Setting the Stage. Experience the intimate lounges and inviting social spaces of The
Riviera Palm Springs – home of the 2018 Palm Springs
International
Short Film Festival. As seen in Elle DĂŠcor and
Wallpaper* Magazine.
1 6 0 0 N o r t h I n d i a n C a nyo n D r i ve, Pa l m S p r i n g s | 8 6 6. 7 1 6. 81 47 | R i v i e ra Pa l m S p r i n g s.c o m
TABLE OF CONTENTS Box Office Information................. 3 Director’s Welcome...................... 8 Program Schedule...................... 14 Festival Sponsors.......................... 4 Programming Team....................... 9 Programs.................................... 15 Chairman’s Welcome.................... 6 Shortfest Staff............................ 10 Forum......................................... 35 Board of Directors........................ 7 Awards + Jury............................ 13 Film Index................................... 36
BOX OFFICE INFORMATION WHERE TO BUY TICKETS
VENUE LOCATIONS
• For the pleasure of all guests, there is no talking
In Person: Camelot (Palm Springs Cultural Center),
Riviera Hotel, Conference Center, Vista Chino at Indian
no late seating. Those arriving late will be seated in
2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs
Canyon
Online: www.psfilmfest.org / By Phone: 760-778-8979
BOX OFFICE HOURS
6/13-6/18 – 10:00 am to 5:00 pm 6/19 – 10:00 am to 7:00 pm 6/20-6/25 – 1 hour before 1st show until ½ hr after last show begins
Camelot (Palm Springs Cultural Center), 2300 E. Baristo;
GENERAL INFORMATION 760.778.8979 FESTIVAL ETIQUETTE
• Saving space in line or seats in the auditorium for other guests or between shows is not permitted.
PRICES
• Please complete and return your ballot immediately following each program. • To expedite theater cleaning and seating please discard your trash and exit promptly after your screening. • All theater auditoriums are cleared between show times. Any personal items discovered during the
• No large bags, over 12”x12”, with be permitted inside
the Box Office.
the theater.
available only through 6/19, or while supplies last $69 • If you need to leave the theater for any reason, take • Opening Night Program & Party $60
between films.
• No outside food or beverages permitted in auditoriums.
• General Admission $13 • 6-Pack (exchange for film programs of your choice)
or texting permitted during the film presentation and
your Ticket Stub or Festival Pass with you and pick
cleaning process will be kept in the Lost & Found at
• Many lines are outside of the theaters. Please dress appropriately for comfort, as it can get very warm during the day, and theaters may get chilly.
up a RE-ENTRY slip from the volunteer at the door • Closing Night Program and Party $50
before you leave. No one will be re-admitted without a Ticket Stub/Festival Pass AND the Re-Entry slip.
THE FINE PRINT: All sales are final. No refunds or
• No recording equipment is permitted in the theater
10 minutes before show time to be guaranteed a seat. All
• Chairman’s Pass $500 – Reserved seating at Opening Night
auditorium.
films are unrated, and may contain adult subject matter.
• Please turn off all cell phones and other electronic
their original language with English subtitles unless
• Insider’s Pass $200 • Forum Panels $13
exchanges. Ticket holders must be in their seats at least
devices during the film presentation.
Viewer discretion is advised. All films are presented in otherwise noted.
PSFILMFEST.ORG 3
FESTIVAL SPONSORS TITLE SPONSOR
PRESENTING
PLATINUM
GOLD
Film and Television
OFFICIAL PURVEYORS OFFICIAL COFFEE
OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE PARTNER
OFFICIAL HOST HOTEL & MEDIA CENTER
OFFICIAL DIGITAL CINEMA PROVIDER
OFFICIAL VODKA
OFFICIAL WORLDWIDE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO PARTNERS
SILVER
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
MEDIA SPONSORS THE PREMIER DESTINATION RESOURCE ™
News
Music
Movies
Dining
Community Events
www.coachellavalleyweekly.com
HOTEL SPONSORS
PLATINUM
PREMIER
HOSPITALITY drink water, not sugar
®
4 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Interested in supporting ShortFest or the Palm Springs International Film Festival? Consider
SPONSORSHIPS BECOMING A SHORTFEST PATRON VOLUNTEERING BECOMING A PALM SPRINGS FILM SOCIETY MEMBER FOR MORE INFORMATION
PSFILMFEST.ORG PSFILMFEST.ORG 5
CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
On behalf of our board of directors, I’d like to welcome you to the largest exhibition of works by emerging filmmakers in North America. The Palm Springs International ShortFest and Short Film Marketplace has long been the biggest and most prestigious short film festival and marketplace in this hemisphere. Less than five years ago, we boasted of having more than 3,000 short films available for viewing, including public screenings in the Camelot Theatres and private viewing for the film industry in our marketplace. Last year, we made almost 4,000 films available for viewing. This year, we have grown to more than 5,400 films from 157 nations available on the big screen and in our marketplace. A great deal of the credit for ShortFest’s incredible growth goes to our young and extremely capable festival director Lili Rodriguez and her talented team of programmers and screeners. But ShortFest is about much more than watching short films as a unique way to beat the summer heat. It is certainly that, but ShortFest is mostly about nurturing creative talent and developing the filmmakers of tomorrow. We have close to 700 directors, writers, actors and producers coming to this six-day event. That’s more people than the main auditorium of the Camelot Theatres can hold and it’s a remarkable record for our festival. What these numbers mean is the film industry has a greater opportunity than ever before to find films to acquire and program for other film festivals, and emerging filmmakers have a greater opportunity than ever before to network with their peers as well as current members of the film industry. We call ShortFest a $500,000 educational initiative because it provides invaluable career information at master classes, panel discussions and one-on-one meetings with industry people who will talk to film students and young professionals about how to make that next step after showing their short in this festival. The awards we present on our closing day, before re-screening the best shorts of the fest, help distinguish young filmmakers as they seek their next opportunities. But that’s not the end of the journey for these films. ShortFest wins qualify films for nominations for Oscar®’s, BAFTA®’s and Los Premios Goya Awards. More than 100 ShortFest films have gone on to receive Oscar nominations and/or awards. ShortFest alumni include Brie Larson from “The Room,” Ava DuVernay from “Selma,” Robin Swicord from “The Promise,” Rod Lurie from “The Contender” and Jason Reitman from “Juno” and “Up in the Air.” This year, 333 shorts will be screened in 90-minute themed programs at the Camelot Theatres. I want to thank the Camelot’s founders, Rozene and Ric Supple, for hosting us and for all they have done for the Palm Springs International Film Society over these many years. The Supples are also the founders of the Palm Springs Cultural Center. I also want to thank Rhea Lewis-Woodson, the managing director of that society, Zack Solomon, education manager, Elizabeth Wilson, producer of our educational forums, and Lauren Tutzauer, operations manager. We couldn’t have this festival without our hundreds of volunteers, and individual donors and sponsors. The board of directors and I are grateful. Most importantly, I want thank you for giving us an audience. Sincerely,
Harold Matzner
6 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
DAVID L. BARON ESQ.
HELENE GALEN
JACK GRUNDHOFER
JAMES R. HOUSTON
JOANN McGRATH
KEVIN McGUIRE
JOHN WESSMAN
MARSHALL GELFAND
ED MONARCH
SIDNEY CRAIG
PATRICK MUNDT
JOHN PINKNEY
Vice Chairman, Treasurer
Vice Chairman
Vice Chairman
Assistant Treasurer
Vice Chairman
Parliamentarian
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Vice Chairman
Assistant Secretary
Vice Chairman
Assistant Secretary
BOARD MEMBERS
STEPHEN BREIMER
GARY D. HALL
WENDY HECKMANN
PETER MAHLER
LEE MORCUS
JIM BRUNER
MICHAEL CHILDERS
JUDY ALLEN AND JIM HUMMER
MURIEL MYERSON
RICHARD RAMHOFF
BOB DEVILLE
ROBERT DICKEY
JACI FITZSIMONDS
FRITZ FRAUCHIGER
CAROL KAPLAN
TERRI KETOVER
GARRY KIEF
MICHELLE KRANS
DAVID H. READY, ESQ., PH.D
JAN SALTA
LINDA SHIRVANIAN
DOMINIQUE SHWE
ERIC GARNER
PATRICIA GRUNDHOFER
MARY ANN LABAHN DONNA MACMILLAN
ELLEN SNEIDER
JUDY VOSSLER
PSFILMFEST.ORG 7
DIRECTOR’S WELCOME DIRECTOR’S LETTER
I couldn’t be prouder to write these words. Palm Springs International ShortFest is 24 years old and as the world increasingly (deservedly) turns its attention to the wonderful world of short films, the festival is growing right along with it. We are proud and honored to share with you the program of 333 short films that our team has put together from over 5,400 submissions. In the tradition of ShortFest, we’ve included films from across genres and across the globe, with different flavors and perspectives. As in previous editions, we’ve programmed thematically, putting together films that feel right with each other. If you’re attending the festival as a filmmaker, we encourage you to attend as many panels and events at the Forum as you can. ShortFest is designed to provide filmmakers with opportunities to learn and network–from engaging with the audience at screenings, to the Forum with its classes, panels and industry one-onones, to the parties with their endless opportunities to network. If you’re attending as one of our film-loving audience members, we encourage you to try some of our new programs like The Best Days of Our Lives or Life of the Party to name a few. We’ve also brought back some ShortFest staples including the Gay!La screenings and Shorties!, the family-friendly program which is free to the public this year, courtesy of our partnership with UC Riverside. I’d like to personally thank Harold Matzner and the Board of Directors, our brilliant staff, Programming and Screening Teams and our rockstar volunteers. And of course, whether you’re attending as a filmmaker, audience member or industry player, thank you deeply for supporting ShortFest. I’ll see you out there!
Lili Rodriguez
8 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
PROGRAMMING TEAM
Sudeep Sharma
Laura Henneman
Linton Melita
Sudeep Sharma is a film programmer and media scholar. He is a Senior Programmer at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and Palm Springs International ShortFest. He also programs at AFI Fest, Aspen ShortsFest and the Indian Kaleidoscope Film Festival. He has held past programming positions at Sundance Film Festival and Los Angeles Film Festival, and was Director of Programming for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. He completed his Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies at UCLA and has taught there and at other universities throughout Southern California.
Laura Henneman has been a programmer with the Palm Springs International ShortFest since 2015 and has worked in the larger film festival world for over a dozen years, contributing to events taking place everywhere from Ashland, Oregon, to Abu Dhabi, UAE. Most recently her focus has been programming for festivals including the Mill Valley Film Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. She recently joined the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program as the Manager of Creative Producing and Artist Support.
This is Linton’s third year programming for ShortFest. He has worked in the art world since 2011 for organizations such as the Cunningham Dance Foundation, Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, Laguna Art Museum and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. When he isn’t watching John Ford movies, Linton’s main film interests are in new documentary work and contemporary Asian cinema.
Jessica Eskelin
Monish Prakash
Céline Roustan
Coachella Valley resident Jessica started as the Programming Intern of the 2017 ShortFest. She is now the year-round Programming Assistant, but keeps on cultivating her passion for True Crime and (thinks) dinosaurs (are cool).
Monish Prakash is an aspiring filmmaker who relocated from India to Los Angeles in 2015. He often draws inspiration for his stories from the unique diversity in culture and language that his country offers.
Serial festival pre-screener and contributor to Short of the Week, Celine’s passion for short films led her to becoming a summer snowbird. Her greatest achievement to date is to have never lost a sock, ever.
Senior Programmer
Programming Assistant & Jury Coordinator
Programmer
Programming Intern
Programmer & Programming Coordinator
Programming Support
PSFILMFEST.ORG 9
STAFF
Executive Staff
Liliana Rodriguez, ShortFest Festival Director Rhea Lewis-Woodson, Managing Director
Programming
Sudeep Sharma, Senior Programmer Laura Henneman, Programmer Linton Melita, Program Coordinator | Programmer Liz Marion, Forum Producer Jessica Eskelin, Programming Assistant Krystin Braverman, Forum Production Manager Céline Roustan, Programming Support Monish Prakash, Programming Intern
Administration
Lauren Tutzauer, Operations Manager Shanna Ensley, Office Coordinator/Receptionist Jim Gazan, Volunteer Coordinator Felicia Alford, Accountant Rita Huber-Germscheid, Accounting Assistant Mariah Portillo, Accounting Intern
Development
Kristin Bloomer, Sponsorship & Development Manager Israel Wilder, Marketing & Publicity Manager Zack Solomon, Membership & Education Manager Heather Bolton, Senior Development Associate Mackenzie Butler, Marketing Assistant Cynthia Hernandez, Film Society Coordinator Tiffany Carter, Social Media Coordinator Megan Binder, Marketing Intern Martha Lopez, Social Media Intern
Festival Operations
Screening Team
Jeremy Proctor, Technical Manager Kenneth Klump, Venue Manager Joe Adams, Venue Manager Billy Mac Donald, Projectionist Brian Morataya, Projectionist Kaitlyn Ryan, Production Coordinator Austin Good, Production Intern
Box Office
DeShun Leary, Box Office Supervisor
Publicity
Steve Wilson, Publicist, BWR Ron Hoffman, Publicist, BWR Ashley Patterson, Publicist, BWR Erica Markle, Publicist, BWR Nicholas Cox, Kendall Productions, Videography Nathan Cox, Photography
Souvenir Program
Maya Kalabic, Designer Esmé Ryan, Copy Editor
Cover Art & Poster Design LA
Trailer/TV Spot Stampede
Luc Agosta, Medina Ali, Kelanie Aragon, Whitney Baez, Malia Bates, Ebony Bell, Jet Nesa Bland, Heather Bolton, Dylan Boom, Fiona Buzzard, Ezra Buzzington, Jacob Caplan, Holly Copeland, Nick Cox, Julia Ehler, Shanna Ensley, Jessica Eskelin, Harlan Eyre, Dallas Garcia, Austin Good, Margo Handelsman, Laura Hein, Cynthia Hernandez, Suzanne Hogsett, Jesse Knight, Olivia Lanza, Donna Lawton, Robert Lehman, Jianxing Liang, Tianyi Liu, Megan Martindelcampo, Joan Matthias, Ritesh Mehta, Luis Melendez, Savannah Miles, Brianna Nixon, Dominique Oneil, Stephanie Owens, Sophie Prettyman-Beaucamp, Shelley Rodriguez, Céline Roustan, Jonny Roy, Shaheen Sayani, Weihao Shi, Zack Solomon, Ana Souza, Peggy Stabile, Ed Thayer, Robert Torres, Lauren Tutzauer, Alex Vazquez, John Wintemute, Chandler Wise and Dominique Wulfekuhle.
