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......March
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18, 2008 ......January
23, 2008 ...Press & Industry Applications |
Contact _________________________________________ THE
2008 INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS 74
films to compete in American Spectrum, Documentary, FROM: Indianapolis International Film Festival Contact _________________________________________
74
films to compete in American Spectrum, Real Visions / Documentary, Indianapolis, IN [March 30, 2008] – The 2008 Indianapolis International Film Festival today announced the line-ups for its American Spectrum, Real Visions / Documentary, and World Cinema Short Film Competitions. The fifth annual festival takes place April 23 – May 3, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 74 films will compete for Grand Jury Prizes and the NUVO Audience Award for Best Short Film. Additional prizes will be awarded for the Film Indiana Hoosier Lens Award and the Best Animated Short. Jurors may also elect to award Special Jury Prizes. “Short films have really been a vital part of our festival from the beginning and have really helped us gain some notoriety on the film festival circuit. In our first four years, seven shorts films that had either their Indiana or Midwestern Premieres with us have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations, and two of those went on to win the Oscar,” said festival founder and director Brian Owens. The complete list of films selected for American Spectrum, Documentary, and World Cinema Feature Competitions follows:
American Spectrum Short Films in Competition
The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire: The Boss - directed by Mike Blum; 3 mins; US / Romania - This animated buddy-comedy chronicles the adventures of Baxter and McGuire, the closest of pals who never leave each other's side. Oh…they also happen to be testicles. Mike Blum’s The Zit screened at the 2006 Indianapolis International Film Festival. African Booty Scratcher - directed by Nikyatu Jusu; 13 mins; US - Prom nears and things seem to be spiraling out of control for the typically composed Isatu. In this coming of age story, West African tradition colides with American idealism and Isatu is forced to reassess her perception of the perfect prom dress. Bitch - directed by Lilah Vandenburgh; 15mins; US - Bitch is a pop culture-vigilante, who administers “beat-downs” to anyone who deserves it. Be it your pretentious taste in music, your fugly clothes, your insipid pseudo-intellectual rantings, or your poseur attitude, she will find you and she will make you pay. Bubble-Rama - directed by Kevin Smith; 27 mins; US - Bubble-Rama is a story about a kleptomaniac artist looking for inspiration in luxury lifestyles, who ends up receiving guidance from a foul-mouthed Japanese vinyl doll. Art and commerce collide in this close-to-the-bone independent comedy. A Day's Work - directed by Rajeev Dassani; 17 mins; US - What was supposed to be a typical job escalates into a violent argument. Enrique is a young man far from home trying to make a living wage as a day laborer on the streets of Los Angeles. He thinks he has finally caught a break when an American couple picks him up, along with two other immigrant laborers, to help them move. On the job he meets and befriends their teenage son, but things take a turn for the worst when the father of the family attempts to pay the men with a check. Driftwood* - directed by Michelle Steffes; 19 mins; US - Blaire Farrow has grown tired of her job as a client liaison for a wish granting foundation. She and her coworker Jimmy bicker every day, and she hasn’t had a date in what feels like centuries. When Blaire decides to take in a handsome amnesiac, she thinks she’s found everything she’s ever wanted. But are there strings attached? Easy Pickins* - directed by Will Hartman; 13 mins; US - Jimmy and Paul are two thugs who like to prey on easy marks like little old Perla. But there's more to Perla than meets the eye, as the thugs soon find out when they break into her house. Will Hartman has two other films in this year’s festival, The Frequency of Claire and The Art of Karaoke. He first came to the festival in 2006 with his short film Moosecock. Elevator People Bring You Up When You're Feeling Down* - directed by Nicholas Dunlevy; 14 mins; US - In a surreal twist of fate, a young female photographer has her cell phone -- which she's perpetually on -- fused to her head. Her boyfriend simultaneously suffers a similar mishap, his Blackberry fusing to his hand... The Frank Anderson - directed by Dave Perkal; 13 mins; US - Frank Anderson has man-boobs. Insurance agent John Simon, attracted to Bobbie Lynn, approves her breast enlargement procedure, while continuously denying Frank his breast reduction. When Bobbie takes pity on Frank, John approves an exam. The Frequency of Claire* - directed by Will Hartman; 25 mins; US - After cheating on Claire, David comes down with a bizarre affliction: he can't get his ex-girlfriend out of his head. Will Hartman has two other films in this year’s