The programme from the Plymouth Independent Film Festival
Screening during Sunday Shorts, Sunday 19th
November 2006
College of St Mark & St John, Plymouth,
UK.
SHORTS: ANIMATION
(In order of appearance)
GUARD DOG
Award-winning independent animator
Bill Plympton directed this Oscar-nominated short.
Why do dogs bark at such innocent creatures as
pigeons and squirrels? What are they afraid of? This
film answers that eternal question. Music by Maureen
McElheron and Hank Bones.
5min; short animation; USA; 2004.
Directed by Bill Plympton
THE FAN AND THE FLOWER
Paul Giamatti (Sideways) narrates this new animated short from leading independent animator Bill Plympton. The bittersweet storyline follows an ill-fated, unconsummated romance that takes place in an elderly woman’s house where an electric ceiling fan falls in love with a flower in a spare room. The events span years, leading to a magical fairytale ending. This short was previously shown in New York at the “Animators Attack” screening of independents and in June at the Annecy Animation Festival (Annecy, France), where Plympton is a two-time Grand Prix winner for his features I Married a Strange Person! (1998) and Mutant Aliens (2001). The Fan and the Flower screenplay is by Dan O’Shannon, a writer-producer for several TV series (Frasier, Suddenly Susan, Cheers). Since 1977, Bill Plympton has made more than 30 live-action and animated shorts and features, and he was twice nominated for the Best Animated Short Academy Award.
7:10min; short animation; USA 2005.
Directed by Bill Plympton
HANDSHAKE
In this animated film, an innocent greeting between two people is quickly transformed into a sticky, tangled struggle for survival. Animator Patrick Smith commented, “Handshake was a fun film to draw. I consider myself an expert on relationships, and it was great to illustrate the emotions and experiences I’ve had. The film can be abstract at times, just like real relationships can be. I was fortunate enough to have the film scored and orchestrated live, which I think hammers in the romantic/abstract nature of the story.” The film won awards at the Northhampton Film Festival, the Golden Film Festival (Golden, Colorado) and four other film festivals.
4:40min; animated short; USA.
Directed by Patrick Smith
HOME MOVIES - EPISODE 408: “CHO”
Budding filmmaker and pint-sized third grader Brendon Small (voice of Brendon Small) enlists neighborhood friends to create short films of not-quite-epic proportions. Through his work Brendon sorts out the issues that plague his troubled, eight-year-old mind. This animated TV series had a short run on UPN in 1999 and was picked up by the Cartoon Network in 2001. The first two seasons of Home Movies are available on DVD.
22:40min; short animation; USA; 2004.
Directed by Loren Bouchard
SHIFT
In the tradition of Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi
(1983) and Ron Fricke’s Baraka (1992), this animation is expressed through the use of environment and atmosphere with the camera discovering different cycles through time.
4:46min; short animation; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Joshua Marvel
DISPOSITION
Animated images are combined
with live-action in this short work by 13-year-old
filmmaker Peter Bertoli, a freshman at Oyster Bay
(NY) High School. Bertoli’s work is on exhibit
this summer at the Saratoga Springs Arts Center.
3:30min; short animation; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Peter Bertoli
SPIRAL
W.P. Murton explores the subtleties and deconstruction of abstract forms and avant-garde electronic music. Produced by animator Bill Plympton.
6min; short animation; USA; 2005.
Directed by W.P. Murton
DARFUR
This animated short was made in response to the lack of media coverage of what is happening in the Darfur region of Sudan. Hand drawn and painted using charcoal, water color, pastel and acrylic paint, this film cries out to the injustices and reminds us of the phrase “Never
again.”
1:55min; animated short; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Joey Frechette
THE MEANING OF LIFE
Don Hertzfeldt
(Rejected) made this animated short which has
been compared to Disney’s Fantasia
(1940). A vast and beautiful study of time, life,
death and Tchaikovsky, the film explores evolution
on Earth over the course of a billion years. Jeremy
Mathews (Film Threat) reviewed this as
“a more varied and textured work than any of
his previous line drawing material… a sci-fi
odyssey with painted and backlit material done
entirely in-camera.” Premiering at Sundance
2005, it won the Malibu Film Festival’s
Audience Award for Best Animated Short.
12min; animated short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Don Hertzfeldt
(In order of appearance)
GUARD DOG
Award-winning independent animator
Bill Plympton directed this Oscar-nominated short.
Why do dogs bark at such innocent creatures as
pigeons and squirrels? What are they afraid of? This
film answers that eternal question. Music by Maureen
McElheron and Hank Bones.
5min; short animation; USA; 2004.
