Celebrated dancers Jennifer Hong (of Chinese decent, Los Angeles based) and Mariia Bakalo (Ukraine) move spontaneously in a contact improvisation, ritualistic dance poem for the camera of Taso Papadakis. The melodic soundtrack is also improvised by “Quartetto Fantastico” a group of talented, adventurous and classically trained musician hailing from Los Angeles.
Review by Andie Karvelis
This film opens and you are struck by such beautiful cinematography. A lone dancer in brightly colored clothing that compliments the desert landscape but also stands out from it. The music, by Quartetto Fantastico is as gorgeous as the dancers movements, effortless and serene.
Jennifer Hong’s concept and choreography is creative and beyond lovely. Her performance with Mariia Bakalo was fantastic, they both were so fluid and a joy to watch. Taso Papadakis directed, edited and was the cinematographer on this and did an amazing job – especially with the transition from day to night as Jennifer and Mariia danced. Plus the crystal clarity of the underwater photography was breathtaking.
They say “the Devil is in the details” and the filmmakers got those details down to perfection. It didn’t go unnoticed that Jennifer and Mariia had on similar tops but in different colors. The colors fit the landscape so nicely as that landscape changed. The story is woven through the dance and you find yourself enchanted by it.
A pair of do-gooders attempt to protect a young, force-sensitive girl from bounty hunters on their way to rendezvous with a mysterious contact with the power to protect her much better than they can.
Review by Andie Karvelis:
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Who isn’t familiar with the opening statement of the Star Wars franchise? It’s iconic. George Lucas has been inspiring generations for decades with this beloved, otherworldly universe. The Walt Disney Company took up the mantle to further capture our imaginations and give us new heroes to be inspired by. Star Wars and its characters have been a part of us all, especially for Brent L. Peterson.
Star Wars: Rendezvous could only be written by someone who has a genuine love of this universe and its characters. Brent L. Peterson ( let’s just call him Brent from now on. He seems like he’d be okay with that ) has that love and that connection to the characters. Forgive me for a moment while I fangirl out a little. Brent didn’t just write this film, he also directed it! If that isn’t impressive enough, he made all the props. And when I say props, I’m talking all the cool Star Wars tech ( blasters, macrobinoculars, light sabers, tracking & communications devices, remote detonation device, that flying spy orb,….and ohmygoodness- the SHIP! ). Incredible, right? But wait, there’s more! Brent’s portrayal of Darth Maul in the film is absolutely fantastic! So is his comedic timing, as quite a few times he had me laughing out loud with his perfect delivery of a line.
As ingenious as Brent is, he couldn’t do all this alone. Lila Martinez really went above and beyond with costuming and makeup to bring these characters to life. Stunt coordinator Gary Choi did an incredible job with David Cameron to create fight scenes that were believable and realistic. Creating the world of Star Wars, so it looks like part of this universe is the team of Jannis Schelenz and Coby Dax as the Directors of Photography. Plus the visual effects team was completely spot on! Thad Lamur, Jeremy Orr and Coby Dax worked with the folks at TechLab Steam to really seamlessly incorporate all of the visual effects, making the audience really feel like they were watching a Star Wars short film. Plus you can’t ignore the sensational music composed by Gregory Warren Blunt.
The storyline is engaging and fits beautifully into this franchise ( are you listening, Disney? ). The talents of Brent as Darth Maul, Rylan Healey as R’iila and Virginia Asbury as Ahsoka Tano really shine. Cleverly, Brent has left us wanting more. We’re invested now in R’iila and want to know where her journey goes! Leaving the story hanging in the balance just seems wrong. So…help us, Brent L. Peterson. You’re our only hope.
She just wants to sing country and western on stage, but it’s not easy for a South Asian-American in the deep south where every audience is a hostile one. “How Do You Fall Out of Love with County Music” is a humorous and moving short film about cultural alienation and the possibilities for human connection through music. Set on stage in a honky-tonk bar, Amy Singh courageously bares her soul to the audience and reveals deep truths about racism and belonging in our country today.
Review by Victoria Angelique
HOW DO YOU FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH COUNTRY MUSIC is a short film that is great for comedic relief in a familiar setting with a relatable protagonist named Amy. The story captures a feeling many artists struggle with when they are first starting out and vocalized the inner-dialogue through a monologue. This makes the situation Amy is in all the more realistic as she is not afraid of speaking her mind, even if it might be politically incorrect. This only aids in the humor of her situation, knowing as a woman of color that she is not exactly welcome at a country music club to perform to the point that she tries to relate to her audience before ever picking up her guitar.
