Full Program for July 18 Screening

I’m happy to reveal the full program for our screening on Thursday July 18, 2013. We have once again searched the whole world to bring you this selection of excellent short films from Canada, France, Ireland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Germany, and the US. If you like what you see, why not save some money and get your advance tickets now?

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YOUR PLACE OR MINE

Dir: Jessica Joy Wise (Director will be in attendance for a Q&A)
Canada – 2012

Your Place or Mine is about the tentative first few hours of meeting someone. Annie and Danny meet, feel a spark, and it’s in those initial moments it could all go either way. These are big decisions determined by little moments; a glib comment, a simple gesture, a meaningful touch – can swing the outcome one way or the other. Short-lived lust or lasting love? One-night stand or soul-mate?

• Official Selection – San Francisco Independent Film Festival
• Official Selection – Williamsburg Independent Film Festival

Duration: 6:00

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PREMIER AUTOMNE

Dir: Aude Danset and Carlos de Carvalho
France – 2013

Abel lives in the winter and Apolline lives in the summer. Isolated in their “natures,” they have never met. They are not even supposed to meet. So when Abel crosses the border and discovers Apolline, his curiosity is overwhelming. Their encounter soon becomes more complicated than they could imagine. Both of them will have to learn compromise to protect the other.

Duration: 10:30

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THE DELIAN MODE

Dir: Kara Blake
Canada – 2009

The Delian Mode is a a short experimental documentary revolving around the life and work of electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire, best known for her groundbreaking sound treatment of the Doctor Who theme music.

• Best Short Documentary – Hot Docs
• Genie Award – Best Short Documentary

Duration: 25:00

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IRISH FOLK FURNITURE

Dir: Tony Donoghue
Ireland – 2012

An animated documentary about repair and recycling in rural Ireland.

• Best Animation Award – Sundance Film Festival
• Official Selection – Toronto Irish Film Festival
• Official Selection – Flickerfest

Duration: 8:00

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FATHER

Dirs: Ivan Bogdanov, Moritz Mayerhofer, Asparuh Petrov, Veljko Popovic, Rositsa Raleva, Dmitry Yagodin
Bulgaria/Croatia/Germany – 2012

When did you last talk with your father? Will you ever ask him about those things that hurt you?

The short animated documentary film Father features five parallel realities in which the impossible dialogue between a child and a father would take place. The film is based on the authentic experiences of several young people – interviewed by Diana Ivanova – and then put together in an animated documentary story by five unique animation directors.

• Official Selection – Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival
• Official Selection – Annecy International Animation Film Festival
• Official Selection – Flickerfest

Duration: 16:00

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A PRESENT FOR ROBERT

Dir: Patrick Aubert
Canada – 2012

Robert receives a very special gift for his birthday.

• Official Selection – Fantasia Film Festival

Duration: 3:00

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THE CHAIR

Dir: Grainger David
US – 2012

The Chair is the story of one boy’s reaction to an outbreak of poisonous mold in his small town.

• Nominated for Palme d’Or – Cannes Film Festival
• Official Selection – Sundance Film Festival
• Official Selection – South by Southwest Film Festival

Duration: 12:00

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Buy your tickets now!

April 2013 Audience Award Winner

I’m very happy to announce that the winner of our very first Audience Award is Johannes’ Nyholm’s Las Palmas. It received 20 votes out of a total of 60 completed ballots. Audiences laughed throughout this tale of a middle-aged tourist at a bar in the Canary Islands. The main character is played by the director’s one-year-old daughter Helmi, while the rest of the cast are marionettes. Nyholm assures me that his daughter, now three and a half, is perfectly normal. I suggested they take the $100 prize and go out for beers.

You can download and watch the entire film at the Las Palmas site.

Closeup: Penny Dreadful

Penny Dreadful is part of our April 11th lineup. Get your advance tickets now and we’ll see you there!

