PREVIEW: SHORT CUTS 4

0 Comments POSTED: August 27, 2007 22:31 | By: Jay Dart

SHORT CUTS 4:
Betrayed, bullied, cursed & cremated

BUMBLEBEE
Dir. Jonathan van Tulleken | English | 6 mins.
Children?s play takes dark turns in this observant tale about two young boys. Set in lush Georgian Bay and permeated by an unsettling atmosphere, this beautifully photographed film deals with the destructive consequences of boundary testing and imitation.

CODE 13
Dir. Mathieu L. Denis | French | 16 mins.
Joseph, a solitary and morose Montreal cab driver, reluctantly agrees to a double shift, during which he has a troubling incident with a cyclist. As events unfold, this contemplative and atmospheric drama explores the moral consequences of quick decisions.

CURSING HANLEY
Dir. Kelly Harms | English | 17 mins.

In this comedic tale about the bitter potential of fate, a naively optimistic man unwittingly finds himself living the day from hell. His ex-fiancée, it seems, has placed a curse on him that will result in the loss of everything he values.

LES GRANDS
Dir. Chloe Leriche | French | 12 mins.
Stolen lunches and violent threats are daily events endured by three classmates in this compelling schoolyard drama. After they receive a particularly menacing message, the friends finally decide to take on the class bully. They soon realize that making assumptions can be foolish.

I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE
Dir. Cam Christiansen | English | 6 mins.
On a hot summer day in the suburbs, a father and son enjoy a leisurely game of tennis until a group of young hooligans accosts them for their unfashionable ways. Unique camera-based motion-capture animation brings a visual flair to Canadian singer-songwriter Kris Demeanor?s tender, humorous tune about maturity and generation gaps.

REORDER
Dir. Sean Garrity | English | 14 mins.
Stunned by his fiancée?s admission of adultery, Kyle obsessively attempts to rebuild his life, piece by piece. As Kyle withdraws into himself, filmmaker Sean Garrity?s brilliantly structured mise en scène provides insight into a man reckoning with his lover?s betrayal.

SMILE
Dir. Julia Kwan | English | 18 mins.
Told from the perspective of the youngest daughter of a Chinese immigrant family, this endearing story recounts the events surrounding the taking of a family portrait. The central dilemma ? which gives the film its title ? arises as the family navigates differing cultural customs in this intimate and adept character study.

THREE BEANS FOR GEORGE
Dir. Sean Anicic | English | 5 mins.
A man trades his buddy?s ashes for three beans in an attempt to beat the laws of nature and bring his pal back from the dead. This is a surprisingly droll tale about everlasting friendship.

Film briefs written by the Short Cuts Canada programming team: Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo, Alex Rogalski and Jay Dart.