24 TH
SHOR PALM
SHOR
SPRI
T FILM
STAF
F
NGS
TFEST
FESTI
Digital Slide Presentation
Kris Boustedt, First Sight Productions
Guest Relations
Alyssa Lopez, Guest Relations Manager Sophia Gracia, Special Events Manager Maurine Lenahan, Filmmaker Lounge Coordinator Peter East, Credentials Manager Ed Thayer, Film Market Manager Katie Gilligan, Guest Relations Assistant Terri Arnett, Shuttle Coordinator Dominique Wulfekuhle, Hospitality Associate Luis Melendez, Guest Relations Intern
ALL10 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
INTER
ACCE SS
VAL +
NATI
ONA
MAR
L
KET
SUPPORT
THANK YOU TO OUR PATRONS! Michael and Barbara Beyer Dorothy P. Castle David Kroll Sarah Milmet Leo Milmet Kelly Rodgers Linda Shirvanian
WE
OUR VOLUNTEERS! THANK YOU!
PSFILMFEST.ORG 11
SH O FE R ST T WE’RE SOCIAL!
#SHORTFEST18
12 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
AWARDS + JURY 2018 SHORTFEST FILMMAKER AWARDS Best of the Festival Award
$5,000 courtesy of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau: The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration.
Best International Short
$2,000: Awarded to the best short produced outside of the U.S. or Canada.
Best North American Short
$1,000 and Camera Package courtesy of Panavision, valued at $60,000: Awarded to the best short produced in the U.S. or Canada.
Best Animated Short
$2,000: The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration.
Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes
$2,000: The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration.
Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under
$2,000: The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration.
Best Documentary Short
$2,000: The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration.
Youth Jury Awards
Awarded by ShortFest youth juries composed of local students interested in cinema and the arts. The Kids’ Choice jury is made up of students aged 8 to 13 and the Young Cineastes jury is made up of students aged 14 to 17. Kids’ Choice (Ages 13 and under) | $250 Young Cineastes (Ages 14-17) | $250
Future Filmmaker Award
STUDENT AWARDS
Vimeo Staff Pick Award
Best Student Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes $500
$2,000: Awarded to a filmmaker whose work and vision point to a bright, prospective career in cinema. Films featured in competition are eligible for the Vimeo Staff Pick Award, which includes a $4,000 cash prize and, of course, a Vimeo Staff Pick. The winning film will be released on Vimeo June 25, 2018.
Bridging the Borders Award
$2,500 courtesy of GoEnergistics: Awarded by the Cinema Without Borders jury to the short that is most successful in bridging and connecting the people of our world closer together.
Best Student Animated Short $500
Best Student Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under $500 Best Student Documentary Short $500 Alexis Award for Best Emerging Student Filmmaker $500
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Live-Action Short and Best Student Short
JURY
Penelope Bartlett
Programmer at Criterion Collection
Marc-André Grondin Actor
Brian Hu
Artistic Director at Pacific Arts Movement
Missy Laney
Director of Development at Adult Swim
Ina Pira
Curator at Vimeo
PSFILMFEST.ORG 13
PROGRAM SCHEDULE Tuesday, June 19 6:30 PM
Opening Night, Good Vibrations
Wednesday, June 20 10:00 AM 10:30 AM 11:00 AM 12:45 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 3:30 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:15 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM
Brief Encounters Animal Instincts Art Attack Parables, Fantasies & Fables Extraordinary People Under the Spotlight Face the Music The Best Years of Our Lives The Moments that Define Us Public Spaces, Private Lives It Takes Two Life of the Party Girls On Top
Thursday, June 21 10:00 AM 10:30 AM 11:00 AM 12:45 PM 1:20 PM 2:00 PM
Shorties! Lost & Found New Voices Home Is Where the Heart Is Growing Pains Cast Adrift
4:00 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 6:45 PM 7:00 PM 7:45 PM
Gay!La: Program 1 AD 2018 The Kids Are Alright Gay!La: Program 2 All in the Family Secrets & Lies
Friday, June 22 10:00 AM 10:30 AM 11:00 AM 12:40 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 3:30 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 6:15 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM
Far from Home Welcome to the Neighborhood Talk of the Town On the Job Communication Breakdowns Outsiders & Underdogs Around the World in 90 Minutes Coupling & Uncoupling Same Planet, Different Worlds Cons & Consequences Awkward...! Fever Dream Freaks, Geeks & Creeps
Saturday, June 23 10:00 AM 10:30 AM 11:00 AM
12:40 PM 1:15 PM 2:00 PM 3:15 PM 4:15 PM 4:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:30 PM
All About My Mother The Things We Do for Love G’day! Desperate Measures The History of Us And Now for Something Completely Different... Cardinal Sins Wild at Heart Thrills & Chills Heaven & Hell
Sunday, June 24 1:00 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 6:30 PM
Departures We Are the Champions On the Road Closing Night
Monday, June 25 Best of Fest All Day (check website for times and films)
Sibling Stories This American Life Boys & Men
PROUD TO BRING YOU THE 2018
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL
SHORTFEST TRAILER STA M P E D E ST U D I OS .CO M
C R E A T I V E ,
S O C I A L ,
P R O D U C T I O N H O L LY W O O D ,
14 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
C A
&
P O S T
P R O D U C T I O N
OPENING NIGHT + PROGRAMS
Bilby
Opening Night Good Vibrations Tues, June 19, 6:30 pm (68 MIN.) Let’s get this baby going! For Opening Night, we just want to put you in a good mood. Bilby USA, Pierre Perifel, Liron Topaz, JP Sans, 8 min. In the deadly desert of Australia, a lonesome Bilby finds himself tied to a helpless baby bird. Cat Days (Neko no Hi) Germany, Jon Frickey, 11 min. Jiro, a little boy, feels sick. His father takes him to the doctor. She diagnoses a harmless condition, but it shakes the core of the boy’s identity. Hair Wolf USA, Mariama Diallo, 12 min. In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture.
Pink Trailer USA, Mary Neely, 9 min. Best friends Lucy and Julie are spending their summer hiding from a terrorizing neighbor until Lucy runs out of her antidepressants, and they’re forced to fight for their lives. Wave Ireland, Benjamin Cleary, TJ O’Grady Peyton, 14 min. A man wakes up from a coma speaking a fully formed but unrecognizable language, baffling linguistics experts from around the globe. With Thelma (Avec Thelma) Belgium, Ann Sirot, Raphaël Balboni, 14 min. When an Icelandic volcano strands young Thelma’s parents overseas, Jean and Vincent are called into urgent babysitting duty.
Brief Encounters Wed, June 20, 10:00 am (94 MIN.) Chance meetings and temporary companionships–sometimes our most deeply felt experiences are drawn
from the most fleeting of relationships. Blackjack (Valet noir) Switzerland, Lora Mure-Ravaud, 23 min. A female croupier and a young pickpocket form a mostly wordless understanding after their paths unexpectedly intertwine. Careful How You Go USA, Emerald Fennell, 13 min. A darkly comic three-part film about malevolent women who indulge in casual cruelty. Fitting Australia, Emily Avila, 14 min. In the close confines of a lingerie fitting room, Diane is confronted with a problem she cannot solve alone. Flightmode Norway, Liv Mari Mortensen, 15 min. Lone’s career hasn’t lived up to her expectations. While trying to escape herself she acquires a hitchhiker, a rebellious girl who drags Lone to a teenage party, where she discovers she’s not alone in her struggle between ambition and the hard realities of working life.
How to Swim (Eich Lishot) Israel, Noa Gusakov, 15 min. Abigail, who recently lost her mother, is pregnant. Terrified about the coming birth, she “kidnaps” a mother of her own for one afternoon. Kimchi USA, Jackson Segars, 14 min. As his family argues about his end-oflife care, an elderly Korean man reflects on his life with a stranger.
Animal Instincts Wed, June 20, 10:30 am (87 MIN.) Fish, birds, goats, chickens and everything in between! Whether wild or domesticated, as pets or as a representation of our own true selves, a group of films than explores our complex relationship with animals. Bilby USA, Pierre Perifel, Liron Topaz, JP Sans, 8 min. In the deadly desert of Australia, a lonesome Bilby finds himself tied to a helpless baby bird.
PSFILMFEST.ORG 15
PROGRAMS Cat Days (Neko no Hi) Germany, Jon Frickey, 11 min. Jiro, a little boy, feels sick. His father takes him to the doctor. She diagnoses a harmless condition, but it shakes the core of the boy’s identity. Funny Fish (Drôle de poisson) France, Krishna Chandran A. Nair, 6 min. Somewhere in the middle of the ocean, a school of fish comes to the rescue of a goldfish floating on the surface of the water. My Paintbrush Bites USA, Joel Pincosy, Joe Egender, 16 min. A man battling reclusion and a racehorse on the brink of death save each other in unexpected ways. Raymonde or The Vertical Escape (Raymonde ou l’évasion verticale) France, Sarah Van Den Boom, 17 min. Raymonde is really fed up with peas, aphids, dirty panties and having to dig her kitchen garden. She would prefer sex, and love, and the immensity of the sky... Tungrus India, Rishi Chandna, 14 min. Home life for a middle-class Mumbai family becomes a little odd when Dad brings home a new pet: a chick that grows into an aggressive rooster.
Art Attack Wed, June 20, 11:00 am (80 MIN.) Films that prove the only common trait for artists is their inability to be common. The Artist Has a Baby (Konstnären får barn) Sweden, Sanna Lenken, 10 min. The male genius disappears into another world of creativity and inspiration. He sits isolated from the world for days and through pain creates the perfect Art. But what happens to the artist when the Art’s body starts working for someone else, someone much bigger? Bordalo II: A Life of Waste Ireland, Trevor Whelan, Rua Meegan, 10 min. Portrait of Portuguese street artist Artur Bordalo who aims to highlight the extent of our wastefulness and the impact it has on our environment through his “Trash Animals” sculptures. Dieter Not Unhappy Germany, Christian Schäfer, 28 min. Dieter, a cranky, internationally renowned publisher of fine art books, unapologetically prioritizes work over interpersonal relationships. Will the prodding of an insightful photographer and a changing
You Focus On The Shot
of the guard in his personal and printing spheres be enough to liberate him from his hyper professional routines? I Have Something to Tell You USA, Ben Joyner, Dumaine Babcock, 9 min. A fine arts photographer employs his craft to heal old wounds and ease his anxiety about sharing his HIV/AIDS diagnosis with friends and family, creating an acclaimed portrait series in the process. Rebuilding in Miniature Tukey, Veena Rao, 7 min. Ali Alamedy, an Iraqi artist living in Turkey, creates detailed miniature scenes of places he has imagined but never been. Unfinished, 2017 (Mixed media) (Incompleto, 2017) USA, Rafael Salazar Moreno, 16 min. Living in her studio and pushed to the brink by forces financial and personal, an artist has to face her greatest fear and decide if she can continue making art.
Parables, Fantasies & Fables Wed, June 20, 12:45 pm (92 MIN.) Step into the ether and lose yourself
Earthly People (Földiek) Hungary, Ádám Freund, 27 min. In this magical tale, a 12-year-old boy must face the fact that his parents are living in two completely different galaxies, and decide in which one he belongs. In the Arms of the Sea Russia, Dmitry Moiseev, 15 min. One day, three friends decide to go to the sea but learn one of them has turned into a fish. A normal day off becomes a journey to understanding memory, friendship and loss. The Invader’s Song (Arrane ny Ruegeyderyn) UK, Emma Swinton, 13 min. A curious young girl discovers a Viking melody with an ethereal power to lure and mesmerise. Lira’s Forest Canada, Connor Jessup, 9 min. As the end of her life approaches, an old woman encounters a strange spirit from a nearby forest. The Master of York UK, Kieron Quirke, 15 min. A Medieval Jewish scholar conjures a Golem to satisfy his wife’s sexual needs, and pays the price.
We’ll Focus On The Rest
Congratulations To The Filmmakers 16 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
in this selection of imaginative, unearthly shorts.
PROGRAMS Phototaxis USA, Melissa Ferrari, 7 min. A folkloric meditation on West Virginia’s addiction epidemic, this mesmerizing nonfiction piece reflects on the tendency to assign supernatural meaning to tragedy and the unknowable. Room Poland, Micha Socha, 6 min. A disembodied heads finds itself trapped in a room with no way out.
Extraordinary People Wed, June 20, 1:30 pm (96 MIN.) A diverse group of documentaries featuring inspiring men and women facing personal, societal and historic challenges with strength and resolve. The Driver Is Red USA, Randall Christopher, 15 min. In Argentina, in 1960, secret agent Zvi Aharoni hunts down one of the highest ranking Nazi war criminals on the run. JUCK [THRUST] Sweden, Olivia Kastebring, Julia Gumpert, Ulrika Bandeira, 17 min. In this mix of documentary, music and performance inspired by the all female dance group JUCK, which went viral in 2013, the #metoo movement has its
theme song and dance. Little Fiel USA, Irina Patkanian, 16 min. Artist Fiel dos Santos grew up during the 16-year-long civil war in his home country of Mozambique. The only one of his family to never have shot a gun, today he makes art out of them to give voice to the lives lost. Mother & Baby Ireland, Mia Mullarkey, 19 min. Discarded in death as they were in life, Mother & Baby bears witness to children of the fallen women of Ireland. Prince’s Tale Canada, Jamie Miller, 16 min. A portrait of the life of Prince Amponsah, a young actor who survived a near-fatal fire in 2012, and the journey of mental recovery that brought him back on stage. Quiet Hours USA, Paul Szynol, 13 min. Donald Hall, America’s Poet Laureate and winner of the National Medal of Arts, lives in the fragile space between loneliness and solitude.
Under the Spotlight Wed, June 20, 2:00 pm (92 MIN.)
When the bright lights go up and the crowd is ready, it seems like the person on stage is completely remade, but no one can completely disappear into a performance. The Heights USA, Ryan Booth, 22 min. A promising musical duo tries to avoid a meltdown before the biggest show of their career. Krista USA, Danny Madden, 9 min. In her high school theater class, Krista uses a scene study as a catharsis. Offstage Romania, Andrei Huțuleac, 25 min. A famous Romanian actor is kidnapped by the obsessed mother of a young man. Seascape Belgium, Leni Huyghe, 20 min. As Helene struggles to learn her role for a play, she helps her grandmother clear out her apartment at the beach. The sea becomes a place for both women to escape in thoughts and dreams. Talent Night at Auschwitz: Bunk Five USA, Max Rifkind-Barron, 16 min. After he survives a shocking trauma, a 14-year-old boy retreats to his
flamboyant imagination, a dark and glittering dreamworld.