I first stumbled upon Shane Atkinson’s Penny Dreadful just over a month ago in the catalogue for the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. Out of the hundreds of films in competition, the title and still image jumped out at me. It didn’t hurt that it was also the winner of the Audience Award, a huge honour when you consider that Clermont-Ferrand is really the top destination festival in the world for short filmmakers. When I sat down to watch it for the first time, I knew immediately that not only would it soon be charming audiences all over the world, but that it would be perfect for our passionate tribe of short film lovers here in Toronto.

I sent writer/director Shane Atkinson and producer Rob Cristiano a few questions by email and here’s what they had to say.

James McNally (JM): I understand that there’s a feature-length version of the script that actually made the coveted Black List last year? Can you tell me how it’s different and if there are now any plans to shoot a feature version of the story?

Shane: The feature was written first, but I needed to make a short film for my thesis. I decided to make the short as a sort of proof of concept for the feature. The opening and closing scenes are very similar, but the feature is more populated and the plot had more twists and turns. Dennis and Holly are trying to steal the ransom for themselves. Hyrum is the head of a polygamist family, and he’s blackmailing a local politician. And the Little Girl, of course, is even more of a nightmare for Dennis. More blood. More yelling. The feature is in development and we’re trying to shoot this fall.

JM: Oona Laurence (who plays the Little Girl) was an incredible find. How did you discover her and what is she doing next?

Shane: Our casting director, Heather Hurley, brought Oona in. We auditioned actresses in NY and LA, and we received audition tapes from across the country. She was an amazing find — talented, but also so professional and easy to work with. It was actually Rob who first saw her potential. Right now she’s starring in Matilda on Broadway.

Rob: We knew that a lot of the film would hinge on the Little Girl’s performance and her chemistry with Dennis. We spent a ton of time scouring the country for the perfect actor, and we feel so lucky to have had Oona on-board. She did an incredible job in her first real film role, and her family was a pleasure to work with. I’ve made it a not-so-secret mission to try to cast her in all of my future projects, one of which is a comedy short called The Kaminskys (currently in post-production) where she plays an old lady who has taken a pill and turned back into a child. We’re also very excited that Oona has also just started to get some feature work.

Rob Cristiano and Shane Atkinson (with the Prix du Public) at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival

JM: The film was not only invited to the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, but it won the Audience Award. What was your festival experience like in France?

Shane: Clermont-Ferrand was amazing. We weren’t sure how the film was going to play in another language. But the French audiences were so responsive. It was a huge surprise to see just how well it played. Everyone was great there. They really took us in and made us feel at home.

Rob: Clermont-Ferrand is a world-class film festival. We were really blown away by the response the film got there. It’s an incredible experience to hear people leave the theatre quoting a character that you helped create.

JM: Shane, I definitely feel a bit of a Coen Brothers influence on the film. What other influences have shaped your writing and filmmaking style?

Shane: Edward Gorey for one. I discovered one of his books as a kid, and I immediately tracked down everything of his I could get my hands on. My first filmmaking attempt was this little Edward Gorey-style short. All silent and in black and white. My brothers and sisters played all the roles. I’m a big fan of Martin McDonagh. I loved In Bruges, so my wife introduced me to his plays.

JM: Rob, this one’s for you. As a producer on a short film, what were your main responsibilities before, during, and after the shoot? Since you’re also a filmmaker, what has producing taught you when it comes to writing and directing your own work?

