Aspen Shortsfest

The CW Revives MADtv, Showtime Sets 'Episodes' End and More — Indiewire's Monday Rundown

Indiewire — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 21:30:00 GMT

The 2016 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners announced this year's winners at yesterday's annual Awards Barbecue, including "Starless Dreams," "Gleason" and "Life, Animated." Check out the full list of winners here.

Read below for more of today's breaking news stories:

- Gloria Steinem will executive produce and host "WOMAN," a new show on VICELAND. The series will investigate "how violence against women drives global instability," according to a press release.

- Netflix renews 'Degrassi: Next Class' for a second season.

- The 25th Aspen Shortsfest announced this year's winners on Sunday evening, including "Deer Flower," "Hounds" and "Thanks for Dancing." You can check out the full list of winners here.

- "National Lampoon’s Animal House" is returning to theaters this summer for two days only on August 14 and August 17. The revival screenings will be a part of the TCM Big Screen Classics Series from Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies, which also includes previously announced movies like "On the Waterfront" (April), "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" (May), "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (June) and "Planet of the Apes" (July).

- Natasha Lyonne is in final talks to be in Netflix’s biopic “A Futile and Stupid Gesture,” which tackles the life of National Lampoon co-founder Douglas Kenney. Head to Variety for more information.

- "MADtv," the show which, over its 14 season run, featured the talents of folks like Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Ike Barinholtz, Taram Killam and Alex Borstein, is coming back to television as a new CW series. Eight hour-long episodes have been ordered, to feature a mix of new and returning cast memberes. And unlike its original run on Fox, Variety reports that it will be in primetime.

- Matt LeBlanc's Golden Globe-winning Showtime series, "Episodes," will end after its fifth season airs in 2017. Long-rumored to be the case since LeBlanc took over co-hosting duties on "Top Gear" and landed a lead role on the upcoming CBS comedy series, "I'm Not Your Friend" (opposite Jenna Fischer), the news is still hard to swallow considering the addictive meta humor and charming central performance of the brilliant series. Co-creator Jeffrey Klarik will direct all seven episodes of the fifth and final season when production begins next week.

Watch an exclusive clip from Full Frame winner "Life, Animated" below...

Aspen Shortsfest Unveils Full Program for 2016 Festival

Kate Erbland — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:37:47 GMT

The 25th Annual Aspen Shortsfest has announced its full program for this year's edition of the premier North American shorts fest. The festival often plays home to exciting and emerging talents — it counts Damien Chazelle, Sarah Polley, Jean-Marc Vallée and Jason Reitman as alums — and also serves as a platform for Oscar qualifying competition.

The 2016 slate of films features 13 world premieres, 3 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. premieres and 3 international premieres from filmmakers representing Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The 2016 Shortsfest Programming team, led by Artistic Director Maggie Mackay, included James Jefferies, Programmer/Programming Coordinator at Aspen Film, and Associate Programmers Angie Driscoll (Programmer HotDocs; TIFF) Brandon Harris (Filmmaker/Critic/Professor), Jenn Murphy, (Programmer AFI FEST; LAFF), Cedar Sherbert (Filmmaker/Programmer) and Craig Turpin (Producer/Editor/Aspenite).

READ MORE: Aspen Shortsfest Turns 20: Watch 5 of the Best Films They've Ever Shown

Of this year's lineup, Aspen Film Artistic Director Maggie Mackay commented, "We could not be prouder of the program for the 25th installment of Aspen Shortsfest. A truly eclectic program, representing so many corners of the world and reminding us, in ways touching, enlightening, harrowing, hilarious and most of all memorable, how we are all connected, this year’s lineup offers a story for everyone."

You can check out the full lineup, along with schedules and ticket information, at the festival's official site.

The Aspen Shortsfest will take place from April 5-10 in Aspen, Colorado.

LAFF Programmer Maggie Mackay Lands Artistic Director Post at Aspen Film (EXCLUSIVE)

Anne Thompson — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 18:12:58 GMT

As co-directors George Eldred and Laura Thielen exit from Colorado's Aspen Film this month after a twenty-year tenure, after an exhaustive search their replacement as artistic director of the non-profit, who will program Aspen Filmfest, Aspen Shortsfest and Academy Screenings, is Maggie Mackay.

Until last year, Mackay was Senior Programmer of Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival. She first joined Film Independent in 2003, working closely with LAFF programmers Rachel Rosen and Doug Jones, who subsequently left to join the San Francisco International Film Festival and Massachusetts' Images Cinema, respectively. She also worked with LAFF artistic director David Ansen, and after his 2014 exit focused on her long-term gig as Film Independent's Director of Nominations for the Spirit Awards as well as an LAFF showcase for high school shorts.

“We are lucky to have such a wonderful asset to the arts community and know that Maggie will take Aspen Film to new and dynamic heights," said Aspen Film Board President Lee Rittvo, who appointed John Thew as Aspen Film's executive director on July 1. Eldred and Thielen programmed the 36th--their last-- Aspen Filmfest which unspools September 25-30, 2015. They will introduce Mackay to her new audience then.

Mackay grew up in Manhattan's Soho attending multiple movies a week with her mother at Film Forum. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Film Studies from the University of Delaware and a Master’s degree in Literature and Film Studies from Claremont Graduate University. Mackay has previously served as Senior Coordinator of the Sundance Documentary Fund, and programmer and consultant for numerous film festivals, including AFI Fest and the Sarasota Film Festival. She also worked in production, working for Sacha Baron Cohen, but missed programming and returned to the LAFF.

Mackay will continue to live in Los Angeles with her husband, KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox, and two children, with frequent trips to Aspen throughout the year and attendance at all film festivals and special events.

Mackay has long admired the Aspen festival and enjoyed a collegial relationship with Thielen. "The festival has a great reputation," Mackay told me. "I admire how well the filmmakers are taken care of, how engaged the audience is." Mackay looks forward to not only programming the September Aspen Fest, which presents 20-24 feature films-- "it's a good mix of international and U.S. narrative films and feature docs," she says--but the Academy-qualifying shorts festival, one of the most respected in the country, and the holiday season Academy showcase, when many Academy members repair to Aspen on vacation. "They can see films in the right environment, inside a theater, sitting with other people," she says.

Other festivals seeking key programmers include Napa, which recently brought on ex-USA Today critic Claudia Puig (she took a buyout), as well as the Ashland Independent Film Festival, whose director Joanne Feinberg has moved on. They seek someone willing to relocate to the town that also houses the famed Ashland Shakespeare Festival. UPDATE: They found their man.

