Short films @ Stranger Than Fiction 2008
Finishing my round-up of this year's Stranger Than Fiction film festival at the IFI in Dublin, here's a few (very) brief thoughts on the short film selection from Sunday morning. Well, apart from Rouzbeh Rashidi's THE BLIGHT, which was unfortunately abandoned due to some technical issues.
THE CEMETERY PEOPLE (Alessandro Molatore) takes a look at the life of a community of families in South America (I think - I've forgotten, sorry) who have built what amounts to a small town in a large cemetery. There's nothing flashy or showy about the film, but there doesn't need to be. The simple sight of a group of poverty-stricken people sleeping in emptied-out tombs is enough leave you with your mouth hanging open in disbelief.
HEADFORT (Brendan Casey) is a look at the life of the kids in an Irish boarding school. They're all rich and posh and while the film is interesting in itself it's even more striking when shown in contrast to the lives of some of the people in the other short films on offer here (such as the film above). Truly a case of "how the other half live".
GOD & NAPOLEON (Ciaran Deeney) is an observation on the life of an Irish bachelor living out in the middle of nowhere in a rundown cottage (think along the lines of Pat Shortt in GARAGE - except real). It's beautifully shot and although I spent the first minute or two thinking I was going to get very bored very quickly, it had quite the opposite reaction. By the end I was fascinated and truly drawn into the film. A nice film and a deserved prize winner.
WALKING DREAMS (Evan Barry) sees a beautiful young woman ballet dancing while a voiceover from a paralysed woman plays in stark contrast. Another beautifully shot piece and another deserved prize winner. The music was also haunting but if anyone out there knows where I've heard it before, please leave a comment and tell me. I'm sure it was in a film or a trailer for something, and I can't remember what. And now I'm getting really annoyed.
THE PUPPETEER AND THE INVENTOR (Donal O’Mahony & Mischa Langemeijer) documents the work of the titular couple who, between them, have created some startling work including a robotic tramp which is scarily realistic and a robotic/puppet monkey that is also half way between scary and hilarious. Illuminating stuff.
PIGEON MEN (Marryanne Christodoulou) is an Australian film about a community of pigeon fanciers (as we call them in Scotland) telling of how they got into their hobby and the effect it has had on their lives. Mildly amusing, but not really my cup of tea.
A DAY IN PALESTINE (Mary Ellen Davis, José Garcia Lozano & Will Eizlini) is exactly what it suggests, a short film showing everyday life in Palestine. Cue several shots of people climbing over a wall; not enough substance for my liking, but certainly stylish enough, with the films all having that super-8 home movie look about them. And I mean that in a good way.
THE DAY I SAW YOU (Aine Ni Fhaolain) is an observational piece following daily life in Dublin, accompanied by an effective music score. Imagine an Irish version of BARAKA and you've probably got a fair idea what to expect. Parts of it veered a little close to invasion of privacy for my liking but that didn't stop me enjoying it. On the contrary, I thought it was an excellent film and, for whatever this is worth, it was the film I voted for in the audience award ballot.
ILLUSTION DWELLERS (Robb Ellender) is a short film about homeless people. In pointing out that they're not that different to you or me, or that they're not all junkies and alcoholics the director wouldn't really be bringing anything new to the table. Where he succeeds however is doing it with some refreshingly interesting interviews and a wonderfully stylish approach (animations appearing on the paving stones, subtle alterations to street signs, etc.). Very good indeed.
THE RICHNESS OF CHANGE (Colin Murphy) is a series of short vignettes about the lives of people of various ethnicities in Ireland. It's interesting and there's nothing wrong with the presentation per se, but it does feel a little bit like it's been put together to bludgeon schoolkids with a message.
BINGO (Michael Fortune) is a simple little film relating the odd practice of "drive-in bingo". To be honest I couldn't decide whether this was a true event or something the director just made up for a laugh, but either way it works. The presentation is simple but effective and the result is an odd but funny spectacle.
TERMINAL COMMUNICATION (Michael Fortune) is another humour piece from the same director, and once again uses a simple presentation to find humour in an everyday situation. Anyone who's ever been left thoroughly bemused by stupid roadmarkings won't be able to help themselves laughing at this film, which uses sped up footage recorded over a period of time at a badly-labelled junction in Ireland to demonstrate the different ways of dealing with the problem. A terrific little film, it received a special mention from the jury and got a very positive reaction from the audience too.