Rob: I generally like to be involved from the inception of the story, but when I came on-board this project, the script was pretty much already locked (and I loved it). It was really my job to help cast the roles, file the necessary production/insurance paperwork, create the schedule, and get all of our actors out to Utah (and back!). During pre-production, we had a support team out west that was scouting locations and putting together the key crew. This was a really ambitious shoot especially from a logistics standpoint, so during the shoot, my job was really to make sure everything was where it needed to be when it needed to be there, everyone was getting enough food/rest, and generally making sure things stayed on schedule, which is always the biggest challenge. It’s always hard on the student/low budget level to do these things, but as a producer my goal was to handle them so that Shane could focus on directing. In post, again it was all about scheduling the edit, mix, vfx, color sessions and layoff. I would review each cut with Shane, and we would also test the cuts in front of audiences at school to improve the pacing and maximize the funny. I think the biggest thing that I learned from Shane was really to spend time developing and workshopping the script. It’s easy to get excited about a concept and want to run and shoot it, but I’ve really pushed myself (and my collaborators) to make sure the story is truly ready before going into production. From a directorial standpoint, I think Shane was really successful in keeping tension throughout the story, and I think that’s really one of the secrets to making an an effective film. It also happens to be the thing that makes the dark comedy such a fun and satisfying genre.

JM: I hope the film is opening doors for both of you. Can you tell us what each of you is working on next? Do you have plans to work together again soon?

Shane: I’m writing a new script and also trying to get the feature made. It’s in the early stages, but I hope Rob can be a part of it.

Rob: I’m finishing up post-production on a short that is a fictional take on the conspiracy theories surrounding IBM’s defeat of world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. I’m also developing and pitching a few great feature scripts that I would like to make in the very near future.

Official site for Penny Dreadful
Like Penny Dreadful on Facebook
Follow Penny Dreadful on Twitter

Full Program for April 11 Screening

It’s time to announce the full program for our screening on Thursday April 11, 2013. We have scoured the world to bring you this selection of excellent short films from Canada, Sweden, Spain, Iceland, the UK, and the US. If you like what you see, why not save some money and get your advance tickets now?

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TYPESETTER BLUES

Dir: Hector Herrera (Director will be in attendance for a Q&A)
Canada – 2012

Beastly Bards is a collection of animated shorts featuring loveable monsters. Each short is a distinct piece, written in rhyming verse and inspired by the poetic styles of Edward Lear, Shel Silverstein and Robert Service. The animation features clean lines with a textural mixed-media approach and incorporates a classic mid-century modern esthetic. The shorts are narrated by some of the best voices of the Canadian stage and screen: Gordon Pinsent, Jayne Eastwood, and Kenneth Welsh.

Typesetter Blues is the first “chapter” of Beastly Bards and debuted at TAAFI 2012. Set in a printshop, it is familiar story of heartbreak on the job, with a humorous spin. Narrated by Gordon Pinsent.

• Official Selection – Toronto Animation Arts Festival International
• Finalist – Adobe Design Achievement Awards (Animation)

Duration: 3:00

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HALF-A-PANTALOON

Dir: Hector Herrera (Director will be in attendance for a Q&A)
Canada – 2012

Half-A-Pantaloon is the second “chapter” of Beastly Bards. In the style of a public service announcement, it warns the viewer of the perils of wearing shorts in professional situations. Even charming monsters can’t get away with sartorial blunders. Narrated by Jayne Eastwood.

Duration: 5:00

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VOICE OVER

Dir: Martin Rosete
Spain – 2012

I-will-not-tell-you-whose voice leads us through three extreme situations that are actually the same… Will you survive?

From Luis Berdejo, the writer of REC and REC 3: Genesis comes this ten minute epic, which has screened at more than 80 film festivals around the world and picked up more than 30 awards.

• Best of the Fest – New York City Shorts Festival
• Audience Award – Couch Fest

Duration: 10:00

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FRIEND OF FLIES

Dir: Emil Gustafsson Ryderup
Sweden – 2011

For want of friends, a little boy seeks fellowship among flies. Once he has gained their confidence, he finds himself in possession of endless power. But the power is not the solution to everything, and how is a child to master such responsibility? Using only three colours, black, white and red, Friend of Flies deploys a striking visual aesthetic to tell a melancholy tale about the loneliness of childhood.

