Our HollyShorts 2023 Review: A Complete Guide to Binging Some Great Art

 

Go Indie Now's Joe Compton received the distinct honor and privilege to experience and watch some of the best Short Films from around the World thanks to the HollyShorts Film Festival. A festival that just took place in person in Los Angeles, CA and remains online at Bitpix | Bitpix (bitpixtv.com) for a little bit as of this writing. 

If you are like me and go to your local cinema to sit and watch the Academy Awards Shorts every year or you have always wanted to, this may be your ultimate preview. As an accredited Oscar Qualifying Festival, it would be no surprise to this viewer that we see some if not a lot of these films make the cut. 

Not that that matters because see good art needs no qualifications but hey if you needed a reason to spend a weekend binging short films and being more entertained than you can possibly imagine, well then this has to be where you begin. The amount of talent on display here in many, many different genres, different narratives, poignancies, and thematic sovereignty is endless. That's literally the case for Hollyshorts as they have over 350+ films on display. Some Micro-short, some a little longer, and some in between. You will be surprised how fast you get sucked in and how many you end up watching. 

So that being said, let me help you start your journey and give you a good place to start with a few of my favorites.

KNIGHT OF FORTUNE 

RUN TIME: 25 MINS
GENRE: DRAMA
SYNOPSIS: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, that is too much for Karl to face. Then it's much easier to fix a broken lamp. Karl meets Torben - a destined brother, and it turns out that maybe they can help one another.
WRITER/DIRECTOR : Lasse Lyskjær Noer
STARRING : Leif Andrée, Dick Kaysø, Jesper Lohmann

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: The performances here are some of the best in any short I saw at this festival. The acting is a masterclass in subtlety and nuance. The writing is equally stellar as the more jovial moments hit with a kind of odd ill-informed sense that it works to preserve the emotional aspects of each moment in each room and each scene. They have these wonderful beats that mix together the words and movements equally to give it that nice cadence. The movie moves with a sort of odd precision that endears you to a few, otherwise awkward and emotional, subject matter moments. The way Director Lasse Noer decides to pepper in the foundations of the building blocks that move this narrative forward is so well orchestrated too. 

There is so much power in these setups and you aren't aware of how much till the moment ends. You go from serious sympathy to crying to laughing, and then into just an odd absurdity that is neither offending nor offering to give away any of its storytelling power. The framing adds this discovery element to each moment so perfectly, kind of like that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle you found under the leg of the coffee table. This is a movie I could watch over and over again and each time I feel like I would get something different from it. For a movie that reveals slowly its little quirks and twists that's an accomplishment of rarified air. 

SEVAP/MITZVAH

RUN TIME: 25 MINS
GENRE: DRAMA
SYNOPSIS: In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friends and is saved by them in turn 50 years later.
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sabina Vajraca
STARRING: Helena Vuckovic, Adnan Haskovic, Rijad Gvozden

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This might be my favorite directed short of the festival. I think what Sabina has done here, the meticulous nature and the authenticity that she has carefully crafted here feels so real, so powerful, and almost a transportation back to a time and place few of us will ever know. It is that careful care and storytelling that really makes this movie move perfectly and seamlessly into what is an unbelievable and powerful message. Helena Vuckovic does an amazing job of honoring a real-life person and her story, she stands out here and really has some very powerful and strong moments that add a lot to the moments of static energy and tension that fill the air of these circumstances. It makes me want to explore and learn more about Zejneba Hardaga. 

There is a shot through a window that pans in that I will not soon forget. This is amazing storytelling in a short period of time that covers a lifetime incredibly well and yet I am told by Sabina (check out my interview with her) that there is so much more to tell, I am in Sabina, all in for sure. YOU CAN SEE MY INTERVIEW WITH SABINA HERE.

FOR THE SAFETY OF THEO

RUN TIME: 9 MINS
GENRE: DRAMA

SYNOPSIS: When casual hook-ups become too debilitating, a man suffering from OCD seeks out different ways to purge himself of the consequences of the night before.
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Christopher Macken
STARRING: Darragh O'Toole, Kelly Curran, Dan Sanders-Joyce


WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: The feel of this film and the way it is presented through the quick jump cuts and strong close-ups give the frenetic, crazy feel that I am going to describe by stealing from what Christopher told me in our interview; as punk rock. It has the punch you in the face, scratch and claw at your neck kind of tension that moves like it's 5 minutes and not 9. The nonverbal acting job that Darragh does, coupled with the playful and concerning dialogue moments is spot on. 