Watch: If You've Ever Lost Anyone You Love Watch This Short Film Now

Casey Cipriani — Thu, 07 May 2015 19:51:32 GMT

The Kármán Line is the atmospheric boundary between Earth and outer space. In Oscar Sharp's short film bearing that title, the barrier becomes not only an element of physical separation, but also a powerful representation of loss and grief.

In an average household, a woman named Sarah suddenly begins to float. As days go by, she ascends, bit by bit until she hits the ceiling, then the roof, and beyond; her journey becoming a metaphor for the preparation of loss and the hopelessness of illness. That "The Kaármaán Line" dips into sci-fi or magical realism is a delightful addition to an otherwise completely human story.

"I wanted to dig into the human condition; I wanted to use metaphor to help us look at ourselves. And you can do it while you're laughing, but you don't have to be," Sharp told The New Yorker, where the film premiered online through their Screening Room series.

Sharp's beautiful film played at Aspen Shortsfest, SXSW, New York Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Short Film. In August, after seeing "The Kármán Line," Tobey Maguire offered Sharp a blind deal to write and direct a sci-fi film for Maguire and his company Material Pictures. Sharp is now working on the script, titled "Onboard," and has signed with American agents. He also exclusively told us that he's also working on a "gritty, realistic sitcom about wizards."

Watch: Short Film 'The Phone Call' with Sally Hawkins and Jim Broadbent Will Absolutely Wreck You (In a Good Way)

Casey Cipriani — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 15:43:15 GMT

Need a good cry on this frigid fall morning? Director Mat Kirby’s short film "The Phone Call" tells a wrenching story of loss and depression that somehow by the end is so uplifting you’ll wonder how it can do in 20 minutes what some full length features can’t in two hours.

The short stars Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins as a woman who works in a helpline call center. Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent is the caller; a man considering suicide after his wife has recently died.

"The Phone Call" was the winner of Best Narrative Short at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, winner of the Silver Dragon for Best Fiction Short at the Krakow Film Festival and winner of Special Audience Recognition and Youth Jury Awards at Aspen Shortsfest, among others.

Winning at Tribeca meant that "The Phone Call" automatically became eligible for the Best Live Action Short Academy Award. The Academy is currently screening the eligible shorts now, but we're confident a nomination is on its way.

Give it watch below and you’ll see why.

Update: "The Phone Call" Was indeed nominated for an Academy Award Nomination for Best Live Action Short. (Watch the filmmakers celebrating here!) The Academy is putting all of the nominated short films out theatrically, so we've had to remove the full video for the time being. For now, you can watch the trailer and an exclusive clip below:

READ MORE: 2015 Oscar Predictions

Exploring the Case for Shorts Only Film Festivals at Aspen Shortsfest

Casey Cipriani — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:20:14 GMT

Last month at the Bermuda International Film Festival, we asked producers, filmmakers and critics about the purpose of making short films. This month at Aspen Film's Shortsfest, we took the question even further and examined the benefits of hosting film festivals that only screen shorts.

Aspen Film's Shortsfest and Palm Springs International Shortfest are rare breeds. They are both a product of film organizations that hold both a feature film festival and a fest wholly devoted to the art of short filmmaking. Shorts had always been an element of Aspen Filmfest since its incarnation 35 years ago. Twelve years after beginning, Aspen's Shortsfest, which is also an Academy Award qualifying festival, was spun off of the organization's main slate as a result of the ongoing increase in short film submissions. The founding organizers felt that not only would the amount of entries continually increase, but also that the interest from Aspen's year-round and seasonal citizenry was large enough that they could branch off and create a separate, community based festival. The resulting event has grown to the point where many Aspen citizens consider Shortsfest to be Aspen Film's "main festival."

"Shorts really are their own unique art form," said Aspen Film Co-Director George Eldred. "And they can be overshadowed in the sense that the bulk of public interest is paid to the feature world. Sundance and Tribeca, they all have really excellently curated shorts programs and they do take as much care with the selection and the presentation process, but again it's not the focus of the festivals themselves."

"Dallas Buyers Club" screenwriter Craig Borten, who served on Aspen Shortsfest's jury, agreed that the shift in focus is a good thing. "I think the Shortsfest is an incredible way to capture new and emerging talent without it being overshadowed by the long form," he said.

Co-Director Laura Thielen added that Aspen Shortsfest's audience actually skews younger than their feature festival held in the fall. "Younger people are more used to channel surfing," Thielen said. "They're used to quick adjustments." She added that the younger skew is typical of Aspen, where their diverse age and economic range has coined the stereotype that, "In Aspen, you either have three homes or three jobs."

Palm Springs spun off its short film festival in 1995 for similar reasons. Their goal, said Executive Director and Lead Programmer Darryl Macdonald, was to "provide a springboard for emerging filmmaking talents and to gain more attention for them than they were getting by being simply a side dish in the menu of feature film festivals of the day."

The unfortunate feeling that shorts are often simply considered a lesser accompaniment to a feature film is one shared by many short filmmakers. "At a feature film festival you do tend to feel like the shorts are the hors d'oeuvres to the entree," said Australian filmmaker Romi Trower who presented her short "No One Is Listening Anymore!" at Aspen Shortsfest. "You need to work harder to promote not only your film but the concept of checking out a shorts program. So you come to something like Aspen Shortsfest and its exciting because you feel like you've skipped from primary school all the way through to high school and everybody is here to see shorts and loves shorts."

Greek filmmaker Harry Lagoussis premiered his short film "Massai" at Aspen Shortsfest. He recently attended a larger festival in Europe as a screenwriter for another project. "There it was just a huge thing that just got lost," he said. "This is so much more intimate and cozy and warm and human."

The kind of intimacy at festivals like Aspen and Palm Springs definitely help create an exciting environment in which to build new professional relationships. "The unbridled enthusiasm, talent, relative incense and sheer love of the art form provides a 'high' for everyone involved," said Palm Springs' Macdonald.

That high leads to the filmmakers embracing their natural instincts. "You spend a lot of time with people from all over the world who are making films in different cultures and under different conditions and in economic environments and here you're all equal," said Katrina Mathers, whose animated piece "The Gallant Captain" won Aspen's Best Short Short (under eight minutes). "It's kind of like a camp, you get to know one another very quickly and you go out and party with each other every night and you're already on day three talking about a co-production. Lovely inspiration comes out of having an environment that is not so competitive."

