Hello ladies and gentlem, your pal Muldoon here with this week's selection of fun films created by AICN readers like you and me. This week we've got a lovely arrangement filled with some damn fine drama, some knee-slapping comedy, and some jaw-dropping science fiction - it's one hell of a lineup I think you folks will enjoy. Sure, you could totally be outside enjoying the beginning of Spring (depending on where you're at...) or maybe you're done for the day and just want to relax with your own weekly screening room set in the heart of Ain't It Cool - whatever the case, I'm glad you're here and think you'll have a great time with these picks. So shut that phone off, crank up the volume on your computer, fullscreen each short - and simply enjoy the ride.
Go grab yourself some popcorn, lock your kids in a closet, kill the lights, relax and check out this little weekly film fest we've got ourselves here:
TERMINAL (Online Premiere!)
TRT: 20:42
First up is an incredible film from Samuel Flückiger. This short, filmed entirely in Zurch, has been festival hopping all over the world and just went online late yesterday, so it's both an honor and a real treat to be able to "Premiere" the film online. I have no doubt other websites will spread the film around and would like nothing more than for that to happen. Samuel's got a great vision and the film's full of solid performances, so I expect nothing but great things for Samuel in the near future. "Our story follows George, the stoic father of Rachel, who accompanies her on their final flight to Switzerland. While Rachel is set on making the most of this last day - engaging every small moment - George is hoping that she will change her mind about ending her life." Best of luck, Samuel - keep them coming!
Terminal from Lithium Studios Productions on Vimeo.
WINDSCREENWIPERMAN
TRT: 24:58
Our next film is a genuine work of art. I mean that in the sense that it invites interpretation and will absolutely linger in your mind after the credits roll. Director Sam Baron shows us an interesting perspective that I personally don't understand, but he does it in the most tactful way and fills it with great perfromances. This is not a short to miss. "A man makes friends with a young teenage boy online. This film explores the stigma around online friendships, and our global addiction to social media." This is not your standard short. I'll admit - I lean towards films with explosions, ninjas, and pointless action - but you can't eat junk food all the time and this quality short right here is the perfect shot of wheat grass. It's damn solid and reminds you originality with storytelling is still possible.
Windscreenwiperman from Sam Baron on Vimeo.
RINGO
TRT: 13:31
Next up is a slicing dark comedy from director Yaara Sumeruk. It just recently got the Vimeo "Staff Pick," which really is a badge of honor. They don't just hand those out. Dear jebus is this a fun (totally twisted) short that's just full of weirdness. The less I say the better, let's just let the film speak for itself. "A lonely middle-aged mother hires a young male prostitute for an evening. When intimacy overwhelms her, she has him role-play her son's life, beginning with his birth." If you find yourself enjoying the film, hit up Yaara's website! While you're at it, check out the Director Of Photography's site. What's that? You're curious about the music, too? Bam! Fly over to composer Romain Collin's website as well. (I always tell folks, the more info you send my way - the more info I can put out there! - case in point.)
SUNGLASSES
TRT: 3:27
Ah yes, great stop motion wrapped around a pretty funny concept - I'm absolutely down. Justin Michael, Harry Chaskin, and Dan Lippert are really on to something here and this short is actually the first episode of a series they've started up called FRIENDSHIP ALL STARS ...OF FRIENDSHIP. It's a great webseries where random celebrities are shoved together and talk about some of the most mundane things - in a funny way. It's gold. Go check out more from the series! "What if Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman lived together? They'd probably sing and dance and try on sunglasses and read the Necronomicon."
SUNDAYS
TRT: 14:50
Our last short of the day was not submitted by the filmmakers, but actually premiered over at Film Shortage. (Great website you guys should totally check out by the way.) It's so badass that I couldn't not show it. (Double negatives, what?) Mischa Rozema and PostPanic Pictures have created this film in the hopes of turning it into a feature. If this is an indication of what they can do with a little over $50,000 - then I want to see what they can do with more money and more time. (Internet kudos, Mischa). "The end of the world seems like a nightmare to Ben. A memory of a past life that doesn’t belong to him. When Ben starts to remember Isabelle, the only love he’s ever known, he realises she’s missing in his life. An existential descent into confusion and the desperate need to find out the truth begins. This reality depicts a stunning, surprising and dark world. A world that is clearly not his." Be sure to check out the film's website for more info. (Thanks for the recommendation, Mickey.)
