Short films are (almost) always amazing and inspiring. It is much more challeging to make a short film, as filmmakers have less time to develop a story and therefore must be as minimalist and economical as possible. Here is part one of my reviews of selected shorts from this year’s festival.
Have you ever wondered who paid for the Last Supper? Or what exactly the apostles talked about after Jesus left to take his last walk as a free man? Well, director and screenwriter Jeff Chan decided to explore these pressing theological questions in the hysterical short The Apostles. After Jesus gives his final blessing and leaves, Peter gets up and takes his seat. This sets of a wave of various complaints and accusations. Did Thomas eat more than his fair share of the bread? Are John’s feelings towards Jesus more than friendly? What would Jesus do: ask...
Have you ever wondered who paid for the Last Supper? Or what exactly the apostles talked about after Jesus left to take his last walk as a free man? Well, director and screenwriter Jeff Chan decided to explore these pressing theological questions in the hysterical short The Apostles. After Jesus gives his final blessing and leaves, Peter gets up and takes his seat. This sets of a wave of various complaints and accusations. Did Thomas eat more than his fair share of the bread? Are John’s feelings towards Jesus more than friendly? What would Jesus do: ask...
- 6/9/2010
- by Shelagh
- DorkShelf.com
Pumzi is a short Sci-Fi film starring Kudzani Moswela as Asha (above) and was created by Kenyan Writer/Director Wanuri Kahui. The film is set in futuristic Africa, 35 years after World War III “The Water War”. Pumzi is currently a 20 minute short film (which screened at Sundance), but Kahiu plans to expand Pumzi to a feature length film.
Trailer: Pumzi
Official Synopsis:
Nature is extinct. The outside is dead. Asha lives and works as a museumcurator in one of the indoor communities set up by the Maitu Council. When she receives a box in the mail containing soil, she plants an old seed in it and the seed starts to germinate instantly. Asha appeals to the Council to grant her permission to investigate the possibility of life on the outside but the Council denies her exit visa. Asha breaks out of the inside community to go into the dead and...
Trailer: Pumzi
Official Synopsis:
Nature is extinct. The outside is dead. Asha lives and works as a museumcurator in one of the indoor communities set up by the Maitu Council. When she receives a box in the mail containing soil, she plants an old seed in it and the seed starts to germinate instantly. Asha appeals to the Council to grant her permission to investigate the possibility of life on the outside but the Council denies her exit visa. Asha breaks out of the inside community to go into the dead and...
- 5/2/2010
- by Jason Moore
- ScifiMafia
The place: somewhere in Africa. The time: 35 years after World War III, or better known as “The Water War.”
Much of nature is extinct. The outside world is dead. The land is infertile, as human beings are forced (under a totalitarian-type regime) to live in underground, insulated communities, where dreams are suppressed, electricity is human-powered, and sources of water are human fluid waste, like urine and sweat, which are gathered and recycled into a drinkable liquid.
Our protagonist, Asha (Kudzani Moswela), a researcher at a virtual natural history museum, may have discovered a potential source of water, and in essence, the possibility of life on the outside. However, her superiors deny her application to exit their commune for the outside world to verify the reality of this supposed source, leaving Asha to act (illegally) on her impulses, risking prosecution, roaming a seemingly unending desert, in search of freedom.
The premise itself intrigues,...
Much of nature is extinct. The outside world is dead. The land is infertile, as human beings are forced (under a totalitarian-type regime) to live in underground, insulated communities, where dreams are suppressed, electricity is human-powered, and sources of water are human fluid waste, like urine and sweat, which are gathered and recycled into a drinkable liquid.
Our protagonist, Asha (Kudzani Moswela), a researcher at a virtual natural history museum, may have discovered a potential source of water, and in essence, the possibility of life on the outside. However, her superiors deny her application to exit their commune for the outside world to verify the reality of this supposed source, leaving Asha to act (illegally) on her impulses, risking prosecution, roaming a seemingly unending desert, in search of freedom.
The premise itself intrigues,...
- 4/11/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
The Spotlight section (replacing the awkward Spectrum sidebar) is a place where the festival will showcase some great finds on the festival circuit. And let me tell you, there is some great stuff here especially with Tiff/Venice titles such as I am Love, Lourdes, Mother & Child, A Prophet and Women Without Men. - The Spotlight section (replacing the awkward Spectrum sidebar) is a place where the festival will showcase some great finds on the festival circuit. And let me tell you, there is some great stuff here especially with Tiff/Venice titles such as I am Love, Lourdes, Mother & Child, A Prophet and Women Without Men. The list includes some Cannes fair in Safdie Bros.' Daddy Longlegs (formerly known as Go Get Some Rosemary) and Noe's Enter the Void. Having already seen a good number of these pics, also means, less films for me to worry about.