That kind of spontaneous, creative collaboration seems to be the norm. At Aspen Shortsfest, not only did most of the filmmakers stay for the entire week long run, but some of them actually began working together that very weekend. Oscar Sharp, whose short film "The Karman Line" won Aspen's Best Comedy, was fully engaged in a 48-Hour film competition on closing night, luring other filmmakers into his project and setting out on a frantic quest to rent a snow cat for the next day's shoot.

That's not to say that larger, combination festivals don't have anything to offer a budding filmmaker. Greg Ash, whose short "Mr. Invisible" starring Julian Glover received a Special Jury Recognition, loves the environment offered at a shorts only fest, but also appreciates the educational elements that larger festivals have to offer. Of his recent attendance at the Austin Film Festival, he said, "I felt more like a student there, which was great because the panels had established people and I could be there to learn really. Maybe the pressure's off a little bit because you're not the focus."

Derek Horne, Director of Programming for the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, also noted another benefit of screening at a feature fest: more eyes on your film. "Festivals exclusively devoted to short films can be more rewarding for those filmmakers because the spotlight is on them," he said. "But I think ultimately it helps shorts more to be included in a festival with features because they can end up reaching a wider audience. An audience that typically goes to a short film program has a more specialized, niche audience, whereas a feature attracts a broader audience. So a short film preceding the feature will gain exposure to that new audience."

So while both types of festival have their own advantages, filmmakers and attendees do agree on one thing: there really is no down side to holding a shorts only film festival.

"It can be really hard to get people to imagine what it is until they've experienced it," said Eldred. "And then they like it and come back."

Aspen Shortsfest Announces 2014 Lineup

Melina Gills — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 16:00:38 GMT

Aspen Film has announced the lineup for its upcoming Shortsfest, to run April 8-13th. The films cover a range of genre and styles, and hail from thirty different countries. Audiences will also be treated to events featuring filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors.

"Our 2014 season explores a truly global array of characters, situations and subjects," says Aspen Film Co-Director George Eldred. "From our festival seats we travel together to all seven continents--even Antarctica--to experience the imagination of our talented filmmakers and their creative risk-taking. We look forward to sharing the thrill of discovery with our audiences this spring."

Among the special events is a conversation entitled "Writing For the Screen: How to Create Characters and Keep Your Friends" with screenwriters Peter Blake (Elementary, House M.D.), Craig Borten (Dallas Buyers Club) and David Pollock (M*A*S*H), on Saturday, April 12. For the full list of special events and the schedule of films, visit their website.

Here are the Aspen Shortsfest programs and films to be screened for the international competition:

PROGRAM ONE:

The Brunchers
Looking for a change of routine, a London couple's search for a new brunch spot turns into a hilarious existential quest for more than a meal. Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), Tom Burke and Rufus Sewell star. (Matt Winn, UK, 19 min. F)

Cargo Cult
It's the middle of WWII and inhabitants of a remote Pacific island are captivated by mysterious cargo gods, who appear to drop good fortune by the crateful. Inspired by true events. (Bastien Dubois, France, 12 min. A)

Elementary
With the allure of summer just on the horizon, a group of fourth graders ready themselves for a rite of passage whose outcome will echo far beyond the school term. An astute portrait of a transformative moment. (Hugo Pedro, Portugal, 20 min. D)

The Gallant Captain
A boy and his cat journey into unknown waters with a bottle, a boat and a vivid imagination. (Graeme Base + Katrina Mathers, Australia, 8 min. A)

The Hero Pose
Spending a day trying to sell an old beater car sounds like a pain in the neck, but here it yields a precious opportunity for a father and his young daughter to connect. (Mischa Jakupcak, USA, 12 min. F)

Maasai
A hospital's quiet reception area becomes a skirmish line between two brothers as they await their mother’s return from surgery in this compelling drama. (Harry Lagoussis, Greece, 17 min. F)

Mr. Hublot
Mr. Hublot finds his reclusive life turned upside down when he overcomes personal obstacles to do a good deed. A lovely story about a timid man and an incredibly invasive four-footed companion. Oscar® winner. (Laurent Witz, France/Luxembourg, 12 min. A)

The Pixel Painter
Grandpa worked as a graphic artist back in the hand-drawn day. Long after he retired, his family introduced him to the computer. Meet 98-yearold Hal Lasko, The Pixel Painter. (Josh Bogdan, USA, 8 min. D)

PROGRAM TWO:

97%
When an algorithm alerts Bert that love is near, he sets off on an amusing subterranean goose chase that would only be possible in our digital age. (Ben Brand, Netherlands, 8 min. F)

Hollow Land
Two seasoned seekers arrive in a sun-washed land, searching for respite from their ceaseless travels. A meditation on what it feels like to be displaced - whether by circumstances or choice. (Michelle + Uri Kranot, Canada/Denmark/France, 14 min. A)

Lambing Season
Ireland’s windy west coast serves as a backdrop for this story about the way loved ones hide from one another, and the way that the secrets of family - and nature - reveal themselves. (Jeannie Donohoe, USA, 15 min. F)

The Long Drum
A sacred drumming tradition has been in Thanh's family for generations. When his only son dies, Thanh searches high and low for someone in his village to perform the burial chant. Shot on location in Vietnam. (Eve Symington, Singapore, 12 min.F)

Native Silence
In the mid-1900's, as many as one third of Native American children were relocated into non-Indian foster homes. Here, we meet two of them, who share their struggles to find a place in the world. A solemn account of the impact of misguided government policy. (Jane Wells, USA, 25 min. D)

No One Is Listening Anymore!
She blames technology. He blames the plumber. And therapy has never been so revealing...A funny new short from the star of Chocolate Cake (SF11). (Romi Trower, Australia, 7 min. F)

The Smortlybacks
On a mesa, a mahout and his herd of strange creatures make a surprising and never-ending journey. (Ted Sieger & Wouter Dierickx, Switzerland/ China, 5 mins.A)

Yearbook
With the planet on the edge of destruction, a man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence. A bemusing consideration of what's really important. (Bernardo Britto, USA, 5 min. A)

PROGRAM THREE

Future Hero
A father-son bonding film just like any other, except for that timetraveling killer android. (Ramin Serry, USA, 6 min. F)

The Ledge End of Phil (from accounting)
A mild mannered accountant takes an inconvenient trip to the outside world, and radically reevaluates his priorities in this animated fantasy. (Paul O'Muiris, Ireland, 6 min. A)

The Lion's Mouth Opens
From the director of The Crash Reel comes this moving portrait of remarkable courage as a young actress confronts her risk of the debilitating and incurable Huntington's disease. (Lucy Walker, USA, 15 min. D)