• Official Selection – Fantasia Film Festival
• Official Selection – Chicago International Film Festival

Duration: 13:00

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LAS PALMAS

Dir: Johannes Nyholm
Sweden – 2011

A middle-aged lady on a holiday in the sun tries to make new friends and have a good time. The role is played by a one year old girl (the director’s daugher Helmi), the rest of the cast are marionette puppets.

• Official Selection – Sundance Film Festival
• Official Selection – Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes Film Festival

Duration: 13:00

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DRAGON BABY

Dir: Patrick Boivin
Canada – 2012

In this Kill Bill-inspired short short, the filmmaker’s son Romeo takes on a stuffed dragon with some awesome kung-fu moves. This has been viewed more than 26 million times online, but don’t go looking for it yet. You want the big screen experience!

Duration: 1:00

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BELLY

Dir: Julia Pott
UK – 2011

I can feel you in my Belly.

• Official Selection – Sundance Film Festival
• Official Selection – South by Southwest Film Festival
• Official Selection – AFI Film Festival
• Official Selection – Worldwide Short Film Festival
• Canal+ Award – Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival

Duration: 8:00

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THE PIRATE OF LOVE

Dir: Sara Gunnarsdóttir
Iceland – 2012

Daniel C, a truck driver, records an entire CD of ballads for Sherry. Can his music conquer his loneliness?

• Official Selection – New Directors/New Films
• Official Selection – AFI Film Festival
• Official Selection – Telluride Film Festival

Duration: 10:00

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PENNY DREADFUL

Dir: Shane Atkinson
USA – 2012

The story of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong.

• Audience Award – Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival

Duration: 17:00

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This will also be the first screening where we award one of our filmmakers with a $100 prize. Be there to have your vote count! Buy your tickets now!

Poster and First Films for April 11

Here it is, folks! The first of our specially designed posters. This one, announcing our April 11, 2013 screening, was designed by film writer Alex Kittle (she’s @filmforager on Twitter). In addition to writing about film, she also makes excellent movie posters which she sells on Etsy. Rumour has it that she might be selling a limited edition run of this poster, too, so don’t miss it!

In addition to confirming that our next screening will be held on Thursday April 11th at 7pm at the Carlton, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at a few of the films that we’ll be showing too. And just so you know, tickets are already on sale! Get yours!

Friend of Flies (Sweden, 2011, Director: Emil Gustafsson Ryderup, 13 minutes)

For want of friends, a little boy seeks fellowship among flies. Once he has gained their confidence, he finds himself in possession of endless power. But the power is not the solution to everything, and how is a child to master such responsibility? Using only three colours, black, white and red, Friend of Flies deploys a striking visual aesthetic to tell a melancholy tale about the loneliness of childhood.

Voice Over (Spain, 2012, Director: Martin Rosete, 10 minutes)

I will not tell you whose voice over leads us through three extreme situations that are actually the same. Will you survive?

Typesetter Blues (Canada, 2012, Director: Hector Herrera, 3 minutes)

Typesetter Blues is a 3-minute animated short starring a likeable monster named Harold. In this melancholy love story, Harold falls for a new coworker, who unfortunately falls harder for someone else. Voiced by Canadian legend Gordon Pinsent (Away From Her, Pillars Of The Earth) Typesetter Blues is written in the nonsense poetry tradition of Edward Lear and Shel Silverstein.

We have lots more in store for this screening, which we’ll be revealing in the weeks to come. I hope you will join us!

January 17: That’s a Wrap!

Another packed house last night at the Carlton Cinemas, despite some snow and a nasty flu that sidelined at least 5 of our advanced ticket holders. Thanks to everyone who came and I’m so glad you enjoyed yourselves. A very special thanks to filmmakers Aaron Phelan and Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith (Dear Scavengers) and Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart (Long Branch) who charmed our audiences with their films and during the Q&A afterwards. And our ever-popular prize draw returned, for which we must thank film publicist extraordinaire Ingrid Hamilton (GATpr) and Hazlitt magazine. Finally, I have to thank London-based director Luke Snellin, who despite being in the middle of shooting a new film, sent our audience a short greeting. Here he is:

For those who joined us last night, which film was your favourite?

