MEMBER SCREENING ROOM: SHORTS COLLECTION
PLAYLIST No. 7
A brand new compilation of short films, perfect for an evening in during these cold winter days.
CLICK IMAGES TO VIEW THE FILMS
INSPIRATION
An artist takes inspiration from the rain outside. A stop-motion film using glass figures. Director: Karel Zeman (Czechoslovakia 1949) 11 min
MOVING THE GIANTS
David Milarch’s near-death experience inspired a personal quest: to archive the genetics of the world’s largest trees before they’re gone. Director: Michael Ramsey (US 2015) 10.5 min
ALMA
A curious kid is tempted into a toy store where things are not quite as they seem. Director: Rodrigo Blaas (US/Spain 2009) 5.5 min
THE BLOODY OLIVE
A hilarious Christmas classic, based on a comic strip by Lewis Trondheim. Director: Vincent Bal (Germany 1997) 10.5 min
ICEBOUND
In arctic Greenland, Peter Freuchen is sent on a dangerous rescue mission in a whiteout blizzard. What sacrifices will he make to survive? Director: Drew Christie (US 2020) 8 min
LATE DECEMBER
After 64 years of marriage, a man’s devotion to his wife is unbroken by Alzheimber’s. Director: Joe Callander (US 2015) 7.5 min
SNOW WHITE
This somewhat surreal 1933 Betty Boop cartoon features the wonderful and timeless Cab Calloway singing the jazz classic “St. James Infirmary Blues.” Director: Dave Fleischer (US 1933) 7 min
SIMON BECK – SNOW ARTIST
Simon Beck is a snow artist who creates huge designs in the snow by simply walking in a pair of snowshoes. Directors: Sindre Kinnerod & Audun Fjeldheim (Norway 2016) 6 min
KNICK KNACK
Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you’re surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. Director: John Lasseter (US 1989) 3.5 min
CHRISTMAS UNDER FIRE
Despite the Blitz, it’s ‘business as usual’ as England prepares for Christmas in this propaganda film inteded of US audirence. It’s a Christmas of holly and barbed wire, guns and tinsel, yet the British, we are told, are determined to make it as cheerful as possible. Director: Harry Watt (UK 1940) 9.5 min
PLAYLIST No. 6
CLICK IMAGES TO VIEW THE FILMS
INTRO.
Sterling Hedgpeth, DocLands Programming Manager and MVFF Shorts Programmer, introduces our 6th Member Playlist
LEFTY/RIGHTY
A father/daughter outing illustrates that life lessons can be found in subtle but poignant ways. Director: Max Walker-Silverman (US 2019) 12 min | MVFF42
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF TOMMY CHAOS AND STACEY DANGER
A sci-fi epic in miniature, with proof that romantic adventure is one resourceful vision away. Director: Michael Lukk Litwack (US 2014) 10 min | MVFF37
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF TOMMY CHAOS AND STACEY DANGER
A sci-fi epic in miniature, with proof that romantic adventure is one resourceful vision away. Director: Michael Lukk Litwack (US 2014) 10 min | MVFF37
A DOCTOR’S JOB
A doctor moonlighting as a taxi driver finds his special set of skills useful in unexpected ways. Director: Julio O. Ramos (Peru 2011) 10 min | MVFF34
THE MISSING SCARF
Star Trek’s George Takei narrates this adorable animated fable. Director: Eoin Duffy (Ireland 2013) 6 min | MVFF36
MAY
An unlikely connection resonates between a couple whose soulfulness transcends their different back stories. Director: Julian Turner (US 2018) 11 min | MVFF42
TAKE YOUR TIME
This dance piece plays with space, time and choreography in truly remarkable ways. Directors: Max Sacher & Natasha Dorlee Johnson (US 2017) 5 min | MVFF40
ADELINE THE GREAT
Proof that you’re never too young to stand up for your rights (and find allies in the bargain). Director: Jessica Mendez Siqueiros (US 2019) 12 min | MVFF43
PLAYLIST No. 5: BLACK STORIES
Hello again from where we celebrate short films at CFI!