The cinematography grabs the attention right away and stays consistent throughout the film as a way of signifying Amy’s nerves, becoming smoother as she speaks and her nerves fade away. She is able to chase her butterflies away by speaking over the background noise, another great filmmaking technique that director Shyamala Moorty utilized to emphasize a part of the human condition that many people overlook as Amy focuses in on the negative voices over the positive. The positive voices are never even heard, as Amy can only hear the words that confirm her worst fears, that a woman who looks like her has no place in country music.
The words Amy speaks in her monologue are politically incorrect in a way that feels authentic. She airs her grievances in a way that feels like a stand-up comedian, showing that she really is not afraid to let go and be herself. It’s obvious that she is working up her nerves to perform, but through her speech she is able to connect to her audience to prove that she actually does belong in a country music setting. She knows how to get noticed so that her audience will not tune her out as they converse with their table mates. She forces them to listen to her so that her music will be heard.
It’s quite interesting that the filmmaker never actually portrayed Amy singing, so the audience actually does not know if she has talent or not, it’s left open to hoping for the best for her. The nightclub vibe is set throughout the entire film, with the red lights and clinking of glasses. The story never makes it feel like there should be more than one setting as it works with just Amy speaking as her audience occasionally quips back, her inner fears being verbally worked out until she feels like she can perform. Amy does what many artists struggle to do, she makes sure she is noticed before she begins performing so that the audience knows she actually does belong in country music.
A rising actor reaches stardom by taking method acting harmfully serious. Things escalade when he tries to teach others his way by forcing them to “be the role”.
Review by Andie Karvelis:
There is a darker side to the world of acting. One that goes far beyond Stanislavsky’s teachings of “What if…”. One where imagination and empathy are non-existent and you must become the character. Writer/Director/Actor Kaze Uzumaki explores this slippery slope, weaving a story that is suspenseful and dark.
The cinematography by Konstantin Freyer is absolutely stunning. He is able to capture the mood of the film with each and every frame. From the moment the film opens you are intrigued, and as that first scene progresses you feel like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. Heart racing, a million questions going through your mind and this very uneasy feeling.
Kaze Uzumaki understands how to build upon that uneasy feeling through the story but also through the music. Philemon Montaser is responsible for the score, and he delivers perfection.
The music underneath the performances ( which are already wonderful ) elevated them even more.
This film is not only incredibly well done, it leaves you asking yourself: How far would you go to get a role?
“The Greatest Use” is a Dramatic Sci-Fi short about where we stand with forgiveness in the living and beyond.
Review by Parker Jesse Chase
“The Greatest Use” delves deep into the complex concept of forgiveness, both in the realm of living and beyond. Directed by Ryan Allarde, this thought-provoking exploration challenges our perceptions of forgiveness and the role it plays throughout our lives.
The film opens with Roger (Ryan Allarde) waking up in a mysterious room, haunted by the remnants of a horrifying nightmare. As he gathers his thoughts, he discovers he is not alone; four strangers surround him in the room. Their confusion mounts as they realize they cannot leave, and their anxiety spikes when a fifth person presents them with a perplexing test. This test becomes the catalyst of the story, forcing the characters to confront their pasts, their presents, and the chance of a future. Keyword: chance.
Forgiveness is the central theme of “The Greatest Use,” and it is artfully woven into the narrative. The enigmatic fifth person pushes the four individuals to examine their attitudes towards forgiveness. Is it something given freely or extracted forcefully? Can forgiveness be weaponized, and how does it shape our past, present, and future? These questions hang in the balance, challenging both the characters and the audience to reflect on their own experiences with forgiveness.
The film poses a deeply personal question: Have you forgiven yourself for the life you’ve lived? This introspective theme runs throughout the narrative, urging viewers to consider their own capacity for self-forgiveness.
The story unfolds with a poignant line, “I miss you,” setting the tone for the emotional journey to follow. The characters, clad in white, awaken in a room symbolizing purity in death. Tension escalates as their initial exchanges turn heated, culminating in a dramatic gavel strike so to speak by the head of the table, Fawn, the Angel of Death.