festival, Easy Pickins and The Art of Karaoke. He first came to the festival in 2006 with his short film Moosecock. Gradebook* - directed by Mary-Tina Vrehas; 11mins; US - An urban teacher's gradebook forces her to make a difficult decision... High Maintenance - directed by Phillip Van; 9 mins; US / Germany - Jane is unhappy with her dull husband and monotonous marriage. Thankfully, in the near-future unhappiness can be made a thing of the past and upgrades are always available. The Job - directed by Jonathan Browning; 3 mins; US - You'll never look at a day laborer the same way! The Legend of My Heart-Shaped Anus - Jeffrey Swafford; 24 mins; US - Oliver was born with a heart-shaped anus and he realizes that this is a sign from God that he is meant for great things in the world. So he sets out to create a name for himself and share what his talent. But along the way he realizes that the world isn't ready for a talent like his so he looks to future generations to teach what he has learned and give the world a little more time to warm up to the idea of such an unusual talent. Light Years - directed by Richard Martin; 15 mins; US - Four relationships spanning the four corners of the globe are put to the ultimate test when they learn the world may end in eight minutes - the duration of time it takes light to travel from the sun to the Earth. Each is finally forced to confront the most trying dynamics of their relationship in order to reconcile differences and face Earth’s final moments: with love and without fear; but, most importantly, together. The Little Gorilla - directed by Harry Kellerman; 12 mins; US - The Little Gorilla is about a boy who must find the courage to climb a tall and scary jungle gym. In the shadows of looming NYC skyscrapers, and an older brother who lacks faith, the Little Gorilla must unchain the King Kong within. A Little Night Fright - directed by Mischa Livingstone; 3 mins; US - When the bedtime story ends and the lights go out, a little boy exacts revenge on his tormenting older brother. Maine Story - directed by Nina Chernik; 24 mins; US - Maine Story tells the tale of Shelly, a small town woman working in the local factory and going through the motions as if her life hasn't yet started. When Alex (Indianapolis native Chris Stack), her high school sweetheart comes back to town, Shelly is forced to confront the things in her life that she's been avoiding, including Kyle, her 12-year-old son. Mortals* - directed by Jeremy Floyd; 15 mins; US - Ross Daniels writes obituaries for a local newspaper. When he writes an obit for a man who is not dead, he is fired. Although Daniels is not upset about losing his job, there is still one question that bothers him: who called in the obit? Daniels attempts to get to the bottom of this, as well as to the root of his troubles, when he accepts a lunch invitation from Mr. Givens, the very man he unknowingly sentenced to death. My Biodegradable Heart - directed by Dana Adam Shapiro; 4 mins; US - An animated story about puppy love and how long it would take said puppy to decompose. Dana Adam Shapiro was co-director of the 2005 IIFF Audience Award Winning Feature Murderball. Der Ostwind - directed by Kohl Glass; 11 mins; US - In search of a worthy opponent, a German WWI ace accepts the challenge of a mysterious and seemingly invincible American pilot—only to discover the true price of honor. In German, with English subtitles. Psycho Hillbilly Cabin Massacre! - directed by Robert F. Cosnahan; 17 mins; US - Sophie is an innocent college girl who wants to be in an Ivy League Secret Society, mainly because she has a crush on Spencer, an elite member. During an initiation ritual deep in the woods, Sophie, Spencer and the affluent society kids, Brad and Gillian, take a detour and encounter an ominous hillbilly cabin… Shuteye Hotel - directed by Bill Plympton; 7 mins; US - Oscar-nominated animator Bill Plympton’s Shut-eye Hotel is a classic film noir murder mystery. As pair of cops investigates the gruesome murders they become victims of this evil that lurks inside. What Jaws'did to swimming, Shut-eye Hotel' will do for sleeping in sleazy hotels! Bill Plympton returns to the festival after screening Guide Dog and Don’t Download This Song in 2007. Static* - directed by Brian Klemesrud; 16 mins; US - Nora has the perfect life. But when the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur and the world she knows crumbles around her, she must confront her tragic past, and make a choice: live a blissful lie, or accept the awful truth. Teat Beat of Sex - directed by Signe Baumane; 4 mins; US - Teat Beat of Sex is an animated sex education series answering such vital questions as: Does size matter? Do women need to wear panties? And is everything your mother told you actually correct? World Builder - directed by Bruce Branit; 9 mins; US - In a lonely, empty, holographic world we find a builder. With great resolve, he goes about sculpting a beautiful world using only his digital tools. He works with passion from a memory taking care to resolve the smallest details. As time ticks down someone arrives to share a memory with him.