For Black History Month, I really did want to go into filmmaking history, finding early shorts from famous African-American directors like Charles Burnett, Julie Dash and Barry Jenkins. I loved the influence of jazz music from legends Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson and Lester Young and how they transformed ground-breaking shorts from different genres. And I figured I might as well include a few recent gems from black filmmakers and communities around the world. Whether you’ve seen them before or not, they’re all terrific and well worth celebrating and sharing.
Sterling Hedgpeth
– MVFF Shorts Programmer
PUMZI
A futuristic sci-fi tale set in a world where water is extremely scarce. Director: Wanuri Kahiu (South Africa/Kenya 2009) 22 min
DAYBREAK EXPRESS
With a score by Duke Ellington, this is a beautiful tone poem about the former Third Ave. El in New York. Director: D.A. Pennebaker (US 1953) 5 min
THE HORSE
While waiting for his father to come home from work, a young black boy takes care of a horse on what proves to be a fateful day. From the Oscar-winning director of KILLER OF SHEEP. Director: Charles Burnett (US 1973) 14 min
KNOW THE LEDGE
A sweet and playful joy ride by a couple as they explore South Central L.A. Director: Ibra Ake (US 2017) 3 min
JAMMIN’ THE BLUES
With Lester Young fronting a band full of music legends, this film remains a milestone of Jazz on film. Director: Gjon Mili (US 1944) 10 min
TALL ENOUGH
From the director of MOONLIGHT, an interracial couple explore their relationship on a lazy Brooklyn weekend. Director: Barry Jenkins (US 2009) 7 min
BEGONE DULL CARE
Buoyed by the rhythmic genius of pianist Oscar Peterson, this is a masterpiece of animated abstractions. Director: Norman McLaren (Canada 1949) 8 min
ILLUSIONS
From the director of DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST, this is a tale of an African-American actress who “passes” in Hollywood post-WWII. A recent addition to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry. Director: Julie Dash (US 1982) 34 min
5@5 MEMBER PLAYLIST No. 4
INTRO
Sterling Hedgpeth, MVFF and DocLands Programming Manager, introduces our fourth 5@5 Member Playlist
OUT OF ERASERS
Pencil drawings present a threatening menace to those made out of flesh and blood after an eraser factory burns to the ground. Director: Erik Rosalund (Sweden/Denmark 2011) 16 min – MVFF34
THE BREAK-UP TOUR
A man hosts a New York City walking tour, chronicling the landmarks of his doomed relationship. Director: Alexander Poe (US 2012) 7 min – MVFF35
QUALITY TIME
A dad tries to instill the importance of order and timeliness in his haphazard family but is thwarted by an unexpected change of plans. Director: James Redford (US 2010) 9 min – MVFF33
BREAK THE CAMERA
A a visually dynamic tribute to the filmmaker’s grandfather, using found photos, home movies, and audio interviews. This incredibly moving collection proves that the emotional underpinnings of the ties that bind us by blood are universal. Director: Jenna Sofia (US 2018) 5 min – MVFF41
BACKPEDAL
A young woman laments her teen years, her home town and the death of a friend. Director: Dani Pearce (Australia 2019) 5 min – MVFF42
SOULS OF TOTALITY
Filmed during an actual solar eclipse – a love story about the intensity of a looming moment that can change everything. Director: Richard Raymond (US 2018) 19 min – MVFF41
5@5 MEMBER PLAYLIST No. 3
INTRO
Sterling Hedgpeth, MVFF and DocLands Programming Manager, introduces our third 5@5 Member Playlist
AGENT OF CONNECTION
One BART employee takes pride in being an ambassador of personal outreach. Director: Ivan Cash (US 2017) 4 min – MVFF41
SILVIA IN THE WAVES