FOR THE FILMMAKERS OUT THERE
I was approached via email to help spread the word for a project and while I'm in no way involved in the thing, I figured "what can it hurt to help out?" Below is information on a person seeking to create an anthology of horror shorts. Clearly always think in the best interests of your film (you too!) and be mindful that there are people who will try to take advantage of you. At the exact same time, an opportunity is an opportunity and you never know what will come from taking a risk and meeting new people (even over the internet). So this could be a great opportunity for some folks out there and I wish it the best of luck.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Kangas Kahn Films is looking for the best Christmas-themed horror shorts
for an anthology feature to be released this year. Director Kevin
Kangas(“Fear of Clowns 1&2”, “Garden of Hedon”) will contribute a segment
for the film, and filmmakers will share in any profits made from the
distribution of the film.
Kangas says, “As horror fans, we all watch the same five or ten
Christmas-themed films every year. I think it’s time for a new Christmas
movie, and since I’ve been working on another anthology film(“Terrortory”)
I’ve really gotten back into the Creepshow kind of format.”
It’s completely free to submit, and they’re looking for five or six total
shorts depending on the length of each. “I’m going for a total length of
about 90 minutes,” says Kangas.
Any short between 5 and 15 minutes may be submitted. For official rules
and submission guidelines go to http://www.kangaskahnfilms.com/xmas.
You can also check out the Terrortory FB page at
https://www.facebook.com/terrortoryfilm
BAM! That's it for this week folks. I'll catch you all a week from now with a handful of interesting films I think you might enjoy! In the mean time, feel free to travel back in time with any past SATURDAY SHORTS articles. Have a great week - I'll see you all later.
SATURDAY SHORTS 2012
SATURDAY SHORTS 2013
SATURDAY SHORTS 2014
The Off Season; Why Does My Girlfriend Text So Much?; Landscape; The Magician (1/3/15)
Atropa; Good Conduct; Ulla; Blackouts; Pizza And Bullets (1/10/15)
Vicki; Strange Thing; Kill The K-Cup; The Grandson; The Dark Walk Backward (1/24/15)
Leonard In Slow Motion; A Good Man Is Hard To Findl The Baker; Certified; Chloe (1/31/15)
Old/New; Alexia; The Beating; Temblor; Royal Blood "Out of the Black" (2/7/15)
Hibernation; Good Morning; Refrigerator; Bar Talk; A Lady & A Robot (2/15/15)
Fish Friend; The Outer Darkness (Part 1); Bus Stop; Don't Look There; Valentine (2/21/15)
The Gold Sparrow; The Brain Hack; Blood Drinker; Meet Your Maker; Al Pacino As Han Solo (2/28/15)
The Pavement; Breathe; The Black Rock Mountain; Plain Clothes; Whispers (3/7/15)
Sequence; Teasers; Static; I do; Point Of Interest (3/14/15)
Moonwatch; Robert's Circle; Tongues; No more Tomorrows; Slit (3/22/15)
If you have a short and think it belongs here or are on the fence about whether to send it in, please do send it in - I'd love to see what you've put together. I've already seen hundreds of fresh new filmmakers' shorts and like any good addict, I need more!
Shoot me an email at "Mike@aintitcool.com"
In the subject line include:
“SHORTS” + “Your film’s name” + “The film’s genre”
Then, in the body of the email, please include a synopsis of the film and any contact information you might think I need or would want published. The more info you send my way, the more info there is to put with your short.
Please don’t feel the need to submit multiple times.
Remember, the filmmakers might still be in the audience, so feel free to share your thoughts in Talkbacks below. (JUST DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE). I picked them, so you know I think highly of all of these, but how about you fine folks? How'd you like 'em?
BY THE WAY: If you've had a short featured here, that means that I personally am a fan of your work, so feel free to shoot me any kind of news on new projects/films/whatever. I can't say I'll be able to help or in what capacity, but I'm interested in your work and am always down to see more! (Keep making cool stuff, everyone!)
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
