PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX https://danceswithfilms.com/princetons-in-the-mix/ In PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX, the modern woes of college admissions season get uglier when elite parents find a new way to get a leg up in the competition. Heather Burns, my favorite actress from Miss Congeniality (and the eternal April 25th meme), gives Beth a lethal edge. She nails this role. Charlie Besso plays Read More →
YOU ARE HERE https://danceswithfilms.com/YOU-ARE-HERE/ A short film about our minds going down the proverbial rabbit hole of unfathomable information, Michael Friberg‘s DWF: LA short, YOU ARE HERE, is pure delight. When insurance underwriter Peter reads a newspaper article about the number of stars in the galaxy, he fixates on the enormity of space and life itself. Peter is every science Read More →
HOW I ROLLhttps://danceswithfilms.com/HOW-I-ROLL-2/ One of the most harrowing stories I’ve seen featured in a short film comes from BriGuel‘s HOW I ROLL. This 13-minute emotional rollercoaster is an eye-opening tale of resilience. Robin Cohen lives with MS, navigating Miami, Manhattan, and a family history of shocking violence, loss, and great love. BriGuel beautifully edits Cohen’s innermost thoughts, one on top Read More →
THE HONGFU HOTEL https://tribecafilm.com/films/hongfu-hotel-2024 Undoubtedly one of the most visually spectacular short films at Tribeca 2024, Tian Xu’s THE HONGFU HOTEL finds a father and son on the eve of the demolition of their family hotel in New York City. Feng arrives to check in on his father, Chan, the proprietor of their generations-old Chinatown hotel. Sold and marked for Read More →
JUMPMAN https://tribecafilm.com/films/jumpman-2024 Tom Dey’s Tribeca 2024 documentary short film JUMPMAN details the extraordinary life and body of work of photographer Co Rentmeester, the man responsible for Nike’s iconic Air Jordan logo. His fearless action and natural eye as a young man led to experiences beyond belief. His ability to capture dynamic close-ups and create breathtaking photographs is a gift. From Read More →
A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING WORLD PREMIERE https://tribecafilm.com/films/family-guide-to-hunting-2024 Zao Wang’s Tribeca 2014 short starts off with a bang (and I do mean that as a double entendre). After a meet-the-parents weekend goes wildly awry, Mom, Dad, and daughter Eva finally hash out their differences amidst the remains of their daughter’s relationship. Margaret Cho plays a disapproving matriarch with a ferociousness Read More →
CATHARSIS https://tribecafilm.com/films/catharsis-2024 Brian Logvinsky brings his electric short film CATHARSIS to Tribeca 2024. Alex is a dancer and the face of his company, whose inner turmoil gets him mandated therapy sessions with an unorthodox doctor. Max Basch‘s hypnotic visual and sound editing personify Alex’s rage. The score is infectious, and, oh, the choreography! Marc Gellar, Jemima Kirke, Deborah Harry, and Read More →
SALLY, GET THE POTATOES Filmmaker Danicah Waldo brings drama and sweetness to The Big Apple Film Festival with her short film SALLY, GET THE POTATOES. Our titular little lady is the youngest of a well-off household. The precocious redhead, just looking for someone to play with her, gets tasked with procuring the potatoes for her overwhelmed chef mother. Something is happening within the Read More →
Legend of El Cucuy SYNOPSIS: Legend of El Cucuy is a cautionary tale. Laura and herhusband Carlos are permissive parents, and their choice to raise theirdaughter Isabel without discipline has resulted in a very rude,disobedient child. Carlos is having doubts about their behavioralstrategy, but Laura is determined to make different choices from theirparents. Against his better judgment, Carlos tells Laura Read More →
MOSQUITO LADY Phillipino folklore Manananggal meets Catholic guilt in Kristine Gerolaga‘s short film, MOSQUITO LADY. When a young woman can no longer hide her pregnancy from her devout parents, she resorts to a legendary monster to assist her. The practical and Special FX are exquisitely gag-worthy. What a frightening jab at religious righteousness and an exploration of culture. ALICIA A Read More →
RIDE BABY RIDE Feminist companion for CARRIE lovers, Sofie Somoroff‘s short RIDE BABY RIDE finds a female mechanic in the new ownership of a possessed car. As the vehicle attempts to incapacitate and sexually assault her, she must fight for her life. Celina Bernstein effortlessly commands the viewer with what may amount to all five lines of dialogue. She acts Read More →
The Queue Cole is a new online content monitor for the FBI. Upon discovering the final message of his predecessor, he finds a new meaning of “images seared into your brain.” Michael Rich‘s THE QUEUE is the physical manifestation of PTSD from vile online videos. This superb film thrives on audio and the performance of Burt Bulos. There is a Read More →
STOP DEAD Director Emily Greenwood brings the short STOP DEAD to the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2023. Two officers get a flat tire as a blood-soaked young woman happens upon them. Clearly in distress, a taser leads to her immediate demise, or so they think. The special FX reminds me of one of my favorite kills from the 1997 sci-fi Read More →
BORN OF WOMAN (2023 shorts program) Fantasia’s top-tier showcase of intimate auteur genre visions returns with eight works from six countries that will leave you shaken and amazed. Sayani A crashed pilot seeks a way out of her unfamiliar and harsh surroundings. As her hopes of rescue fade, memories become her saving grace and doom. This beautifully lit short takes Read More →
PRUNING Filmmaker Lola Blanc tackles the growing evil of Right-wing extremism in the short film PRUNING. Sami is an up-and-coming right-wing commentator. You know. The kind that lives to cause controversy by spewing “alternative facts” and plays the faux patriotism card. We know these bobbleheads all too well. They are dangerous. PRUNING is a manifestation of festering hatred. Following Read More →
PROOF OF CONCEPT Written and directed by Max Cohn and Ellie Sachs, the short film PROOF OF CONCEPT is a filmmaker and cinephiles meta-inside joke. Richard Kind plays Robert Cohen, a man with an aspiring filmmaker daughter. An ager Chloe, played hilariously by Ellie Sachs, tries to get dad and her Uncle Eddie on board for funding a short film, Read More →
CORVINE An eccentric boy has trouble fitting in at school due to his obsession with crows. Writer-director Sean McCarron‘s Tribeca animated short CORVINE immediately enchanted me, from the delightful score by Suad Bushnaq to the beautiful animation to the sweet storytelling. The film celebrates imagination and individuality while also creatively tackling bullying. As a parent of a child on the Read More →
TO MY FATHER To My Father, depicts Deaf actor Troy Kotsur’s journey to winning an Oscar and his father’s inspiringinfluence on him, despite a tragic accident. Gorgeously shot by Brody Carmichael, with thoughtful editing by Joshua Meyers, Sean Schiavolin brings audiences a heartfelt story of inspiration and determination with the short film TO MY FATHER. Unless you’ve been living under a Read More →
ENDLESS SEA Follows Carol, an elderly woman on Medicare in New York City, as she struggles through the US healthcare system, a reality faced by millions of Americans who find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. Carol navigates the healthcare system after finding that her heart medication has quadrupled in price. Doing all she can to pay Read More →
SLICK TALK (Live-action) A young Chinese-American rapper from New York struggles with her identity and career path in the thought-provoking short SLICK TALK. Balancing culture, passion, and parental pressure, Kiki responds to a manager who messages her online after watching her music video. Jess Hu plays Kiki with an intriguing mix of talent, sass, and self-doubt. You can see the Read More →
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