Darragh really commits himself here and it shows tenfold. I love the foils too, the stark brash contrast of Kelly Curran's no nonsense character Claire to the brief but oh so important Sam character played by Dan Sanders-Joyce. This is a wicked ride with a strong but not overbearing message that plays so well with its franticness framed here. There is something that sits with you after you experience this a kind of numbing of what this film really was trying to say and it becomes embedded in your thoughts about it. I love films that do that and this one does it extremely well. 

VILLAIN

RUN TIME: 10 MINS
GENRE: FANTASY
SYNOPSIS: An orphaned girl seeks revenge on the creature that destroyed her home, but discovers more in its lair than she bargained for.

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Sparky Tehnsuko
Starring: Isla Gie, Bella Ramsey

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THIS FILM: I am just going to come out and say it and y'all can throw shade on me if you wish but honestly if this was what Game Of Thrones would have been like instead of the mess and boredom it was, I would have been all in. The tension Director Sparky Tehsuko builds, the story told in a mere 9 minutes without a single word just the occasional, monosyllable grunt or scream is both breathtaking and exhilarating. I have to say too the young actors here that were given the trust of the storyteller show exactly why he was able to trust them, their restraint and discipline make me excited to see what they all do in the future here.

You get everything you need, the fear, the motivation, the strength, the revenge, the need to overcome the fear, and on top of that one kick-ass-looking Dragon. I really feel like this is a road map on how to make short films work in a 3 act narrative structure.  

A MATTER OF CHOICE

RUN TIME: 14 MINS
GENRE: DARK COMEDY
SYNOPSIS: After unexpectedly finding a connection in the waiting room of an assisted-suicide clinic, Mallory and Drystan are left with a choice: do they stay or do they go?

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Louis Norton Selzer

Starring: WIll Merrick, Lydia WIlson, Ciara Pouncett

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: I love that it didn't end the way I thought it might or the way most might even think it should. I love strong, smart choices and this short film is full of them. From the filmmaker Louis Selzer's ending, to the way the actors all reacted in this very unusual circumstance and the setup and drabness of this atmosphere. 

I thought Ciara Pouncett's role as the nurse administrator was particularly standing out for me. The 2 leads did very well to give this narrative the depth it needed without verbalizing it too much. A lot of great close-up choices and cutaways added a lot to building this tension and giving it this awkward craziness.  I love the symbolic color choices, especially of the suitcases, and the funny line that acknowledges that I thought was very clever. There is a lot of cleverness throughout this piece and it doesn't hit you over the head or push into a false pretense, it stays true to itself and I think for that it can only be applauded. 

7 MINUTES

RUN TIME: 10 MINS
GENRE: DARK COMEDY
SYNOPSIS:Follows two people awkwardly contemplating suicide on a desolated train track, which seems to be the perfect spot to end it all, until someone else turns up with the same idea.

DIRECTOR: Ricky Gervais

WRITERS: Harry Carlile, Jonathan Parramint

Starring: Seroca Davis, Joe WIlkinson

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: A great example of how a narrative can be constructed from the simplest of set-ups, from the eaisest of transitions, and the awkwardness of silence. This is so well constructed and the punchline is very nicely timed and yet even though there is a "punchline" per se it's really a lot about what is not being said here that is so fascinating and riveting. I love both Seroca Davis and Joe WIlkinson here, there is a great ying and yang about each person's juxtaposition that they really give that great subtly that Gervais is known for, which is a nice apt touch. Knowing what we are given to know, the uncomfortableness of the whole situation plays right into a fiercely deeper meaning without it ever saying so or needing to even be. I think there are few artists in this world who tow that line better than Ricky Gervais and this is a nice little example of the power of a close up shot to bringing it out wide. 

HER PERFECT LIFE

RUN TIME: 25 MINS
GENRE: DRAMA
SYNOPSIS: Every woman in Lagos, wants to be like Onajide Ibrahim - she has the perfect life. At 39 years old, she has achieved what most women twenty years older would be proud of - a flourishing career, a popular and growing small business, a loving husband and two bright and beautiful children. So why does she want to end it all?/

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Mo Abudu

Starring: Pearl Thusi, Jospeh Benjamin

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: It's gorgeous and breathtaking. This is the best production design of all the shorts here at this festival. The shot selection is very nice, lot of great pans, and great reveals, and it adds a nice element to the storytelling. Joseph Benjamin has a nice moment toward the end of the film too and I love the message that is trying to be sent with this film. 

