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Ricky – Dir. Rashad Frett

An ex-offender struggling with new freedom pursues redemption at all costs when given a job from his neighbor.

For realsies this time:

My heart ached watching this short. It didn’t click in with me at the very start but by the end I was breathing in sync with the main character and had goosebumps up and down my arms. The sound design is absolutely to die for and supported the stellar performances, especially by the lead Parish Bradley. This short really demonstrated why I like shorts: it skips the exposition phase and jumps straight to the meat. Everything is stated via context, subtext, and, well, text. (The dialogue was very lean but startlingly effective.) Highly recommend this one.

I wanted to watch the Film Team QnA but my laptop absolutely rebelled. I’ll try again later.

I took a sexy, sexy fanfiction break because I’m a Certified Hot Bitch and chilling in my jammies.

Short Film Program 2

AirHostess-737 – Dir. Thanasis Neofotistos

An air hostess collapses on flight, convinced that her problem is her new braces. However, her colleagues know the plane is carrying her mother’s dead body to her hometown.

This film was entrancing. The lead’s performance – Lena Papaligoura – is hypnotic. The camera is on her face the entire time, and her mannerisms sucked me in completely. Outstanding performance, and really enthralling film overall.

Rest Stop – Dir. Crystal Kayiza

On a bus ride from New York to Oklahoma, Meyi, a young Ugandan-American girl, realizes her place in the world through her mother’s ambitious effort to reunite their family.

The sense of place was really wonderful in this. I loved how the camera moved, especially because we were in such tight spaces (bus, restroom, cramped but empty house) for the entire duration. It felt delicate. I didn’t realize the perspective was of the little girl until late in the game, but that didn’t detract from my experience at all.

I AM HOME – Dir. Kymon Greyhorse

As time goes on and the world around us shifts, we adapt and change. Although we might look different, deep down we are still the same. We are made from Mother Earth – mud, wood, love, and patience.

This one is bite sized! The costumes and the rhythm of the film kept me very engaged. I wish I knew what tribe this was from so I could properly credit and look into it more. Either way, I enjoy seeing native stories onscreen. I enjoyed the exploration of adaptation while staying the same.

idk what is up with the Sundance online player but it must loathe me. It’s nearly crashed Firefox like 5 times.

Troy – Dir. Mike Donahue

Troy has loud sex. Troy has loud sex 24/7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives… Or is he saving them?

This was so funny and I loved it so much and oh my GOSH looking at the credits I know why!! It’s written by one of my favorite playwrights (Jen Silverman), and directed by the director (Mike Donahue) that directed one of said playwright’s plays in a production that I still adore to this day – 5 years after seeing it! AND it had an actor in it who I have only seen in online plays – Pooya Mohseni – and you can tell I love her work because she was in this short for about 8 seconds and I still recognized her! I’m awful at recognizing famous people but I sure as shit recognized Mohseni!! This film was so funny, so well directed, so well acted, so well paced… This is one of my favorites so far, hands down.

Life Without Dreams – Dir. Jessica Bardsley

Set in the outer space of consciousness, where the surfaces of far-out planetary bodies form the terrain for an exploration of 24/7 capitalism, insomnia, and the disappearance of darkness.

This film was unnerving in a very magnetic way. The black and white inverted footage really stood out to me. (Plus my cat liked it for the birdsong and flying things (bats) onscreen.)

Baba – Dir. Anya Chirkova and Meran Ismailsoy

A middle-aged Iranian man makes a desperate bid to keep his apartment as his relationship with his son unravels.

Ouch.

Ouch.

I don’t know what to write for this one. This man is just digging his own grave and then when he hits rock bottom he goes and keeps digging. Ouch.

I would be so grateful if they’d stop hiding the longest short for the very last thing in the set. It messes with me.

We Were Meant To – Dir. Tari Wariebi

In a world where Black men have wings and their first flight is a rite of passage, Akil must defy fears, insecurities, and societal barriers while discovering his perfect launch into manhood.

I am always here for superpower stories in mundane settings. This film gave me a huge sense of dread throughout, and then, of course, the absolute worst happens. I’m really glad that it ended on a high note, because I don’t think I could take it if it went exactly as expected. Also, very nice lighting.

Sundance tried to crash my Firefox again immediately after finishing that short so I think that’s my cue to break for the evening. I need to pick up the pace if I want to watch all of these before they’re gone!!

Something else I’m noticing is stuff is labelled as “BIPOC Stories” or “Female-Led Narratives” and I know why it’s there and it’s ultimately a positive thing… but it still makes me feel icky. I kind of wish they’d label all of the films with labels like that: “White Centric Narrative,” “Male Perspective,” etc. It feels like a weird swing backwards even though it’s not supposed to feel like that.