We’ve been showcasing the short films nominated for the Academy Awards ever since the VIFF Centre opened 20 years ago. This year’s contenders in the Live Action category make for an eclectic program. They include comedies, drama, an experimental musical, and a dystopian fantasy; films from the UK and the US, France and Israel.
Butcher’s Stain (Meyer Levinson-Blount, Israel, 26 min)
Samir, an Arab Israeli working in a supermarket in Tel Aviv, is accused of tearing down hostage posters in the break room. He sets out to prove his innocence to keep this job that he desperately needs.
A Friend of Dorothy (Lee Knight, UK, 21 min)
An elderly woman (Miriam Margolyes) makes an unexpected friend when 17-yr-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) comes to reclaim his ball from her garden.
Jane Austen’s Period Drama (Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, USA, 13 min)
England, 1813 — a long-anticipated proposal is interrupted by “that time of the month”, to the consternation of the would-be suitor.
The Singers (Sam A Davis, USA, 18 min)
Based on a short story by Turgenev, this docu-musical hybrid contrives an impromptu sign-off in a pub populated by viral internet sensations.
Two People Exchanging Saliva (Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, France/USA, 36 min)
In a world where kissing is punishable by death and slaps are currency, compulisve shopper Angine becomes fascinated by a playful salesgirl.
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Montreal, ma belle
In this Valentine to discovering love later in life, the ever-elegant Joan Chen plays Feng Xia, a 53-year-old Chinese immigrant and mother in Montreal whose world is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with a young Quebecoise.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly + Talkback with Special Guests
The third and the best of the so-called 'Dollars' trilogy amplifies Leone's baroque style: crane shots, shock cuts and Morricone music all vying for attention as three rogues hunt buried gold in a series of triangular variations. + Intro and Talkback
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Mixing documentary and reenactment, this film powerfully evokes the desperate attempts of the Red Crescent to rescue a six year old child trapped in a car under Israeli military fire. Oscar nominee: Best International Film