A mother and son discuss the funeral details of their father/husband who had transitioned to her female identity in this sweet, sensitive tale. Director: Giovana Olmos (Canada 2017) 13 min – MVFF41
RABBIT HUNT
An intimate look at a long-standing tradition for a family in the Florida Everglades. Director: Patrick Bresnan (US 2017) 12 min – DocLands 2017
GAME
A new high school student’s uphill battle trying out for the varsity basketball team is depicted with vivid immediacy. Director: Jeannie Donohoe (US 2016) 15 min – MVFF40
DOWN SOUTH
History comes vibrantly to life in this fierce, poetic view of the horrific legacy of slavery. Director: Bob Yothers (US/Netherlands 2016) 6 min – MVFF39
SWEET, SWEET COUNTRY
This timely story burrows into cultural divides when an Americanized daughter clashes with her newly immigranted Kenyan parents. Director: Dehanza Rogers (US 2013) 20 min – MVFF41
EVELYN X EVELYN
A searing portrait of an African-American couple trying to recover from a terrible loss.. Director: Eric Pumphrey (US 2019) 13 min – MVFF42
5@5 MEMBER PLAYLIST No. 2
INTRO
Sterling Hedgpeth, MVFF and DocLands Programming Manager, introduces the 5@5 Member Playlist
TWINSBURG
A convention of identical twins is the droll catalyst for one pair of brothers who aren’t as alike as they appear. Director Joe Garrity, 2016 16 min – MVFF39
View on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/313267184
DEEP BREAKFAST
Early morning can be the best time for ruminations on God and produce. Director Jonathan Patch, 2015 7 min – MVFF38
3020 LAGUNA ST. IN EXITUM
An evocative chronicle of the art installation within a San Francisco house slated for destruction. Directors Ashley Rodholm/Joe Picard, 2013 9 min – MVFF36
A KING’S BETRAYAL
A children’s birthday party is the source of sinister doings. Director David A. Bornstein, 2014 9 min – MVFF38
LAMENTATION
A Romanian folk song is the jumping-off point for a stunning musical voyage. Director Kirk Kelley, 2015 5 min – MVFF39
#METOO GUMSHOE
Two film noir characters navigate a new landscape of socially conscious behavior. Director Ilyse Mimoun, 2018 6 min – MVFF41
STORM
Big Brother meets online dating in this perversely romantic short. Director Will Kindrick, 2019 11 min – MVFF42
5@5 MEMBER PLAYLIST No. 1
INTRO
Sterling Hedgpeth, MVFF and DocLands Programming Manager, introduces the 5@5 Member Playlist
YELLOW JUBILEE P260-5
Going to the hardware story was never more festive. Director Kate Lain (US 2019) 2 min – MVFF42
AT EASE
Swimming in memory and longing, a homecoming vet chooses a momentous day to discover what lies in store for him back in his small town. Director Jacob Kirby (US 2015) 13 min – MVFF39
TWO CHIPS
Adam Patch’s irresistible ‘Two Chips’ asks what happens when you record your drunken wife’s late night merriment. Director Adam Patch (US 2013) 2 min – MVFF36
CRAIG’S PATHETIC FREAKOUT
Craig claims that he can handle his weed, but Graham Parkes’ ‘Craig’s Pathetic Freakout’ proves he really really can’t. Director Graham Parkes (US 2018, 15 min)– MVFF41
ASAD
A Somali youth emulates the pirates that terrorize his village, but his relationship with a local fisherman proves life-changing. Nominated for Best Live Action Short at the 84th Academy Awards®. Director Bryan Buckley (US 2012) 18 min – MVFF35
THE CENTER OF A BOOK
A wealth of creative devices are used in this vibrant short celebrating the traditions of a beloved analogue craft. Directors Joshua Moore, Liz Payne (US 2018) 5 min – MVFF41
HOW TO BE ALONE
Maika Monroe (IT FOLLOWS) stars as a woman forced to face what lurks in the dark of her own home. Director Kate Trefry (US 2018) 13 min – MVFF42
SEGUNDOS
The charming complexity of father-daughter love perfectly encapsulated. J.R. Heffelfinger (Puerto Rico 2017) 1 min – MVFF40
