As we move into the back half of the 21st Annual HollyShorts Film Festival, it’s been amazing to see what’s come to our screens so far, and it’s exciting to know how much more we have to go. With films from several interesting categories; African Spotlight, TV, Music, Coming Of Age and Action, there’s so much to look forward to. Be sure to read until the end as well for an interview with our highlighted filmmaker of today, Neo-Dome‘s Bonnie Discepolo. For those looking to get to the screening in person for one of the last few days of the festival, tickets can be found here, with the films also streaming on BitPix shortly after their in-person screening.
AFRICAN SPOTLIGHT
Punter – Jason Adam Maselle delivers this short film set in South Africa, as young Brett (Tiago Marques) attempts to surprise his father Harris (Bouwer Bosch) for his birthday. When Harris instead plans to spend some time gambling, Brett’s accidental assistance creates a bit of an obstacle for Brett, whose surprise of an ice cream cake is time sensitive. It’s a tense film, showing the massive ups and downs of people facing gambling problems, and the affect their actions can have on the other people in their lives. The up and down energy that is inflicted on Brett in the film is one that many likely know, with the huge highs and scary lows feeling jarring as the viewer, emulating to an extent what it must feel like for those going through it.
TV
Chasers – Erin Brown Thomas directs and co-writes this short with Ciarra Khrone and follows Sophia (Khrone) through a house party of young people, all chasing some sort of dream. Some are chasing jobs, some looking to make good on opportunities, some looking for connection, all while the party rages around them, leading to an ensemble that mixes chaos with emotion, much like how it feels to be ambitious and unsure at that age. The cast is great, mixing emotional vulnerability with messy social dynamics, and there was excellent direction from Thomas, who shot the whole thirty minute piece as a continuous shot.
MUSIC
We Are The Descendants (in 79 Languages) – Featuring the music of Steven Chesne and sung by Fredo Bang (along with vocalists from a multitude of nations), this sci-fi video is an incredible accomplishment, getting together singers from across the globe to sing a song about all of us coming form somewhere, showing people coming together and becoming one people. The ability to get singers in so many languages to contribute is phenomenal, the song is very catchy, and featured performer Fredo Bang is terrific, with the VFX and direction from Chesne and Nayip Ramos really helping it feel cohesive.
COMING OF AGE
WassupKaylee – Devin Freeman France and Taj Cross star in this Pepi Ginsberg film about a group of young content creators living in a house together to chase their dreams of being internet famous. The focus is on Kaylee (France), an awkward young woman looking to find her place in this space, having moved away from home and into this huge house full of parties and socializing, all for the sake of beaming it out into the world for content. After bonding after a party with Jackson (Cross), she finds herself at a crossroads when Jackson does something reckless, causing a panic in the house, the stunt having some unintended consequences. It’s an interesting look at the modern form of stardom, how it can affect people and what happens when people chase clout.
ACTION
Neo-Dome – Matt and Mark Pfeffer bring the dystopian action in this film, which was directed by Bonnie Discepolo and sees a group of people on their way to the mythical haven known as the Neo-Dome, a towering sphere in the distance of the desert that is as exclusive as it is mysterious. Michael Mosley, Anna Camp and Nicolas Logan star, with Logan and Mosely playing two men on the road to the Dome, only to find a hitchhiking Camp on their journey. With space in the Neo-Dome only accessible by invitation, trickery and ruthlessness is abound, leading to a tense and engaging world, populated by people willing to do whatever it takes to reach their presumed utopia. The cast is excellent in this, and Camp, known mostly for comedy, does a wonderful job alongside fellow seasoned actors in Logan and Mosley in this gripping action film.
That’ll wrap up our films for the day! Be sure to read the interview with our highlighted filmmaker of the day, Bonnie Discepolo! It was a pleasure to speak with them, and a big thank you goes to them for taking the time out.
What inspired you to make films?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been wrecked with nostalgia, the kind that made me sob when I turned 13 because “I would never be a kid again.” I’m always aware that the present moment is already vanishing. I think my first impulse to make films came from wanting to hold onto moments in time, a birthday party, a picnic at the beach, the softness of my great grandmother’s hand. I wanted to capture and share feelings. Cinema gives you words, images and music. It’s the closest we have to sharing memories.
What message were you trying to communicate with this film?
With Neo Dome, I wanted to make something cool that you want to see more of! I wanted to make a true thriller. I wanted to show that women can and should be at the helm of action films. That action doesn’t have to mean sacrificing nuance, it can come from great actors giving motivated, layered performances.
What kind of challenges did you face when making this film?
Everything about Neo Dome was great. I got to direct Anna Camp, Michael Mosely and Nicholas Logan for three days in the desert making an action western. I really don’t remember the challenges, just that I got to direct some of the finest actors working in film and television and we had a ball. Of course, we had the usual film set chaos: permits falling through, not enough time, the hero car stalling out—and my dad had to leap up from playing dead in the back seat to jump-start it because he was the only one who knew how to handle a car that old. But honestly, those were the best parts. The obstacles are the memories. Solving problems on the fly is where the fun is.
How does it feel to be a part of this year’s HollyShorts?I currently play Ms. Jessop, Lex Luthor’s assistant in the new Superman, and we just had our premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in July, which is unreal. To be back at the Chinese Theatre just a few weeks later for Neo Dome at HollyShorts is incredibly rewarding. It’s a full-circle moment.
It’s a joy and an honor to be back. As a HollyShorts alumni, I’ve watched the program grow stronger and more competitive every year. This really is the short film festival of short film festivals. To be selected alongside such talented filmmakers is a special kind of peer recognition.
What’s next for you? I in post on a personal documentary called American Discepolo about my family’s tango roots in Buenos Aires. And I’m in pre production on a historical vampire feature that I’ve been researching since 2016, and is based on a true story.
Day 6 is in the books! Congratulations to all of today’s filmmakers, and here’s to more tomorrow!
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