24 Frames per Day - directed by Sonali Gulati; 7 mins; US / India - 24 Frame per Day was conceived by combining 24 photographs taken each day over a period of 9 months, combined with a conversation with a taxicab driver while returning from the airport. The film raises important questions around immigration, cultural stereotypes, and the meaning of 'home' from a transnational perspective. Sonali Gulati first screened at the 2006 IIFF with Nalini by Day, Nancy by Night. The Art of Karaoke* - directed by Will Hartman; 8 mins; US - Art Himmel discovered in the twilight of his life that he could sing like Sinatra. Now, this WWII veteran and Cancer survivor sings karaoke three nights a week. In a youth-obsessed world, Art is living, singing proof that you're never too old to be as young as you feel. Will Hartman has two other films in this year’s festival, Easy Pickins and The Frequency of Claire. He first came to the festival in 2006 with his short film Moosecock. Cantata
in C Major - directed by Ronnie Kramer; 11 mins; US -
Six-hundred-five film clips are assembled and used to create a piece
of electronic music. As the visual component appears in the center of
the screen, the original analog audio is sent to the left channel while
it is simultaneously converted into digital music data and sent to the
right channel. The digital data is also transposed into traditional
musical notation and displayed on the screen as it is converted. The
film includes an animated 'chalkboard' introduction that explains the
entire process. Ronnie Kramer has two other films in this year’s
festival, Mugs and Pillow Girl. Pillow Girl
originally screened at the 2006 IIFF and returns this year as a special
presentation. The Good Mother of Abangoh - directed by Nadine Licostie; 22 mins; Cameroon - The Good Mother of Abangoh is the story of Sister Jane Mankaa, a woman who defies her family to join a contemplative religious oder then leaves that community to care for the orphaned children in her village. The inspiration, dedication and willpower of this amazing woman sustains her family of 44 children. Shot completely on location in Abangoh, Cameroon, West Africa. Human
Development - directed by Beltran Rengifo; 30 mins; Spain
- Every
year, the UN publishes its Report on Human Development. Most recently,
Norway was named the most developed nation in the world, while Niger
was least developed. Filmmaker Betran Rengifo allows us to get to know
the people of each nation, and perhaps learn that happiness isn't necessarily
tied to the concept of development. Jesus' Castle* - directed by Eric Hopper; 9 mins; US - Jesus' Castle is a short film about iconoclastic artist, Cano, who lives in the Southwestern part of the United States. In the tradition of Howard Finster and other outsider artists, Cano began creating a large-scale monument to Jesus in 1980 by salvaging raw materials from junk yards. He continues to work on Jesus' Castle to this day. kids + money - directed by Lauren Greenfield; 32 mins; US - Money talks. Teens discuss money: getting it, spending it and learning to live without it. Life
and Times of Robert Kennedy Starring Gary Cooper - directed
by Aaron Valdez; 8 mins; US - Overlaid newsreel footage of Robert
Kennedy and images from the classic Hollywood western High Noon
blur the line between truth and fiction and the establishment of American
mythology. Naked (Bloot) - directed by Mischa Kamp; 36 mins; Netherlands - Naked is a contemporary and wayward documentary/animation series in which children between the age of ten and thirteen tell us their funny and personal stories about the changes their bodies are going through. 6 episodes, 6 minutes per episode. One Day across the Valley - directed by Andrea Giacomini; 6 mins; US - Experimental Video Painting made for the band Teargas & Plateglass. Pillow
Girl - directed by Ronnie Kramer; 8 mins; US - Originally
a sound-art work created for the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver by
musician/artist Ronnie Cramer, who scanned the covers and inside pages
of a number of lurid, vintage paperbacks, then ran the collected image
and text data through a variety of synthesizers. The resulting sound
files were then processed and remixed into the soundtrack for Pillow