Look for our next screening in April. Check back for more details, or better yet, follow us on Twitter: @shortsnotpants.

P.S. If you want to share a few of our films, or watch them again, Long Branch and the two Luke Snellin shorts (Mixtape and Disco) are available online.

Canada’s Top Ten 2012: Shorts

Note: We’ll be showing Chloé Robichaud’s very funny Chef de meute from this selection on Thursday January 17th at the Carlton Cinemas. Advance tickets are on sale already.

On Sunday night, TIFF Bell Lightbox screened all of this year’s shorts named to Canada’s Top Ten. Here are my thoughts on the films (including two I’d seen before, Lingo and Chef de meute).

Lingo (Director: Bahar Noorizadeh, 13 minutes)

Lingo uses a static camera and long shots to sort-of tell the story of a young Afghan boy who inadvertently starts a fire that burns down a neighbour’s house. A misunderstanding lands his non-English-speaking mother an uncomfortable interview with a police interpreter. I want to applaud the daring of the filmmaker, because some of the techniques used are pretty alienating to the audience, but the end result communicates a real sense of confusion and disconnection, even when someone is supposedly speaking your language.

Kaspar (Director: Diane Obomsawin, 8 minutes)

Quebec cartoonist Diane Obomsawin animates her 2009 book on the life of Kaspar Hauser, a mysterious young man found living in a German cave in 1828. The subject of several films, including one by Werner Herzog, Hauser’s mysterious origins were never discovered, nor were the circumstances surrounding his mysterious death. Kaspar presents the story in simple clean lines and its character as a trusting innocent. Telling the story in the first person gives the tragic tale additional poignancy.

Reflexions (Director: Martin Thibaudeau, 6 minutes)

An attempt to tell a story visually through reflected images is a clever gimmick, but Thibaudeau’s rather simplistic and heavy-handed portrayal of the funeral of a man who was not what he seemed was the least satisfying of the ten films for me. An interesting concept that needed more subtlety.

Paparmane (Wintergreen) (Director: Joëlle Desjardins Paquette, 19 minutes)

Remarkably similar in tone to Chloé Robichaud’s Chef de meute, but featuring a depressed cat instead of an excitable pug, this film was a delight. A lonely parking attendant is mourning his mother’s death, along with her melancholy pet. Things begin to change when he meets an exuberant telegram singer. Filmed near an amusement park closed for the winter, Paparmane uses its setting to great effect. I’m also a big fan of the way the film is able to find humour within its potentially gloomy situations.

Malody (Director: Phillip Barker, 13 minutes)

Strange things begin to occur inside a diner where a sick girl confronts herself as a little girl. Although visually impressive and full of stylistic flourishes, Malody‘s art film opacity left me unable to connect with its characters.

Crackin’ Down Hard (Director: Mike Clattenburg, 10 minutes)

Clattenburg explained to the audience that the idea for the film came to him and his co-writer/star Nicholas Wright when they were visiting Joshua Tree National Park in California. Conceived, written and filmed a scant two weeks later, Crackin’ Down Hard feels like a comedy sketch you’d expect to see on a show like Kids in the Hall. Terry is a guy who comes to the desert to get away from the hectic life he has in the city. While hiking one day, he’s confronted by a strange man who tempts him with hookers. It’s an absurd situation, and all the more hilarious as Terry gradually succumbs to the pimp’s high-pressure sales tactics. The film’s humble origins show in the rather muddy image quality, but the dialogue and comic payoff more than make up for it.

Old Growth (Director: Tess Girard, 5 minutes)

A man’s rural routine comprises this simple piece shot without dialogue. With his wheelbarrow, an old man walks along a windswept road to a forest where he chops firewood. Well-shot and with an especially good use of sound design, Old Growth is more of an experimental piece, since there is almost no focus on the man’s face.