Listen
A young Ethiopian musician, haunted by a childhood trauma, finds solace when a spirit appears and inspires him to channel his memories in a new direction. From the director of For Today (SF11). (Zelalem Woldemariam, Ethiopia, 18 min. F)

Mr. Invisible
A lonely and disregarded old man finds himself in a city where his greatest weakness suddenly becomes his secret weapon. (Greg Ash, UK, 14 min. F)

Orbit Ever After
In this eccentric romantic comedy with a science fiction twist, young orbitcrossed lover Nigel (Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Game of Thrones) seeks to escape his family's ramshackle space homestead and his overly-protective parents to follow his heart. (Jamie Stone, UK, 20 min. F)

Rabbit and Deer
Two friends seem quite content with their lives until one becomes obsessed with something that deepens his perspective. A visually droll look at the hidden costs of discovery. (Péter Vácz, Hungary, 16 min. A)

PROGRAM FOUR

Flor de Toloache
Traditional Mexican culture is put through the blender of New York City. What emerges is a Mariachi sound that transcends gender stereotypes to reveal a new variation on a traditional art form. (Jenny Schweitzer, USA, 4 min. D)

Marina's Ocean
A 15-year old girl yearns to see the ocean, but her disability interferes. Unable to travel to the beach with her fellow students, Marina strikes out on an adventure of her own. (Cássio Pereira dos Santos, Brazil, 17 min. F)

Mia
A seven-year-old tries to liberate her overworked mother from the clutches of an overcrowded metropolis. In her quest, she unlocks her world's hidden secrets. (Wouter Bongaerts, Belgium/Netherlands, 9 min. A)

My Little Friends
An innovative program in upstate New York connects elderly people diagnosed with dementia to young children, who remind us that even when we lose our memory, our basic humanity remains. (Megan Mylan, USA, 10 min. D)

The Phone Call
When a shy lady (Sally Hawkins) who works in a suicide helpline call center takes a phone call from a distraught man (Jim Broadbendt), she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever. (Mat Kirkby, UK, 19 min. F)

Pony Place
When young Emma is prohibited from taking her iPad on holiday, she asks her grandma to look after her digital horse farm. Koba is a seasoned agrarian, but nothing she learned in the garden prepares her for this. A hilarious leap across the generation gap. (Joost Reijmers, Netherlands, 10 min. F)

Samnang
A Cambodian immigrant lives a life of contented solitude, working nights in a Long Beach, California donut shop. But when competition emerges from within his own family, Samnang must decide whether to see a threat or an opportunity. (Asaph Polonsky, USA, 22 min. F)

Wind
A droll comment on weather of the blowing kind and our uncanny ability to adapt. (Robert Löbel, Germany, 4 min. A)

PROGRAM FIVE

The End of Pinky
In this stylish cartoon noir, three fallen angels, Johnny, Mia and Pinky, find companionship in Montreal's red light district. When one of Pinky's quirks set off a tragicomic chain of events, the fragility of their bond emerges. (Claire Blanchet, Canada, 8 min. A)

Good Morning
30 isn't old, but it sure feels that way when you wake up hung over in your apartment on the morning after that milestone birthday and find a surprising someone there with you. A comedic look at sexual identity and age anxiety (Stephen Dunn + Peter Knegt, Canada, 10 min. F)

The iMom
Harried parents have long been grateful to that electronic babysitter, the television. But when a mother outsources her parenting duties to a more advanced form of technology, she risks being made obsolete. A cautionary parable. (Ariel Martin, Australia/USA, 14 min. F)

Journey
In harsh and unlikely conditions, a performance artist works to become an island unto himself. (Ali Parandian, Norway, 5 min. D)

Ondek
A merchant sailor opts to leave behind his maritime life. On his final night, he and the crew find a delightfully unexpected way to celebrate. (Louis- Martin Charest, Canada, 6 min. F)

Person to Person
Benny awakes on the morning after a party to find a mysterious stranger passed out on his floor. He's a generous and gentle man, but as the unknown guest refuses to leave, his patience begins to wear thin. (Dustin Guy Defa, USA, 18 min.F)

Selma
Following the death of her taxi driver husband, Selma is determined to secure a better life for herself and her daughter, no matter what her family and community think. (Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia, 20 min. F)

A Tropical Sunday
It's Sunday and the fairground is coming to life as crowds of eager children line up for rides. Among them are four street kids, who have spent the week begging and scavenging. Today all they want is to feel like children again. (Fabian Ribezzo, Mozambique, 15 min. F)

PROGRAM SIX

A Goldfish Documentary
As their owners drive to the edge of the country, Noodles and Tony P can only swim to the edge of their bowl. Still, it's a transformative journey. (Elizabeth Stehling, USA, 8 min. D)

Our Curse
A moving exploration of our capacity to adapt, accept and love, this family self-portrait takes us inside the lives of a young couple coming to grips with what their young son's life will bring. (Tomasz Sliwinski, Poland, 27 min. D)

The Runaway
Today Lakdar, a youth worker in a home for juvenile offenders, is preparing to take one of his teenage charges, Sabrina, to court. Lakdar feels confident the hearing will go well, Sabrina is not so sure. (Jean-Bernard Marlin, France, 22 min. F)

Sker
A kayaker discovers a seemingly safe port that turns out to harbor unseen hazards in this adventure drama. (Eyþór Jóvinsson, Iceland, 11 min. F)

Snowflake
When a little African boy receives a letter containing a copy of a natural wonder, he longs to experience the real thing. (Natalia Chernysheva, Russia, 6 min. A)

Sprout
When Bory, an endearingly perky seven-year-old, sets off to the local market to buy bean sprouts for her mom, a cascade of detours transforms her neighborhood errand into a horizon-widening adventure. Berlin Film Festival winner. (Ga-eun Yoon, South Korea, 20 min. F)

Uggs for Gaza
Mitch, a Midwesterner recently transplanted to Los Angeles, tells a lie to impress a girl at a party. He's plagued by guilt and anxiety, but instead of admitting his fib, he sets out to make it real. Hilarity ensues. (Brooke Berman, USA, 11 min. F)

PROGRAM SEVEN

The Charlatan
A skittish accountant, an inscrutable stranger, a wide-open road and an unbelievably cool car. The essential ingredients for a sly bebop-era sleight of hand tale. (Alexis Manya Spraic, USA, 13 min.F)