Face the Music Wed, June 20, 3:30 pm (82 MIN.) Musicians, their fans, friends and families populate our cinematic mixtape of backstage dramas, comebacks and songs that you just can’t get out of your head. Babygirl Australia, Lara Gissing, 20 min. Jess, a former country music child-star turned single mother, decides to make a comeback after a 15-year hiatus. Gustav Ireland, Ken Williams, Denis Fitzpatrick, 11 min. A man wakes up with a strange tune in his head. But what is it? And how did it get there? I’m Cold Meat (J’mange froid) France, Romain Laguna, 18 min. Twenty-four hours before their gig, Melan argues with his band mates over the poster, the Nintendo and cold pizza. We Forgot to Break Up Canada, Chandler Levack, 16 min. After a few years’ absence, Evan pays
Preview
the latest Summer CHILL deals. Chillpass.com
PSFILMFEST.ORG 17 GPS_Short_Fest_3rdPg ad04.indd 1
5/14/18 3:35 PM
PROGRAMS
Yaman India, Raghuvir Joshi, 17 min. While Nitya and Vishal wait in a courthouse to make their divorce official, both turn to the memories of their decade-long relationship and their shared connection through classical Indian music.
The Best Years of Our Lives Wed, June 20, 4:30 pm (74 MIN.) A spotlight on the stories that celebrate and explore the later stages in life, we follow people as they build new relationships, rediscover who they are, look back on the lives they’ve lived and enjoy the ones they are living. Death Metal Grandma USA, Leah Galant, 13 min. A 97-year-old Holocaust survivor, Inge Ginsberg, rose to fame as a songwriter for legendary musicians such as Doris Day, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. Follow her journey to break out as a performer in a different musical genre...
Eve USA, Susan Bay Nimoy, 21 min. Convinced he’s on a mission for Stalin, Gideon tries to purchase some SAO biscuits for the dictator; when other shoppers delay him, Gideon’s frustration explodes.
Wendy’s Shabbat USA, Rachel Myers, 10 min. Shabbat dinner gatherings for these Jewish senior citizens is at the Wendy’s fast food restaurant where they say prayers and light candles over hamburgers and fries.
Hula Girl USA, Amy Hill, Chris Riess, 10 min. At 94 years of age, Joan Anderson wants to set the record straight on one of the biggest fads in modern American history.
The Moments that Define Us Wed, June 20, 5:00 pm (88 MIN.)
I Have a Message for You Italy, Matan Rochlitz, 14 min. To escape Auschwitz, she left her father to die. Decades later, she got a message from him. Merry-Go-Round (Lalay-Balalay) Russia, Ruslan Bratov, 13 min. A group of older men go out for a drink. Or two. Or three... Serving Joy Australia, Martin Sharpe, 14 min. The table is set, the roast is cooked to perfection, and the soufflés are rising as high as Joy’s blood pressure at the most important dinner party of her life. As the wine begins to flow and facades drop, buried secrets rise...
And just like that, your life will never be the same. Cornflower USA, Sam Evoy, 9 min. In light of recent events, a young man must take action to protect his little sister from a tragic truth. A Craftsman USA, Sanford Jenkins, 13 min. Overcome with grief, a rural woodworker builds a coffin to join his wife. Nettles USA, Raven Jackson, 25 min. A delicate exploration of female identity, this chaptered short film explores stinging moments in the lives of different girls and women.
award-winning
breakfast 8 –11 am
D OW N T OW N PA L M S P R I N G S 760 327-LULU (5858) L U L U PA L M S P R I N G S . C O M
from
11am
award-winning
3-course
5 appEtizErs 13 EntréEs 6 dEssErts!
$19
3pm–5pm 99
feast *
CALIFORNIA BISTRO AT T H E R I V E R , R A N C H O M I R AG E 760 862-9800 AC Q U A R A N C H O M I R AG E . C O M
18 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
EvEry day aftEr 11am
99 per person
Early Bird spEcial
$16
per person
Thick Skin Iceland, Erlendur Sveinsson, 12 min. Boundaries are crossed at a party in Reykjavik and two lives are turned upside down. The Velvet Underground Played at My High School USA, Anthony Jannelli, Robert Pietri, 7 min. In their first performance in 1965, the Velvet Underground changed music and one young person’s life forever. Waiting Room (Wachtkamer) Netherlands, Simone van Dusseldorp, 11 min. While awaiting hospital results, Sophie deals with her emotions.
Public Spaces, Private Lives Wed, June 20, 6:00 pm (95 MIN.) Secret lives and private hopes. Who we are isn’t always who we present to be.
“THE BEST BRUNCH in CALIFORNIA!”
—— T R I P P I N G . C O M
am EvEry day
lunch & dinner
Teddy UK, Christopher Sweeney, 11 min. On the night Paul’s best friends are killed in a car crash, he must decide if he can make good on a promise none of them expected him to have to keep.
namEd lulu onE of thE
Best 100 restaurants for Brunch in America! —— F O R B E S , L A T I M E S
sunday brunch from 11am $19 99 –3pm
per person
Champagne, Mimosa $4.99 w/ refills
Saturday too! wEEkEnd Brunch at acqua
the best all-day
hour & 11happy – am
closing
*
a surprise visit to his now-famous former bandmates and the reunion is bittersweet, in this intimate depiction of the knotty complexities of relating to old friends after everything has changed.
PROGRAMS Bonobo Switzerland, Zoel Aeschbacher, 18 min. When the elevator of their public housing building breaks down, the fates of several residents intertwine and build to an explosive ending where their limits will be tested. Falling (Tomber) France, Benjamin Vu, 33 min. In the French suburbs, in the winter of 1994, Léo and Baptiste, two polar opposite students, meet up one evening to work on a school presentation. Manicure Iran, Arman Fayaz, 14 min. After the unexpected death of his wife, a man struggles to deal with the aftermath under the eyes of the local villagers. The Mute (Câm Lặng) Vietnam, An Pham, 15 min. The night before her big day, a young woman takes to the streets on a rainy night, seeking answers she is not certain she will find. Signature Japan, Kei Chikaura, 13 min. A young immigrant from China makes his way through the busy streets of Tokyo, preparing for an interview that will determine his precarious future.
It Takes Two Wed, June 20, 7:15 pm (82 MIN.) It’s true you need two to tango, but two wrongs don’t make a right, and sometimes two is too many. These number games will make you smile, laugh and squirm. Botanica Netherlands, Noël Loozen, 13 min. A garden-center employee fears his possible infertility and realizes that sometimes you have to swallow your pride to let love overcome. Excuse Me, I’m Looking for the Ping-Pong Room and My Girlfriend (Entschuldigung, Ich Suche Den Tischtennisraum Und Meine Freundin) Austria, Bernhard Wenger, 23 min. In the bizarre world of an alpine wellness resort, Aron isn’t sure whether he’s searching for his missing girlfriend or himself. Sump UK, Mike Wozniak, 13 min. When a woman’s husband is trapped in an underground cave during a diving accident she finds herself trapped in the company of a talkative constable and an unwelcome guest.
The Villa (Les Grâcieuses) France, Emmanuel Poulain-Arnaud, 19 min. A real estate agent, a single mom on the verge of a breakdown, is showing her best villa to a Russian client who works for billionaires. Both must absolutely conclude a deal, even if they don’t speak the same language and find a real corpse in the closet. With Thelma (Avec Thelma) Belgium, Ann Sirot, Raphaël Balboni, 14 min. When an Icelandic volcano strands young Thelma’s parents overseas, Jean and Vincent are called into urgent babysitting duty.
Life of the Party Wed, June 20, 8:00 pm (85 MIN.) Whether your preferred social gathering includes keg cups, bingo cards or an Amazonian serenade, there’s something for every taste in this program. Are You Still Singing? USA, Gillian Barnes, 13 min. In this funny and compassionate slice of life, costumed party entertainer Joy Fields is barely holding it together, having walked out on her marriage and
discovered that today of all days she’s out of anxiety medication. The Big Day UK, Dawn Shadforth, 15 min. An eccentric but well-meaning young woman is super excited to attend her stepsister’s wedding. But having only recently discovered her existence, her stepfamily are less than delighted about her presence on the big day. Denmark (Danemark) France, Max Mauroux, 17 min. Affable buddies Felix and Vincent wander their seaside town, crashing house parties and rifling through unlocked cars, but their aimless evening takes a hilarious turn when they step behind the counter of a corner store and unwittingly join the working world. Pink Lemonade USA, Christian Sprenger, 15 min. Childhood best friends Alice and Marlowe plan a last attempt evening of casual living-room drug use in an effort to save their dwindling adult friendship. But they’re on drugs, so things could get weird. Tangles and Knots Australia, Renée Marie Petropoulos, 16 min. A sticky, intimate bond between a youthful mother and daughter is
PSFILMFEST.ORG 19
PROGRAMS challenged when the mother helps her daughter throw a party to impress the cool crowd. We Are the Freak Show (Nous sommes le Freak Show) Canada, Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien, 9 min. A bingo game. An allegorical, wild and humorous portrait. An hommage to eccentricity and entertainment, to those things that remain unchanged.
Girls On Top Wed, June 20, 8:30 pm (85 MIN.) From India to Appalachia, women fearlessly lead the way in this international collection of shorts. Birth Control Your Own Adventure USA, Sindha Agha, 5 min. A darkly comedic, personal testimony about birth control side effects and navigating the inadequacies of women’s healthcare. Counterfeit Kunkoo India, Reema Sengupta, 15 min. In a city overflowing with buildings and slums, Smita must find herself a house to rent. She would be the ideal tenant except for one huge flaw: she’s an Indian woman without a husband.
20 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Ma USA, Millicent Cho, 14 min. A bored suburban mom seeks adventure in an anonymous sexual encounter with a younger man, only to find herself to be an unwelcome guest at a teenagers’ party in the woods. Molt USA, Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, 14 min. The summer sun sets in rural Appalachia as 12-year-old Cadie and her neighbor, Sarah, redefine their friendship on the eve of burgeoning sexuality. A Mythology of Pleasure (Una mitología placentera) Germany, Lara Rodríguez Cruz, Jule Katinka Cramer, 6 min. A group of women in Valencia have started a revolution. Their gods and goddesses gave them the example of how to take it upon themselves to turn the world into a place of joy for all. Pan Germany, Anna Roller, 17 min. Juno, a 20-year-old woman, becomes obsessed with Pan. Her obsession turns her into an animal. Propagation USA, Will Joines, Karrie Crouse, 4 min.
After discovering her own User’s Manual, a docile A.I. housewife becomes selfaware and takes her inevitable revenge.
In the deadly desert of Australia, a lonesome Bilby finds himself tied to a helpless baby bird.
Virgencita USA, Giselle Bonilla, 10 min. A woman is charged with suicide after a failed attempt to masturbate.
Crisanto Street USA, Paloma Martinez, 12 min. In the shadow of Silicon Valley, a hidden community thrives despite difficult circumstances. For one resident, eightyear-old Geovany Cesario, impending change is bittersweet.
Shorties! Thur, June 21, 10:00 am (72 MIN.)
Films for kids and the young at heart, this mix of family-friendly fare features a variety of animated, documentary and live action tales. Free Screening Achoo France, Lucas Boutrot, Elise Carret, Maoris Creantor, Pierre Hubert, Camille Lacroix, Charlotte Perroux, 7 min. In ancient China, a little dragon who can’t breathe fire will fight to overcome his weakness in order to take part in the New Year’s celebration. Bilby USA, Pierre Perifel, Liron Topaz, JP Sans, 8 min.
Margaret and the Moon USA, Trevor Morgan, 12 min. An unpopular little girl falls in love with her imagination and learns the true value of friendship. One Small Step USA, Bobby Pontillas, Andrew Chesworth, 8 min. Luna, a young Chinese-American girl, dreams of becoming an astronaut. Supported by her humble father, Luna endeavors to make her dreams come true. Sherbert Rozencrantz, You’re Beautiful Australia, Natalie van den Dungen, 10 min. Milly’s world revolves around her pet guinea pig. When her mother attempts to engineer a “real” friend for her, it results in ridicule and forces Milly to question her sense of self.
PROGRAMS Two Medusas USA, Scott Hamilton Kennedy, 12 min. A funny and bittersweet coming-ofage story set around the drama that happens when two girls have the same costume for their elementary school Halloween contest. Undiscovered USA, Sara Litzenberger, 3 min. Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos–but not for the reasons we think.
Lost & Found Thur, June 21, 10:30 am (99 MIN.) Seekers and searchers, from a boyfriend traveling across borders to rediscover a lost love to a mother combing through a Chinese metropolis in search of her missing daughter, populate this program. After Dawn (Passée l’aube) Belgium, Nicolas Graux, 24 min. Pawel is absolutely positive that separation has completely dampened his feelings for the young man he was in love with. But when he finds an unexpected visitor at home one rainy afternoon, it turns out it might all have been a little different.
A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue) China, Qiu Yang, 15 min. In a nameless Chinese city, a mother with a missing daughter, refuses to go gentle into this good night. Nothing Important UK, Tara FitzGerald, 15 min. Separated from her husband and living alone, a woman slowly discovers things are missing from her apartment. She comes to suspect her unfailingly polite yet odd female neighbor. Based on a Shirley Jackson story. Rå Germany, Sophia Bösch, 30 min. Autumn in Northern Sweden. Linn is 16 and finally allowed to join her father on the elk hunt. She wants to prove herself to the group, but the wilderness itself turns out to be her actual test. Still Water Runs Deep (Ivie Omo Me) USA, Abbesi Akhamie, 15 min. The family patriarch’s stoicism is severely tested when his son goes missing.
