SLIFF 2011 Short Film Programs
Documentary Shorts 1: Arts & Issues
Documentary Shorts 1:
Arts & Issues
73min.
This eclectic program explores issues through the arts, from photography and sculpture to dance and writing.
The Joseph Szabo Project
(David Khachatorian & George P. Pozderec, U.S., 2011, 15 min.): This visually stunning first-person portrait offers a time capsule of 1970s suburbia, recounting a photographer’s efforts to capture the lives of his teenage students.
The Modern Man
(David Elliott Thompson, Malica Cherhzad & Haley Quartarone, U.S., 2011, 11 min.): A young male dancer confronts life’s challenges through dance.
Robots & Pinocchios (Robot e Pinocchi)
(Paul Zinder, Italy, 2011, 10 min, Italian): Italian sculptor Ferdinando Codognotto shapes wood into his personal philosophy.
Searching for Tom
(Angela Antkowiak & Jim Kirchherr, U.S., 2011, 30 min.): An examination of the young Tennessee Williams’ life in St. Louis.
Suspended Animation
(Adaeze Elechi, U.S., 2011, 7 min.): A young black woman writes a desperate letter to her best friend, confessing her painful experiences with racism.
Documentary Shorts 2: Outsiders & Eccentrics
Documentary Shorts 2:
Outsiders & Eccentrics
90min.
This quintet of short documentaries profiles an array of outrageous and quirky characters.
Brother Rob
(Sofian Khan, U.S., 2011, 15 min.): Two Floridians – Pastor Terry Jones, who intends to burn the Koran, and Rob Stackhouse, a former truck driver who was born Southern Baptist but is now a Muslim – stand on opposite sides of the debate about Islam in America.
The Dude
(Jeff Feuerzeig, U.S., 2011, 19 min.): Jeff Dowd, who served as the model for the Dude, attends a Lebowski Fest, offering a glimpse into both this fascinating subculture and the colorful real-life character behind the fictional creation.
The Laying On of Hands: A Personal Journey
(Nick Twemlow, U.S., 2010, 9 min.): A son searches for his mother at an unusual crossroads of martial-arts death dealers and biblical faith healers.
Odysseus’ Gambit
(Alex Lora Cercos, Spain/U.S., 2011, 12 min.): A Cambodian-American looks for his place in the world of chess.
Wana Dubie’s War
(Andrew Sheeley & Jerod Welker, U.S., 2011, 35 min.): In an attempt to legalize marijuana by any means necessary, Joseph Bickell changes his name to Chief Wana Dubie, secedes his property from the U.S, and declares war against America.
Documentary Shorts 3: Sex & Gender
Documentary Shorts 3:
Sex & Gender
100min.
Sex in many of its multifarious forms is explored in this provocative program (which contains explicit material).
Among the Rugged Peaks: The Carla Laemmle Story
(Tom Tamgen, U.S., 2011, 40 min.): The 101-year-old Carla Laemmle recounts her life and career, including her gay relationships, her silent-film appearances, and her nearly nude ballet dance in 1929.
Close by That Much
(Corey Frost, U.S., 2010, 15 min.): After nearly 76 years, two identical twin brothers – one gay, one straight -- find it difficult to truly understand each other.
Grandpa’s Wet Dream
(Chihiro Amemiya, Japan/U.S., 2010, 16 min., Japanese): A shy 75-year-old Japanese man has been an adult-video star for 15 years but keeps his porn life a secret from his family.
I Still Love Them
(Je les aime encore) (Marie-Pierre Grenier, Canada, 2010, 13 min., French): The 79-year-old Michel reminisces with fondness about a life and love as a transgender person.
Smut Capital of America
(Michael Stabile, U.S., 2010, 16 min.): In 1970, San Francisco became the first city in the U.S. to legalize pornography, launching a sexual gold rush in the city’s gritty Tenderloin district.
An Evening With Bill Plympton
An Evening With
Bill Plympton
120min.
Animator and illustrator Bill Plympton provides an evening’s worth of entertainment with a generous selection of his gut-busting and mind-bending shorts. Plympton, whose life and work is also explored in “Adventures in Plymptoons!” at SLIFF (see Documentaries), introduces and discusses each film. The program includes several new works, including a pair of recent collaborative projects. Selections from Plympton’s recent book, “Independently Animated: Bill Plympton: The Life and Art of the King of Indie Animation,” are also featured.
