The first quarter of the year is coming to a close, and with it comes another slate of incredible films from some very talented filmmakers. With over a dozen films to check out, it should be an incredible celebration of short films and those who create them. The screening will take place on March 26th at the LOOK! Dine-In Cinemas in Glendale (with a 7 PM block and a 9:30 PM block) with the digital screenings running from March 26th to 30th on BitPix for all those who can’t attend in person. With all that being said, let’s get going on these incredible films!
X-Mas Anonymous – Sammy Smedley’s film about holiday addicts is a wild one, as four people all obsessed with the Christmas season in various unhealthy ways gather for a meeting to discuss their habits and how its affected their lives. Everything from wishing death on Santa to only speaking in Christmas movie quotes, each person in the group has their own quirk that they correlate with the season, all of which are ridiculous, over the top and hilarious. This is a very silly and very entertaining film that goes off in some unexpected directions, with the cast of Brian Reilly, Augustus Wilson, Latrisha Talley, Chris Paul Morales and Smedley all coming together to fully commit to the bit and make this a holiday short that should not be missed.
Bury A Dream – Carol Del Mar is a force, as she writes, co-directs (along with Paulina Zamarano) and co-stars in this film (alongside Miguel Angel Garcia) that sees her playing Magnolia, a teen whose grief over the loss of her mother combines with her sleep disorder to disastrous results. Magnolia sleepwalks, and the accompanying dreams that permeate her mind combine with the horrible memories over the loss of her mother, and she begins to find herself in strange and dangerous situations, comforted only by Miles (Garcia). It’s a film with a shock ending and some incredible visuals to go along with a painful but satisfying story, really showing the range of Del Mar, whose hand was in every aspect of this film.
The Interns – A beautifully done group effort (the team of Kathryn Kvas and Vignesh Sheshadri leading the charge, with co-stars Phung Do and Dan Litzow also joining in both in front of and behind the camera), this films sees Kat and Vig, two immigrants from Canada and India, respectively, as they attempt to find work in America while waiting to hear about the status of their work Visas. Teamed together from moment one as part of the company’s initiative to hire immigrant interns (and not pay them), Kat and Vig bond quickly, forming a deep chemistry that is intimate and heartwarming as the two of them do everything they can to find their place in the company that they want to work for. They do this, all the whole hoping in the back of their minds that their visas are approved so that they can not only get hired, and stay in the country, but maybe even more at the front of their minds, stay together.
If Gators Could Fly – Alexa Roosevelt and Sarah Hardwick team up to write, direct and star in this film about two friends enjoying their last day together as one of them intends to leave the comforts of where they grew up. Lou Ann, whose been toiling away through the degradation of their boss at the local Hooter’s while getting her GED, wants to see if there’s more out there outside of the borders of Florida. It’s a touching story of two friends sticking together despite changing circumstances, and really shows the chemistry between the two collaborators.
The Ornament – This is a tough film to watch, as the subject matter confronts the harsh truth of abusive parent/child relationships as we see Tessa (Remy Marthaller), a nine year old whose class assignment for the holidays is to describe their Christmas tradition after the break. The only problem for Tessa is they don’t really have any traditions, as Luna (Nathalie Boltt), Tessa’s mother, is focused mostly on maintaining the façade of success and perfection that she presents to the world through her work. This leads Tessa to either tell the truth about the real tradition of her household, which mostly consists of verbal abuse and tantrums from her mother, or to tell her class about the traditions her mother made up as a cover for what really happens. It’s an important film by Jinjara Mitchell, who delivers this film in a way that is both cautionary and realistic, with safety of those going through similar situations put at the forefront in a way that is incredibly helpful and shows a lot of care in giving those in need some resources.
The Bunker – Ian Killick’s short about the threat of nuclear war and the choices that a mother must make in the wake of imminent disaster is a shocking, intense and engrossing film that really makes use of every moment of its just over seven minute runtime. From the threat of annihilation to the possibility of the planned rescue not going as planned, every moment is fraught, but in a way that is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat.
Cherry Pie – Linzi Fenix and Eric Michael Cole star in this film about zombies, a lack of ambition, and of course, pie. Patrick Mulderrig’s film sees Lana (Fenix) a bar manager talking to her bartender Marty (Cole), mostly about his apathy and lack of dedication to improving himself, even if his goal for doing so is just to get women. They cross paths with a man carrying only a mysterious bite, a gun, and a full cherry pie when this unknown guy walks into their bar while Lana and Marty have stepped out, only to meet a seemingly unfortunate end after he trips over a guitar cord, though his end doesn’t stay one for long. This is a silly, dark and hilarious film that mixes several seemingly disparate ideas and blends them into a very fun film that is well worth the time spent watching.