All of that is amazing but at nearly 24 minutes there is a slight disconnect for me here. I am just still not sure why Onajide had the dramatic turn that she did. I think this is a more proof of concept idea that gives a sense of what a turn like this would look like and you know in clinical depression it doesn't ever make much sense and can happen quickly and unexplainably so in that spirit this works but as a storyteller and film watcher it was a harder leap than I wanted it to be. Still Mo Abudu as a filmmaker, you can see the talent, you can see the good keen eye for shots and moving the story through showing us instead of telling us, a skillset that needs to be in more practice for a lot of us out there and Mo has it down. 

MONOCHROMATIC

RUN TIME: 13 MIN
GENRE: DRAMA 

SYNOPSIS: The inevitable moment a six year old girl realises the world operates with bias when it comes to the colour of her skin. We're all born equal....then life happens.
Director/Writer Karen Bryson
Stars Stephanie Levi-John, Sonnyboy Skelton, Kenedy McCallam-Martin

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: Conceptual this is a work of art, I love the approach to a 1st Person's POV here. There is an incredibly difficult and masterfully done shot of when Bev, the mother played by Stephanie Levi-John is brushing out her daughter's hair and we get this glimpse of it in the mirror, one of the best shots I have ever seen. 

This movie has a powerful and fresh take on a message that I still think needs to be heard and that's a sad statement on our society really. Yet I thought Karen Bryson's approach is so nicely woven into the POV and what it means for a young Black Girl to have those moments of self-discovery and horrifying realizations and genuine fears. It really hits home all from the approach of the filmmaker. Again this film is another in a long example from this Film Festival of how to tell a story with little or no dialogue and tell it with a poignant, powerful narrative structured like a complete story. This one sat with me for a little bit and I so appreciate and am extremely grateful to have that experience with it. 

PIVOT 

RUN TIME: 7 MIN
GENRE: ANIMATION 

SYNOPSIS: Growing up isn't easy, and it's no exception for 12-year-old Ashley whose well-meaning Mom has her own ideas about who Ashley should be. Finding herself in an impossible situation, Ashley must decide whether to wear a gaudy dress she hates or find the courage to stand up for herself and fight the inner monster that is holding her back.
DIRECTOR: Ana Gusson
WRITER Robyn Campbell

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This is a great way to express a message of the constraints and lines that society draws out but also how much it is about finding who we are and it's okay if we are multiple ideas and that we might embrace aspects of anything. Beyond that the animation is nicely done, love a lot of the watercolor-esque splotching effect that serves as transitions here, they play up the somewhat playful nature in which the message is layered on top of and I really like when animation can do that. Again another incredibly awesome example of how visual storytelling can be done without ever conveying a word and yet stay compelling and give us a completed narrative, even within 7 minutes. 

I AM WHAT YOU IMAGINE 

RUN TIME: 6 MIN
GENRE: EXISTENIAL, PSEUDO DOCUMENTARY

SYNOPSIS: A resounding voice of who we are in a bound weave of self reflection and realization. Asking the burning question of who are we and getting the answer. 
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Matthew & Ruby Modine

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: Well for this viewer this film says a lot of universal truths that I believe and speaks to me and my spiritual essence. Will it resonate with everyone? I can't answer that question. I do like the visuals chosen to reflect the thoughts and the conversations going on in mostly voice-over work here. I can say from a pure filmmaking and review writing standpoint that everything technically is well timed, well placed, and well developed into what ultimately this is, which is how you perceive what you are being shown and told. A film whether it tows the line of fiction or non-fiction, narrative or documenting should do exactly what this does, which aptly even refers to and plays off of the title. So clever is a great way to describe this design and this film. It's all degrees like any other narrative or documentary whether it resonates and for me, that part is a resounding yes. 

EVERYBODY DIES...SOMETIMES

RUN TIME: 9 MIN
GENRE: DARK COMEDY

SYNOPSIS: A dark comedy about death anxiety that follows Mara as she grapples with the belief that she has killed everybody she's gotten close to.
Director/Writer Charlotte Hamblin
Stars Tanya Reynolds,  Matthew Horne, Emma Amos

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This has a very clever setup, punchy dialogue, and a somewhat nice pace (more on that in a few sentences) to build the interesting tension that develops. Moreover, it tells a nice origin story in 1/1000th of the amount of time that would take a Marvel movie 3 hours to do.

I also enjoyed the subtle payout of the ending. Matthew Horne gives an exceptional performance in this piece. I love all the little things he adds and does and doesn't do that help sell the punchline even more. The production design here is great too, you get that halfway dreamscape, almost Wes Anderson colorization that feels as surreal as it is real. These small little things add up and I appreciate that, even though I have to admit, at about the 7-minute mark I was ready for the punchline.

