CIFF Saturday, Block 5: Shorts Program

THE LIFE AND TRIALS OF WILLY GRUNCH: SNAIL FAIL
CGI Animation (2 mins.) SC Premiere

Director: Oscar Carabano
Writers: Alain Auderset, Dan Streit, JM Khayat, Ben Davis, Bryan Ransom and Oscar Carambano
Producers: JM Khayat, Ben Davis and Bryan Ransom
Cast: Willy Grunch and Oscargot

Synopsis: Willy Grunch only has three things on his mind: Love, Guitars and SNAILS. His flawed pursuit of the beautiful Jasmine leads him through the most amazing and disastrous situations ever imagined while making sure to find time to annoy Oscargot the snail! In this episode we find Willy Grunch doing his best to annoy Oscargot, the snail. The tables quickly turn as Willy Grunch needs help and finds a true life lesson in you reap what you sow.

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CHERRY WAVES
Drama (15 mins.) East Coast Premiere

Director/Writer: Carey Williams
Producers: Brad Clements, Michael Dallatorre and Christina Jo’Leigh
Cast: Tracey Heggins, Lulu Brud, George Jonson, Shaw Jones and Rhobye Wyatt

Synopsis: Angie Adams, a hardened yet spiritual street fighter faces her biggest challenge of whether to continue living her life for others or finally for herself and the woman she loves.

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GROW UP ALREADY
Coming of Age Comedy (11 mins.) SC Premiere

Director/Writer: Richard Keith
Producers: Tom Rice, Jonathan Bennett and Lainie Guidry
Cast: Johnny Simmons, Odette Annable, Frances Fisher, Jim O’Heir and Ethan Suplee

Synopsis: After being dumped by his girlfriend, Andy Mott is determined to win her back — the only problem is, he's got a LOT of growing up to do.

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NAAGAHAAN, ZINAT…
Dramatic Fiction (21 mins.) Iran, SC Premiere

Director/Producer: Navid Nikkhah Azad
Writer: Vahid Nikkhah Azad
Cast: Negar Nikkhah Azad, Raya Nasiri and Asal Farshadjoo

Synopsis: Simin, a 35-years-old teacher, has been renting her foster child, Nafas, from a drug-addicted woman, Nasibeh, for 6 years now. As Nasibeh's husband is being released from life sentence, Nasibeh wants her child back. Now Simin confronts a reality that will change her life forever

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FREE
Dramatic Comedy (5 mins.) SC Premiere

Director/Writer: Marlee Roberts
Producers: George Itzhak, Sam Besser and Marlee Roberts
Cast: Marlee Roberts, David Garelik, Valentina Zell and Sophie Tananbaum

Synopsis: Laura Smith lives a neat and orderly life... that is, until she catches her boyfriend cheating with a physically well-developed yet psychologically underdeveloped moocher. Now what? Laura’s world crashes down as she reflects on the amount of time spent with her boyfriend to neglect a passion always faithful... her writing. Learning from the past to change the future, Laura untangles the messy breakup to reveal her final decision… to forgive but never forget. The break-up, like a catalyst, has inspired her to write more than ever and taught her to always put herself first.

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IT’S ALWAYS
Comedy (4 mins.) United Kingdom, World Premiere

Director/Writer/Producer: Marion Pilowsky
Cast: Cecile Cassel and Daniel Caltagrione

Synopsis: It’s always difficult to work with the one you love. It requires patience, understanding and if you really care… pom-poms.

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EVELYN
Mystery/Fiction (12 mins.). East Coast Premiere

Director/Writer: Dale Nicholls
Producer: Bernadette Spear
Cast: Gretchen Corbett, Chuck McQuary, Joshua Weinstein and Will Ward

Synopsis: Charlie is an old-school technician at one of the last independent suicide firms. He and his apprentice visit a former child-star named Evelyn, a charming recluse with a dark secret. A story told in stylized ellipses, fragments, and misplaced clues.

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LOVE SCENE
Dramatic Short (9 mins.) SC Premiere

Director/Writer: Bethany Ashton Wolf
Producers: Bethany Ashton Wolf, Alan Blomquist, Tyler Brooks, Gavin Boyd and Shelly Youree
Cast: Caitlin Harris, Sebastian Dunn, Tyler Brooks, Martin Soole, Molly Leland, Kim Kendall and Robert Hook

Synopsis: LOVE SCENE is a prologue to Wolf's feature screenplay of the same name, giving a glimpse into the life of Vivien Leigh at the age of 22—still unknown yet on the cusp of stardom—as she embarks on her first screen test in 1935 with renowned British film director Basil Dean.

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TICKET TO RIDE
Comedy (18 mins.) SC, World Premiere

Directors/Writers: Matt Allen and Travis Hicks
Producers: Julie Greilh and James Troutman
Cast: Daniel Jones, Bruce Williamson, Travis Hicks, Matt Allen, Herb Frazier and Donna Jones

Synopsis: Ticket to Ride explores what happens when a store clerk and his cat get in between two best friends and 70 million dollars.