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The Films
Here are the films we saw March 24, 2014, at the Cleveland Foundation free day at the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). The text and photos are from the CIFF website, which we put here to remember our fun day.
Please click on links to go to the official CIFF web page about each film.
Comedy Shorts Program - Monday, March 24th @ 09:35AM
Here is a list of the Comedy Shorts films we saw and their descriptions from the CIFF website:
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SIDE EFFECTS OF BARRY
USA
DIRECTED BY: AMY FRENCH
RUNNING TIME: 5 MINUTES
A new pharmaceutical promises a boyfriend in a pill, but there are side effects.
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CHECK PLEASE
USA
DIRECTED BY: GEOFFREY JAMES
RUNNING TIME: 10 MINUTES
After a relaxing evening out to dinner, two prideful men battle over who gets to pay the check.
Meet the Filmmaker with Geoffrey James director of Check Please.
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DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING?
FINLAND
DIRECTED BY: SELMA VILHUNEN
RUNNING TIME: 7 MINUTES
A comedy about a chaotic morning in a family with kids, and a mother who is determined that it's best to take care of everything herself.
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THE PLEDGE FOR MR. BUNNY
AUSTRALIA
DIRECTED BY: KEVIN LIM
RUNNING TIME: 7 MINUTES
A boy's fascination with machines leads him down a path of deceit and betrayal.
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SCENT OF A WOMAN
USA
DIRECTED BY: LAUREN SAVOY
RUNNING TIME: 12 MINUTES
On the eve of a romantic weekend upstate, sweet but profoundly awkward Chloe plans on telling Dan, her boyfriend of three weeks, that she loves him. While he prepares the one meal he knows how to make, fettuccine alfredo, she tries on sexy lingerie and works to build up her courage. Then, terror strikes as lactose intolerant Chloe comes face to face with Dan's creamy concoction. Chloe escapes to find her trusty dairy-aid, but she's all out. Not wanting to be rude (and hoping to titillate Dan with her voraciousness), Chloe throws caution to the wind and dives in to the meal. But as soon as the wine kicks in, so does the alfredo. Chloe runs to the bathroom in the hopes of suffering in private, but the size of the house only amplifies her thunderous farts. Will her hope for true love be squelched by her cock-blocking emissions?
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THE PORTAL
CANADA
DIRECTED BY: JONATHAN WILLIAMS
RUNNING TIME: 11 MINUTES
A dimension-traveling wizard gets stuck in the 21st century because cell phone radiation interferes with his magic. With his home world on the brink of war, he seeks help from a jaded travel agent who he mistakes for a great sorceress. Without his powers to prove his identity, she has trouble taking him seriously, but finally agrees to reveal the secrets of our world in exchange for a lunch date.
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OMG
CANADA
DIRECTED BY: SIOBHAN DEVINE
RUNNING TIME: 10 MINUTES
OMG is an inter-generational short film about 14-year-old emo-goth Kaylee who thinks she is the top of the food chain when it comes to being misunderstood. After a monster fight with her parents over her texting habit Kaylee runs away to her understanding grandma's house. All is going well until Kaylee's cell phone battery runs out.
Ohio Shorts Program 2 - Monday, March 24th @ 11:00AM
Since these were Ohio stories, it was interesting to learn about some local artists and Cleveland's own Chef Boy-Ar-Dee. Here is a list of the films we saw and their descriptions from the CIFF website:
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SAXOPHONIST HOWIE SMITH
USA
DIRECTED BY: TED SIKORA
RUNNING TIME: 4 MINUTES
SAXAPHONIST HOWIE SMITH describes his approach to the instrument and how he defines jazz in the modern ear.
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THE PIXEL PAINTER
USA
DIRECTED BY: JOSH BOGDAN, RYAN LASKO
RUNNING TIME: 9 MINUTES
Hal Lasko, better known as Grandpa, worked as a graphic artist back when everything was done by hand. His family introduced him to the computer and Microsoft Paint long after he retired. Now, Grandpa spends ten hours a day moving pixels around his computer paintings. His work is a blend of pointillism and 8-bit art. Meet 98-year-old Hal Lasko, The Pixel Painter.
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DEREK HESS—FORCED PERSPECTIVE
USA
DIRECTED BY: NICK CAVALIER
RUNNING TIME: 26 MINUTES
An intimate portrait of Derek Hess by documentary filmmaker Nick Cavalier. From his early flyer work and celebrated sketches, to his elaborate mixed media pieces, this film showcases the evolution of Derek's art and the emotional ripples it leaves behind in the world.
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THE ARCHITECT
USA
DIRECTED BY: DOUG DEARTH
RUNNING TIME: 9 MINUTES
A top architect talent eagerly starts his first job at a prestigious design firm and lands the dream account of a lifetime. But, he quickly learns this new world may be far more sinister than he bargained for, when he finds himself trapped in his own creation. Will he be able to draw himself to freedom?
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MY UNCLE HECTOR
USA
DIRECTED BY: DARLENA ROBERTS
RUNNING TIME: 44 MINUTES
My Uncle Hector is one of the most famous people in the world, but nobody knows he's real!
The Rugby Player - Monday, March 24th @ 03:20PM
Mark Bingham was flying to the wedding of a friend. The day was September 11, 2001. Mark was traveling on United Flight 93. This is not the story of 9/11, but of Mark's remarkable life and the equally remarkable mother who raised him. Through his mother's remembrances and plentiful home videos, we see Mark grow from an awkward boy to an athlete who threw himself into life with zeal and courage. Whether defending friends from assault or coming out as a gay man, Mark never backed down. Nor did his mother Alice. A flight attendant, after the horrific events of 9/11 she turned her grief into a public crusade to tighten airline security. As a spokesperson for Marriage Equality, she honored the memory of a son who, as this moving and joyful film convinces us, was likely one of the heroes who broke into 93's cabin and prevented a greater tragedy. THE RUGBY PLAYER celebrates the Great American, growing not from a Party or Church, but from acceptance, courage, and love. —C.R.
Meet the Filmmaker with Scott Gracheff director of "The Rugby Player"
The Ballad of Shovels and Rope - Monday, March 24th @ 07:20PM
“If you wanna love me baby, then I wish you would.” So sings the song 1200 Miles by husband and wife folk duo Shovels & Rope. You’re in Cleveland, so it’s imperative that you recognize great music; and you’re at the CIFF, so you also have a palate for captivating filmmaking. Welcome to THE BALLAD OF SHOVELS AND ROPE, a combination of behind-the-scenes filmmaking and intimate portraits of artists creating their defining work. When filming started, Cary Ann Hearst was waiting tables and Michael Trent was working as a studio artist while the duo also played gigs in dive bars for 15 people. They’re deeply in love and living the life of poets in South Carolina when they set out with their trusty dog, Townes Van Zandt, to tour out of their van looking to catch a break. The poetry of THE BALLAD OF SHOVELS AND ROPE is written as we watch the rise of an incredibly talented band and get a rare glimpse into the creation of a record that went on to bring in Artists and Song of the Year awards. Be prepared to fall in love with Shovels & Rope. —T.W.