New Voices Thur, June 21, 11:00am (88 MIN.) The shorts in this program represent new and exciting directions in cinema, from a manic dream of Nikola Tesla to
a haunting portrait of the U.S.-Mexico border. After/Life USA, Puck Lo, 15 min. In an Arizona desert, a dystopic collective nightmare unfolds where US domestic and foreign policies collide. Down Escalation Japan, Shunsaku Hayashi, 7 min. A human figure trapped in an unstable world begins to undergo a molting process. Maybe It’s Me UK, Dimitris Simou, 6 min. An animator tries to recreate his childhood memories in this formally inventive reflection on loss and acceptance. Silica Australia, Pia Borg, 23 min. An unseen location scout explores an opal mining town in semi-deserted South Australia. In this sci-fi-laced essay, both the traces of indigenous culture and remnants of cinema history are found. The Tesla World Light Canada, Matthew Rankin, 8 min. New York, 1905. Visionary inventor Nikola Tesla makes one last appeal to
J.P. Morgan, his onetime benefactor. Tomorrow the Sun Switzerland, Quentin Tomshire, 29 min. 2028. For reasons unknown to men, the Earth is slowly growing closer to the sun and in the heart of the Congo, a small group of soldiers is witnessing the expansion of the southern forest.
Home Is Where the Heart Is Thur, June 21, 12:45 pm (98 MIN.) For many of us, home is so much more than where we physically reside. It is our heritage, our memories, our loved ones. Crisanto Street USA, Paloma Martinez, 12 min. In the shadow of Silicon Valley, a hidden community thrives despite difficult circumstances. For one resident, eightyear-old Geovany Cesario, impending change is bittersweet. The Fish & the Sea Canada, Phillip Thomas, 20 min. A young man ekes out a solitary existence, living in an abandoned house in the Pacific Northwest. But his deep connection to the place is revealed the day a real estate agent shows the
PSFILMFEST.ORG 21
PROGRAMS property to a potential buyer. Homegrown UK, Quentin Haberham, 9 min. Francis and his son live together in peaceful isolation, but when the boy outgrows his father’s protective confines Francis discovers that what is right for himself may not be best for his son. Imfura Switzerland, Samuel Ishimwe, 36 min. A soft-spoken young man returns to the village of his mother, in search of some connection to the memory and trauma of a painful past, the physical and emotional traces of which remain all too present. Three Room South Korea, Na-yeon Lee, 21 min. A father and his two adult daughters go house hunting, as they slowly adjust to the idea of all being under the same roof once again.
Growing Pains Thur, June 21, 1:20 pm (82 MIN.) Growing up is hard to do but makes for great stories in this collection of coming-of-age shorts.
Benidorm France, Raphaëlle Tinland, 15 min. A young mother and her daughter live in an out-of-season seaside resort. While one works all night in a hotel and the other goes to school all day, they maintain a sense of common life via walkie-talkies. Last Summer Japan, Asuka Sylvie, 13 min. Bored on his summer holidays, Eric stays at home with his grandmother who is starting to show signs of dementia. Rae Canada, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs, 11 min. Today is Rae’s seventh birthday and she’s excited for the party her mom has promised her. But as the day wears on, it becomes obvious that promises have been derailed by personal demons. As Rae’s strength is revealed, parental roles are reversed. Rupture Canada, Yassmina Karajah, 18 min. Four Arab teens go on a quest to find the local public swimming pool in their new Canadian city. Verde Colombia, Victoria Rivera, 10 min. Emilia and Martina have always been inseparable, but when their cousins
come over on a hot summer day, Emilia learns that her sister’s priorities might be changing.
difficult to ignore her feelings, surrounded as she is by pregnant cows whose milk she helps to collect after they give birth.
Weekends USA, Trevor Jimenez, 15 min. In 1980s Toronto, and told with surreal dreamlike moments mixed with domestic realities, a young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents.
Perisher Australia, Gabriel Hutchings, 11 min. A teenage girl, a middle-aged man and a retired racehorse confront their uncertain futures in a forgotten town.
Cast Adrift Thur, June 21, 2:00 pm (98 MIN.) On the edge of society, the protagonists of these shorts forge their own paths ahead in a world that offers few concessions. The Hooligan Soul (Alma Bandida) Brazil, Marco Antonio Pereira, 15 min. Fael wants to give his girlfriend a gift. Meanwhile a disease called passion screams loudly through the streets of the city. Milk Canada, Heather Young, 14 min. A young employee of a rural dairy farm is experiencing anxiety regarding her unexpected pregnancy. She finds it
Subterra USA, Joel Villegas, 18 min. A gifted musician, disillusioned with his reality of mediocre bar gigs and suffocating home life, looks to break free from a community that seems to share few of his aspirations. The Ties that Bind (Ce qui nous tient) France, Yann Chemin, 29 min. In the Normandy countryside, 15-yearold Alex comes home from boarding school to his grieving family. Unravel Canada, Evan Luchkow, 11 min. An isolated conspiracy theorist, searching for the truth, struggles to make a human connection while trying to hide the mysterious fibers growing out of her skin.
Gay!La: Program 1 Thur, June 21, 4:00 pm (82 MIN.)
MFA
FILM, TELEVISION & PHOTOGRAPHY @ Sunset Gower Studios
ATTEND AN UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSION:
June 2 / July 14 11:00 a.m., Sunset Gower Studios 6060 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood
22 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
CAPTURE YOUR VISION
LEARN MORE AT:
msmu.edu/shortfest
PROGRAMS This Gay!La presentation explores the many definitions, struggles and pleasures within the LGBTQ community, from life transitions and breakups to awakening desires.
breaks up with her, Coral realizes that her ex wasn’t actually a person, but was in fact a shovel. Coral must confront her shovel/ex-girlfriend to be able to move on.
Fran this Summer USA, Mary Evangelista, 9 min. Sensitive Francis and skater girlfriend Angie are teenage lovebirds spending the summer shacked up at home while Fran begins her transition from male to female.
A Place to Stay USA, Charlie Polinger, 17 min. In this lush, late-1950s period piece, young Andy drives across Missouri to confront his lover, and instead discovers his double life.
I Have Something to Tell You USA, Ben Joyner, Dumaine Babcock, 9 min. A fine arts photographer employs his craft to heal old wounds and ease his anxiety about sharing his HIV/AIDS diagnosis with friends and family, creating an acclaimed portrait series in the process. The Love Letter (Michtav Ahava Lme’m Sheli) Israel, Atara Frish, 20 min. Finding a special love letter in her locker will make Noa struggle between a safe, restrained world, and her urge to feel, at least for a brief moment–loved. My Ex-Girlfriend Is a Shovel USA, Dezi Gallegos, 14 min. After her girlfriend of three years
Set Me as a Seal Upon Thine Heart (Simani Ke’Hotam Al Libha) Israel, Omer Tobi, 13 min. An encounter in a gay sauna between two men, one young and one older, becomes an unexpected lesson about love.
AD 2018 Thur, June 21, 4:30 pm (78 MIN.) As the ancient curse goes, “May you live in interesting times.” Stories about today that could only be told now. Emergency USA, Carey Williams, 12 min. Faced with an emergency situation, a group of young black and Latino friends carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police.
Mobile (Mobil) Norway, Truls Krane Meby, 10 min. Whalid, a young Syrian refugee living in northern Norway, waits anxiously with his phone for news from his mother and brother as they try to get to Europe. The Motion of Stars (Die Bewegung der Sterne) Austria, Jan Prazak, 13 min. Eight-year-old Lena’s favorite book, about the secret relationship between stars and humans, gains special significance as she watches a solar eclipse with her father, changing both their worlds forever. Roadside Attraction USA, Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas, 10 min. Palm Beach International Airport’s newest snowbird has become one of the fastest growing roadside attractions in the US. Trapeze, U.S.A. USA, Mark Anthony Green, 33 min. One little person’s journey through the large new world of political correctness.
The Kids Are Alright Thur, June 21, 5:00pm (86 MIN.) They may be young, but by choice or by circumstance, they have been
thrust into a world that has little patience for the innocence of childhood. Dulce Colombia, Guille Isa, Angello Faccini, 10 min. In coastal Colombia, a mother teaches her daughter how to swim so that she may go to the mangroves and harvest the piangua shellfish with the other women in the village. Fence (Gardhi) Kosovo, Lendita Zeqiraj, 15 min. A young boy maneuvers around his frenetic Kosovan family while his Roma friend waits outside. The Handover (Die Übergabe) Germany, Leonhard Hofmann, 13 min. A seven-year-old boy is about to see his mother for the first time since his parents’ divorce. Melodi Singapore, Michael Kam, 12 min. An awkward, lonely boy is infatuated with his new neighbor, a young caregiver. In his own way, he reaches out to her... Milk and Cookies USA, Patrick Mulvey, Andrew Ramsay, 8 min.
PSFILMFEST.ORG 23
PROGRAMS Grace is five. She wants milk and cookies. Everyday. Real bad. Paper Crane Australia, Takumi Kawakami, 12 min. On her seventh birthday, Sora deals with the rigid demands set by her family. A View from the Window USA, Azar Kafaei, Chris Filippone, 8 min. Young children at the California School for the Deaf take part in an ordinary day at school in this immersive and touching documentary. Wicked Girl (Kötü Kiz) Turkey, Ayçe Kartal, 8 min. A young Turkish girl with an overflowing imagination looks back on happy memories of holidays with her family, but dark and terrifying realizations begin to emerge.
Darío Germany, Manuel Kinzer, Jorge A. Trujillo Gil, 15 min. Darío is a 17-year-old from Barranquilla, Colombia who loves to dance. Against his mother’s wishes, he plans on dancing with his group at the upcoming carnival. Will he make it? Femme USA, Alden Peters, 17 min. Rejected for being “too femme,” Carson journeys toward self-acceptance by way of a manic existential crisis, a tough-love coworker and a drag-queen fairy godmother. The Fix USA, Edward Jack, 10 min. A surreal queer farce about a young man struggling with an addiction to fellatio.
Gay!La: Program 2 Thurs, June 21, 6:45 pm (98 MIN.)
Let Me Dance (Laissez-moi danser) France, Valérie Leroy, 17 min. When her co-workers decide to surprise Mylène with a birthday celebration, a reminder of a past she would prefer to forget makes its way into the night.
From sweet dramas about characters following their dreams to laugh-outloud tales about self-love, part two of our Gay!La presentation brings you stories to put you in a mood to celebrate!
Men Don’t Whisper USA, Jordan Firstman, 22 min. After being emasculated at a sales conference, gay couple Reese and Peyton set out to do the most masculine thing they can think of–sleep with some women.
AMERICA’S ORIGINAL CRAFT VODKA
Untitled Short Film about White People USA, Nicholas Colia, 17 min. A female yuppie overcompensates for her white guilt by aggressively trying to befriend the Indian woman who works at her local Brooklyn bodega.
All in the Family Thur, June 21, 7:00 pm (85 MIN.) The bonds of family transcend time, distance and personal preference. Through thick and thin, we’re in each other’s business ‘til death us do part. The Day That USA, Dorian Tocker, 26 min. On the day of a father’s unexpected death, six family members each seek ways to manage their grief. In the face of his sudden absence, the ordinary takes on heightened meaning. Freaks of Nurture Canada, Alexandra Lemay, 6 min. An animator bemoans the dinosaur debacle in her latest project, oblivious to the super-human feats of her altruistic mother. JEOM South Korea, Kangmin Kim, 4 min. A father and son both have the same
big birthmark on their butts. Believing that the two birthmarks are connected, the son scrubs at his father’s birthmark, but he can’t get rid of it. Khol (Open) USA, Faroukh Virani, 12 min. An estranged, gay Indian-American man must return to his small hometown when his father dies suddenly. Under Mom’s Skirt (Les trompes de ma mère) France, Sarah Heitz de Chabaneix, 12 min. A young woman goes with her mother for a routine, but TMI, medical checkup. Well Done (Kol Ha Kavod) Israel, Aryeh Hasfari, Omer Ben Simon, 25 min. At a family dinner, Omer’s ego takes a few blows. One uncle forgets his name. No one reacts to his poems, and all the sympathy goes to his singer/celebrity cousin who got a bad review...
Secrets & Lies Thur, June 21, 7:45 pm (99 MIN.) Misinterpretations, deliberate distortions and shocking revelations— these films pull back the curtain on the things we keep hidden from our-
Join millions of creators worldwide. Get powerful tools, built for high-quality storytelling.
Visit vimeo.com/upgrade, and get 15% off Vimeo PRO when you enter code SHORTS15 at checkout.
TitosVodka.com
Handcrafted to be savored responsibly.
DISTILLED & BOTTLED BY FIFTH GENERATION INC. 40% ALC./VOL. © 2017 TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA.
24 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
PROGRAMS selves and from each other. Cross My Heart USA, Sontenish Myers, 14 min. While visiting her family in Jamaica, an American teenager becomes her cousin’s confidant and changes the way she sees the people she loves. From Above (Von Oben) Austria, Felix Krisai, 30 min. When a recently divorced woman begins to hear water running in the empty apartment upstairs, she suspects her ex-husband is trying to torment her. Good People USA, Gregory Kohn, 21 min. Overwhelmed by guilt after an intense affair, Emma returns home to her family hoping to reconnect with her husband. The Shuttle USA, Lu Han, 16 min. An infertile nail salon owner decides to confront her husband, the salon’s shuttle driver, whom she suspects of sleeping with one of her employees. Stray USA, Andrew Boylan, 18 min. Fifteen-year-old Ben Garber infiltrates the household of a family in a neighboring town, with very specific intentions.
Far from Home Fri, June 22, 10:00 am (88 MIN.) As refugees or as workers, millions travel to distant lands. Poignant films for a world defined by the movement of people, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes through desperation or coercion, across borders. And Still We Will Walk On (Et toujours nous marcherons) France, Jonathan Millet, 25 min. Simon arrives in Paris to look for his missing brother and soon discovers the depth of the invisible migrant city. The Caregiver Israel, Ruthy Pribar, 12 min. After a short trip home to India, Raj returns to his 85-year-old employer only to find he’s been replaced by a Filipina caregiver named Joy. But Raj won’t back down without a fight. The Last Refugees USA, Tanaz Eshaghian, 40 min. Among the last Syrian refugees allowed in the US before President Trump’s Muslim travel ban, the Kalajis’ excitement and hope slowly turn into something else as they face the realities of surviving and the magnitude of what they were forced to leave behind.
Magic Alps Italy, Andrea Brusa, Marco Scotuzzi, 15 min. When an Afghan refugee arrives in Italy to seek asylum, with his goat, an Italian immigration officer finds himself in a difficult position. Based on a true story.
Hair Wolf USA, Mariama Diallo, 12 min. In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture.
Room 140 USA, Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz, 11 min. Immigrants just released from detention centers spend their first night in Oakland at a motel, paid for by one of the workers. For one night of respite, they rest, reflect and prepare for the next phase of their journey.
