Synopsis & Film Details
For the first time on the big screen in the Central Valley, the Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour stops at the Fresno Film Festival for an exclusive engagement. Showcasing a wide variety of stories and styles, the 2015 program features six short films that won awards this year at Sundance, which over the course of its more than 30-year history has been widely considered the premiere showcase for short films and has served as the launchpad for many now-prominent independent filmmakers. Including live action, documentary, and animation from around the world, this 83-minute short film program traverses a range of styles from wild comedy to quiet poetry and beyond.
Distributor: Sundance Institute
Screening Sponsor
Fresno Arts Council
Featuring:
“World of Tomorrow”
When a little girl named Emily meets a third-generation clone of herself, she soon learns through an eye-opening animated journey what the future will hold for herself and society. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award for Best of Fest.
Director: Don Hertzfeldt • USA • 17 minutes
“SMILF”
A young single mother attempts to reclaim the freedoms of her former life when she invites a former lover over for a late-night visit. Winner of the Short Film Jury Prize for U.S. Fiction.
Director: Frankie Shaw • USA • 9 minutes
“Oh Lucy!”
Middle-aged office worker Setsuko finds her meek existence turned upside down when taking English classes from an unorthodox American instructor. Once she’s given a blonde wig and is required to refer to herself as ‘Lucy,’ Setsuko finds a new, liberating persona. Winner of the Short Film Jury Prize for International Fiction.
Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi • Japan/Singapore/USA • 22 minutes
“The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul”
Through a series of “screen tests,” a group of young girls strive to be cast as the Olympic figure skater and Ukrainian icon, all while sharing their recent memories of the war-torn country. Winner of the Short Film Jury Prize for Non-Fiction.
Director: Kitty Green • Russia/Ukraine • 7 minutes
“Storm Hits Jacket”
After a surreal storm hits the western coast of France, two research scientists find themselves caught in the chaos. They try to keep their latest invention safe from thieves and the zany weather itself. Winner of the Short Film Jury Prize for Animation.
Director: Paul Cabon • France • 13 minutes
“Object”
Beneath a frozen-over lake, an ambiguous underwater search turns and twists through the multi-faceted views of the deep-sea diver, his rescue team, and the bystanders patiently waiting on the shoreline. Winner of the Short Film Special Jury Prize for Poetic Vision.
Directed by Paulina Skibińska • Poland • 15 minutes