Short Fuse

Where do filmmakers find their stories? This shorts program of Canadian and international shorts was specially selected for our Ignite High School series, where we invite thousands of students to come to VIFF each year to learn from inspiring new films and ideas. We are pleased to also offer a second special screening of Short Fuse for all audiences to experience this special series of eye-opening stories on screen. Each short was selected for their visual style and heartfelt storytelling, often exploring memories, experiences, and relationships between friends, family, and across generations. From garages to arcades, to powwows in North America, to the rivers of Ethiopia and beyond, memorable stories can be found everywhere. Stories of loss, connection, beauty, and resilience, these shorts offer unique approaches to storytelling on screen, showcasing compelling collection for the next generation.

This short film program includes the following films:

Wednesdays with Gramps
Chris Copeland & Justin Copeland, USA (9 min)

When a teenage boy visits his grandfather at a mundane assisted living facility, he comes to find that they have much more in common than he thought. A story about connection, communication, and commonality across generations, without saying a word.

Pow!
Joseph Clift, USA (9 min)

This heartfelt tribute to the director’s Tulalip community follows the comedic antics of young Jake, trying to charge his video game console at a community powwow.

Content considerations: brief, subtle reference to residential schools mentioned by the child’s grandmother.

Ball Lightning
Trina Baker, USA, English (12 min)

Gusta was a refugee who fled East Germany and immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. This story is told through the eyes of the surrogate daughter that she raised after she was forced to give away her own infant daughter as the iron curtain rose.

Yves et Ses Bonsaïs
Ophelia Spinosa (14 min)

At 87-years-old, Yves maintains his joie de vivre surrounded by his 70+ bonsai trees. From a tree’s roots to its crown, we reflect on the beauty of life imitating art, death, and age, wrapped in Yves’ wit and humour.

Tiger
Loren Waters, USA (13 min)

In memory of legendary Muscogee Creek artist Jerome Tiger, Dana Tiger’s family started a booming art t-shirt printing business. For nearly 30 years, Dana has worked to revitalize the iconic Tiger t-shirt company to continue her family’s legacy.

The River
Herrana Addisu, USA (17 min)

A poetic and beautiful homage to culture and the experiences of girls and women in Ethiopia. This artfully crafted film draws inspiration from the director’s childhood home, Kebena.

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