Short Film Festival ◊ 2009 ◊ Films: A - C

 

 

The Action Hero's Guide to Saving Lives Writers: Brett Simmons, Opie Cooper; Director: Justin Lutsky; Producer: Justin Lutsky, Clint Carmichael, Keegan Wilcox. When lives are on the line... When there's danger at every turn... When clichés run amuck... Sometimes the best thing to do is call Mulligan. Ace Mulligan! No matter how villainous the madman... How numerous the henchmen... How sexy the damsel, one thing is for sure: Ace Mulligan will always come out on top. Sometimes. Starring Patrick Warburton (The Venture Brothers, Family Guy, The Tick, Men In Black II), The Action Hero’s Guide To Saving Lives takes you behind the scenes of Ace Mulligan’s perilous and not-always-successful mission to stop the bad guys, get the girl, and save the day. It’s not always easy being an action hero. Comedy, USA, 15 min

 

Altar Writer: Andrew Jenner; Director: Nathan Bezner; Producer: Madison Geer. Every single day is the same for Casper Stipend. He wakes up, he goes to work, he cleans a lonely women's room at the end of a deserted hallway in an indistinct building of sorts. Every day he cleans, and every day he finds the same filth and bizarre objects clogging his one duty; from dolls to bibles, there is nothing this commode won't chuck at him. As he becomes more unhinged and disconnected from his own societal realities, he finds a connection in the last place he would've looked.  Dark Comedy,  USA, 18 min

 

Animated American Writer: Tim Talbott; Director: James Baker & Joe Haidar; Producer: Susan Cohen. The future is about to collide with the past. Eric, a digital-loving executive on a mansion hunting expedition finds himself crossing swords with his realtor, Max, an out of work toon rabbit. Like it or not, Max will make Eric see things through the eyes of an "Animated American."  Comedy, USA, 15 min

 

The Assassin Project Writer/Director: Hal Jordan; Producer: Monique Yamaguchi, Nick Rossier. Recruited out of high school because of her unique problem solving skills, Seattle Leary throws herself into a unique line of work: assassination. The nature of the work is literally cut-throat, which initially appeals to her but eventually grows old. After deciding she wants more out of life than dealing death, Seattle attempts to step away from the business, but finds that walking away is not that easy. Action, USA, 14 min

 

The Baby Shredder Song Writer/Producer: Mark Nutter; Director: David Avallone. A musical fantasy about a visionary inventor and his modest proposal. With apologies to Jonathan Swift. Dark Comedy, USA, 5 min

 

Back to Life Writer/Director/Producer: Mike Salva. Animated Frankenstein Monster has a few things to say about being brought back to life. A cartoon by the creator of Max the Hero and voiced by Nashville standup comedians Ryan Williams and Sean Parrott. Animated Comedy, USA, 3 min

 

Bathtub to Happiness Writers/Directors: Nadine & Norbert Keil; Producer: Nadine Keil . Victor and Marie have never met before tonight. But several chaotic coincidences later they both find themselves in the same bathtub. Without any clothes on. On top of all that, the bathtub they are sitting in starts to glow and hum in very un-bathtub-like ways... You guessed it: Victor and Marie are sitting in an enchanted bathtub, one that will make their destiny... the bathtub to happiness! Fantasy, Germany, 27 min

 

Be Good Writer: J.V. Kelly, Barney Cokeliss; Director: Barney Cokeliss; Producer: Johann Insanally. Joe is an amiable slacker who wakes up after his 30th birthday and realizes that he has never done anything worthwhile. He sets out to do some good in the world, starting in his London neighborhood. Things don't go to plan.  Be Good is a Ridley Scott Associates production. Comedy, United Kingdom, 11 min

 

Bohemibot Writer/Director: Brendan Bellomo; Producer: Daniel Spence. Bohemibot is a Student Academy Award winning Sci-Fi drama, which combines live-action and CGI. After centuries of rampant industrialization, the two remaining races of planet Zednok had to endure cybernetic modification to survive their toxic world. The struggle for dwindling resources finally plunged them into endless war. All were made to serve. The great harpist Bohemibot served as a pilot. But like all on Zednok he was ultimately shattered by the war. Relegated to working in a military facility that recycled enemy bodies, each night Bohemibot would purge his nightmares and shoot them into outer space.  This story has been reconstructed from his dreampods and is presented in the language of Zednok.   Science Fiction, USA,  26 min