Ne crâne pas sois modeste (Keep a Modest Head) (Director: deco dawson, 19 minutes)

Canadian-born Jean Benoit was the last member of the Surrealist group of artists. Using archival audio and film footage, dawson constructs a series of vignettes from the artist’s life using his own surrealistic style. Some of these techniques work really well (Benoit as a child jumping between houses and peering in rooftop windows) and some not as well (an almost endless series of zoom-ins on a painting), with the end result being a film worthy of admiration more than love. dawson spoke passionately about Benoit at the screening, and I felt disappointed that some of the quirk seemed to distract from the filmmaker’s clear love of his subject.

Bydlo (Director: Patrick Bouchard, 9 minutes)

Based on a musical piece by Mussorgsky, Bydlo is an innovative animated film that uses images of animals and faceless people to explore the cycles of life, death and labour. The word “bydlo” comes from the Polish word for cattle and is often applied to “the masses” of uneducated, lower-class people. The dramatic use of the musical source material along with the quite amazing animation technique makes this a sobering but fascinating big picture portrayal of the seeming futility of life.

Chef de meute (Herd Leader) (Director: Chloé Robichaud, 13 minutes)

In this comedy, the humour is dark indeed. When Clara’s spinster aunt dies suddenly, her family suggest she take in the older woman’s pug, since, as a single woman herself, she has time to take care of it. When even the dog seems to boss her around, she turns to a dog trainer for help. In a hilarious sendup of The Dog Whisperer, he encourages her to be more assertive. It’s a lesson she takes to her pushy family members. Ève Duranceau plays the put-upon Clara to neurotic perfection, and the pug turns in a pretty impressive performance, too.

Full Program for January 17 Screening

Christmas has come early! I’m happy to announce our full program for January 17, 2013. I am delighted to begin our second year of screening the best Canadian and international shorts with a very strong selection from Canada, Ireland and the UK. If you like what you see, why not save some money and get your advance tickets now?

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MIXTAPE

Dir: Luke Snellin
United Kingdom – 2009

Mixtape is a short short about making a mixtape for that special someone.

• Grand Prize – Virgin Media Shorts Competition
• Nominated – British Association of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA)

Duration: 2:00

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DEAR SCAVENGERS

Dir: Aaron Phelan
Canada – 2012

The eccentric owner of a used-appliance store is driven nearly mad by an unending stream of tween girls entering his shop in search of a clue for their scavenger hunt.

• Official Selection – Toronto International Film Festival

Duration: 9:00

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CHEF DE MEUTE (HERD LEADER)

Dir: Chloé Robichaud
Canada – 2012

Clara’s overwhelming family can’t understand her solitary life, wishing she would find someone to grow old with. Following her aunt’s sudden death, Clara is put in charge of her pet. Little does she know that these are the first steps to an unlikely, but empowering, friendship.

• Official Selection – Canada’s Top Ten
• Official Selection (Competition) – Cannes Film Festival
• Official Selection – Toronto International Film Festival
• Official Selection – Palm Springs Short Film Festival

Duration: 12:30

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LONG BRANCH

Dir: Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart
Canada – 2012

On a cold winter’s night, a woman’s quest for a one-night stand is complicated when the guy she goes home with lives two hours away by public transit.

• Best Live Action Short – Calgary International Film Festival
• Best Short – Canadian Film Festival

Duration: 14:00

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NOREEN

Dir: Domhnall Gleeson
Ireland – 2010

Two rural Irish cops find a body during a routine house call. Things are complicated by the fact that they are idiots. Starring Brendan Gleeson and directed and written by his son Domhnall. Oh, and very very funny.

