CIFF Sunday, Block 3: Shorts Program

LIGHT ME UP
Animated Comedy (9 mins.) East Coast Premiere

Directors/Producers: Derek Dolechek and Ryan Walton
Writers: Ryan Walton and Becky Wangberg
Cast: Andrew Ducote, Dave Champagne, Andrew Hernon, and Shelley Christl

Synopsis: When people leave a room, light bulbs come to life. Fixtures in the ceiling lead to a miniature world between floors where bulbs go to live their lives after a hard day of work. Light Me Up follows a family of bulbs that work in an antique shop. Frank and Linda run the family business of managing all the bulbs in the store. When they ask their son, Louie, to take over, they find out he has bigger dreams of traveling across the street to be a spotlight in the local theater.

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FABULA
Short (14 mins.) Argentina, SC Premiere

Director/Writer: Agustin Falco
Producer: Cecilia Diez
Cast: AylÉn Sarraf and Lisandro Gallo

Synopsis: One summer afternoon, on the bank of a river, a boy and a girl are starting to meet each other. Meanwhile, landscape and distance will become the stage for a possible beginning.

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GOOD MEN
Short (13 mins.) SC Premiere

Director/Writer: Brian Connors_
Producers: Sean Tracey, Neal Wilde, Dean Jamali, Riley Bodenstab and Mehrdad Sahafi
Cast: Ed Asner and Mark Rydell

Synopsis: GOOD MEN is a dramatic comedy about two elderly Jewish men, Morty and Marcus (Ed Asner and Mark Rydell) who are long time friends and colleagues in the entertainment business. Morty goes over to Marcus' home to invite him to an Oscar Party but an argument ensues. They are polar opposites on all things political but this time the feud gets very heated as they delve into The Holocaust, Mosque at Ground Zero and the conspiracy allegations surrounding the attacks on The World Trace Center on 9/11.

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VALSE FAVORITE
Comedy (15 mins.) France, East Coast Premiere

Director/Writer: Deborah Helpert
Producers: Gilbert Hus and Project Images Films
Cast: Fabrice Deville, Julie De Bona, Elric Covarel Garcia, Herrade Von Meier, LorÈne Devienne, Flavie PÉan and Tristan Petitgirard.

Synopsis: What is the best way to be dump by an emotional boyfriend? Diane has the brilliant idea to organize a barbecue party to solve her friend's problem. The plan is original, but apparently, Diane did not think of everything. The ingenious claimed idea is going to turn out precarious.

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LA MIRADA PERDIDA
Short (11 mins.) SC Premiere

Director/Writer/Producer: DamiÁn Dionisio
Cast: Javier DÍaz Santacruz, Gabriela Pastor, Antonela Frutos, Omar SÚcari, Ariel Buckmayer, Gianni Beck, NicolÁs Fiore and Mariano RÍos

Synopsis: Argentina, 1976. Claude is forced to live with his family in hiding, due to his political ideals. The house in which they live is discovered by the militars. No time to flee, Teresa try to shelter his daughter in a fantasy world to avoid the girl look at the horror they are about to live.

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NOWHERE TO GO
Drama (15 mins.) SC Premiere

Director: Robert May
Writer/Producer: Carly Chaikin
Cast: Carly Chaikin and Jordan Heathcott

Synopsis: The end of a relationship often sees us tortured between words spoken and all that has been left unsaid. Capturing that restless emotion, NOWHERE TO GO fills the raw and indulgent space one lingers in after a breakup, with the internal dialogue we struggle to express. Divulging the gaping chasm between a couples’ worn down and developing thoughts—the film reveals a relationship that is as destructive as it is addictive, with whirlwind glimpses of what used to be. Reflecting flickers of every breakup, NOWHERE TO GO draws the audience in with universal feelings that are all too relatable. Directed by Robert May, the film is Carly Chaikin’s producorial and writing debut, in which she also stars alongside Jordan Heathcott.

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HURDY GURDY
Experimental (4 mins.) Germany, SC Premiere

Directors: Daniel Seideneder and Daniel Pfeiffer
Writer: Daniel Seideneder
Producers: Susanne May and Daniel Seideneder
DOP: Uwe Winter

Synopsis: Great, joyous, miniature film, made using special lenses. Everything and everyone is constantly moving. But is what we see real? A hurdy gurdy is a musical instrument that you play by turning the handle. They often keep playing the same tune over and over again, just like the people, cars, ships and trains that are continuously moving in this miniature film. An investigation into degrees of reality with the aid of special lenses that were designed for architecture photography.