Moviegoers and all lovers of
short films got their chance to
attend a showcase of more than
280 films arranged and sectioned,
into 44 programs, at the
17th annual Los Angeles Shorts
Film Festival.
The kick off date, Thursday,
September 5, sizzled with over
90-degree heat at North Hollywood’s
Laemmle Theatre,
where the seven-day event is
taking up residence. The shorts
fest will run until Thursday, September
12 with each short film
selected, organized into categories,
and then assigned to the
genres of adventure, animation,
comedy, documentary, drama,
horror, sci-fi, and themes such
as love, family, friendship, conflict,
suspense, religion and art.
Shorts selected for screening
and competition, feature award
winning actors, directors, and
filmmakers from more than 17
countries worldwide.
There were some great
shorts featured on opening
day and greater ones expected
throughout the festival. “Solely”
produced and written by Madia
Hill, directed by, Anna Nersesyan
was one of many fantastic
and brilliantly written, produced
and directed shorts. “Solely”
presents us with the old adage
that a picture is worth a thousand
words. Madia Hill stars
in the film as well, along with
actor Toy Lei. Hill seduces the
audience by showing slithers
of creative and artistically choreographed
dance scenes while
tackling the sensitive subject of
abortion. Things become complicated
as Madia is faced with
the reality of making the tough
decision all by herself. As she
comes to grips with having to
face the situation alone, director
Nersesyan leads us into
emotional depth while tweaking
the many moods of the viewer.
“Solely” expresses a universal
truth that all women could be
faced with and offers solace to
the audience in its approach to
women’s rights issues.
“Shaya,” which was written
and directed by Amir Noorani,
was produced by Mike Gut and
Eric Bergemann. The cast features
Laikh Tewari and Shruti
Tewari. This highly charged
short’s theme was based
around a Pakistani family sent
to live in America. The family’s
perception of America quickly
changes after young “Shaya,”
along with his mother, encounter
local neighborhood bullies
while carrying groceries home
from the local market. The plot
thickens when “Shaya” is forced
to look for money and food after
being robbed and beaten by the
bullies. The bullies are caught
off guard when one of their own
helps “Shaya” escape after witnessing
him steal a bag of groceries.
Things get very out of
hand when the neighborhood
encounters tragedy. This short
focused on cultural differences
and gives a glaring example of
how in truth, all impoverished
communities around the globe
are faced with lack of education,
lack of food, lack of clothes and
lack of the proper nourishment
of spirit.
Produced by Jude Roth,
Reena Dutt and directed by
Heather de Michele’s “El Doctor”
proved a worthy opponent
as a short for consideration.
When husband and wife homeowners
pick up two Mexican
workers a chain of events are
set in motion. Dark shadows
are cast upon sunny skies
when one worker, after asking
to use the couple’s bathroom
to wash his hands, falls upon
unfortunate circumstances.
The worker is falsely accused,
after he is seen in the bathroom
talking with the couple’s young
son. The entire family is suddenly
faced, with challenging
hard-core mis-perceived views
and prejudices, when the two
workers are asked to leave. A
must see for social and cultural
enthusiasts.
AMPAS, the Academy of
Motion Arts and Sciences
considers the winners of each
film short genre, for a possible
Academy Award nomination.
The LA Shorts Fest also gained
accreditation from AMPSA in
Short Subject
Documentary. The fest has
garnered 44 films that went
onto receive Academy Award
nominations. This year’s winners
are to be announced at the
festival’s closing night on September
12, 2013. Highlights of
the festival shorts showcases
prominent Hollywood actors,
Elijah Wood, Christopher
Lloyd, Cate Blanchet, Jason
Ritter, Ian McKellan, George
Takei, Gerard Depardieu, Missi
Pyle, Katherine Ross, Rutger
Hauer, Lee Meriwether and Jim
Broadbent. Featured directors
include Louis D’Esposito, Catherine
Dent and Ralph Macchio.
The Los Angeles International
Short Film Festival “LA Shorts
Fest” ranks among the most
prestigious international short
film festivals in the world. The
festival is accredited by the
Academy of Motion Pictures
Arts and Sciences and the British
Academy of Film and Television
Arts. Past honorees at the
festival include directors, Paul
Haggis, Bryan Singer, Jan de
Bont, Shane Black, Jon Favreau
and actors Gary Oldman, James
Woods and Martin Landau.
Other known actors and directors
that have screened and
attended the festival are Scarlett
Johansson, Demi Moore, Ashton
Kutcher, Courteney Cox,
Tim Burton, Jason Reitman,
Terry Gilliam, Spike Jonze, Eva
Mendes, Jessica Biel, Rachel
Weisz, Hilary Swank, Josh Brolin,
Kirsten Dunst, Rita Wilson
and Vin Diesel.
For more information and a
complete schedule on LA Shorts
Fest visit www.LAShortsFest.
com.