It’s time to celebrate a huge milestone, as the HollyShorts Comedy Film Festival marks a decade of showcasing the best in all varieties of comedic short films! Running from May 1st-3rd (with selections being shown on the 2nd and 3rd, with the first being a red carpet and opening reception), there’s dozens of incredible films from all around the spectrum of comedy to enjoy, and while every film is deserving of praise and respect, these recaps will be just a taste of what the festival has to offer, with a few standouts of each block given a bit of a shoutout. Today’s piece will highlight ten films from the five blocks, with the following piece doing the same over the day’s four genre offerings. Tickets for the festival will be available to see in person at the LOOK! Dine-In Cinemas in Glendale, with the films available to watch on BitPix shortly after their in-person premiere. With all that covered, it’s time to get to the films! Please check back in with more from the 10th Annual HollyShorts Comedy Film Festival!
ALTERNATIVE COMEDY
May I Put You On Hold? – Directed by Ash Blodgett and written by Ryan Self, this film sees Tara Jayn as Liz, a woman who finds herself in the waiting room of the Afterlife after last remembering being on hold with a furniture company. Now stuck between a hold of a different sort as she has to figure out a way to work her way through the line back to the land of the living.
Million Dollar Man – Riley Scott writes and directs this short starring Hans Heilmann. Heilmann stars as Sydney, a timid and meek man who usually depends on his mother (Alison Boole) to be with him during tasks. But when an emergency comes up during a robbery at a dry cleaner that he’s present for, Sydney takes action, doing something himself for once. It’s a delightful short that really takes you on a frenetic journey, with Heilmann really shining as the star.
ROM COM
Stalling –Jasia Ka directs this film written by stars Ann Marie Wilding and Caroline Klidonas that tells the story of two people who both got cheated on by the same guy, starting an unlikely friendship in the bathroom of a bar. Finding a connection, the two agree to meet up in that very spot at the same time every year, with the film showing their growing bond over several meetups, leading to something bigger than them both. It’s a funny, sweet and engaging film that shows that things can change on a dime, and circumstance can lead to something unexpected and beautiful.
Fireflies In The Dusk – Nick Ballard, Emily Goss, Hale Appleman and Drew Droege star in this very silly but very fun short by Jonathan Hammond. Goss plays Charlotte, a woman in the Victorian era that starts a long distance romance with Zach (Ballard), their love soaring through not only space but time, as they communicate through letter that when placed in a magical drawer, transcend natural laws. This allows Victorian Charlotte and modern-day dudebro Zach communicate, already bringing a level of absurdity to the film. As Charlotte is about to be wed to Cecil, she flees through the magic portal to be with her love, only to find her prince charming isn’t all she really expected to be. It gets further complicated when Cecil goes through the portal after her, only to fall in love with Zach’s boss Martin, the two of them having a lovely time as Charlotte struggles. It’s a ridiculous film in the best way, the juxtaposition of the long glorified Victorian era meshing with the modern day in unexpected ways.
DARK COMEDY I
Rocket Friendz – Josh Weisbrod’s animated short is a lovely send-up of a beloved franchise, as it sees Theo, an aging Rocket Friendz fighter who hasn’t yet let go of his dream of being the best battler in the land. Alongside his trusted best friend Snout, a first generation Rocket Friend who’s seen better days, Theo attends a convention, the realization that he’s far outgrown his hobby hitting him as hard as Snout is hit during battles by the newer Rocket Friendz. It’s a mash-up of Pokémon through the lens of Rick & Morty, and it’s as fun to watch as it is cringe-inducing when you see Theo’s life through the lens of time and a lack of maturity.
Tech Free Retreat – Directed by Willie Rockefeller and written by
C. Bailey Werner and Kelsey Pribilski, the short displays how a need to know the facts can go truly awry. Werner plays Luke, a guy on a technology free retreat, only for his inability to be wrong makes him go way too far to prove his correctness. It’s a shocking but incredible short film that takes a drastic shift in a dark and amazing way.
PRIMETIME
The Sentry – Jake Watchel writes and directs this incredibly poignant film that sees Agent Blackwood (Daniel Raymont), a suave super spy go into a well-guarded facility to thwart a plot. Despite given orders to go non-lethal, Blackwood goes rogue, killing the guards, who appear as spirits. This includes Termite (Dara Phang), who basically follows Blackwood around, haunting him in a way that helps Blackwood see that he’s not killed a faceless goon, but instead someone with a life, a family, and responsibilities that have now been taken from him. It’s a pleasant and strange buddy comedy that t first glance feels odd, but is incredibly heartwarming and funny in the moment.
Severed – Megan Duffy directs and stars in this Danielle Bauman written short that sees Duffy play Abigail, a woman living in a world where fingers just kind of…go away and find themselves on the street for others to find. Abigail is a good person who picks them up and mails them off in some sort of government program to reunite the lost appendage with their host body, something her partner Mark (Ben Giroux) doesn’t. In fact, Mark is kind of a jerk about it, until one day he finds himself a victim, leading Abigail to put her typical morals to the test. Weird premise, but so much fun, with Duffy and Giroux really playing well off of one another.
HORROR COMEDY
Un-Dead – Bo and Mack Webb direct and write a very silly film that sees Kelley Pereria as Jane, a young scientist working for her father (Brian Huskey). When a zombie outbreak emerges, claiming her father as one of the victims, the petulant Jane does something absolutely crazy, but crazy enough to work and turn the tides on the encroaching and expanding horde. Wildly silly but delightful, this was a definite standout that makes you shake your head as you laugh.
Talk Shit – Will Thede and Ben Weiss write and direct this short film that sees two roommates that need to break up, but can’t seem to let go. This is sometimes literal as Courtney Doyle (Ella) attempts to leave a toxic roommate situation with “best friend” Taylor (Analisa Gutierrez), only for Taylor to not agree with the idea, taking drastic measures to kep her roommate with her. It’s dark but hilarious, with both actors really bringing the tension as things escalate.
That’ll be all for today! Be sure to check back for more films tomorrow where we round out the weekend of showcasing the best in comedic short films!
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