- 12/13/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
On Wednesday the Sundance Film Festival unveiled the films competing in late January 2010. Yesterday they announced the rest of the line-up of independent films vying for attention for industry types and the curious public.
The entire list of 53 films is below, but here are a few that stood out to me from the premieres alone:
Mumblecore directors the Duplass Brothers, have a new, untitled movie starring an unusually high-profile cast compared to their usual improvisational crew. John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, and Catherine Keener. Reilly and Keener are actually in two films at the 2010 festival.
The Company Men, starring Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Rosemarie DeWitt about corporate downsizing.
Rodrigo Cortes’ Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds as a man buried alive in a coffin. I’ve read the script and its great. More on that as soon as I can.
The Runaways, the...
The entire list of 53 films is below, but here are a few that stood out to me from the premieres alone:
Mumblecore directors the Duplass Brothers, have a new, untitled movie starring an unusually high-profile cast compared to their usual improvisational crew. John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, and Catherine Keener. Reilly and Keener are actually in two films at the 2010 festival.
The Company Men, starring Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Rosemarie DeWitt about corporate downsizing.
Rodrigo Cortes’ Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds as a man buried alive in a coffin. I’ve read the script and its great. More on that as soon as I can.
The Runaways, the...
- 12/5/2009
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
We are 49 days out and counting down to Sundance 2010. Yesterday, we unveiled the list of competition films for the upcoming festival. Today, we have your list of out-of-competition films which include Premieres, Spotlight, New Frontier, and, my personal favorite, Park City at Midnight, which has featured past entries like Black Dynamite, The Descent, and Saw.
Check out next year’s lineup for the out-of-competition films:
Premieres
To showcase the diversity to contemporary independent cinema, the Sundance Film Festival Premieres section offers the latest work from American and international directors as well as world premieres of highly anticipated films. Presented by Entertainment Weekly.
Abel / Mexico, USA (Director: Diego Luna; Screenwriters: Diego Luna and Agusto Mendoza)–A peculiar young boy, blurring reality and fantasy, assumes the responsibilities of a family man in his father’s absence. Cast: Jose Maria Yazpik, Karina Gidi, Carlos Aragon, Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza. World Premiere
Cane Toads:...
Check out next year’s lineup for the out-of-competition films:
Premieres
To showcase the diversity to contemporary independent cinema, the Sundance Film Festival Premieres section offers the latest work from American and international directors as well as world premieres of highly anticipated films. Presented by Entertainment Weekly.
Abel / Mexico, USA (Director: Diego Luna; Screenwriters: Diego Luna and Agusto Mendoza)–A peculiar young boy, blurring reality and fantasy, assumes the responsibilities of a family man in his father’s absence. Cast: Jose Maria Yazpik, Karina Gidi, Carlos Aragon, Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza. World Premiere
Cane Toads:...
- 12/4/2009
- by Kirk
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In addition to the competition titles which were announced yesterday, Sundance has announced the remainder of their line-up and it includes some titles we’re already familiar with along with a huge number of premieres.
Also on the docket are two new series: Next which showcases low/no budget films and Spotlight which highlights films which festival programmers deem worthy of extra love including Enter the Void (review) and Lourdes (the trailer for which I really liked).
I’m particularly excited to see some of the titles in the New Frontier program but overall, the line-up is an impressive one but the Kristen Stewart fan in me is excited to see her turn as Joan Jett in The Runaways and I think it’s fair to say we’re all dying to see Vincenzo Natali’s hotly anticipated Splice (trailer).
In the Midnight section, Adam Green's Frozen is sounding mighty find,...
Also on the docket are two new series: Next which showcases low/no budget films and Spotlight which highlights films which festival programmers deem worthy of extra love including Enter the Void (review) and Lourdes (the trailer for which I really liked).
I’m particularly excited to see some of the titles in the New Frontier program but overall, the line-up is an impressive one but the Kristen Stewart fan in me is excited to see her turn as Joan Jett in The Runaways and I think it’s fair to say we’re all dying to see Vincenzo Natali’s hotly anticipated Splice (trailer).
In the Midnight section, Adam Green's Frozen is sounding mighty find,...
- 12/3/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Sundance released their slate for 2010. It includes:43 documentaries on the Middle East12 films about friends who 'discover' something33 movies about people you've never heard about1 comedyHopefully the lineup this year is strong but it doesn't look that way compared to last year. Last year we had Push (Precious), that Lil Wayne documentary that never went anywhere, Mystery Team which might make my top ten, Moon, Mike Tyson documentary, Cold Souls. Just so much last January that was excellent. I hope I don't go out therer and freeze my tail off just to see...I don't know, a documentary about a former Pakistani prime minister or something silly like that.Here's the lineup so far: Premieres To showcase the diversity to contemporary independent cinema, the Sundance Film Festival Premieres section offers the latest work from American and international directors as well as world premieres of highly anticipated films. Presented by Entertainment Weekly.
- 12/3/2009
- LRMonline.com
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