Fingerplay
Teresa, a Swiss bourgeois, is confronted with her own aging, her husband’s waning desire, and an unexpected guest: her mildly disabled nephew. Another evocative drama about power, sexuality and moral boundaries from the director of A World for Raul (SF13). (Mauro Mueller, Germany/ USA, 25 min. F)

The Gardener
A rich man and a poor man meet in a hospital hallway. For five minutes, these two gentlemen become equals for the very first—and last—time. (Jo Henriquez, Aruba/Netherlands Antilles/USA, 8 min. F)

Globe Trot
A renowned choreographer holds the whole world in her hands when the powers of movement and technology meet. Crowd-sourcing with a beat. (Mitchell Rose, USA/The Globe, 5 min. D)

Kiki of Montparnasse
An animated homage to Kiki, famed Parisian queen of the night. Model, actress, writer, nightclub singer and muse to the finest avant-garde painters of the early 20th century. (Amelie Harrault, France, 14 min. A)

Los Olvidados (The Forgotten)
With his installations, young Latino artist Ramiro Gomez creates tangible reminders of those who made the trip “El Norte” and humanizes a forgotten people. A unique and affecting tribute to the immigrant labor community. (David Feldman, USA, 14 min. D)

Me + Her
A young man thinks outside the box in this visually original ode to love. (Joseph Oxford, USA, 12 min. A)

Over the Moon
Brace yourself for a rough landing as kick-ass comic book heroine Connie Radar defends the moon and attempts to prevent the USA’s first lunar landing. From a Shortsfest perennial who always provides a laugh. (James Cunningham, New Zealand, 7 min. F)

PROGRAM EIGHT

The Apothecary
The beloved druggist in a rural Colorado outpost operates the only pharmacy within 4,000 square miles and navigates a profound divide between his public persona and personal life. (Helen Hood Scheer, USA, 18 min. D)

The Bravest, the Boldest
Human empathy confronts protocol when two army notification officers enter a Harlem housing project to deliver some news. A powerful tale about telling - and hearing - the truth. (Moon Molson, USA, 16 min. F)

Humpty
Learning his girlfriend is pregnant, Dean is surprised, delighted and a bit unsure. To prove himself responsible, the father-to-be seeks confirmation from an unlikely source: a home economics project. (Clare Sackler, USA, 15 min. F)

Rare Bird
Augustin leads a solitary life. He dreams of wild changes. Then one day the extraordinary flutters into his work-a-day existence. Can it last? (Leslie Pandelakis France, 4 min. A)

Small Yellow Field
Traversing the vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad finds his curiosity beckons him beyond the horizon. (Rodd Rathjen, Australia/India, 8 min. F)

Teinen
Freshly retired, Mr. Yamada is eager to leave behind office routines and begin his new life of leisure. But when he finds Mrs. Yamada busy with her own routines, he must find a way for them to remember the couple they once were. (Emilie Silvestri, Japan/USA, 13 min. F)

We Keep on Dancing
The Rainbow Mechanics workshop provides an unlikely setting for this quirky, heartfelt moment of human connection between Danny the head mechanic and Alan the lonesome gent with the rundown Beetle. (Jessica Lawton, Australia, 8 min. F)

PROGRAM NINE

Hunting for Hockney
Two bereaved friends set off in search of a famed painter, and his spirit imbues their journey with new perspective. (Alice Dunseath, UK, 3 min. A)

The Kármán Line
When a mother, played by Olivia Colman (Hot Fuzz, Iron Lady), contracts a rare condition, her husband and daughter must console themselves with the thought that she's bound for a (much) higher place. From the director of Sign Language(SF11). (Oscar Sharp, UK, 24 min. F)

Overpass Light Brigade
Performance art meets activism in this celebration of peaceful - and playful - political protest. (Dusan Harminc + Matt Mullins, USA, 6 min. D)

Rhino Full Throttle
Bruno is searching for the soul of his city, but when he happens upon a kindred spirit, his whimsical quest takes an imaginatively romantic turn. (Erik Schmitt, Germany, 15 min. F)

The Secret World of Foley
A film depicting a single morning in an English fishing village comes to life when two sound effects specialists score it using their vast trove of props, along with uncanny judgment and timing. A wondrous exposé of a little-known art form. (Daniel Jewel, USA, 14 min. D)

Stumped
This inspiring documentary relates the trials and triumphs of a courageous multiple amputee as he adapts to a world he never could have imagined, including his first stand-up comedy performance. (Robin Berghaus, USA, 10 min. D)

This Is It
Two college students. First apartment. Things get real. Hilariously fast. (Alexander Engel, USA, 3 min. F)

Tides
At the beach, Camelia plans to celebrate her son Angel's birthday. Provoked by the disappearance of his father, the boy runs off and Camelia begins a search that will lead her to an uncomfortable family truth. (Ádám Breier, Cuba, 15 min. F)

Film category code: A = Animation D = Documentary F = Fiction

Aspen Shortsfest Announces 2012 Program

Devin Lee Fuller — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:36:03 GMT

Aspen Film has announced the finalists for its 2012 Aspen Shortsfests International Competition.

The program will feature 79 films from 30 countries. Nearly 3,300 films were considered, a 20 percent increase over last year.

"It's once again time for our annual banquet of short cinema, bringing together international filmmakers and audiences to celebrate a unique art form, one that allows moviemakers to give free reign to their imagination, passion and curiosity," said program director George Eldred. "Each of our eleven International Competition programs serves up a richly varied sampler plate chock-full of engaging stories and the filmmakers who tell them."

The full line-up can be found here.

Full press release below:

Aspen Film Announces
Aspen Shortsfest 2012 Program

Premier North American Showcase for Short Film Marks 20th Anniversary With a Five-Day Program Featuring Comedy, Drama, Animation and Documentaries

March 14, 2012 (Aspen, CO) - Aspen Film announced today the International Competition finalists invited to screen at Aspen Shortsfest 2012, April 10-15, at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen and the Crystal Theatre in Carbondale. Aspen Shortsfest is widely recognized as a premier North American showcase for short film. Marking its 20th Anniversary, the festival has honored the work and creators of a ground-breaking and often career-making medium that is largely unavailable to general audiences.

Close to 3,300 films from around the world were considered, indicating a twenty percent increase over last year. The Aspen Shortsfest International Competition, a qualifying festival for the Oscar's short film awards, will feature 79 short films representing thirty countries. From a powerful 40-minute Academy Award winner to a 45-second amuse bouche, Shortsfest will showcase a vibrant array of comedy, drama, animation and documentaries.