One Cambodian Family Please for My Pleasure USA, A.M. Lukas, 14 min. Hanka, a profoundly lonely refugee from Czechoslovakia, types a letter that paints an all-too-appealing picture of her life in the freezing landscape of North Dakota as she begs an organization to send a Cambodian refugee family so that she may help to resettle them in the “dreamland” that is midwestern Reagan-era America.
Welcome to the Neighborhood Fri, June 22, 10:30 am (92 MIN.) Good fences may make good neighbors, but a lack of good fences makes for great stories! Explore the ups and downs of living side by side with this group of funny, spooky and sweet films. Bertie UK, Garry Crystal, 17 min. A classic suburban tale of parenthood, bereavement and a mysterious pug.
Pink Trailer USA, Mary Neely, 9 min. Best friends Lucy and Julie are spending their summer hiding from a terrorizing neighbor until Lucy runs out of her antidepressants, and they’re forced to fight for their lives. Spacesavers USA, Sarah Ginsburg, 4 min. Each snowfall, Boston residents respond to threatened parking spaces with items of subconscious self-expression.
PSFILMFEST.ORG 25
PROGRAMS Three August Days (Kolm Päeva Augustis) Estonia, Madli Lääne, 20 min. An Estonian girl and Russian boy form an unlikely friendship in the midst of the fall of communism and the rise of capitalism in the Soviet Union in the early ‘90s. Welcome Home (Velkommen til oss) Norway, Armita Keyani, 16 min. Set in the North of Norway, an Iranian refugee couple invite two Jehovah’s Witnesses in when they knock on their door.
Talk of the Town Fri, June 22, 11:00 am (97 MIN.) Word gets around fast in these stories about small communities, where it’s hard to avoid your neighbors and everyone knows your name. Dancing Girls (Dans Eden Kızlar) Turkey, Zeynep Köprülü, 16 min. In a summer town, two best friends wake up to their last day together as one of them is moving abroad. Été UK, Gregory Oke, 19 min. During a hot summer in rural England, a sheep shearer in his late adolescence struggles with a growing attraction to his colleague. My Best Friend’s Shoes (RammatGammat) India, Ajitpal Singh Dhaliwal, 18 min. One is a better footballer, but other is richer. Their friendship hits a crisis when money decides the merit. Palenque Colombia, Sebastián Pinzón Silva, 25 min. An ode to a small town that has greatly contributed to the collective memory of Colombia: San Basilio de Palenque, the first town in the Americas to have broken free from European domination.
26 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
The President’s Visit Lebanon, Cyril Aris, 19 min. When the residents of a small fishing town learn about the upcoming secret visit of the President of the Republic to its local soap shop, they embark on a struggle to clean up and maintain the perfect image of their town.
On the Job Fri, June 22, 12:40 pm (95 MIN.) Behind the counter, the wheel, the stove or on the phone, people often give their best selves to their jobs. Films about the unique joy, monotony, fulfillment and misery of work. The Disinherited (Los Desheredados) Spain, Laura Ferrés, 19 min. Pere Ferrés is 53 years old and owns a small bus company. Lack of money forces him to drive clients who destroy his vehicle to bachelor parties, but he is not prepared to lose his dignity. Kapitalistis France, Pablo Munoz Gomez, 14 min. Santa is a capitalist. He brings toys to the rich kids and sweatshirts to the poor ones. Last Requests USA, Courtenay Johnson, 18 min. The day before the expiration of the last meal request program in Texas, a widow who has worked in the Huntsville Death House for 30 years prepares to cook her last, last meal. Liquor Store Babies USA, So Yun Um, 5 min. Two Korean-American friends reflect on their childhood growing up with fathers who ran liquor stores in Los Angeles. Mamartuile Mexico, Alejandro Saevich, 12 min. The president of Mexico spends his final days in office making plans for his future. Everything looks in order until an international conflict interrupts his pleasant rest.
The Shift USA, Elivia Shaw, Paloma Martinez, 8 min. As dusk descends across the San Francisco Bay, the city’s 911 dispatchers prepare for the busiest time of day, the swing shift. Suck It Up (Avaler des couleuvres) France, Jan Sitta, 19 min. Souad has just passed her diploma as a beautician and found employment in a classy beauty salon. Luck is with her, but something about her new job haunts her.
Communication Breakdowns Fri, June 22, 1:30 pm (94 MIN.) Funny, bittersweet and truthful, these are stories of missed connections, mix ups, language barriers and things left unsaid. It’s a wonder we can communicate at all. Bogdan and Rose (Bogdan i Róza) Poland, Milena Dutkowska, 15 min. A long-married couple live in resentful silence, their daily reciprocal malice escalating to extremes. In this pressure cooker of a relationship, something will have to give. Chuchotage (Susotázs) Hungary, Barnabás Tóth, 16 min. During a professional conference in Prague, two simultanous interpreters in the Hungarian booth realize that only one person is listening to them. Go Tell Your Fathers USA, Chloe Sarbib, Amy Taylor Rosenblum, 13 min. Over a weekend at the beach, a young woman grapples with confiding in her family about a recent sexual assault. Hunter USA, Hilary Bell, 13 min. A struggling open mic comic realizes her disability might be funnier than she thought.
Ur Dead To Me New Zealand, Yonoko Li, 10 min. If there’s one thing Jordan knows from delivering dried bouquets, it’s that while every relationship is different, they all share one thing in common; they end. But one enlightening delivery message will change how she and her clients view the cycles of love and loss. Waiting New Zealand, Amberley Jo Aumua, 13 min. Two boys wait outside a shop for a phone call in this film about fathers, sons and friendship. Wave Ireland, Benjamin Cleary, TJ O’Grady Peyton, 14 min. A man wakes up from a coma speaking a fully formed but unrecognizable language, baffling linguistics experts from around the globe.
Outsiders & Underdogs Fri, June 22, 2:00 pm (92 MIN.) These are the black sheep, the odd ones out, the ones marching to the beats of their own drums. The cards might be stacked against them but we’re rooting for them nonetheless! Garage at Night (Garage de soir) Canada, Daniel Daigle, 13 min. Two brothers bond in a shared hangout space over the course of 12 months. March Fool (Poisson de Mars) Canada, Pierre-Marc Drouin, Simon Lamarre-Ledoux, 14 min. Struggling with depression, Louis finds out that his family is planning a prank on him for April Fools’ day. Problem is: we’re still in March... The Moonshiners (Salaviinanpolttajat) Finland, Juho Kuosmanen, 15 min. A remake of the now-lost first Finnish film Salaviinanpolttajat (1907), in which a couple sets off on an odyssey bearing
PROGRAMS only the essentials for a good life: moonshine and a pig.
Uganda to Bangladesh to the California desert!
Premonition (Premonicion) Chile, Leticia Akel Escarate, 14 min. Javier arrives in a small farming community to look for a job, but has to fight against Chivo’s prejudices to win his place in the community.
Ayesha India, Yanyu Dong, 20 min. In a lush fantasy set in the heart of India, a daughter reclaims her mother’s destiny and desires, lost in another age.
A Worthy Man (En værdig mand) Denmark, Kristian Håskjold, 19 min. Isolated by overnight work in his bakery and ignored by his family, a middleaged father fixates on a radio call-in show and gradually spirals towards a desperate cry for help. The Young Patissier (Le jeune pâtissier) Germany, Ksenia Ciuvaseva, 17 min. Kolja is 15 and already up to open his own business: a cotton candy franchise. As soon as he makes the first steps towards his goal, having a stand at an open-air market, he doesn’t seem to be sure about anything anymore.
Around the World in 90 Minutes Fri, June 22, 3:30 pm (90 MIN.) A cinematic tour of the world, from
Black Line (Ligne noire) Switzerland, Mark Olexa, Francesca Scalisi, 10 min. A woman fishing in turbid waters, a suffering nature, the broken chant of the muezzin–all linked by a thin, black line. Death of the Sound Man (Awasarn Sound Man) Thailand, Sorayos Prapapan, 16 min. Two sound recordists wonder how much their work is actually appreciated in this slyly political portrait of cinema in Thailand. A Farewell China, Yifei He, 13 min. A young Chinese girl comes home to pay respects to her late grandfather, and discovers much about his Muslim faith and her own identity in the process. Happy Today France, Giulio Tonincelli, 17 min. In remote Northern Uganda, an army of nurses answers a higher calling.
Imperial Valley (cultivated run-off) Austria, Lukas Marxt, 14 min. An aerial journey over a western landscape provides a glimpse of the ecological phenomenon that is the Imperial Valley.
Coupling & Uncoupling Fri, June 22, 4:30 pm (91 MIN.) Stories of coming together or breaking apart due to coveted video games, broken condoms, trash cans full of cash and other unusual catalysts. #barewithme (#sovitus) Finland, Ulla Heikkilä, 9 min. While out shopping with her best friends, 30-year-old Madde is blindsided by the appearance of her ex-BFF Elsi and must decide if she’s ready to confront Elsi about her transgressions. Feedback (Larsen) France, Margot Gallimard, 30 min. Maude and Clothilde have been together for several years, but no longer look at each other. Maude suddenly loses her hearing. Cut off from the world, she tries to get closer to Clothilde who avoids her. It’s a journey towards the other, an unreciprocated gaze.
How Tommy Lemenchick Became a Grade 7 Legend Canada, Bastien Alexandre, 11 min. An 11-year-old girl takes elaborate pains to secure a proper first kiss. Nevada USA, Emily Ann Hoffman, 12 min. In this stop-motion animated comedy, a young couple’s romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birthcontrol mishap. Once Upon a Time My Prince Will Come (Il était une fois mon prince viendra) France, Lola Naymark, 15 min. A dreamy bakery employee wishing for a fairy tale life stumbles upon a fortune, a stuttering young man, and a seaside cottage. Suitable USA, Thembi Banks, 14 min. A high school tomboy navigates the minefied of social interactions preceding prom.
Same Planet, Different Worlds Fri, June 22, 5:00 pm (98 MIN.)
Shortfest merchandise available at: ✱ Festival Locations ✱ Flagship Store year-round: 170 N. Palm Canyon Official Merchandise Partner of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Shortfest.
✱ Online 24/7: DestinationPSP.com
PSFILMFEST.ORG 27
PROGRAMS In the melting pot of the modern world we brush up against real and imagined divides every day. These stories exist along those boundary lines, challenging us to see the humanity on both sides. Atelier Denmark, Elsa María Jakobsdóttir, 30 min. A young woman takes refuge in a modern studio utopia on a remote island, but her stay is interrupted by a sound artist and mysterious sheep that close in on the home. Australia Spain, Lino Escalera, 14 min. Career woman Carla and her dealer Raul have interacted regularly for years, but tonight may be their first and only real conversation. Kevlar Sweden, Tuna Özer, 11 min. Camilo, who is from the projects outside Stockholm, and his buddies are hanging out when they see city girl Amina walking by on her way to a party. Camilo decides to take a shot with her and it looks like it might work... Lobster Dinner (Cena d’aragoste) Italy, Gregorio Franchetti, 14 min. Two 12-year-old boys of different backgrounds find their friendship tested when one brings an offering of live lobsters to the other’s single, working-class mother. Open Your Eyes Israel, Ilay Mevorah, 14 min. Ilana believes herself to be a liberal Israeli woman until her regular eye doctor, who administers a crucial injection for her sight, is replaced by Dr. Khoury, an Arab. Faced with the very real possibility of losing her eyesight, Ilana will have to open her eyes to more than she expected. Scaffold Canada, Kazik Radwanski, 15 min. Recent immigrants to Canada, working on scaffolding, break the routine of their 28 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
job by observing the people in the neighborhood from a unique, precarious and ephemeral vantage point.
Cons & Consequences Fri, June 22, 6:15 pm (75 MIN.) A collection of films about criminals, victims and the often amorphous line between the two. Blind Mice USA, Nicholas D’Agostino, 9 min. A con within a con. Gaze (Negah) Iran, Farnoosh Samadi, 14 min. No good deed goes unpunished when, on her way back from work, a woman witnesses a crime. Keep Coming Back! Canada, Brendan Brady, 12 min. A conflicted Canadian commandeers an AA meeting. No Jail Time: The Movie USA, Lance Oppenheim, 9 min. To make their best case for leniency, defense attorneys are producing emotional documentaries for an audience of one: the judge. Pure Bodies (Les corps purs) Belgium, Bérangère McNeese, Guillaume de Ginestel, 31 min. Axelle, an escort girl in Brussels, hires a chauffeur–discreet and simple-minded– to accompany her from hotel to hotel. Night after night, these two lonely souls, hiding behind their respective armor, will inevitably come closer.
Awkward...! Fri, June 22, 7:30 pm (97 MIN.) Bad jobs, unexpected kissing (and more), and death can bring up some embarrassing situations. Come laugh and cringe along with our put-upon protagonists.
Catastrophe Netherlands, Jamille van Wijngaarden, 2 min. When a little bird suddenly drops dead in it’s cage, all eyes are on the cat. The Christmas Fish Czech Republic, Cole Stamm, 25 min. A well-to-do yet awkward English teacher in Prague finds himself unexpectedly celebrating Christmas Eve in the house of one of his middle-aged students and his attractive wife. Hash Key France, Erwan Alépée, 3 min. Alexander calls a number he knows really well. Intercourse (Samlag) Sweden, Jonatan Etzler, 10 min. “I’ll give you 100 bucks,” he suggests. Jokingly she agrees, and nothing will be the same.
program, forced to wear his My.E.Q. Remote Monitoring collar throughout high school.
Fever Dream Fri, June 22, 8:00 pm (95 MIN.) Vivid imagery, distorted realities, provocative and haunting stories. Like a dream that you can’t shake, these films are made for unpacking. Asian Girls Australia, Hyun Lee, 7 min. Chan is a Chinese factory worker who lives alone. Every night, she suffers from horrific nightmares involving the woman in the apartment next door. Bailaora Spain, Rubin Stein, 15 min. A war. A child. A dream.
Maude USA, Anna Margaret Hollyman, 10 min. Working another routine babysitting job, Teeny is shocked by a face from her past. Over the course of the day, she decides to become the woman she had no idea she always wanted to be.
The Beaning USA, Sean McCoy, 10 min. An experimental sports documentary with horror aesthetics explores a sinister theory surrounding the death of Cleveland baseball player Ray Chapman in 1920 and the subsequent rise of the Yankee dynasty.
Sam Did It USA, Dominic Burgess, 10 min. Sam loves his job working in the morgue, almost as much as he loves his celebrity idol, Alfred Molina. When Molina arrives on Sam’s cold hard slab (a potential victim of some nefarious seals), his world is thrown into chaos and despair.