 

Bridge Writer/Director/Producer: Frank Fearon. A retelling of old moral tales. Bridge blends elements of far eastern and American cinema into a bedtime story and a wild ride. This short features fantasy, action, and comedy in its tale of four travelers who discover a tunnel into a mystical world. They explore and come upon a bridge that spans a vast, misty swamp. They set off across it, ignoring the seemingly inconsequential 25c toll request at its entrance: not a clever plan. Action, USA,  10 min

 

Brother's Keeper Writer/Director: Martijn Smits; Producer: Nick Jongerius, Daniel Koefoed, Philipe Wentrup. Elias brings home women for his brother, Romero, to kill. Romero is deformed and lives in the cellar. But when Elias brings home Eve, their evil pact ends up in bloodshed.    Horror, Netherlands, 15 min

 

Burden Writer/Director: Michael David Lynch; Producer: Michael David Lynch, John Bosher. Ordered to evacuate Earth on the eve of an Alien invasion, a lone “Hero” named Calik must decide between his sworn duty to flee, or defy his instructions, and battle the imminent threat and attempt to save our world.  Science Fiction, USA, 10 min

 

Cataclysmo Writer/Director/Producer: Duong Tran. 65 million years ago, forces of good and evil waged a galactic battle in a struggle for nuclear power. When a nuclear device finds its way to prehistoric earth, a cataclysmic event will change history forever.  Animated Science Fiction, USA, 7 min

 

Cell Writer: Michael Aronson; Director: Dawn Boyd; Producer: Dawn Boyd, Michael Aronson. Life is for the birds. They require so little. Every day gathering their lives from the wind. Doron has no wind. If only he could harness the voice of every bird, every jay, every sparrow. Could he funnel their song inside his soul? Could he survive another day? An enigmatic story about a man's relationship with his surroundings both natural and artificial. Magic Realism, Canada,  7 min

 

Cheap Date Writer/Director/Producer: Mike Bell. Intimate moments are difficult when you have roommates. Cheap Date was written for The Runties, a traveling puppet show that toured with Lallapalooza in 1993. Comedy, USA, 6 min

 

A Christmas Tale Writer/Director/Producer: Michael Chen. Leroy Moore reminisces of a Christmas when he was eight years old, and how it was that particular year he discovered the true magic of Christmas. After seeing the girl next door and immediately falling in love with her, Leroy is determined to get her a Christmas present despite having no money. With whatever advice his family gives, he tries to find her a present while learning what the true magic of Christmas really is. Animated Comedy, Canada, 12 min

 

Chroma Chameleon Writers: Marc Adler, Scott Biear; Director: Warren Grubb, Marc Adler; Producer: Marc Adler. Chameleons don’t just dance, they “chrome”—an explosive combination of crazy moves with wild bursts of color changing. A timid chameleon, named Hue, has dreamed of dancing with the other chameleons since he was knee-high to a newt, but he can’t change colors. When Hue attends a dance party, he finds himself unexpectedly thrown on stage, his shortcomings exposed to all.  Animated Comedy, USA, 4 min

 

Clowns Vs. Ninjas Writer/Director: David Brocca; Producer: Albert Brocca. A Japanese warlord has grown bored with the usual mayhem and murder. Craving a different form of twisted fun he orders his thugs to organize the ultimate bloody battle—a troop of unsuspecting clowns versus a pair of ninja assassins. Dark Comedy, USA, 9 min

 

A Conscience Will Kill You Writer/Director: Salvatore Lumetta; Producers: Steve Groff, Salvatore Lumetta. A wife’s assumed infidelity and a killer’s bout of conscience, lead to a husband’s vengeance, a romantic interlude and a hit man’s untimely demise, in this homage to Italian sex comedies.   Dark Comedy, USA, 9 min

 

 

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