Program Director, George Eldred notes, "It's once again time for our annual banquet of short cinema, bringing together international filmmakers and audiences to celebrate a unique art form, one that allows moviemakers to give free reign to their imagination, passion and curiosity. Each of our eleven International Competition programs serves up a richly varied sampler plate chock-full of engaging stories and the filmmakers who tell them."

This year's crop of films touch on reoccurring themes from outdoor adventure, heroes, artists, and romance to social change, the environment, loss, and the future. Shortsfest will also screen seven new films by Colorado filmmakers, including two world premieres. The recognizable (Judi Dench, Martin Freeman, Tom Hollander, Helena Bonham Carter) and emerging alike will bring amusement, imagination and inspiration from the screen to audiences over this six-day festival.

Aspen Shortsfest Wraps, Doles Out Awards

Nigel M Smith — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:32:55 GMT

The 2011 Aspen Shortsfest wrapped up last weekend in Colorado. The big winners were Jean-Claude Rozec's "Specky Four Eyes," Christopher Strollery's "dik," Robert-Jan Lacombe's "Goodbye Mandima" and Brent Bonacorso's drama "West of the Moon."

Next year, Aspen Shortfest celebrates its 20th anniversary from April 10 - 15, 2012. To check out indieWIRE's highlights from the festival, click here.

Shortsfest 2011 Awards Winners:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY AWARDS
Jury explanations courtesy of Aspen Shortsfest

BEST ANIMATION ($2,500, Oscar®-qualifying award)
"Specky Four Eyes"
(Jean-Claude Rozec, France)
For its excellent marriage of craft and story, as well as its whimsical and imaginative storytelling through a child's eyes.

BEST COMEDY ($2,500, Oscar®-qualifying award)
"dik"
(Christopher Stollery, Australia)
For its hysterical, no-holds-barred story that suggests, even in marriage, honesty is not always the best policy.

BEST DOCUMENTARY ($2,500)
"Goodbye Mandima"
(Robert-Jan Lacombe, Switzerland)
For its resourceful telling of a deeply personal tale that challenges the traditional documentary style.

BEST DRAMA ($2,500, Oscar®-qualifying award)
"West of the Moon"
(Brent Bonacorso, USA)
For its wildly inventive and captivating singularity of voice and vision.

BEST SHORT SHORT ($1,000, Oscar®-qualifying award)
"Das Tub"
(James Cunningham, New Zealand)
For its creativity, humor, and ability to surprise.

BEST STUDENT ($1,000)
"The Wind is Blowing in my Street"
(Saba Riazi, Iran)
For its courage, subtlety, and authenticity.

SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION

"Animal Beatbox"
(Damon Gameau, Australia)
For its unpretentious, enormously fun celebration of the animal kingdom.

"The Lost Thing"
(Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan, Australia)
For its exceptional craft in creating a vibrant world that Salvador Dali would feel comfortable in and for its embrace of all things unusual.

"Raju"
(Max Zähle, Germany/India)
For its terrific performances, enormous scope, and perfect depiction of the color and chaos of India.

"The Screamers"
(Roberto Pérez Toledo, Spain)
For capturing a universally recognized human emotion in the perfect screen minute.

"Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46"
(Anthony Vouardoux, Germany/Switzerland)
For its gut-wrenching, compelling depiction of an astronaut who becomes the last man in the universe.

For additional winners click here.

Colin Firth, Unhinged! and Other Highlights from Aspen Shortsfest 2011

Kim Adelman — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:55:13 GMT

Colin Firth playing a pesky neighbor in Rupert Friend’s “Steve” is just one of the many unexpected scenarios to be found among the 80-plus short films screening at Aspen Shortsfest, which opens today and runs through April 10. With a heavy emphasis on international filmmaking, the prestigious Colorado festival culled 2,500 submissions to find shorts that are exciting to watch, often weird and always surprising.

Here's a preview for nearly a quarter of the festival’s competition films, many of which are making their North American debut. To indicate the strength of the festival's international focus, only four of the 19 narrative shorts that were made available to indieWIRE for preview originated in the USA.

* Deb Shoval’s “AWOL” is a very dramatic and real-feeling film about a young female soldier on leave for the holidays. This Columbia University student film garnered a lot of attention when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year.

* Andrew Bowler’s “Time Freak” is a wonderfully neurotic comedy in which the hapless hero makes his own “Groundhog Day”-style hell via ineffective use of his homemade time machine. Kudos to Bowler for packing so much humor into 10 minutes. Hollywood, take note!

* In “Animal Love,” Mollie Jones directs Selma Blair and Jeremy Davies in a futuristic brief encounter. Terrific performances, excellent production and costume design, and a satisfying ending makes Jones’ film, which previously played Slamdance, a real standout.

* “Hector Is Gonna Kill Nate” by Ari Issler is a tense drama about a dedicated high school basketball coach and his emotionally charged students. Judging from the dedication in the end credits, the compelling main character appears to be a tribute to the filmmaker’s father. This short world premieres at Aspen.

The United Kingdom also contributed four of the 19 films available for preview.

* Helmed by actor-turned-writer/director Rupert Friend, “Steve” focuses on a bickering young couple (played by Keira Knightley and Tom Mison) who get repeated visits from a pushy neighbor, played by an unhinged Colin Firth. Friend first wrote the scenario as a short story, sent it to Firth, who then suggested it be turned into a film in which he would star.

* Victoria Mather’s “Stanley Pickle” is a live-action/stop-motion twisted tale about a man-child living in a world of his own making. It’s the kind of macabre yet uplifting film that Tim Burton would be first in line to buy a ticket to see.

* An interesting companion piece to “Stanley Pickle” is directing team Karni & Saul’s “Turning.” This flight of fantasy is another strange yet satisfying piece involving creatures that are not what they seem.

* The final UK short is “Birthday Circle,” an effective five-minute piece by Philip Lepherd that would be ruined by too much plot description. Suffice it to say that the ending makes this birthday celebration mean so much more than expected.

* From Romania comes Alexandru Mavrodineanu’s “Music in the Blood” in its North American premiere. This well-told story of a little boy with dreams of becoming a recording star culminates in an energetic public-transportation sing-along.

* The Czech Republic contributes an animated short in its North American premiere: “Swimming Pool,” by Alexandra Hetmerova. What seems like a straightforward encounter involving a couple of strangers' illicit late-night skinny-dipping turns out to be something completely unexpected and delightful.

* Another North American premiere, “The Mirror” by the directing team Ramon & Pedro, comes from Switzerland. This mesmerizing portrait of a man standing in front of his bathroom mirror is a poetic illustration of time’s relentless toll.

