquatic friends, housing them with her and taking care of them. It’s only while at an AA meeting that she meets Matt (Isaac W. Jay), a fellow recovering addict and fish enthusiast, that Jules’ life is thrown for another loop. It’s an incredible retrospective that has some powerful messaging wrapped around a bit of a unique plot, really adding to the dynamism of this Wendi Tang film.
ROMANTIC COMEDY
Jane Austen’s Period Drama – This hilarious and very ridiculous piece truly shows that where words are emphasized in a phrase can really change the meaning. Set in early 19th century England, as is the setting of the Austen novels that these are modeled after, the film stars Julia Aks (who also co-wrote and co-directed the film with Steve Pinder) as Estrogenia, whose life is about to change when the charming and handsome Mr. Dickley (Ta’imua Hannemann) nearly proposes marriage, only to spot what he believes is an injury when he spots blood on her dress. This panic leads to a lot of very absurd and hilarious moments as everyone decides whether or not to tell Mr. Dickley what’s really happening. The cast just simply kills it, with special shoutouts to Ta’imua, Aks, and Samantha Smart, who plays Estrogenia’s sister Labinia. Hysterical and outrageous, this is just a fantastic pastiche of these kinds of dramatic pieces.
SCI-FI
I’m Not A Robot – Victoria Warmerdam’s sci-fi film has a silly premise, but that doesn’t stop it from tackling one of the banes of human existence: the CAPTCHA. The “I’m Not A Robot” button takes on a much more sinister and wild form in this film, as Lara (Ellen Parren) is the focus on this film, living her life as normal when a computer update requires her to fill out one of the irritating screens to prove she’s not a robot. Only, she can’t, as it will not recognize her humanity, sending Lara into a spiral that makes her question everything. Also starring Henry Van Loon and Thekla Reuten, this film from the Netherlands is a bit ridiculous but its humorous premise is not all it seems to be.
THRILLER
Inked –HollyShorts alum Kelsey Bollig returns with her latest film starring Mya Hudson and Chris Cortez. Hudson stars as Dylan, a young woman mourning the loss of her father by getting a tattoo mixed with a small amount of his ashes. Or, at least she thinks they’re his ashes. It seems a recently passed serial killer might be playing an inadvertent part in her life, resulting in a terrifying piece of body horror that is sure to turn some heads. Bollig is an excellent horror director, and this film continues to build that reputation. Incredible all around.
A big thanks to all the filmmakers who were selected for today’s highlights! Stick around for an interview with Steve Pinder and Julia Aks, co-writers and co-directors of Jane Austen’s Period Drama!
What inspired you to start making films?
Julia: I think it’s been in me since I was a kid. When I was 12, my best friend and I filmed a reenactment of a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean. But instead of actors we used carrots. Carrots in full costume. It was called Carrots of the Pirabbean. In my house, we had one Mac computer that had iMovie on it, so I learned how to edit that project and I remember really enjoying the whole process from start to finish. For a long time after that I focused solely on pursuing acting and opera singing, but writing and directing have always felt like a very natural fit. When I had a silly singing video go viral in 2019, it was the kick in the pants that I needed to jump into creating full-time. All that content creation kind of served as my film school. Now, fully stepping into narrative filmmaking with Jane Austen’s Period Drama feels like coming home.
Steve: I have always loved movies. My dad used to take me to them as a kid. Both of my parents are good storytellers, so on some level, I think storytelling runs in my blood. I grew up singing in church and acting in school plays and developed a love of musical theater. I did a fair amount of stage acting throughout my teens and twenties. But I remember seeing Chicago, when it came out in theaters when I was 15. This combination of story, satire, music, and moving pictures was revelatory. It still took me a long time to have the courage to pursue filmmaking professionally, but through a winding series of pursuits, I found myself here.
What were the challenges in making this project?
Steve: The biggest challenge in the making of Jane Austen’s Period Drama was how to transport the audience to Regency England, while all of our production resources were in Los Angeles, in mid-summer… I was not convinced it was possible.
Julia: I was delusionally optimistic.
Steve: That does have its benefits, and we did find a way! We found a house that we felt could pull off the interiors, and we ended up flying a skeleton crew to upstate New York to shoot the exterior scenes.
Julia: It really is the opening exterior moment — the green hills of (New) England — that transports you to Jane Austen’s England.
Is there any type of message or emotion that you hope the viewer takes away from watching this film?
Julia: We hope people walk away feeling inspired to talk about their periods!
Steve: And do so with joy!
How does it feel to be able to screen the film at HollyShorts?
Steve: It’s amazing to be at Hollyshorts and to be able to play in LA!
Julia: The majority of our team is here, and we’re so thrilled they all will finally have a chance to see the film on the big screen.
What’s on the horizon for you?
Steve: We are developing a feature length version of Jane Austen’s Period Drama, and other feature-length comedy’s with heart!
Julia: The festival circuit has also been quite good to us so far, and we’ve been taking meetings with some very cool managers and producers. Looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out!
That’s it for day four! We’ll hit the halfway point tomorrow with day five’s coverage, so be sure to come back and see what else is going on at the HollyShorts Film Festival!
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