THE CEMETERY PEOPLE (Alessandro Molatore) takes a look at the life of a community of families in South America (I think - I've forgotten, sorry) who have built what amounts to a small town in a large cemetery. There's nothing flashy or showy about the film, but there doesn't need to be. The simple sight of a group of poverty-stricken people sleeping in emptied-out tombs is enough leave you with your mouth hanging open in disbelief.
HEADFORT (Brendan Casey) is a look at the life of the kids in an Irish boarding school. They're all rich and posh and while the film is interesting in itself it's even more striking when shown in contrast to the lives of some of the people in the other short films on offer here (such as the film above). Truly a case of "how the other half live".
GOD & NAPOLEON (Ciaran Deeney) is an observation on the life of an Irish bachelor living out in the middle of nowhere in a rundown cottage (think along the lines of Pat Shortt in GARAGE - except real). It's beautifully shot and although I spent the first minute or two thinking I was going to get very bored very quickly, it had quite the opposite reaction. By the end I was fascinated and truly drawn into the film. A nice film and a deserved prize winner.
WALKING DREAMS (Evan Barry) sees a beautiful young woman ballet dancing while a voiceover from a paralysed woman plays in stark contrast. Another beautifully shot piece and another deserved prize winner. The music was also haunting but if anyone out there knows where I've heard it before, please leave a comment and tell me. I'm sure it was in a film or a trailer for something, and I can't remember what. And now I'm getting really annoyed.
THE PUPPETEER AND THE INVENTOR (Donal O’Mahony & Mischa Langemeijer) documents the work of the titular couple who, between them, have created some startling work including a robotic tramp which is scarily realistic and a robotic/puppet monkey that is also half way between scary and hilarious. Illuminating stuff.
PIGEON MEN (Marryanne Christodoulou) is an Australian film about a community of pigeon fanciers (as we call them in Scotland) telling of how they got into their hobby and the effect it has had on their lives. Mildly amusing, but not really my cup of tea.
A DAY IN PALESTINE (Mary Ellen Davis, José Garcia Lozano & Will Eizlini) is exactly what it suggests, a short film showing everyday life in Palestine. Cue several shots of people climbing over a wall; not enough substance for my liking, but certainly stylish enough, with the films all having that super-8 home movie look about them. And I mean that in a good way.
THE DAY I SAW YOU (Aine Ni Fhaolain) is an observational piece following daily life in Dublin, accompanied by an effective music score. Imagine an Irish version of BARAKA and you've probably got a fair idea what to expect. Parts of it veered a little close to invasion of privacy for my liking but that didn't stop me enjoying it. On the contrary, I thought it was an excellent film and, for whatever this is worth, it was the film I voted for in the audience award ballot.
ILLUSTION DWELLERS (Robb Ellender) is a short film about homeless people. In pointing out that they're not that different to you or me, or that they're not all junkies and alcoholics the director wouldn't really be bringing anything new to the table. Where he succeeds however is doing it with some refreshingly interesting interviews and a wonderfully stylish approach (animations appearing on the paving stones, subtle alterations to street signs, etc.). Very good indeed.
THE RICHNESS OF CHANGE (Colin Murphy) is a series of short vignettes about the lives of people of various ethnicities in Ireland. It's interesting and there's nothing wrong with the presentation per se, but it does feel a little bit like it's been put together to bludgeon schoolkids with a message.
BINGO (Michael Fortune) is a simple little film relating the odd practice of "drive-in bingo". To be honest I couldn't decide whether this was a true event or something the director just made up for a laugh, but either way it works. The presentation is simple but effective and the result is an odd but funny spectacle.
TERMINAL COMMUNICATION (Michael Fortune) is another humour piece from the same director, and once again uses a simple presentation to find humour in an everyday situation. Anyone who's ever been left thoroughly bemused by stupid roadmarkings won't be able to help themselves laughing at this film, which uses sped up footage recorded over a period of time at a badly-labelled junction in Ireland to demonstrate the different ways of dealing with the problem. A terrific little film, it received a special mention from the jury and got a very positive reaction from the audience too.
Labels: documentaries, Film festivals, Irish film, short films
posted by Alan at 7:32 pm
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