Girl film; the visual portion of the film makes use of the over 200
covers, with one illustrated figure morphing into the next every two
seconds. Ronnie Kramer has two other films in this year’s festival,
Cantata in C Major and Mugs. Pillow Girl
originally screened at the 2006 IIFF and returns this year as a special
presentation. The Tribe - directed by Tiffany Shlain; 18 mins; US - What can the most successful doll on the planet show us about being Jewish today? Narrated by Peter Coyote, the film mixes old school narration with a new school visual style. The Tribe weaves together archival footage, graphics, animation, Barbie dioramas, and slam poetry to take audiences on an electric ride through the complex history of both the Barbie doll and the Jewish people- from Biblical times to present day. By tracing Barbie's history, the film sheds light on what it means to be an American Jew in the 21st Century. Why We Wax - directed by Kimberly Wetherell; 21 mins; US - A little ditty about the hair…”down there”. Working for a Living - directed by Preeya Nair; 22 mins; India - A moving documentary about Quamar, a young girl forced to work for a pittance to help support her family. World
Cinema Shorts in Competition 50 Cents - directed by Mathijs Geijskes; 5 mins; Netherlands - A young woman has to pass a homeless man in her street. The man carries an empty papercup.. She doubts if she will give the man some money. Will he buy alcohol or drugs? …Or can he afford a meal and a bed for tonight? After we have seen different options in her mind, she decides to give him some money after all. But things take a different turn. Mathijs Geijskes has one other film in the 2008 IIFF, Ten to Two. He originally screened his short film Stop! in the 2006 IIFF. Across
the Hall - directed by Alan Powell; 17 mins; Canada
- Recently emigrated Miguel has a hard time dealing with diverse cultures
while his kids try hard to just fit in. Miguel’s refusal to acknowledge
his cross-dressing neighbor and his strict orders to have his kids do
the same angers his wife and eventually has the kids defying his authority.
In Spanish and English with English subtitles. Before and After Kissing Maria - directed by Ramon Alos; 7 mins; Spain - First love is the subject of Before and After Kissing Maria as Raúl, a 9 year-old child from the Spanish countryside, explains his desire to kiss Maria, his 12 year-old cousin, who spends every summer holiday with Raúl’s family. In Spanish with English subtitles. Catching
Rats* - directed by Vero Shamo-Garcia; 14 mins; Ecuador
- In the midst of a civil war, 13-year-old Anita, joins the Colombian
guerrilla to protect her younger brother, Pablo, and quickly adopts
the guerrilla's revolutionary ideology. The children's allegiance is
tested as Pablo, unable to cope in the guerrilla camp, pressures Anita
to leave. When Anita rejects Pablo's plea to escape, he makes a desperate
choice that will force her to make an impossible decision. In Spanish
with English subtitles. Dog - directed by Hermann Karlsson; 2 mins; Iceland - Remembering the death of a dog and the guilt of a boy that soon followed. Dreamtime - directed by Tom Van Avermaet; 20 mins; Belgium - In a work-driven world where time is the ultimate dictator, a mysterious sandman spreads chaos and confusion. Even the best employees of the system get infected by his wondrous dream powder and lose sight of the once so dominating clock. Alex Deprins, future employee of the year, becomes one of those ‘victims’. In his dreams he comes into contact with a strange new world, where a lady in red captivates his heart. Once awake he has to make a difficult decision. Does he stay in his familiar, but deadly rule-bound world or does he seek the road to salvation in his dreams? English Language (with English Subtitles) - directed by Tim Plester; 19 mins; UK - A tenderly offbeat comedy about love and communication...Or the lack thereof. Meet Mulligan (a typically English man), Esther (his Scandinavian girlfriend), and the on-screen subtitles that find themselves along for the ride. Flash
Lesson - directed by Alejandro Lubezki; 10 mins; Mexico
- It’s tough to break into the high-end art scene in Mexico City.