The stakes become clear: the characters have been granted a singular chance to return to the realm of the living, while others may journey into the afterlife. The word “chance” takes on a significant weight. Fawn asserts her authority, labeling this encounter as an assessment, setting the stage for the characters’ stories.
Tuck (Sarah Sypniewski), recounts a story of murder driven by a desire to protect her niece from her lover’s brother’s molestation. Her willingness to sacrifice herself to save others pose profound questions about the nature of forgiveness. As she fades into death, the audience is left contemplating whether her actions will ever be forgiven by her lover Maria.
Sebastian Richardson (Oliver Rotunno), represents privilege and entitlement. His disdain for the situation clashes with the Angel of Death’s poignant reflections on trust and his role in his & potentially even his mother’s death. The film astutely critiques systemic societal issues of wealth and power. Richardson’s apology and transformation in the face of forgiveness are impactful, even leading the Angel of Death to utter the words, “I’m sorry.”
Shinae Chae’s portrayal of Christine takes us through the struggles of motherhood, forcing her to confront her role in a tragic car accident involving her ten month old daughter. Her journey towards self-forgiveness is poignant, reflecting the power of family in the process.
Ryan Allarde’s Roger takes center stage as he questions Fawn about forgiveness. In a powerful and emotional monologue, Roger’s character delivers a gripping performance, pondering the judgment he faced in life and now in death. His choice to be on the side of death raises the haunting question of whether forgiveness knows no bounds, even beyond the grave. In a surprising twist, Roger’s future hangs in the balance between life and death.
The film’s powerful performances and exploration of forgiveness make it a compelling watch. Ryan Allarde’s direction, combined with the exceptional acting talent of the cast, elevates the film’s message on a thought-provoking and memorable level.
Many years ago, while my father was working on his Bonsai plants in the garden, my mother said to me “He made my life a Bonsai” The result, decades later was this extremely personal work intertwining the technically brutal creation of the beautiful bonsai tree with the life of my mother.
Review by Andie Karvelis
Director and Choreographer Leslie Watanabe has done an artful job with this film. One of the most clever things is to incorporate two narrators. David Janowiak and June Wright provide the voices for the film and both are so important for the story. David takes you on an educational journey about the Bonsai trees while June provides the voice of the “Mother”.
You can definitely see the correlation between the Bonsai and June’s portrayal, entwining them into one story. This was only heightened by the creativity of the dancers and Leslie’s choreography. The way the dancers formed the different shapes of the trees and the film superimposed that tree over their image was lovely.
The film’s score was provided by Lance Riley and it was absolutely beautiful. It captured your imagination and transported you to Japan. The costumes were amazing to see, very traditional Japanese and I personally loved learning about the different types of Bonsai trees.
CaSSIS is a high-resolution color stereo camera in Mars orbit, making remarkable images of the Red planet. So what mysteries has it revealed today?
Review by Victoria Angelique:
“CaSSIS.Mars Demystified”has the feel of a science museum, IMAX movie that is part of the experience of learning in a fun, educational manner. Many individuals are curious about Mars, which is one of the main draws to a film like this and filmmaker Dr. Tatiana Keller (Drozhzhova) does not disappoint as this film is quite entertaining.
A big draw to CaSSIS is the narrator, Dr. Nicolas Thomas’ soothing voice. He recites the script in a way that is engaging and full of energy, rather than just using a textbook educational monotone voice. His voice is accompanied by the familiar score of classical music and space theme composer’s masterpiecesthat help the viewer on the explorative journey to stay intrigued throughout the film. The script is written in elementary terms so that everyone can understand the science describing the red planet; even those who might have a basic comprehension of scientific findings would enjoy this film.
The visual elements use a mix of realistic Martian landscape and space computer graphics, high-resolution Mars imagesfrom the CaSSIS camera, animation and documentary-style film angles, shows off the creativity of the filmmakers in a way to keep viewers of all ages interested in this film.The comic-style storyline with Detective Nick and a cute Caterpillar makes the movie very attractive. The narration isn’t the only thing driving this film, but the parallels and contrasts between Earth and Mars to show how the red planet’s surface is formed is a great technique that was used frequently throughout the film. The film ends abruptly, yet the “to be continued” explains why as there are more studies to come as Mars is further explored. It gives way to turning this film from a short film into a feature documentary as CaSSIS continues to explore and take images of the red planet.
A musical gardener ejects his hired hand, leading to things on his little planet going horribly astray.
