The Female Heart
Tender, poignant, and often life changing are the intimate relationships and moments that the women of these short films experience. Whether it's an affair that extends over the course of years, or a platonic encounter lasting only minutes, these characters
share the special bond that can only exist between two women. Lucha (Maria Breaux, USA, 2009), The Touch (Jane Clark, USA, 2007), Heart (Amy Gebhardt, Australia, 2008), No Words (Tenaya Cleveland, USA, 2009), 510 Meters Above Sea Level (Kerstin Polte, Switzerland, 2008), Lie Together (Jeanette Buck, USA, 2008), Door Prize (Zsa Zsa Gershick, USA, 2009). Total: 92 min.
Patrik, Age 1.5
Ella Lemhagen (Sweden, 2008, 100 min.)
Göran and Sven seem to want the same things as their hetero-normative neighbors: leisurely afternoons at block parties and raising a family. But the neighborhood kids harass them, and Göran, prone to drinking, smoking and outbursts, is wary of their pending adoption. When news arrives of an available 1.5-year-old baby boy--Patrik--Sven and Göran are equally eager to welcome their adopted child into their home. Due to a typographical error, instead of an infant, an embittered, homophobic 15-year-old juvenile delinquent turns up. As the tug of war between three very human and flawed personalities begins, an intriguing yet subtle series of events plays out.
Just Friends
When is sex purely physical, and when is it an identity defining experience? When is a friendship just friendly, and when is it real love? Ranging from chaste stories of unrequited love to sordid tales of wild encounters, everyone can relate to a time in their lives when they've asked, "Could this become something more?" Because sometimes, what could be is more intriguing than what is... "Lose Yourself in Me" by Steve Berkowitz (Steve Berkowitz & Keith Vanderlaan, USA, 2009), Non-Love-Song (Erik Gernand, USA, 2008), New Skin (Brett Hannam, Canada, 2008), Curious Thing (Alain Hain, USA, 2009), Chased (William Branden Blinn, USA, 2009), Shattercane (Michael Tringe, USA, 2008), "The Lie" by Dylan Rice (Eric Normington, USA, 2009), The Human Prism (Ariel Crellin, Australia, 2008), Last Night (Renee S. Baltsen, USA, 2009). Total: 98 min.
Just Say Love
Bill Humphreys (USA, 2009, 75 min.)
While sitting on a park bench one afternoon, Doug, a straight, muscled construction worker, strikes up a conversation with Guy, a gay, vegetarian painter. The two banter on theories of love and attraction and ultimately begin meeting for no-strings-attached afternoon trysts. As seasons pass and expectations shift, their relationship tenderly progresses into something unexpected. Shot with minimal, stage-like sets, Just Say Love is adapted from David J. Mauriello's stage play of the same name. The film, featuring only two characters, is very dialogue-driven, exploring notions of happiness, feeding the body versus the soul, and the laws of attraction.
Filed under: Film