Or is it? If Eyes Can't See - directed by Marisol Jasso Mendez; 10 mins; Mexico - A blind boy and an elderly gentleman learn that the definition of family must sometimes be flexible. Interior. Bedsit – Day - directed by James Larkin; 11 mins; UK - Int. Bedsit - Day is a short film which illustrates the extreme side of “writer’s block”. Pete, struggling screenplay writer finds himself dabbling with fate as he writes himself into his scripts into some interesting locations. It’s when he writes: “Ext. Tropical Beach – Sunset” that his dull life becomes fantasy and then his writing partner mistakenly hits the delete button. It's My Turn - directed by Ismet Ergun; 11 mins; Turkey / Germany - A declaration of love to the cinema, a play between kids in an urban surrounding. Intentionally set with no subtitles due to the universal nature of the story. The Knife Grinder's Tale - directed by R.L. Hooker; 15 mins; Kenya / US - Based on the short story by award winning Kenyan author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, The Knife Grinder’s Tale tells the tragic story of a father’s journey to understand why his son was pointlessly murdered in the slums of Nairobi. Lapsus - directed by Juan Pablo Zaramella; 4 mins; Argentina - A nun explores her…”dark side”. Last Day of December - directed by Bogdan Apetri; 15 mins; Romania - A man tries to reconcile a harrowing tale from his past and confront old questions that will keep on haunting him forever. But what will it mean for the present? Bogdan Apetri returns after screening in 2007 with A Very Small Trilogy of Loneliness. Punch - directed by Sotiris Dounoukas; 7 mins; Australia / France - A broken and abandoned man tries to escape his pain and reach for the world by playing the clown he feels like. But in a city full of beauty and noise he can’t find an audience. He tries everything as he moves through the day and the long night: flowers and cream pies, sparkles and dancing—and finally helpless pleading. “Hey!” he says at last. “It’s me!” The city rings with laughter and applause, but none for him. Caught in his world of loss and desperation, he fails to notice the small chances of happiness that life offers him. Sotiris Dounoukos directed Mona Lisa, which screened in the 2005 Indianapolis International Film Festival. Run - directed by Mark Albiston; 15 mins; New Zealand - Run is a short film about the growth and resilience of a brother and sister’s relationship. Tom, eight years and Georgie, twelve are Samoan and live in a conservative beach-side town in New Zealand during the late seventies with their widowed father. They learn that together, they have the strength to stand up to their grieving father who rules their home with fear. Sexy Thing - directed by Denie Pentecost; 14 mins; Australia - On a dry suburban day, a 12 year old is caught between the conflicting worlds of family, friendship and imagination. Struggling to endure a confusing love, and longing simply to be seen, the child survives by transforming pain into beauty. Son - directed by Daniel Mulloy; 18 mins; UK - Son is the story of an underground theatre Director and the possessive grip he holds over his female colleague and her young son James. James' unhappy world unfolds in the confines of the theatre's vaults where soon reality and fiction become indistinguishable. Daniel Mulloy won the award from Best European Short Film at the 2006 IIFF for his film Antonio’s Breakfast. Spider - directed by Nash Edgerton; 9 mins; Australia - It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Sticks and Stones Will Break My Heart* - directed by Kevin Barnes; 17 mins; Canada - Sticks and stones will break his heart, but love will never hurt him. Boy, the lead character in this short silent film, has learned that loneliness is safe, and he'll do whatever is necessary to keep love at bay. It's safe, but is it living? Taua - War Party - directed by Tearepa Kahi; 15 mins; New Zealand - A war party has abducted an enemy leader and bound him to the stern of their war canoe. The war canoe is being towed through a forest, driven by a merciless chief in a bid to escape any pursuers and return home safely with their trophy. Two young boys sit at the stern of the war canoe. They serve as bailers on the water and water distributors on the land. On a desperate and grueling journey, every man is in need of water - even an enemy. Ten to Two - directed by Mathijs Geijskes; 6 mins; Netherlands - Ab is a driving instructor. Teaching driving has become no more than routine to him. He is unshakable. Nothing seems to upset him. But at the end of this day, when driving home alone after his last client, something terrible happens... Mathijs Geijskes has one other film in the 2008 IIFF, 50 Cents. He originally screened his short film Stop! in the 2006 IIFF. Tickets Please - directed by Lucas M. Figueroa; 14 mins; Spain - A train, a pursuit, only one way to escape. Wednesday - directed by Rob Sorrenti; 22 mins; UK - Sam, 24, is shy and introverted. The only woman in his life is his Nan. Until now. Lilya, also 24, is Nan’s nurse. She is kind and caring, and Nan would like to bring her and Sam together. But how? *
denotes a film eligible for the Film Indiana Hoosier Lens Award JURORS This year’s jurors represent a cross-section of industry professionals from throughout the United States, including Indiana representatives. The
American Spectrum Jury is: The
Real Visions / Documentaries Jury is: The
World Cinema Jury is: About
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