short films

Short Film Movie Review: THE MEGA PLUSH (4min, USA, Animation/Action)

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THE MEGA PLUSH was the winner of Best Film at the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival in January 2016. 

MOVIE POSTERTHE MEGA PLUSH, 4min, USA, Animation/Action
Directed by Matt Burniston

Set in the shadows of a gritty underworld, a war is brewing. The Mega Plush, a group of four plush toy vigilantes, are struggling against the uprising of the SOC (Society of Chimps) army. Good vs evil. Bear vs sock monkey. The question is “who has the stuffing to survive?”

http://www.themegaplush.com/

Movie Review by Amanda Lomonaco:

Badass gangsters, a suspenseful chase scene, cute plush stuffed animals, what’s not to like? Matt Burnison has definitely hit gold mine territory in my book. After so many predictable Marvel films coming out its beyond refreshing to see an original action hero story coming from independent cinema, once again reminding me what Hollywood could achieve if it listened to new voices.

Perhaps the best part of Burnison’s short is that he kind of leaves you guessing who the bad guys and the good guys are. Though there seemed to be some sort of concensus in the audience that the monkeys were the ‘goodies’, the look of his compatriots in the final scene make me beg to differ. Nevertheless, this ambiguity was a comforting change to the traditional “good vs bad” dichotomy that we’re all too accustomed to these days. We all know that in real life things aren’t quite so simple, and I appreciate that Burnison didn’t force his own bias on his audience.

In any case no philosophical discussion of the originilaity of The Mega Plush could do the film itself justice. The sountrack, lighting, compositing, story-telling and directing of the film were all top quality. In fact I was incredibly surprised when, during mediation, I noticed two people who shook their heads at every positive comment, and seemed to really dislike the film. Of course every film will have supporters and so called “haters”, but I couldn’t help but feel surprised that any one would dislike this film.

I suppose I have made my bias for this film a litl emore than obvious. I’m sure there will be those of you out there who won’t enjoy this short, as there are many people out there who don’t enjoy many popular films. When you’re investing 2 hours of your time for a Hollywood blockbuster that everyone is raving about, but you just don’t happen to like, I completely understand that you might be annoyed. But if you have a free four minutes to spare, check out Burnison’s website for The Mega Plush project, best case scenario; you just watched a great short film. Worst case… well I doubt that will even happen.

Watch the AUDIENCE FEEDBACK Festival of the Short Film:

 

 

Interview with Festival Director Marc Bati (Très Court International Film Festival)

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Très Court International Film Festival is an event without borders, with screenings during 9 days simultaneously in nearly one hundred cities in France and 28 other countries. The major program of the festival is the international competition. Fifty films of less than 3 minutes (excluding title and credits) representing the best and especially the shorter of the global audiovisual production year are presented each year.

http://www.trescourt.com/

Because this is a festival featuring the best of under 3min. short films, it’s only fitting that this was the shortest interview I ever had. Short but too the point and terrific!

Interview with Charlotte Lasne:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Marc Bati : We offer a screening space for very short films and their filmmakers, to make their work known.

Matthew: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

Marc: One shall be ready to discover original uncommon films!

Matthew: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Marc: First qualification is runtime: under three minutes (except title and credits), that is the only rule. Then there is no denying that the selected films show talent and originality.

Matthew: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Marc: Very short films are often considered too short to be taken into account in most festivals. At Très Court, it is the contrary!

Matthew: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

Marc: Très Court is often most filmmakers’s first festival. Sometimes it is the first step to make a career! Some of “our” filmmakers moved on to feature films.

Matthew: How has the festival changed since its inception?

Marc: When the festival was created in 2000, Youtube did not exist. A festival for very short videos was an underground project! It originated in Paris and now the same films are presented in almost a hundred cities in twenty-nine countries in the world.

Matthew: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Marc: This is a hard one. You know, it is hard for us to see ourselves beyond three minutes!

Matthew: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Marc: It has no point with Très Court but it is 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Matthew: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Marc: What makes a great film is “grace” (in one word, even shorter!). Because talented people can make bad films. So “grace” and “magic”.

Matthew: How is the film scene in your city?

Marc: Paris is one of the world capital for cinema. You find lots of movie theaters here.

 

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go tohttp://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Short Film Movie Review: MOVING LONDON

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KEEPING LONDON MOVING
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film MOVING LONDON.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

As part of the “Moving Cities” series of short films, WILDSound Feedback Film Festival last month showed the film that started it all; Moving London. This series incorporates such an amazing number of things, I often have trouble understanding all the different things it makes me feel. This film series is a celebration urban spaces, public life, dance, motion, & freedom, among so many other things. It demonstrates how the movement of our everyday lives somehow simultaneously clashes & fuses with the mechanics of the metropolis, while also illustrating how well dance mimics the pattern of our daily lives.

moving_london_1
For those who need traditional plot lines and story-telling techniques the “Moving Cities” can be a bit tough to swallow. However, even at the most superficial level it’s impossible to not appreciate the graceful movements of the dancers or even the music itself. It’s not hard to find the connection, or perhaps even the contrast, between the dancers and ourselves, in how we each move through urban space. Just like our own individual lives and personality, each of the dancers moves through their own space differently. The dancers that are grouped together or paired seem to simulate the repetitiveness of our daily actions, both on a daily routine basis, and in how large groups of people in a city will follow the same patterns without even realizing.

moving_london_2
The freedom, or even the indifference, with which the dancers perform in these urban spaces while life moves on around them, not only generates a beautiful and impactful image, it emphasizes our indifference towards each other as individuals in a society in urban centres. As an entire film series it’s interesting to see how the cultural, and architectural elements of each of the different cities impacts the dancers’ movements. The contrasts between these movements within the same kind of film structure emphasizes the concept of “similar differences” between every culture in major urban centres; emphasizing the humanity of all different cultures, regardless of their cultural differences. Moreover the fluid, flexible motions of the dancers also contrast with the rigid, mechanical movements of the cars, trains, bicycles, and other modes of transport that surround them. Rather than override each other, however, the film illustrates how well these elements coexist by juxtaposing them in beautifully composed moving images.

moving_london_4
As you can tell a lot can be said about the “Moving Cities” series as a whole, and there’s plenty to be interpreted and extracted from each of the films. Even if artistic, or dance films aren’t quite your thing, the series is definitely worth a watch, if nothing else for a small burst of inspiration or distraction. Much like all the different art forms that come together to compose these films, I’m quite sure each individual who watches these films will extract something very unique out of it; regardless of whether of not you’re able to put it into words.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of MOVING LONDON:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com