* Kristian Ussing Andersen’s “The First Anders” centers around a well-meaning dad telling his bullied son a fable that encourages bravery.

* Also from Denmark is René Frelle Petersen’s “Going Nowhere,” a relationship drama centering around two adult brothers coming to terms with the younger’s physical debilitation. Both Danish films boast excellent acting and top-notch filmmaking.

* From Norway comes Maria Bock’s exuberant musical “Baldguy,” in which a young man and his entire small town join together for a toe-tapping number celebrating the joys of kissing a bald guy.

* Morocco’s contribution is Adil El Fadili’s “Short Life,” a fictional autobiography of a man born in Casablanca. The narration and the acting are so welcoming that the viewer is left unprepared for the unexpected turns in the narrator’s saga. “Short Life” makes its North American premiere at Aspen.

* A Germany/Switzerland co-production, “Yuri Lennon's Landing on Alpha 46” from filmmaker Anthony Vouardoux is a visual wonder. What happens during the course of the film’s fifteen minutes surprises cosmonaut Yuri and viewers alike.

* New Zealand contributes Tammy Davis’s heartwarming Christmas-set “Ebony Society,” in which two troublemaking Maori boys wearing Santa hats discover their hearts aren’t as black as they thought.

* Australia offers up Raphael Elisha’s “Chocolate Cake” in which the seductive lead character (writer Romi Trower) looks straight into the camera and narrates her adventures in love.

* Also from Australia is Susan Danta & Wendy Chandler’s “Heirlooms.” A chaptered, animated documentary, the narrators are often off-screen as they tell the history of their most treasured family heirlooms.

“Shortsfest is our celebration of new ﬁlmmakers who approach their craft with spirit, soul, irreverence, and visual flair,” said Aspen’s artistic director Laura Thielen in her welcome notes. “A curious mind, a sense of adventure, and an open heart are all you’ll need to navigate the imaginative waters of Shortsfest’s eclectic line-up.”

Aspen Shorts: Finding God and Other Revelations from Aspen Shortsfest 2010

Kim Adelman — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:20:57 GMT

Move over, Morgan Freeman. There's a new actor taking over the role of God, and his name is David Wenham. Wenham portrays the Almighty as a tie-wearing office worker in Frazer Bailey's irresistible Australian short "Glenn Owen Dodds," which picked up the Audience Favorite Award at the 2010 Aspen Shortsfest.

Over 100 international shorts screened at the 19th annual Aspen Shortsfest, which ran from April 6-11, 2010 in Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado. "This year the variety and quality were high enough that we decided to add a night - and two programs - to showcase this bounty of new talent," reported George Eldred, Program Director for Aspen Film, who added that there were a record 86 films in competition.

This year's Aspen Shortsfest jury consisted of actress Meg Ryan, Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Daniel Junge, Smokewood Entertainment co-founder Sarah Siegel-Magness, and Oscar-nomination "Children of Men" scribe David Arata.

The jury honored Anita Killi's "Angry Man" as the best animation of the fest. "Angry Man" was one of three Norwegian shorts screening in Aspen, all of which walked away winners. Iram Haq's "Little Miss Eyeflap" took home the festival's Ellen prize while Tomas Sem Lokke-Sorensen 5-minute "The Unhappy Woman" happily accepted the Best Short Short trophy.

The documentary prize went to the Cambodian-set "Born Sweet" by Academy Award-winner Cynthia Wade ("Freeheld"). Other short docs that impressed include Wendy Greene's Oklahoma-set "Snake Fever," which world premiered in Aspen; Vance Malone's touching portrait of an aging circus performer, "The Poodle Trainer;" and Matt Faust's haunting, impressionistic look at his Katrina-destroyed family dwelling, "home."

The jury selected "Seeds of the Fall" as the festival's Best Comedy. Fans of Patrik Eklund's previous short, the Oscar-nominated "Instead of Abracadabra," will share the jury's enthusiasm for the warm-hearted suburban quirkiness that has become Eklund's trademark.

Best Drama went to "The Six Dollar Fifty Man," Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland's memorable look at schoolyard bullying.

Shorts centering on little boy leads were a definite trend at Aspen - and were some of the most memorable shorts playing the festival. In addition to "The Six Dollar Fifty Man," there was Bassam Ali Jarbawi's "Chicken Heads," Hannah Hilliard's "Franswa Sharl," Tim Dean's "Fences," Steve Audette's documentary "Nico's Challenge," and Gregg Helvey's Oscar-nominated USC student film "Kavi," which was given Aspen's Youth Jury Prize.

Strong shorts from film schools was another trend. While Esther Siton was singled out by the jury for her Israeli student film "I'm Ready," there were many outstanding student films, including another Israeli student short, Maya Tiberman's "Ramlod."

The Polish National Film School delivered two tense dramas: "Echo," in which two teenager suspects are forced to recreate their crime in an open field, and "Birthday" in which a woman ruins her partner's birthday party when she's told that their plans for artificial insemination are no longer necessary.

From the NYU's Tisch Asia program in Singapore came Eric Flanagan's captivating "Teleglobal Dreamin,'" a twisty cautionary tale that could only take place in the current era of celebrity worship.

Columbia University's contributed Lauren Wolkstein's stunning soldier's homecoming story, "Cigarette Candy," and Isold Uggadottir's unflinching drama showcasing a female drug addict unraveling, "Clean."

Animation schools in London also made notable contributions, with NFTS offering up Philip Bacon 's "Yellow Belly End" and the Royal College of Art presenting Rafael Sommerhalder's two remarkable pieces, "Wolves" and "Flowerpots."

Another trend at this year's Shortfest was the emphasis on shorter pieces, with more work falling in the five to fifteen minute range, and fewer in the over twenty-five.

Five noteworthy shorts in the fifteen-or-less category include Evan Wolf Buxbaum's six-minute charmer, "Anything You Can Do," which delightfully captures the energy of its preteen heroine. Clocking in at 12 minutes, Ruben Oestlund's "Incident by a Bank" must be appreciated for its bystander point of view of a crime in progress. Thierry Espasa's 14-minute "Park" expertly utilizes a classic short film formula in which seemingly unrelated stories intersect with unexpected results.

Mike and Tim Rauch's four-minute animation/documentary "Q&A" depicts a simple yet very touching real life conversation between a straight-talking mother and her inquisitive special-needs son. David O'Sullivan's 6-minute "Moore Street Masala" is best described by the filmmaker himself as "an Irish director doing his take on Indian cinema in a Dublin setting."