Directed by Bill Plympton
THE FAN AND THE FLOWER
Paul Giamatti (Sideways) narrates this new animated short from leading independent animator Bill Plympton. The bittersweet storyline follows an ill-fated, unconsummated romance that takes place in an elderly woman’s house where an electric ceiling fan falls in love with a flower in a spare room. The events span years, leading to a magical fairytale ending. This short was previously shown in New York at the “Animators Attack” screening of independents and in June at the Annecy Animation Festival (Annecy, France), where Plympton is a two-time Grand Prix winner for his features I Married a Strange Person! (1998) and Mutant Aliens (2001). The Fan and the Flower screenplay is by Dan O’Shannon, a writer-producer for several TV series (Frasier, Suddenly Susan, Cheers). Since 1977, Bill Plympton has made more than 30 live-action and animated shorts and features, and he was twice nominated for the Best Animated Short Academy Award.
7:10min; short animation; USA 2005.
Directed by Bill Plympton
HANDSHAKE
In this animated film, an innocent greeting between two people is quickly transformed into a sticky, tangled struggle for survival. Animator Patrick Smith commented, “Handshake was a fun film to draw. I consider myself an expert on relationships, and it was great to illustrate the emotions and experiences I’ve had. The film can be abstract at times, just like real relationships can be. I was fortunate enough to have the film scored and orchestrated live, which I think hammers in the romantic/abstract nature of the story.” The film won awards at the Northhampton Film Festival, the Golden Film Festival (Golden, Colorado) and four other film festivals.
4:40min; animated short; USA.
Directed by Patrick Smith
HOME MOVIES - EPISODE 408: “CHO”
Budding filmmaker and pint-sized third grader Brendon Small (voice of Brendon Small) enlists neighborhood friends to create short films of not-quite-epic proportions. Through his work Brendon sorts out the issues that plague his troubled, eight-year-old mind. This animated TV series had a short run on UPN in 1999 and was picked up by the Cartoon Network in 2001. The first two seasons of Home Movies are available on DVD.
22:40min; short animation; USA; 2004.
Directed by Loren Bouchard
SHIFT
In the tradition of Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi
(1983) and Ron Fricke’s Baraka (1992), this animation is expressed through the use of environment and atmosphere with the camera discovering different cycles through time.
4:46min; short animation; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Joshua Marvel
DISPOSITION
Animated images are combined
with live-action in this short work by 13-year-old
filmmaker Peter Bertoli, a freshman at Oyster Bay
(NY) High School. Bertoli’s work is on exhibit
this summer at the Saratoga Springs Arts Center.
3:30min; short animation; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Peter Bertoli
SPIRAL
W.P. Murton explores the subtleties and deconstruction of abstract forms and avant-garde electronic music. Produced by animator Bill Plympton.
6min; short animation; USA; 2005.
Directed by W.P. Murton
DARFUR
This animated short was made in response to the lack of media coverage of what is happening in the Darfur region of Sudan. Hand drawn and painted using charcoal, water color, pastel and acrylic paint, this film cries out to the injustices and reminds us of the phrase “Never
again.”
1:55min; animated short; student film; USA; 2005; world premiere.
Directed by Joey Frechette
THE MEANING OF LIFE
Don Hertzfeldt
(Rejected) made this animated short which has
been compared to Disney’s Fantasia
(1940). A vast and beautiful study of time, life,
death and Tchaikovsky, the film explores evolution
on Earth over the course of a billion years. Jeremy
Mathews (Film Threat) reviewed this as
“a more varied and textured work than any of
his previous line drawing material… a sci-fi
odyssey with painted and backlit material done
entirely in-camera.” Premiering at Sundance
2005, it won the Malibu Film Festival’s
Audience Award for Best Animated Short.
12min; animated short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Don Hertzfeldt
SHORTS I
(in order of appearance)
THE OFFERING
Inspired by “The Young
Man and His Death,” a ballet choreography
written by Jean Cocteau, this 35mm Canadian short
is an elegiac meditation about the passing of
life, told through the story of love and
friendship between a Japanese monk and the novice
who entered his life. Nominated for a Golden Bear
at the Berlin Film Festival, it won awards from
the National Educational Media Network and three
film festivals (Ajijic, Cinemanila, New Haven).
10min; short; Canada; 1999.
Directed by Paul Lee
EMMA AND THE BARISTA
In her late twenties, Emma (Anya Beyersdorf) does the corporate thing each morning in Melbourne where she endures the monotony of train commuting, hurried walking and dead-eyed waits. She finds refuge (and a romantic connection) in the urban laneway where she gets her first coffee of the day. The film won an award for best short drama at the Texas Worldfest International Film Festival.