Coyote Switzerland, Lorenz Wunderle, 10 min. A coyote loses his family to a viscious attack by wolves. Tormented by fear, anger and grief, he sees a chance to avenge his family...
Wait for Laugh USA, Patrick Franklin, 17 min. A comedy about death… and living to tell about it. Wyrm USA, Christopher Winterbauer, 20 min. Wyrm has two days to get his first kiss or he’ll be held back as part of the school district’s No Child Left Alone
Islands (Les îles) France, Yann Gonzalez, 24 min. A sexual reverie unfolds over the course of one ethereal night. Plastic Girls South Korea, Nils Clauss, 7 min. In South Korea, robot mannequins in front of stores seek to lure customers inside, but what are they really saying? Shadow Animals (Skuggdjur) Sweden, Jerry Carlsson, 22 min.
PROGRAMS Marall follows her parents to a party and they want her to behave. As the evening progresses she finds the adults’ behavior increasingly strange.
Freaks, Geeks & Creeps Fri, June 22, 8:30 pm (95 MIN.) Whether you’ve ever felt like an outcast or not, you’ll be cheering these films about outsiders and lovable losers. Eccentrics, weirdos, nerds and dweebs, we celebrate you! Eloise Sweden, Johan Rosell, 15 min. An obsessed local outcast enlists the help of a love-struck youngster to attract the attention of a clueless hairdresser. End of the Line USA, Jessica Sanders, 15 min. A lonely man goes to the pet store and buys a tiny man in a cage. It’s a Match USA, Ron Najor, 9 min. A young man and a young woman meet up off a dating app, seeking a connection. Long Distance Relationship (Namoro À Distância)
Brazil, Carolina Markowicz, 5 min. A brief story of a guy who’s obsessed about having sex with extraterrestrials. Midnight Confession US, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, 10 min. West Berlin, 1989. Manny Jumpcannon prowls his dingy apartment, phoning various degenerates from his past. He’s hoping for some uncertain vindication but the ensuing conversations only reveal his own sordid history of deceit. Open Wide UK, Behnam Taheri, Gideon Beresford, 5 min. A man doesn’t expect his visit to the dentist to take such a startling, and perhaps satisfying, turn. Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time: Episode 1 USA, Peter Gulsvig, 4 min. An animated comedy about a maladjusted 42-year-old woman with the emotional capacity of a child who shrinks to the size of her toys and forces them to entertain her. You know, the usual! Troll USA, Anu Valia, 13 min. After getting fired from her job, Alex meets Noah, a distraught struggling musician, in a hospital waiting room. Reeling over the failed suicide attempt of his troubled teenage music student,
Noah attempts to connect with Alex despite her mysterious facade. Wildebeest Belgium, Nicolas Keppens, Matthias Phlips, 19 min. Middle-aged couple Linda and Troyer’s dream safari turns into a horribly real adventure when they get left behind in the wilderness.
Sibling Stories Sat, June 23, 10:00 am (96 MIN.) With life’s myriad challenges, the bond that exists between siblings can at times comfort in ways no others can... or exacerbate the conflict even further. Bog Hole (Myrhull) Norway, Torfinn Iversen, 13 min. Two young girls have to put their difficulties on hold when one of them gets stuck in a bog hole. The beginning of a wonderful friendship Mammoth USA, Ariel Heller, 22 min. Caught between his own grief and sense of family duty, Paul acts as chauffeur for his carefree but terminally ill brother Elliot’s “farewell tour.”
Provence Belgium, Kato De Boeck, 22 min. After an encounter with two Dutch girls, the carefree Camille has to fight for the attention of her older brother on their summer holiday. Roujoula France, Ilias El Faris , 22 min. A DVD seller on the streets of Casablanca recruits his younger brother in a drive to collect enough money to buy a sacrificial sheep for Eid al-Adha. Silence Please (Silencio por favor) Spain, Carlos Villafaina, 17 min. Dani lives with his mother and brother, Javier, who suffers from cerebral palsy. A small incident disrupts the family routine.
This American Life Sat, June 23, 10:30 am (79 MIN.) Whether it’s a melting pot or a great big salad, the United States is rich in diversity. Take a glimpse into the lives of these Americans... Beneath the Ink USA, Cy Dodson, 13 min. In a time when society’s belief systems are seemingly changing (or even reverting back in time), Ohio artist Billy Joe White is challenging his
PSFILMFEST.ORG 29
PROGRAMS Appalachian region by saying: “Bring me your mistakes.”
Americans face an uncertain future amid changing times and landscapes.
Jiejie USA, Feng-I Fiona Roan, 16 min. Fen navigates her first Sunday at a new church alongside her worried mom and clingy younger sister, leading to the biggest conflict since their arrival in the US.
Boys & Men Sat, June 23, 11:00 am (93 MIN.)
Lonesome Willcox USA, Ryan Maxey, Zack Wright, 12 min. Willcox, Arizona, is a country music town that isn’t what it used to be. The town’s only radio station has but one employee–a local pariah who lives in the studio, and who has a complicated and difficult relationship with the music he plays every day. The Mud USA, Brandon Lake, 6 min. A clay figure finds himself by overpowering outside forces trying to rob his very essence, and reflects on identity and the relationship between race, heritage and stereotype. Saltwater Baptism USA, Jared Callahan, Russell Sheaffer, 17 min. Santiago Gonzalez IV is one week away from becoming the first college graduate in his family. As graduation nears, Santi struggles to reconcile his traditional, Christian, MexicanAmerican upbringing with his new life as an openly gay man. Three Boys Manzanar USA, Preeti Mankar Deb, 7 min. Bound by history and circumstance, three boys in an iconic photo taken at the Japanese-American interment camp Manzanar, reunite 70 years later. Unearthed USA, Erin Semine Kökdil, Zulfiya Hamzaki, 8 min. With extensive redevelopment in the California Bay Area, the ancestral graves of Native Americans are being unearthed. Three generations of Native 30 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Crises of masculinity abound in this selection of films, in which gender roles are questioned, relationships tested and sexuality cast into sharp relief. Adam & Esra Austria, Achmed Abdel-Salam, 19 min. A shallow man is forced to face his inner self in this intimate examination of toxic male sexuality. Fauve Canada, Jérémy Comte, 16 min. Set in a surface mine, two boys sink into a seemingly innocent power game with Mother Nature as the sole observer. Layam Israel, Assaf Machnes, 17 min. Shai used to be a tough commander and Kedem used to be his tormented rookie. Things change.
Whether moving or comedic, these stories touch on the enduring impact our mothers leave on our lives. All that We Carry USA, Erin Semine Kökdil, 9 min. A Guatemalan woman tries to make a new home in Oakland. But can a new beginning erase a painful past? August Sun (Sol de Agosto) UK, Franco Volpi, 20 min. Back in his hometown of Buenos Aires for a visit that’s all family business and little pleasure, Javier finds himself torn between the needs of his mentally ill mother and the life he’s built in Europe. Career Day USA, Ashley Deckman, 8 min. Intrepid young Alley waits in the wings of her school auditorium to make her Career Day presentation. Her mom is running late... Everlasting Mom (Ima Lanetzah) Israel, Elinor Nechemya, 14 min. A daughter’s fantasy of her mother, elusively portrayed in her own magical house and garden.
Primo Italy, Federica Gianni, 19 min. On a visit to meet his girlfriend’s parents in a remote village in Tuscany, Primo has to prove his masculinity on a wild boar hunt.
Haunted (Hjemsøgelsen) Denmark, Christian Einshøj, 30 min. An aging mother of four encounters a ghost outside of her absent filmmaker son’s childhood bedroom. To uncover the mystery, her son pays her a long overdue visit.
Sauna USA, Charlie Polinger, 13 min. A teenage boy’s first existential crisis, wherein he discovers that death and manhood come as a package deal.
Kleptomami Germany, Pola Beck, 10 min. A film about the absurdities of today’s mummy-hood.
Sleepover (Sova över) Sweden, Jimi Vall Peterson, 9 min. After an evening at the movies, two young men test their feelings as they spend the night in the same double bed.
All About My Mother Sat, June 23, 12:40 pm (91 MIN.)
The Things We Do for Love Sat, June 23, 1:15 pm (87 MIN.) Romantic and family love tie together this wide-ranging selection of films ranging from poignant to humorous to heartbreaking.
Bonboné Palestine, Rakan Mayasi, 15 min. In an Israeli jail where visits are restricted, a Palestinian couple resorts to an unusual way to conceive. Boundaries USA, Rhys Marc Jones, 9 min. Jared takes extreme measures to gain the sympathy of his ex-boyfriend. Dima UK, Remi Itani, 19 min. Dima is trapped in an aging Beirut apartment with her mother in a conventional neighborhood. She tries to overcome the stigma of being middleaged and unmarried by preparing to go on a date. Matria Spain, Álvaro Gago, 21 min. Faced with the challenges presented by her daily routine, Ramona tries to take refuge in the relationship that unites her with her daughter and granddaughter. Mon Amour, Mon Ami Italy, Adriano Valerio, 16 min. An Italian woman and a Moroccan man, brought together by their past hardships and present struggles with addiction, forge a deep, abiding relationship in this most touching and unlikely of love stories. A Sweet Story Germany, Moritz Biene, 7 min. A bittersweet tale of life, love, cake and fish.
G’day! Sat, June 23, 2:00 pm (77 MIN.)
Live action and animated narratives offering a survey of contemporary filmmaking from this multifaceted, sunburned country.
PROGRAMS An Act of Love Australia, Lucy Knox, 12 min. A close bond between two identical twins is tested when one sister rebels against their shared sense of oneness. Black Lips Australia, Adrian Chiarella, 15 min. A reserved Chinese immigrant leads a life of solitary routine, selling black market abalone and avoiding personal connections. A venture to the coast in search of his supplier leads him down unexplored roads and to a new understanding of himself. Eye Contact Australia, Stuart Mannion, 9 min. In the future you’ll still be able to meet someone in a bar, but will you be able to connect? Lost Property Office Australia, Daniel Agdag, 10 min. In this astonishingly detailed and absorbing animation, the solitary custodian of a city transit center’s lost property office finds new purpose for himself and the items in his care. Red Ink Australia, Alex Ryan, 14 min. Convinced he’s on a mission for Stalin, Gideon tries to purchase some special biscuits for the dictator; when
other shoppers delay him, Gideon’s frustration explodes. Shooter Australia, Andrew Carbone, 17 min. A widowed hunter and single father in the Australian Outback finds himself deeply in debt and falling deeper into depression. His oldest son begins to realize his father may be running out of options.
Desperate Measures Sat, June 23, 3:15 pm (81 MIN.) Backed into corners with little recourse left, the protagonists in these stories look for drastic solutions to seemingly hopeless situations. AniMal (Heyvan) Iran, Bahram Ark, Bahman Ark, 15 min. A man choses an extreme form of camouflage for a risky border crossing. Broken Bunny Canada, Meredith Hama-Brown, 11 min. A young girl’s moral compass and perspective on mortality are challenged when she tries to save a brutally wounded rabbit.
Caroline USA, Logan George, Celine Held, 12 min. When plans fall through, a six-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day.
Black 14 USA, Darius Clark Monroe, 15 min. An archival social study examining white pathology and cognitive dissonance via media coverage of a 1969 racial protest at the University of Wyoming.
The Door (Ovi) Finland, Jenni Toivoniemi, 9 min. When a new father hears an intruder, he jumps to the rescue but quickly learns things are not as they seem.
Mariela Argentina, Victoria Romero, 9 min. A girl remembers the tragic story of the woman who was her nanny.
Graduation`97 Ukraine, Pavlo Ostrikov, 19 min. Roman, a lonely provincial repairman, bumps into a female ex-classmate on a walk through the local market. No one has heard from Liuda for 20 years, but Roman is set on not losing her again.
Obon Germany, Andre Hörmann, Samo, 15 min. Akiko Takakura is one of the last survivors of the atomic bomb explosion of Hiroshima. During Obon, she receives the spirits of her parents and is haunted by memories.
Rien Ne Va Plus! Germany, Sophie Linnenbaum, 15 min. Bodo is up on the roof and about to jump, when suddenly his phone begins to ring...
Rewind Forward Switzerland, Justin Stoneham, 24 min. Reliving the past is sometimes the only way to move forward.
The History of Us Sat, June 23, 4:15 pm (78 MIN.)
While I Yet Live USA, Maris Curran, 15 min. Five acclaimed African American quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama, talk about love, religion and the fight for civil rights as they continue the tradition of quilting that originally brought them together.
From personal to shared histories, this collection of films looks at the things that shape us–the politics, the moments, the people.
Celebrating Australian stories @ScreenAustralia /screen.australia @screenaustralia
screenaustralia.gov.au
PSFILMFEST.ORG 31
PROGRAMS And Now for Something Completely Different... Sat, June 23, 4:45 pm (92 MIN.) Brace yourself for the surreal, the weird and the psychedelic: these shorts will deliver in spades. Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of SelfPreservation USA, Shannon Fleming, 6 min. A precocious girl pickles herself to escape the malaise of childhood. Allen Anders–Live At The Comedy Castle (Circa 1987) USA, Laura Moss, 7 min. Allen Anders is either having a nervous breakdown or the best set of his life. The Box (Celica) Slovenia, Du an Kastelic, 12 min. The Box is full of miserable creatures. One of them doesn’t belong there. The Music Lesson USA, Adam R. Brown, Kyle I. Kelley, 9 min. A jaded music teacher turns the tables on a soul-sucking student. Observatory Blues USA, Eric Paschal Johnson, Conor Dooley, 20 min. A handless writer of erotic science-fiction, inadvertently predicts, in precise detail, our discovery of extraterrestrial life. (OO) Korea, Republic of, Oh Seo-ro, 6 min. The events that occur in somebody’s nostrils. The Passage USA, Kitao Sakurai, 22 min. Phil–mute, wide-eyed, and all-too trusting–flees from an unfulfilling life of privilege in search of deeper human connection, running from mysterious, goose-stepping agents who always seem to be one step behind.
32 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Perfect Town (Willkommen in Perfekt Stadt) Switzerland, Anaïs Voirol, 4 min. In a city obsessed with perfection, the inhabitants are stuck in a constant struggle. An endless cycle of selection, removal and reinsertion blur the lines between endurance and madness. Spacedogs Germany, Sophia Schönborn, 6 min. On a weird planet, dogs live as they please, although they must contend with their surreal and occasionally belligerent surroundings.