Review by Victoria Angelique:
The simplistic beauty of the animated film HINTER-LAND is reminiscent of vintage shorts that are still much loved today as this film would fit right in with Betty Boop, Felix the Cat and other cartoon classics. The animator, Christopher Angus, clearly has a love for the history of animation by giving nods to the classics while adding in his own story and unique animation style within this multilayered film.
The surface story is one that is familiar. Two friends whose friendship ends and they turn into enemies over a single fight. Todd is a happy and magical character that can bring light and life into his world, whereas his former friend is angry as he sucks color and life out of their planet. The powerful notion shows how intense anger can physically change people, turning everything they touch into darkness as they destroy what makes others happy, stuck in one’s own narrative rather than focusing on the truth.
The animated short also shows the importance in preserving nature. Todd carefully cultivates sunflowers, trying to bring life back into his world. He is oblivious to what his former friend is doing as he uses his skills to care for life until his friend finally makes him snap. The film has an unexpected twist from such a bright character when Todd kills his former roommate by summoning the sun and other planets to aid in destroying the darkness of the world.
Sound plays an important role in elevating HINTER-LAND. The music leads the characters going from whimsical to dark before the world is destroyed. The score plays with emotions so that the audience can feel what each of the characters are feeling, making both of the former friends sympathetic characters.
The film depicts the actions of individuals and nature working together, both in harmony and destruction to show how the choices of one can affect another before plunging the scenery into darkness to the point where it takes a fight to bring light back into the world. Angus ends the film with a perfect quote from Alister E. McGrath to summarize this beautifully animated short as there are many interconnected levels to this film.
When introvert, Aaron, finds himself struggling under the weight of a revelation, he dreams of escaping to the only place he can breathe. But escape has a cost, and he must ask himself if it is a price he is willing to pay.
Review by Andie Karvelis
How wonderful would it be to live in a world where we are accepting of each other’s differences. A world where we don’t judge someone by the way they look, what their interests are or how they speak. A world where empathy and compassion come first…but that’s not the world we live in, is it?
Writers; Richard Bazley, Neil Bason, and Connor Wulfric have brilliantly crafted Censure. From the moment this film opens it captures your attention with a lone figure walking through a tunnel alongside a calm creek. There is such a haunting sadness about that very first black and white shot that it leaves you spellbound. I’m a sucker for a good black and white film, and Director of Photography, John E. Fry delivers an exquisite one. John understands how to make black and white absolutely sing with depth, tone, and contrast.
I’m also a sucker for clever film making, and I got exactly that with Censure. That lone figure walking through the tunnel? That’s our protagonist, Aaron, who is portrayed by Connor Wulfric. Connor’s performance is absolutely exceptional, he is able to create such nuances with Aaron’s personality that you can’t help but have empathy for him. You genuinely like the guy!
Director Richard Bazley did a wonderful job keeping every aspect very believable. Personally, I loved how we don’t see the rest of Aaron’s family, we only hear them ( until the very end ). It conveys just how alone Aaron really is, his home which is supposed to be a safe haven is really a psychological and emotional hell. Tom Conti, Vivien Taylor, and Elaine M. Ellis all do an incredible job as Aaron’s abusive family members.
The raw emotion in this film is heightened by an incredible score provided by Adrian Chivers and Noise in Your Eye. Ingeniously the filmmakers reveal the “how it happened” after we see the twist ending. You can’t help but be in a moral quandary at the end because you still genuinely like the guy!
Obviously, I am very long winded about Censure but only because it’s THAT good. It’s the kind of film that makes you wonder what you would have done in Aaron’s place. It also inspires you to be a more compassionate person and consider how our words and actions affect those around us. Thank you Richard, Neil, and Connor for that reminder and for a brilliant short film!
.. love fairy tale situated on undefinite time ,an research for an ideal harmony between woman and the man ..
Review by Andie Karvelis:
Prepare to embark on an abstract journey through infinite time and space. Through this endless void of loneliness you have one objective, one driving need…love.\
Love is something that all of us desire. Whether it’s the romantic kind or the kind of love you feel for friends and family. Love inspires us, it comforts us, and it gives us hope. The filmmakers of “V” crafted an enigmatic tale through computer generated animation that was stylishly done.
The music threaded throughout the film is impressive and reminded me of a heart beating.
V invites you to be subjective and take what you want from it. I think that was very clever of the filmmakers because love is, after all, subjective.
Festival Reviews 