• Official Selection – Palm Springs Short Film Festival
• Winner, Best Short – Galway Film Fleadh
• Official Selection – Toronto Irish Film Festival

Duration: 18:00

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DISCO

Dir: Luke Snellin
United Kingdom – 2010

July. 1997. The height of summer. England. Oasis reach number one with ‘D’you Know What I Mean’. Tony Blair has moved his stuff into Downing Street. Meanwhile Danny is trying to tell a girl named Pippa that he likes her. On this Friday we follow Danny through miscommunication, gossip, and a love triangle between Danny, Pippa and his best friend Greg. A follow-up from the director (and star) of Mixtape.

• Official Selection – London Short Film Festival

Duration: 15:00

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Special co-presentation with Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (TAAFI)

REQUIEM FOR ROMANCE

Dir: Jonathan Ng
Canada – 2012

A modern-day couple’s secret love affair comes to a bittersweet end during an evening phone call. Cell phone static creates distance between them as they anguish over details of their relationship. But the visuals of the film reveal something entirely different: the epic re-imagining of their relationship set in feudal China, where family influence, cultural pressures and their lust for adventure makes more sense.

• Canadian ShortWork Award – Whistler Film Festival
• Animasian Award – Reel Asian Film Festival

Duration: 8:00

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So what are you waiting for? Buy your tickets and join us! (Did I mention that tickets make a great holiday gift? You know, if you can’t make a mixtape…)

First Films Announced for January 17

If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook, you’ll know a few of these by now, but I wanted to officially announce the first batch of films screening at our January 17, 2013 edition. We’ll be back at the Carlton Cinemas, and advance tickets ($8) are already on sale. See you in the new year!

Noreen (Ireland, 2010, Director: Domhnall Gleeson, 18 minutes)

Actor/writer/director Domhnall Gleeson (True Grit, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) directs his father Brendan and uncle Brian in this gleefully madcap tale of two rural Irish cops who find a body during a routine house call. Young Frank is dealing with a recent heartbreak, while older Con is middle-aged and weary. What they have in common is that they’re both idiots. If you liked Brendan Gleeson in The Guard, you’ll love this.

Long Branch (Canada, 2011, Directors: Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, 13 minutes)

The scenario of Long Branch seems like a great concept for one of those “punch line” shorts: a young woman’s quest for a one night stand is complicated when the guy she goes home with lives two hours away by public transit. But the film movingly transcends its humorous premise to find genuine romance.

(excerpted from my full review over at Short of the Week)

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I saw the next two at this year’s TIFF, so I’ve just copied my reviews from my post at Toronto Screen Shots.

Dear Scavengers (Canada, 2012, Director: Aaron Phelan, 9 minutes)

Pitch perfect casting and just the right amount of sympathy for its cantankerous main character make this one a winner. Hrant Alianak (Pontypool) plays Hector, the owner of a used-appliance store who’s used to a certain amount of solitude. When a seemingly unending stream of tween girls enter his shop in search of a clue for their scavenger hunt, it leads to a hilarious clash of generations and personalities.

Chef de meute (Herd Leader) (Canada, 2012, Director: Chloe Robichaud, 13 minutes)

In this comedy, the humour is dark indeed. When Clara’s spinster aunt dies suddenly, her family suggest she take in the older woman’s pug, since, as a single woman herself, she has time to take care of it. When even the dog seems to boss her around, she turns to a dog trainer for help. In a hilarious sendup of “The Dog Whisperer,” he encourages her to be more assertive. It’s a lesson she takes to her pushy family members. Ève Duranceau plays the put-upon Clara to neurotic perfection, and the pug turns in a pretty impressive performance, too.

October 11: That’s a Wrap!

What a great night! I think we might have broken our attendance record last night with a packed house at the Carlton Cinema. Thanks to all who made it out, and to those who missed it, see you in January! We might have to book a larger room by the look of it.

Special thanks to all the filmmakers whose work we enjoyed, and to the staff at the Carlton who made our transition from our old home at the NFB Mediatheque as easy as possible. We’ll be back!

If you were at our screening last night, what was your favourite film from the lineup?

Our next screening will take place sometime in mid-January. Check back for details or better yet, follow us on Twitter.