There were so many impressive films at this year's Shortsfest that the jury felt the need to give five additional special recognitions. Jon Goldman's "Diplomacy," Jason Stutter's "Careful with That Powertool," Ruben Ostlund's "Incident by a Bank," Bassam Ali Jarbawi's "Chicken Heads," and Luke Matheny's "God of Love" were all honored.

Shorts Monthly: "The Witness" Captivates Audience and Jury at Aspen Shortsfest 2009

Kim Adelman — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:59:19 GMT

On February 22, 2009, Adam Pertofsky walked away empty handed when his 32-minute documentary, "The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," lost the Oscar race to "Smile Pinky." On April 5, 2009, Pertofsky's film was trophy magnet, winning both Best Documentary and Audience Favorite at the 18th annual Aspen Shortsfest.

At Aspen, five different groups sit in judgment on the films that play the highly prestigious international short fest. This year, 60 short films from 21 countries screened from April 1 - 5 in Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado. On Sunday afternoon in the bar area of Aspen's historic Wheeler Opera House, champagne glasses were raised after a dozen accolades and cash prizes totaling $14,500 were doled out at the festival's low-key but extremely heartfelt award ceremony.

The Los Angeles branch of BAFTA sponsors an Award for Excellence, which this year went to "Concerto," directed Columbia University student Filippo Conz. The taunt 16-minute drama follows a detective who forces his wife's violin teacher/lover to take a trip to a crime scene. Luke Doolan's suspenseful school-set mystery "Miracle Fish" was additionally honored by the BAFTA/LA team with a certificate of excellence, as was Martina Amati's captivating seafaring adventure "A'Mare."

The second group to judge at Aspen is a youth jury consisting of a panel of local teenagers. The teens also named "Miracle Fish" as their pick.

The Ellen Award, given by the original founders of the festival, was bestowed on Nicolas Engel's delightful French short "Copy of Coralie," whose Hollywood elevator pitch is "Amelie" meets "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," set in Kinkos.

The fourth group empowered to bestow an award at Aspen Shortsfest is the audience, who in the past have tended to favor documentaries. This year there were many short docs that generated much audience discussion at the post-screening question and answer sessions. Jill Orschel fielded questions about the very candid Mormon heroine in her 11-minute portrait entitled "Sister Wife." Will Parrinello offered details about his Richard Gere-narrated restoration project "Mustang - Journey of Transformation." And a young man asked filmmaker Susan Cohn Rockefeller "What can we do to help?" after "Making the Crooked Straight" showed what medical maladies Dr. Rick Hodes is up against in Ethiopia.

When all the audience ballots were tallied, the $1000 prize went to "The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," which documents Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles's remarkable first-person account of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s ill-fated mission in Memphis.

The international competition jury also contributed to filmmaker Adam Pertofsky's coffers, giving "The Witness"' a $2,500 Best Documentary cash prize. Sadly, although Pertofsky flew into Aspen for his screening, he was not able to stay in town long enough to attend the award ceremony and accept his trophies in person.

In addition to the traditional awards, jury members Lisa Kennedy, Jon Bloom, Louis Teague and Robert Weide anointed four films with special recognition at the ceremony.

Louis Teague began by honoring Deborah Koons Garcia's organic farming doc "Soil in Good Heart" for exploring a topic "close to our hearts and important to the world." Lisa Kennedy next paid tribute to the cheeky tone of Doug Karr's family history "Ten for Grandpa." Robert Weide followed with praise for Destin Daniel Cretton's youth rehabilitation center-set drama "Short Term 12," which Weide described as eye-opening. And Jon Bloom called Rene Hernandez's teen bullying coming-of-age story "The Ground Beneath" "superb." Upon accepting his award, Hernandez credited Aspen Shortsfest, which had previously shown two of his shorts, as motivating him to become a better filmmaker.

"Most accomplished in its entirety" is how the jury described "Ralph," the story of a British lad stranded in France with only an incomplete phone number to reconnect with his one true love. Columbia University student Alex Winckler was not on-hand to receive his Best Student Film cash prize.

"Lynchian" was the high praise adjective the jury gave to the animated winner, Veljko Popovic's "She Who Measures." Best Comedy went to Katie Wolfe's very funny husband-stealing narrative "This Is Her." Denis Villeneuve's Gilliam-esque extreme carnivore adventure "Next Floor" split the Best Drama Award in a tie with David Michod's pitch perfect father-son-bunny tale "Netherland Dwarf."

[Full list of Winners on page 2]

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Two short comedies rounded out the festival's remaining prizes. Declan Cassidy, who flew in from Ireland, enthusiastically accepted the Best Short Short for his charming 4-minute "Whatever Turns You On" while NYU animator Stephen Neary picked up the High Five to Lo-Fi award for his kooky western "Chicken Cowboy."

In his entertaining acceptance speech in which he mentioned his father and brother accompanied him to Aspen to show support and to get some skiing in, Stephen Neary expressed a sentiment that the many filmmakers attending this year's Aspen Shortsfest felt after spending five days embraced by the welcoming mountain community: "It's awesome."

The full list of Shortsfest 2009 Award Winners

International Competition Awards

Animated Eye Award - $2,500
"She Who Measures," by Veljko Popovic, Croatia

Best Comedy - $2,500
"This is Her," by Katie Wolfe, New Zealand

Best Drama (shared) - $2,500
"Netherland Dwarf," by David Michod, Australia and "Next Floor," by Denis Villeneuve, Canada

Best Documentary - $2,500
"The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," by Adam Pertofsky, USA

Best short short - $1,000
"Whatever Turns You On," by Declan Cassidy, Ireland

Best Student - $1,000
"Ralph," by Alex Winckler, UK/France; Columbia University

Special Jury Recognition

"Ground Beneath," by Rene Hernandez, Australia
"Short Term 12," by Destin Daniel Cretton, USA
"Soil in Good Heart," by Deborah Koons Garcia, USA/India/Norway/UK
"Ten for Grandpa," by Doug Karr, Canada

The Ellen Award - $1,000
"Copy of Coralie," by Nicolas Engel, France

BAFTA/Los Angeles Award for Excellence
"Concerto," by Filippo Conz, USA

BAFTA/Los Angeles Certificates of Excellence
"Miracle Fish," by Luke Doolan, Australia
"A'Mare," by Martina Amati, UK

High Five to LO-FI
"Chicken Cowboy," by Stephen Neary, USA

Youth Jury Prize - $500
"Miracle Fish," by Luke Doolan, Australia

Audience Favorite Award - $1,000
"The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306," by Adam Pertofsky, USA

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