Last night, representatives from the Phoenix Film Festival gave an audience at the Phoenix Art Museum a sneak peek at a few short films in the Arizona, Animated and Foreign categories.
If you didn't catch them last night, you'll have a second chance during the festival, March 31 through April 7, at the Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theater. Here are clips and photos from five of our favorites:
1. DAY LABOR
Day Labor Trailer from Minka on Vimeo.
"Day Labor" is a smart, hilarious take on day
laboring and outsourcing. It won at the Seattle's True Independent Film
Festival, and for good reason. This is one of the best in the bunch.
2. LIGHTS
When Jason Carney, Phoenix Film Festival director introduced "Lights" at the screening, it was described as "very German." And it was; tragic, but in a refreshingly wonderful way. "Lights" is incredibly well-made, funny and fully developed. Oh, and it's in English so don't worry about subtitles.
3. EARTHSHIP
For being a short film, this movie has character development, a story
arc, and even comedic relief. (Granted, it's one of the longest short films, at 18 minutes.) It's about a post-apocalyptic-type
utopia that runs into some serious opposition.
4. SWING
This animated short takes on aging, death and life in four brief minutes. Sad and uplifting in the same breath, it's well worth a watch.
5. JUST ABOUT FAMOUS
"Just About Famous" starts off with a bang, and it keeps getting better. The 15-minute documentary about celebrity impersonators and their annual convention will make you chuckle and help you understand this larger-than-life world.
The Phoenix Film Festival starts March 31 and runs through April 7 at the Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theater, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. in Phoenix. For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the event's website.