12min; short fiction; Australia; 2004.
Directed by Greg Gozdz
STRIKINGLY SINGLE
Convinced that true love is eluding her, Shea Thomas (Fay Gerbes) ditches her boyfriend in hopes of finding someone better but learns the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere. Applying the rules of baseball to her blind dates, they have three chances to stay in the game. As the umpire of her own love life, it’s up to Shea to make the right call, if and when the right guy steps up to the plate. Special Recognition at the 2004 Boston Film Festival.
8.5min; short fiction; USA; 2005.
Directed by Lisa G. Hagerty
PLAYDATE
Watching a young girl dressing up in her mother”s clothing is always a sight to see, but when a young boy dressed in his father”s suit arrives to take the girl on a play date, the young girl”s father is skeptical. Premiere at the 2005 Brooklyn International Film Festival Kidfest.
1:25M; short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Jennie Jarvis Ostroff
JIMMY”S HOUSE OF HUGS
Welcome to Jimmy’s House of Hugs where women come for comfort and hugs. Meet founder and owner Jimmy, his employees and clients. Made as a school project at Los Angeles City College, this mockumentary won the Audience Award at the Faux Film Festival (Portland, Oregon).
5:40min; student short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Julia Radochia
1918: A SHORT FILM
Eighty-six years of heartbreak. Two Boston boys finally have a shot to go to the World Series with the Sox. But a series of mishaps takes them on a wrong turn. Based on a true story.
14:40min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by: Jay Burke
LES LARMES
The story of a despairing girl whose loneliness in an otherwise spiritually bound world draws her to an unexpected turning point.
5:50min; student short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Thomas Miller
ISOLATION
Three manifestations of loneliness that living in the city can bring: alienation, reclusiveness and the inability to find companions.
6:52min; short; student film; USA; 2005.
Directed by Andrew Lewis, Jeffrey Luker and Kevin McGrath
CATDID
A delusional insomniac’s last
friend is a hallucinated chicken. What is Casey
doing with his life?
5:05min; short; student film; USA; 2005.
Directed by Michelle Nash
THE DANGERS OF SMOKING CIGARETTES
Emily Elizabeth plays by the river one gloomy day, kicking snow in the water. Her mother warns her not to play so close to the edge as she turns her head to light her cigarette. Suddenly, Emily Elizabeth falls into the river” and into a whole new world.
6:13min; short, USA; 2005; work in progress.
Directed by Stephanie Stender
MAN’S BEST FRIEND
A lonely man’s search for fulfillment leads to a dog…someone else’s dog.
13:00 min; student short; USA; 2005.
Directed by: Ben Pugh
(in order of appearance)
THE OFFERING
Inspired by “The Young
Man and His Death,” a ballet choreography
written by Jean Cocteau, this 35mm Canadian short
is an elegiac meditation about the passing of
life, told through the story of love and
friendship between a Japanese monk and the novice
who entered his life. Nominated for a Golden Bear
at the Berlin Film Festival, it won awards from
the National Educational Media Network and three
film festivals (Ajijic, Cinemanila, New Haven).
10min; short; Canada; 1999.
Directed by Paul Lee
EMMA AND THE BARISTA
In her late twenties, Emma (Anya Beyersdorf) does the corporate thing each morning in Melbourne where she endures the monotony of train commuting, hurried walking and dead-eyed waits. She finds refuge (and a romantic connection) in the urban laneway where she gets her first coffee of the day. The film won an award for best short drama at the Texas Worldfest International Film Festival.
12min; short fiction; Australia; 2004.
Directed by Greg Gozdz
STRIKINGLY SINGLE
Convinced that true love is eluding her, Shea Thomas (Fay Gerbes) ditches her boyfriend in hopes of finding someone better but learns the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere. Applying the rules of baseball to her blind dates, they have three chances to stay in the game. As the umpire of her own love life, it’s up to Shea to make the right call, if and when the right guy steps up to the plate. Special Recognition at the 2004 Boston Film Festival.
8.5min; short fiction; USA; 2005.
Directed by Lisa G. Hagerty
PLAYDATE
Watching a young girl dressing up in her mother”s clothing is always a sight to see, but when a young boy dressed in his father”s suit arrives to take the girl on a play date, the young girl”s father is skeptical. Premiere at the 2005 Brooklyn International Film Festival Kidfest.
1:25M; short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Jennie Jarvis Ostroff
JIMMY”S HOUSE OF HUGS
Welcome to Jimmy’s House of Hugs where women come for comfort and hugs. Meet founder and owner Jimmy, his employees and clients. Made as a school project at Los Angeles City College, this mockumentary won the Audience Award at the Faux Film Festival (Portland, Oregon).