Sixteen – Naomi Iwamoto’s film about identity and confronting the life you thought you wanted with who you really are, is a challenging but touching film that sees Yumi (Anel Marat), a young Japanese American girl whose social scene is in part made up by her church group, struggling with her sexuality after its revealed that her and another girl in the church were seen together. After Helen (Miyu Roberts) lies about what happened to protect herself, it’s suggested that Yumi go to conversion therapy for what her church sees as sinful, inappropriate same-sex attraction. It’s a beautiful film about embracing your identity, even when it goes against what you thought you knew about the world and what you were taught, and about living your life authentically, even during difficult times.
Before You Go – Joe Thayer’s teen drama is a heartbreaking one, with a twist that really hits hard. Jacob and Jane (Juan Teisaire and Clio Contogenis) are two teens in the morning after a party, talking about the universe and life. To avoid the consequences of whatever happened the night before, the two decide to have one last cup of coffee together, making breakfast and pretending as if there’s not something looming right outside the house. It’s thoughtful, tense and emotionally powerful, with the two main actors really doing excellent work to drive the story home.
ÈLÓ – A film written, directed by and starring Ayeshah Zakiya Rose, this is an intimate and emotionally evocative film that follows a woman, who along with some gentle assistance from her granddaughter, goes on a journey to reawaken her grandmother’s spirit through a series of experiences that stimulate her senses. From taking in the view from the top of a hill to rediscover a long-forgotten view to bringing back old memories through cherished objects, this film is a layered and beautiful story of tradition, memory and love through the generations. Rose is especially powerful with her performance, bringing genuine emotion and authenticity to her role.
The Doll’s House – This Tim Rogg directed film, written by Sam Rogg, is an ensemble film that sees a group of family members and partners gathered around a dinner table, which is dominated by a large, unsightly dollhouse that was just inherited by the mother of the four adult children seated around the table. With its status as a family heirloom, the question is now who it’s going to be passed down to, with all four adult children being in their thirties and with no children of their own. It’s an awkward, complicated question, and one that needs an answer before anyone can leave the table, making this a amusingly uncomfortable film that is full of great bits of dialogue and some incredible acting work from the whole cast.
Hey Man – Making a return after its debut at last month’s round-up, James Oxyer’s dark comedy is a wild conversation between friends Trevor (Michael Warker) and Cole (Alex Gagliardi), who chat about the Sopranos for a bit before some dark secrets start to emerge as a late-night talk around a bonfire goes from casual to much more tense. As Trevor struggles to get something very personal out in the open with his friend, Cole’s response is to return the favor, only revealing something much, much darker. It’s funny, awkward and a bit harrowing, the focus on just the two of them in this one moment in their lives really blurring boundaries between kind of funny and wildly uncomfortable.
From Way Up Here – Celeste Chaney’s touching film tells the story of two women as they go through their journey of grief as a sudden death puts reality into stark perspective. Unable to handle a “celebration of life” ceremony that is anything but, Anne (Mac Steele Foster) and Babs (Mallory Everton) steal the urn and the dearly departed’s car for one last trip to honor her spirit in the ways she would have wanted. Through a series of heartfelt, if a bit difficult, conversations and climbs, the journey leads to the perfect spot to truly say goodbye, one last time. This is a gorgeous film, simply put. Bittersweet but heartfelt, it truly does exactly what it set out to do in the best possible way, making it emotionally satisfying and a joy to watch.
The Great Cosmic Hoax – Directed by Ethan Leisie and written by star Eileen Grubba, this film is another in a long line of incredible Easterseals Disability Challenge entries, with Grubba, Paul Ford, and Kim Estes delivering on a silly but fun story that sees Eileen (Grubba) and Paul (Ford) using the free time they’re given thanks to the ridiculous and difficult healthcare system for the disabled to mess with people, creating hoaxes and doing pranks to entertain themselves. Given that they can’t work or they’ll lose their disability benefits, Paul and Eileen come up with a complex prank that gets the world to believe that aliens have landed on Earth, only for the two of them to discover just how close they are to the truth. It’s fun, a bit ridiculous, and overall a very enjoyable watch.
Over – Nik Sanchez’s Easterseals Disability Film Challenge entry is a fun one, with Sanchez working as writer, director and co-star, alongside Havon Baraka. Nate (Baraka), getting ready for an impeding date, is overwhelmed and nervous, enlisting the help of best friend Alex (Sanchez) to hide in the bathroom in case he needs advice. Both Autistic, Nate and Alex tend to work on opposite ends of the social spectrum when it comes to their condition, with Nate feeling consistently overstimulated, while Alex is calm and thoughtful. When the date goes awry, the two friends come back together, showing the powerful bond the two of them share, and that having a mental disability such as autism isn’t always a handicap, but can also be beneficial for yourself and those around you.
That’ll do it for this month! A big thanks to all of the wonderfully talented filmmakers who were able to both attend and submit their films to this month’s celebration. All of these films will be available to watch via BitPix starting on March 26th, and running online until March 30th! Until next time!
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