The programme for the sixth annual Show Me Shorts Film Festival has been announced and has been compared to depression-era escapism pictures by the festival director.
“These films capture a snap-shot of the state of mind of New Zealand and international artists in the last year,” says festival director Gina Dellabarca.
“A sort-of ‘temperature-taking’ of the nation and the world, if you allow that our artists and story tellers capture the kinds of stories we demand.”
The 47 films in this year’s programme have been selected from hundreds of entries and will be divided up for screening into seven themed sessions: Master Chef, Unlikely Bedfellows, Small Pleasures, Unexpected Adventure, Love You to Death, Extreme Measures and Hitting the Road.
For the first time this year, Show Me Shorts will screen international films from outside of New Zealand and Australia. The international line-up has been added in response to audience demand and includes films from France, UK, Germany/South Africa, Ireland and the USA.
Local highlights include internationally award winning Blue by Stephen Kang, which screened at Cannes this year, and the first short film by Tammy Davis (Outrageous Fortune’s Munter) Ebony Society, which featured at this year’s Sundance and Berlin festivals.
Previous Show Me Shorts Best Film winner Jackie van Beek is back with a new film this year Go the Dogs, shot in Australia. Programming assistance from Kerry Film Festival in Ireland led to the inclusion of two Irish shorts: comedy Cold Turkey and romantic drama Crossword. Melbourne International Film Festival also recommended several Australian shorts including a cross dressing comedy and an animated road movie.
The Show Me Shorts awards for 2011 will be announced at the Opening & Awards night Thursday 3 November at the Capitol Cinema in Auckland.
Following the Auckland launch, Show Me Shorts will move to Northcote, Waiheke Island, Matakana, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and further smaller regional locations.
For more information including the full Show Me Shorts programme and schedule, visit the official Show Me Shorts website.
3 News