 

THE MOBIUS TRIP

RUN TIME: 17 MIN
GENRE: FANTASY DRAMA

SYNOPSIS: A road trip pushes a dysfunctional family to the brink after their journey descends into a claustrophobic hallucinatory nightmare.

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Simone Smith

Stars Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Stephen McMillan, Mirren Mack

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: You know films aren't always supposed to make you feel good and they shouldn't be judged for making you feel a bit awkward or uncomfortable. In fact they should be applauded for that. The Mobius Trip lives up to its name, it puts you into the framework of not just one POV experiencing Hallucination but 4 and that in itself is a feat and a half. I love how much Simone Smith utilizes this front windshield wide shot and sharply cuts into a tight two-shot or even close-up. I also love the cutaways that further ascend the audience into madness as much as the characters are experiencing.

The dialogue literally drives this car into the narrative being established or deconstructed is probably a better way to look at it. It is a bit frantic at times, and when they start talking over each other it becomes a little harder to stay in the moment but ultimately what I enjoy about this trip is never loses me fully and I am not so sure it wasn't intending to do that? Hunter S. Thompson would have loved this short, it has that crazy let me just share everything in my brain all at once type of feel. 

BERTIE THE BRILLIANT

RUN TIME: 25 MIN
GENRE: FANTASY FAMILY MUSICAL

SYNOPSIS: A young boy takes on chores and small jobs around his neighborhood to raise money for a ticket to a magic show; but when his grandmother loses her job, he is faced with a difficult decision.

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Gabriela Garcia Medina

Stars Prince Pieters, Terri Hoyos, Cheryl Umana

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: This has an awesome message and is a lot of fun. If you were looking for something wherein you can introduce your kids to some great Independent art this and Pivot are 2 great choices. Beyond that I love the production design here it adds so much to the overall feeling and experience you have. I also appreciate the subtle nods to things from my childhood like Scooby Doo, Sid and Marty Kroft's universe, 3-2-1 Contact, and Sesame Street. 

The musical numbers are good and they add a nice whimsical element to this that I think was a nice surprise. Look the way that this is designed is exactly how I feel about it, it was meant to be fun, it was meant to convey a nice message, and be colorful and playful when appropriate so for me to sit here and analysis the writing, the acting, the story and all the things you come expect with a review of mine just doesn't do anything to change the goal of this film and how it accomplishes that. Which it does amazing well. 

MY DREAMS HAVE BEEN DARK OF LATE

RUN TIME: 3 MIN
GENRE: HORROR

SYNOPSIS: A Knight deals with the fallout of battle.

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Joshua Warren

Stars Alexander Lincoln

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: In what I can only describe as a fever dream meets medieval times we get a nice glimpse of surreal moment facing a man and a decision he made. Now whether this is the reality of the situation or whether this is merely a dream to interpret? Well, the title makes a case for both for sure. This is super short and leaves much to discuss about so many ideals and merits of existence. That's what makes it a powerful 3 minutes. Good acting helps sell this too and without dialogue Alexander Lincoln really does a great job, for a lack of a matter way to put it, dying here. 

Nice authencity for the time period and nice use of the setting to sell it as well. I like Joshua Warren's approach here, it leaves a lot for interpretation and maybe for a cinephile like me who may be reading way too much into it but hey art is subjective right?

LAST DAYS OF THE LAB

RUN TIME: 13 MIN
GENRE: DRAMA

SYNOPSIS: A mother and daughter sift through old memories as they prepare to permanently close down their family's photo lab.

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Maria Alvarez

Stars Arianna Ortiz, Alex Felix, Juan Francisco Villa

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM: I love how this film utilizes film to convey what it was born to do, beautiful memories that serve as reminders. There is really amazing chemistry on display with the acting in this short as well from Alex Feliz and Arianna Ortiz. I really bought into all the emotional elements and the love and passion from both actors here. Exceptional work on their parts.

I love how the storytelling unfolds and the big reveal really lends a moment that is powerful and says so much in a short span. I also love the nice levity that follows and the exceptional camera shot from the rear window that exclamates this nice narrative. I want more of this story for sure but what I got I was left with a nice sense of maybe I should I call my mom. 

Overall we are so grateful to HollyShorts for allowing us this opportunity to experience as many shorts as we did here. I wish I could sit,w atch them all and review them, and maybe at some point I will do another round but I wanted to give you all a chance to see them if you read this right away. I am really encouraged by the strong sense of filmmaking prowess telling stories in nonconeventional ways and doing so in confined, short bursts. This was an awesome experience and perhaps next year I can get down to LA and do some in person coverage too.