Cardinal Sins Sat, June 23, 5:45 pm (89 MIN.) A rollicking program of transgressive characters who prove that while risky, living in sin is not necessarily deadly, and oftentimes it’s a lot of mischievous fun. Bird Karma USA, Willian Salazar, 5 min. You are what you eat. Dead to the World UK, Freddie Hall, 16 min. In this dark comedy, an earnest sobriety coach is tasked with keeping a headstrong, alcoholic actor off the sauce and out of his costar’s bed for the duration of a film shoot. Dressed for Pleasure (Je fais où tu me dis) Switzerland, Marie De Maricourt, 17 min. Sarah, a disabled girl aged about 20, lives with her parents. She is increasingly subject to many fantasies and sees her sexuality taking up more and more of her attention. Emma and the Fury (Emma und die Wut) Germany, Elisa Mishto, 15 min. An anger management group provides a young woman with an unexpected career opportunity where her rage may be more of an asset than a liability.
I Will Not Write Unless I Am Swaddled in Furs New Zealand, Wade Shotter, 6 min. A fussy writer battles his large ego and high expectations to create a work of art.
Sin Cielo USA, Jianna Maarten, 25 min. In the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, two teenagers pursue young love in a region where violence may be inescapable.
Library of God (Noko Stort) Norway, Stian Hafstad, 12 min. When Knut-Ronny receives a letter from the Library of God stating his life isn’t important enough to be included in the Holy Collection, he sets out to prove his worth.
Wild Beasts (Villdyr) Norway, Sverre Kvamme, 10 min. In the middle of the winter in northern Norway, and surrounded by a wild group of kids, a young boy’s impulses are affected by his attraction to his best friend.
The Overcoat UK, Patrick Myles, 18 min. Adapted from a Gogol short story, a lonely social outcast gets a glimpse of what life is like for someone popular (and well dressed), and cannot let it go, even in death.
Wild Game (Jahiloom) Estonia, Jerónimo Sarmiento, 25 min. During the harsh Estonian winter, 15-year-old Liis joins a group of teenagers for an unusual hunting game in the forest, where conflicting emotions surface as the game unfolds.
Wild at Heart Sat, June 23, 7:00 pm (96 MIN.)
Thrills & Chills Sat, June 23, 7:30 pm (90 MIN.)
Burgeoning desires, fiery personalities and questionable choices. The protagonists in these stories remind us growing up can be both the hardest and the most exciting time of our lives.
Thrill seekers, rejoice! This collection of genre films will have you gripping your armrests in suspense. Forget the gym, this is how you get the heart racing.
Evaporated (Evaporado) Mexico, Jimena Muhlia, 15 min. A teenage boy with overflowing hormones can’t help but start fantasizing about his best friend’s mother after inadvertently catching her in a compromising position. Kira Burning USA, Laurel Parmet, 8 min. Teenage Kira attempts to take revenge after a heartbreaking betrayal by her ex-best friend. The School Nurse (Skolsyrran) Sweden, Anna Brodin, Frida Sandberg, 13 min. An inexperienced school nurse finds herself in a power struggle with a 16-year-old boy, and gets an unexpected opportunity to assert her authority.
Acide France, Just Philippot, 18 min. A father rushes to protect his family from an impending storm. Beware the falling rain… Delivery USA, Joe Boothe, 10 min. A flaky delivery driver’s night veers off course when he stumbles into a lover’s quarrel gone wrong. Lunch Ladies USA, J.M. Logan , 19 min. Two burnt-out high school Lunch Ladies do whatever it bloody well takes on their quest to become Johnny Depp’s personal chefs. Nose Nose Nose Eyes! South Korea, Jiwon Moon, 14 min. The terrifying day a 10-year-old girl witnesses her mother stabbing her
PROGRAMS father’s eyes to get insurance money. Prey USA, Bill Whirity, 5 min. While on a first date, a young couple finds themselves being pursued by more than just each other. The Sermon UK, Dean Puckett, 12 min. A young woman’s secret rocks an isolated church community in this disturbing folk horror tale. Two Puddles UK, Timothy Keeling, 6 min. When a family encounters two radically unusual puddles on a woodland retreat, unspoken tensions finally surface. We Summoned a Demon USA, Chris McInroy, 6 min. They just wanted to be cool. Instead, they got a demon.
Heaven & Hell Sat, June 23, 8:30 pm (101 MIN.) Mysticism, spirituality and yearning for higher grounds take center stage in this collection of films that explore the darker side of what we believe. Every Ghost Has an Orchestra USA, Shayna Connelly, 7 min. What happens after we die? Paranormal researcher and experimental composer Michael Esposito explores the question by straddling the line between spiritual and material. Fundamental Taiwan, Shih-chieh Chiu, 7 min. A boy warped into an ultra-fundamentalist environment discovers the terrifying reality behind his community. Will he ever have the courage to escape and realize that life is not black and white, as he’s been told? Kerloster France, Ombeline de la Gournerie, 26 min.
Baptiste and his two siblings have moved to a village rooted by strong beliefs in spirituality. As he is believed to have mystical abilities, villagers seek his help. Then a little girl asks him to wish a boy dead, out of justice… Salvation (Frelsun) Iceland, Thora Hilmarsdottir, 25 min. Katrín wakes up in the hospital after a serious car accident to find that she has received a life-saving blood transfusion. The religious cult she belongs to, however, forbids it. Satán Switzerland, Carlos Tapia González, 17 min. Every day, Tiago goes into his garden to feed the crocodile that killed his brother. Souls of Totality USA, Richard Raymond, 19 min. Lady 18 and Guy 3 have a secret. They are members of a cult that believes if they die during a solar eclipse, their souls will be taken to paradise. But that’s not their secret… They are also profoundly in love.
Departures Sun, June 24, 1:00 pm (92 MIN.) Whether leaving home or saying farewell to a loved one, the characters in these heartfelt films find themselves at the end of their respective paths, preparing for the uncertain futures that await them. All that Remains (Ce qui demeure) Belgium, Anne-Lise Morin, 17 min. Pierrot is turning seven today, and has lost his first tooth. He celebrates his birthday with his brother, sister and father. Only his mom is missing, bedridden upstairs. Kiem Holijanda Netherlands, Sarah Veltmeyer, 14 min.
Brothers Andi and Florist make barely enough money selling milk door-to-door to make ends meet for their family. When Florist reveals he is leaving to find better prospects abroad, the decision is tough for his younger sibling. Negative Space France, Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata, 6 min. Reflections on a father who taught his son how to pack. Punta Cana USA, Andree Ljutica, 15 min. A young, Eastern European immigrant working illegally as a golf ball diver at a New York country club, plans to leave it all behind to pursue his dreams of opening a diving school in the Dominican Republic. Release China, Henry Liu, 25 min. A struggling single mother is faced with the most difficult decision of her life when the father of her child suddenly announces that he is moving to the US. Trois Pages Canada, Roger Gariépy, 15 min. An unassuming middle-aged accountant learns he has only weeks to live...
We Are the Champions Sun, June 24, 1:30 pm (80 MIN.) The ambitious nature of the human spirit is on display in this selection of stories grounded in sport, competition (the friendly, and the not-so-friendly) and the drive for greatness. The Climb USA, Michael Covino, 8 min. Kyle struggles with a bike ride that is much more challenging than he expected. The Life of Esteban (Het Leven van Esteban) Belgium, Inès Eshun, 16 min.
Esteban is a future Olympic swimmer who grows up with his single mother and doesn’t know who his father is. In search of his identity, he discovers that swimming is a metaphor for life itself. Tweener (Brottas) Sweden, Julia Thelin, 15 min. Thirteen-year-old wrestlers Jaana and Bettan are best friends. But as their ambitions and drives lead them down diverging paths, Jaana has to choose between following her best friend or following her goals. Two Medusas USA, Scott Hamilton Kennedy, 12 min. A funny and bittersweet coming-ofage story set around the drama that happens when two girls have the same costume for their elementary school Halloween contest. Would You Look at Her Macedonia, Goran Stolevski, 18 min. A hard-headed tomboy spots an unlikely solution to her problems in an all-male religious ritual. Zion USA, Floyd Russ, 11 min. The inspiring true story of the life of Zion Clark, a young wrestler who was born without legs and grew up in foster care.
On the Road Sun, June 24, 2:00 pm (90 MIN.) The open road can inspire new perspectives and lead to unexpected destinations. Whether the characters are behind the wheel or on the side of the highway, these stories will take you places. The Hitchhiker (L’autostoppeuse) France, Julien Decoin, 16 min. Emily is on the road to the sea in a car she can’t drive, so she picks up drivers to get her there: it’s reverse hitchhiking. Along the way, she meets a father, a brother, a lover, a mother, reminiscent of PSFILMFEST.ORG 33
PROGRAMS
Nursery Rhymes her past and through whom she’ll start to laugh, sleep, sing, love once again.
girl encounters a man who wants her attention.
Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go Australia, Julietta Boscolo, 15 min. Pregnant and in labor, a teenager decides to buy a new car to take her to the hospital and finally take control of her own life. Based on a true story originally told on This American Life.
Nursery Rhymes Australia, Tom Noakes, 5 min. On the side of a rural highway, a bizarre encounter with a Metalhead takes a profound turn.
Mwah Australia, Nina Buxton, 7 min. On her way home at night, a teenage
Pet Friendly USA, Catherine Licata, 15 min. Alice and Paul’s relationship is tested when their cat goes missing during their cross-country road trip.
Stopover (Zwischenstopp) Switzerland, Cosima Frei, 17 min. The prim Maren conducts tours for mainly docile, elderly customers. One day, she finds her estranged, unpredictable brother occupying a seat on the bus before a trip to Bordeaux. Yellow Line France, Simon Rouby, 15 min. A flight over the desert leads us to an intriguing encounter: a highway, splitting the landscape. In its center, a bright, dazzling yellow line.
Want to watch ShortFest films from the comfort of your couch? Visit vimeo.com/channels/shortfest
34 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Closing Night Screening Sun, June 24, 6:30 pm Huddle together one more time for farewell remarks and a presentation of this year’s Academy-qualifying winners followed by a final toast to short films poolside at the Hilton Hotel.
Best of the Fest Mon, June 25 - All Day Catch up on award-winners and audience favorites all day at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)! Check psfilmfest.org on Sunday evening for a list of films playing.
FORUM The ShortFest Forum includes 3-days of roundtables, interactive events, panels, classes and pitching opportunities for filmmakers, while attending Palm Springs ShortFest. Over 50 industry professionals lend their knowledge and expertise to attending filmmakers to these unique events. Topics cover emerging trends, industry best practices and technical know-how from leading producers, creative execs, agents, actors, press and more.
12:00 pm | Class : How To Pitch Like a Pro #2 * We know you have another idea or script you’re ready to pitch — feature, episodic, VR or short form, all are welcome! Our industry guests will show you the ropes to a successful pitch, and share stories on the do’s and don’ts. They will share some insights and then break into groups to workshop some of your pitches. This is a must attend for Speed Pitching!This is a must attend for Speed Pitching!
Passes
1:30 pm | Interactive : Speed Pitching #1 * It’s time to test out those pro pitching skills! Our diverse group of industry professionals — agents, studio executives, financiers, producers and filmmakers — are ready to meet with you one-on-one. You pitch. They respond. Make sure you leave some time for valuable feedback. After 10 minutes it’s musical chairs. FILMMAKER CREDENTIAL REQUIRED.
* Open to Filmmaker & Market passes only * * Open to all passholders Tickets | Individual tickets are available for purchase
Thursday June 21 10:30 am | Roundtable #1 : Production Ins and Outs * Indie to studio and everything in between. This “reverse” roundtable will have creative executives, producers and on-set gurus answering your questions about all things production from acquiring a crew to webisode production. There will be 10 tables with 9 openings for filmmakers at each that will rotate every 20 minutes. Find a seat! 12:00 pm | Class : How To Pitch Like a Pro #1 * We know you have another idea or script you’re ready to pitch — feature, episodic, VR or short form, all are welcome! Our industry guests will show you the ropes to a successful pitch, and share stories on the do’s and don’ts. They will share some insights and then break into groups to workshop some of your pitches. This is a must attend for Speed Pitching! 1:30 pm | Interactive : Funding a Filmmaking Career * The industry is a business - but it is a business full of creation and collaboration. From the time a project is greenlit in your head or in a creative executive’s office, the planning begins. One of the most important aspects of planning is budget and management - the business. Making every dollar count on a production is an art in itself! It pays to know how to move dollars around to make the most of your total budget, human capital included. Producers and filmmakers share inside knowledge and tricks of the trade to get your budget to “that’s a wrap.” 3:30 pm | Panel : The International Landscape ** We’ll take a quick tour to major festivals around the world! Our global festival programmers will give an international bird’s eye view of opportunities abroad to showcase your film. Considering major festivals outside the US will open your films to new audiences and gives a fresh take on the festival circuit. Audiences around the world will be glad you attended this panel!
Friday June 22 10:30 am | Roundtable #2 : Festivals, Strategy, and Programming, Oh My! * There are new festivals and opportunities for your short film around every year. Why should you pick only a certain festival, platform or journalist to submit your film to? Find out at this “reverse” roundtable, where programmers and industry will pitch you their best opportunities. There will be 10 tables with 9 openings for filmmakers at each that will rotate every 20 minutes. Find a seat!
3:30 pm | Panel : The Release Relief : Releasing Your Film to the Audience ** There are more opportunities than ever to release a film to your audience. Festivals, theaters, streaming and distribution each offer options for more people to put eyeballs on your film. Learning the ropes with your most recent short film will be valuable when strategizing for your future projects. What choices and opportunities might present themselves and where? How can filmmakers best capitalize on these? Planning for the release of your film is imperative for the best return on these opportunities. Our panelists will discuss steps for releasing your film from planning to distribution.