5:40min; student short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Julia Radochia
1918: A SHORT FILM
Eighty-six years of heartbreak. Two Boston boys finally have a shot to go to the World Series with the Sox. But a series of mishaps takes them on a wrong turn. Based on a true story.
14:40min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by: Jay Burke
LES LARMES
The story of a despairing girl whose loneliness in an otherwise spiritually bound world draws her to an unexpected turning point.
5:50min; student short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Thomas Miller
ISOLATION
Three manifestations of loneliness that living in the city can bring: alienation, reclusiveness and the inability to find companions.
6:52min; short; student film; USA; 2005.
Directed by Andrew Lewis, Jeffrey Luker and Kevin McGrath
CATDID
A delusional insomniac’s last
friend is a hallucinated chicken. What is Casey
doing with his life?
5:05min; short; student film; USA; 2005.
Directed by Michelle Nash
THE DANGERS OF SMOKING CIGARETTES
Emily Elizabeth plays by the river one gloomy day, kicking snow in the water. Her mother warns her not to play so close to the edge as she turns her head to light her cigarette. Suddenly, Emily Elizabeth falls into the river” and into a whole new world.
6:13min; short, USA; 2005; work in progress.
Directed by Stephanie Stender
MAN’S BEST FRIEND
A lonely man’s search for fulfillment leads to a dog…someone else’s dog.
13:00 min; student short; USA; 2005.
Directed by: Ben Pugh
SHORTS II
(in order of appearance)
CYCLES OF REPETITION: AN HOMAGE IN OBSERVATIONS
A
series of vignettes document the textile
industry in India, showing the repetitive nature
of fiber-based hand work (fabric dyeing,
weaving, woodblock printing).
2:50min; short, USA; 2004.
Directed by Deborah Wing-Sproul
DOCTA KNOW
Dakar is the capital of hip
hop in West Africa. Docta, a prominent graffiti
artist and rapper, reflects on the intersection
of politics, Islam and hip hop”s role in
Senegal.
10min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Owen Kohl
THE WEEKENDS ARE FOR US
A day in the life of two homeless persons struggling to survive. Along the way we find out that they are not who they appeared to be but instead lead double lives.
26min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Frank Turner
CHAPOQUOIT ISLAND: A PERFECT LITTLE PIECE OF CAPE COD
Ever stayed on the beach past sunset, when the golden
orange vista turns to midnight blue, and then stayed
longer until the world becomes inky black and the
ocean’s roar is deafening? Journey to one of
the most magical places on Cape Cod —
Chapoquoit Island in West Falmouth. World premiere.
10:32; USA; 2005, World Premiere.
Directed by Brendan McQuaid and Jessica Grogins
THE BOWLERS
This short documentary captures the subtle rhythms and sounds of the bocce court as Johnny, Peggy, Bobby, Angelo and other North End Boston regulars play morning, noon and night. World premiere.
8min; short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Kevin McCarthy
(in order of appearance)
CYCLES OF REPETITION: AN HOMAGE IN OBSERVATIONS
A
series of vignettes document the textile
industry in India, showing the repetitive nature
of fiber-based hand work (fabric dyeing,
weaving, woodblock printing).
2:50min; short, USA; 2004.
Directed by Deborah Wing-Sproul
DOCTA KNOW
Dakar is the capital of hip
hop in West Africa. Docta, a prominent graffiti
artist and rapper, reflects on the intersection
of politics, Islam and hip hop”s role in
Senegal.
10min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Owen Kohl
THE WEEKENDS ARE FOR US
A day in the life of two homeless persons struggling to survive. Along the way we find out that they are not who they appeared to be but instead lead double lives.
26min; short; USA; 2004.
Directed by Frank Turner
CHAPOQUOIT ISLAND: A PERFECT LITTLE PIECE OF CAPE COD
Ever stayed on the beach past sunset, when the golden
orange vista turns to midnight blue, and then stayed
longer until the world becomes inky black and the
ocean’s roar is deafening? Journey to one of
the most magical places on Cape Cod —
Chapoquoit Island in West Falmouth. World premiere.
10:32; USA; 2005, World Premiere.
Directed by Brendan McQuaid and Jessica Grogins
THE BOWLERS
This short documentary captures the subtle rhythms and sounds of the bocce court as Johnny, Peggy, Bobby, Angelo and other North End Boston regulars play morning, noon and night. World premiere.
8min; short; USA; 2005.
Directed by Kevin McCarthy