Cheatin’
(2011, 6 min.): This work-in-progress is an animated version of a James M. Cain-style romantic noir done in traditional pencil-on-paper style.
The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger
(2010, 6 min.): A children’s fable about the power of advertising, the meaning of life, and ultimately the test of a mother’s love.
The Fan and the Flower
(2005, 7 min.): An ill-fated and unconsummated romance between a fan and a flower magically creates a fairytale ending.
The Flying House
(1921/2011, 7 min.): This Plympton-restored classic by animation pioneer Winsor McCay features new hand-coloring, soundtrack, and voice work by Matthew Modine and Patricia Clarkson.
Summer Bummer
(2011, 2 min.): A diver worries that a shark lurks in a suburban swimming pool.
TMZ
(2011, 4 min.): Plympton animates a Weird Al Yankovic parody of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong to Me.”
Waiting for Her Sailor
(2011, 1 min.): Waiting for her sailor, a woman on a cliff watches hopefully as a ship approaches.
Your Face
(1987, 3 min.): In this Oscar® nominee, a second-rate crooner sings about the beauties of his lover’s face while his own face metamorphoses into the most surreal shapes and contortions possible.
Every attendee will receive a Plympton sketch.
With Plympton, who is honored with SLIFF’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family Shorts
Family Shorts
91min.
Appropriate for all ages
Amazonia
(Sam Chen, U.S., 2010, 5 min.): In the dangerous world of the Amazon rainforest, finding a meal proves to be an impossible task for a little treefrog.
Blowin’ in the Wind
(Brent Dawes, South Africa, 2010, 5 min.): An ant attempts to take a leaf back to his anthill – a task that proves Herculean.
Bunce
(Peter Cattaneo, U.K., 2010, 12 min.): Celebrated actor Stephen Fry writes and stars in this autobiographical tale, a Christmas story in which young Fry risks his headmaster’s wrath for irresistible sweets.
Dog Math
(Lori Stoll, U.S., 2011, 7 min.): A story of loss and acceptance as seen through the eyes of 7-year-old Emily.
How the Shammies Bathed
(Edmunds Jansons, Latvia, 2010, 7 min.): When the Shammies become soiled and dusty, they decide to take a bath.
The Lantern
(Jason Dettmer, U.S., 2010, 4 min.): A young boy fishing from a bridge over a small stream becomes enamored by a young angel walking by.
The Lighthouse
(Po Chou Chi, Taiwan, 2010, 8 min.): Just as a lighthouse always shines for boats, parents always wait for their children.
Lokomoschine
(Ulrike Schulz & Nikolai Neumetzler, Germany, 2011, 8 min.): Two scientists invent a machine capable of bringing books to life.
Marvin
(Mark Nute, U.K., 2010, 7 min.): In this tale narrated by Steve Coogan, Marvin was born with a hole in his head.
Mobile
(Verena Fels, Germany, 2010, 6 min.): At the edge of a society, a cow tips the balance of destiny.
Oliver’s Treasure
(Chuck Grieb, U.S., 2011, 2 min.): Finding the king’s crown left on the throne, curious Sir Oliver sees how it sits on his head.
Saari
(Pablo Jordi, Spain, 2009, 3 min.): Pulpo finds a mysterious soft, round object in the middle of the forest.
Small Desires
(Joel Dunn, U.S., 2011, 1 min.): A precocious girl with a small desire embarks on a quest with big determination.
The Storyteller
(Nandita Jain, U.K., 2011, 10 min.): Nirmala attempts to grapple with her grandfather’s dementia when he forgets the details of her favorite story.
The Toboggan
(Richard B. Pierre, Canada, 2010, 3 min.): A withdrawn boy encounters a bully while tobogganing but finds hope and friendship with the help of a considerate girl.
The Yellow Balloon
(Ben Thompson & Rob Castillo, U.S., 2010, 3 min.): A true story witnessed on the New York City subway about a little girl and a yellow balloon.
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