Saturday June 23 10:30 am | Roundtable #3 : Victory Lap : Film Postpartum * After the festival run and premieres, where do the best opportunities lie for your film and your next project? Ask our agents, press, platform programmers and acquisitions specialists the best way to get opportunities for your film to live on and be your calling card for your next project. There will be 10 tables with 9 openings for filmmakers at each that will rotate every 20 minutes. Find a seat! 12:00 pm | Class : Networking Like a Seasoned Pro * Your network is not only who you know but who knows your network. Chances to build a network can sometimes be elusive — we take the guesswork out of it! Build a new network at ShortFest forum. Whether it’s approaching actors to read your new script or attracting coverage of your current short film, let our industry guests tell you how to best network when meeting someone new. There will also be some fun breakouts and ice breakers and plenty of time to network at this forum event. 2:00 pm | Interactive : Speed Pitching #2 It’s time to test out those pro pitching skills! Our diverse group of industry professionals — agents, studio executives, financiers, producers and filmmakers — are ready to meet with you one-on-one. You pitch. They respond. Make sure you leave some time for valuable feedback. After 10 minutes it’s musical chairs. FILMMAKER CREDENTIAL REQUIRED. 3:45 pm | Panel : Meet the Programmers Let’s take a quick trip to top festivals and meet their programmers. Our panelists will provide candid insights into the programming process, deciding which festivals are best for your project, and making sure you make the most of your festival experience. Always a favorite panel at ShortFest and a can’t miss event! PSFILMFEST.ORG 35
FILM INDEX Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of Self-Preservation...............................32
A Craftsman.................................................................................18
Happy Today................................................................................27
Acide ...........................................................................................32
Cross My Heart............................................................................25
Haunted.......................................................................................30
Achoo...........................................................................................20 An Act of Love.............................................................................31 Adam & Esra................................................................................30 After Dawn...................................................................................21 After/Life......................................................................................21 Allen Anders - Live At The Comedy Castle (Circa 1987)................32 All that Remains...........................................................................33 All that We Carry..........................................................................30 And Still We Will Walk On............................................................25 AniMal..........................................................................................31 Are You Still Singing?...................................................................19 The Artist Has a Baby..................................................................16 Asian Girls....................................................................................28 Atelier...........................................................................................28 August Sun...................................................................................30 Australia.......................................................................................28 Ayesha..........................................................................................27 Babygirl........................................................................................17 Bailaora........................................................................................28 #barewithme................................................................................27 The Beaning.................................................................................28 Beneath the Ink............................................................................29 Benidorm......................................................................................22 Bertie............................................................................................25 The Big Day..................................................................................19
Bilby....................................................................................... 15&20 Bird Karma...................................................................................32 Birth Control Your Own Adventure................................................20 Black 14........................................................................................31
Crisanto Street...................................................................... 20&21 Dancing Girls................................................................................26 Dario.............................................................................................24 The Day That................................................................................24 Dead to the World.......................................................................32 Death Metal Grandma.................................................................18 Death of the Sound Man..............................................................27 Delivery........................................................................................32 Denmark.......................................................................................19 Dieter Not Unhappy....................................................................16 Dima.............................................................................................30 The Disinherited...........................................................................26 The Door......................................................................................31 Down Escalation...........................................................................21 Dressed for Pleasure....................................................................32 The Driver Is Red.........................................................................17 Dulce............................................................................................23 Earthly People..............................................................................16 Eloise............................................................................................29 Emergency...................................................................................23 Emma and the Fury......................................................................32 End of the Line.............................................................................29 Été................................................................................................26 Evaporated...................................................................................32 Eve................................................................................................18 Everlasting Mom..........................................................................30 Every Ghost Has an Orchestra....................................................33 Excuse Me, I’m Looking for The Ping-
Pong Room and My Girlfriend.....................................................19
Blackjack.......................................................................................15
Eye Contact..................................................................................31
Black Lips.....................................................................................31
A Farewell....................................................................................27
Black Line.....................................................................................27 Blind Mice....................................................................................28 Bogdan and Rose.........................................................................26 Bog Hole......................................................................................29 Bonboné.......................................................................................30 Bonobo.........................................................................................19 Bordalo II: A Life of Waste...........................................................16 Botanica.......................................................................................19 Boundaries...................................................................................30 The Box........................................................................................32 Broken Bunny...............................................................................31 Career Day...................................................................................30 Careful How You Go....................................................................15 The Caregiver...............................................................................25 Caroline........................................................................................31 Catastrophe.................................................................................28
Cat Days................................................................................ 15&16 The Christmas Fish.......................................................................28 Chuchotage..................................................................................26 The Climb.....................................................................................33 Cornflower...................................................................................18 Counterfeit Kunkoo.....................................................................20 Coyote..........................................................................................28
36 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
Falling...........................................................................................19 Fauve............................................................................................30 Feedback......................................................................................27 Femme.........................................................................................24 Fence............................................................................................23 The Fish & The Sea......................................................................21 Fitting...........................................................................................15 The Fix..........................................................................................24 Flightmode...................................................................................15 Fran this Summer.........................................................................23 Freaks of Nurture.........................................................................24 From Above.................................................................................25 Fundamental................................................................................33 Funny Fish....................................................................................16 Garage at Night...........................................................................26 Gaze.............................................................................................28 A Gentle Night.............................................................................21 Good People................................................................................25 Go Tell Your Fathers.....................................................................26 Graduation`97..............................................................................31 Gustav..........................................................................................17
Hair Wolf............................................................................... 15&25 The Handover..............................................................................23
Hash Key......................................................................................28 The Heights..................................................................................17 The Hitchhiker..............................................................................33 Homegrown.................................................................................22 The Hooligan Soul........................................................................22 How Tommy Lemenchick Became a Grade 7 Legend..................27 How to Swim................................................................................15 Hula Girl.......................................................................................18 Hunter..........................................................................................26 I Have a Message for You............................................................18
I Have Something to Tell You................................................. 16&23 I’m Cold Meat..............................................................................17 Imfura...........................................................................................22 Imperial Valley (cultivated run-off)..................................................27 Intercourse...................................................................................28 In the Arms of the Sea.................................................................16 The Invader’s Song.......................................................................16 Islands..........................................................................................28 It’s a Match...................................................................................29 I Will Not Write Unless I Am Swaddled in Furs...........................32 Jeom.............................................................................................24 Jiejie.............................................................................................30 JUCK [THRUST]............................................................................17 Kapitalistis....................................................................................26 Keep Coming Back!.....................................................................28 Kerloster.......................................................................................33 Kevlar...........................................................................................28 Khol (Open)..................................................................................24 Kiem Holijanda.............................................................................33 Kimchi...........................................................................................15 Kira Burning.................................................................................32 Kleptomami..................................................................................30 Krista............................................................................................17 The Last Refugees........................................................................25 Last Requests...............................................................................26 Last Summer................................................................................22 Layam...........................................................................................30 Let Me Dance...............................................................................24 Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go.........................................34 Library of God..............................................................................32 The Life of Esteban......................................................................33 Liquor Store Babies......................................................................26 Lira’s Forest..................................................................................16 Little Fiel......................................................................................17 Lobster Dinner.............................................................................28 Lonesome Willcox........................................................................30 Long Distance Relationship.........................................................29 Lost Property Office....................................................................31 The Love Letter............................................................................23 Lunch Ladies.................................................................................32 Ma................................................................................................20 Magic Alps...................................................................................25 Mamartuile...................................................................................26 Mammoth.....................................................................................29
FILM INDEX Manicure.......................................................................................19
Plastic Girls...................................................................................28
Talent Night at Auschwitz: Bunk Five..........................................17
Margaret and the Moon...............................................................20
The President’s Visit.....................................................................26
Tangles and Knots........................................................................19
March Fool...................................................................................26 Mariela.........................................................................................31 The Master of York.......................................................................16 Matria...........................................................................................30 Maude..........................................................................................28 Maybe It’s Me..............................................................................21 Melodi..........................................................................................23 Men Don’t Whisper......................................................................24 Merry-Go-Round..........................................................................18 Midnight Confession....................................................................29 Milk...............................................................................................22 Milk and Cookies.........................................................................23 Mobile..........................................................................................23 Molt..............................................................................................20 Mon Amour, Mon Ami..................................................................30 The Moonshiners..........................................................................26 Mother & Baby.............................................................................17 The Motion of Stars.....................................................................23 The Mud.......................................................................................30 The Music Lesson.........................................................................32 The Mute......................................................................................18 Mwah............................................................................................34 My Best Friend’s Shoes................................................................26 My Ex-Girlfriend Is a Shovel.........................................................23 My Paintbrush Bites.....................................................................16 A Mythology of Pleasure.............................................................20 Negative Space............................................................................33 Nettles..........................................................................................18 Nevada.........................................................................................27 No Jail Time: The Movie..............................................................28 Nose Nose Nose Eyes!................................................................32 Nothing Important.......................................................................21 Nursery Rhymes...........................................................................34 Obon............................................................................................31 Observatory Blues.......................................................................32 Offstage.......................................................................................17 Once Upon a Time My Prince Will Come....................................27 One Cambodian Family Please for My Pleasure.........................25 One Small Step............................................................................20 (OO)..............................................................................................32 Open Wide...................................................................................29 Open Your Eyes...........................................................................28 The Overcoat...............................................................................32 Palenque......................................................................................26 Pan................................................................................................20 Paper Crane.................................................................................24 The Passage.................................................................................32 Perfect Town................................................................................32 Perisher........................................................................................22 Pet Friendly..................................................................................34 Phototaxis....................................................................................17 Pink Lemonade.............................................................................19
Pink Trailer............................................................................. 15&25 A Place to Stay.............................................................................23
Premonition..................................................................................27 Prey..............................................................................................33 Primo............................................................................................30 Prince’s Tale..................................................................................17 Propagation..................................................................................20 Provence......................................................................................29 Punta Cana...................................................................................33 Pure Bodies..................................................................................28 Quiet Hours..................................................................................17 Rå.................................................................................................21 Rae...............................................................................................22 Raymonde or The Vertical Escape...............................................16 Rebuilding in Miniature ...............................................................16 Red Ink.........................................................................................31 Release.........................................................................................33 Rewind Forward...........................................................................31 Rien Ne Va Plus!...........................................................................31 Roadside Attraction.....................................................................23 Room............................................................................................17 Room 140.....................................................................................25
Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time: Episode 1.................................................29 Teddy............................................................................................18 The Tesla World Light..................................................................21 Thick Skin.....................................................................................18 Three August Days.......................................................................26 Three Boys Manzanar...................................................................30 Three Room..................................................................................22 The Ties that Bind........................................................................22 Tomorrow the Sun........................................................................21 Trapeze, U.S.A..............................................................................23 Trois Pages...................................................................................33 Troll...............................................................................................29 Tungrus.........................................................................................16 Tweener........................................................................................33
Two Medusas........................................................................ 20&33 Two Puddles.................................................................................33 Under Mom’s Skirt.......................................................................24 Undiscovered...............................................................................21 Unearthed....................................................................................30
Roujoula...................................................................................... 29
Unfinished, 2017 (Mixed media)..................................................16
Saltwater Baptism........................................................................30
Untitled Short Film About White People.....................................24
Sam Did It.....................................................................................28
The Velvet Underground Played at My High School...................18
Sauna............................................................................................30
A View from the Window.............................................................24
The School Nurse.........................................................................32
Virgencita.....................................................................................20
Rupture.........................................................................................22
Unravel.........................................................................................22
Salvation.......................................................................................33
Ur Dead To Me.............................................................................26
Satán............................................................................................33
Verde............................................................................................22
Scaffold........................................................................................28
The Villa........................................................................................19
Seascape......................................................................................17
Wait for Laugh..............................................................................28
The Sermon..................................................................................33 Serving Joy...................................................................................18 Set Me as a Seal Upon Thine Heart...............................................23 Shadow Animals...........................................................................28 Sherbert Rozencrantz, You’re Beautiful.......................................20 The Shift.......................................................................................26 Shooter.........................................................................................31 The Shuttle...................................................................................25 Signature......................................................................................19 Silence Please...............................................................................29 Silica.............................................................................................21 Sin Cielo.......................................................................................32 Sleepover.....................................................................................30 Souls of Totality............................................................................33 Spacedogs....................................................................................32 Spacesavers..................................................................................25 Still Water Runs Deep..................................................................21 Stopover.......................................................................................34 Stray.............................................................................................25 Subterra.......................................................................................22 Suck It Up.....................................................................................26
Waiting.........................................................................................26 Waiting Room...............................................................................18
Wave...................................................................................... 15&26 We Are the Freak Show...............................................................20 Weekends.....................................................................................22 We Forgot to Break Up................................................................17 Welcome Home............................................................................26 Well Done.....................................................................................24 Wendy’s Shabbat.........................................................................18 We Summoned a Demon.............................................................33 While I Yet Live.............................................................................31 Wicked Girl...................................................................................24 Wild Beasts..................................................................................32 Wildbeest.....................................................................................29 Wild Game...................................................................................32
With Thelma.......................................................................... 15&19 A Worthy Man..............................................................................27 Would You Look at Her................................................................33 Wyrm............................................................................................28 Yaman...........................................................................................18
Suitable........................................................................................27
Yellow Line...................................................................................34
A Sweet Story..............................................................................30
Zion..............................................................................................33
Sump............................................................................................19
The Young Patissier......................................................................27
HAPPY FESTIVAL!
ACROSS 2. You can stick around after a screening to see their Q+A 5. Former name of the Palm Springs Cultural Center DOWN 1. Our host hotel 3. Drink this to stay hydrated! 4. No features, just _______.
WORD SEARCH PALMTREE | SUN | SHORTS POOL | FILM | CACTUS
38 Palm Springs International ShortFest | 2018
SpencersFP_ShortFest18_IBC.pdf
1
5/16/18
4:04 PM
THE BEST OF PALM SPRINGS IF YOU HAVEN’T DINED WITH US YET, WE INVITE YOU TO SEE OR SHOULD WE SAY TASTE, WHY SPENCER’S IS
the best of the best. VOTED BEST CONTINENTAL AMERICAN RESTAURANT ROMANTIC RESTAURANT ALFRESCO DINING BREAKFAST • GLUTEN FREE WEEKEND BRUNCH CATERER • POWER LUNCH CLASSIC COCKTAILS WINE LIST PET FRIENDLY DINING
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BREAKFAST 8:00-11:00 LUNCH 11:00-2:30 DINNER 5:00-10:00 SUNDAY BRUNCH 8:00-2:30
760.327.3446 701 W BARISTO RD. PALM SPRINGS • TWO BLOCKS WEST OF PALM CANYON DRIVE
@spencersps
WWW.SPENCERSRESTAURANT.COM PSFILMFEST.ORG 39
Palm Springs’ unique and very diverse architecture, landscape and great weather are ideal for filming and photo shoots. From scenic snow-covered mountains to desert gardens, from mid-century modern architecture to wild-western desert scenes, Palm Springs offers a stunning variety of vistas.
www.VisitPalmSprings.com
PS_City_Ad_shortfest-2017.indd 1
5/2/2018 8:02:36 AM