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Glasgow Film Festival · 2014

Glasgow Film Festival 2014

Shorts

Programme

28 films · 28 reviews

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Afghan '72

Review preview for Afghan '72

Striking stuff.

Andrew Robertson · 3 out of 5
Man meets landscape, on horseback, as a son imagines his father.

(Country: France, US, Afghanistan, Iran; Year: 2013; Director: Pierre Forcioli-Conti; Writer: Pierre Forcioli-Conti; Stars: Pierre Forcioli-Conti) , Official site , Trailer

Buffalo Death Mask

Review preview for Buffalo Death Mask

There isn't enough to get a proper grasp of.

Andrew Robertson · 2 out of 5
Abstracted images of a conversation with the artist Stephen Andrews.

(Country: Canada; Year: 2013; Director: Mike Hoolboom; Writer: Mike Hoolboom; Stars: Stephen Andrews, Louise Bak, Mike Cartmell, Phil Hoffam, Mike Hoolboom, Taravat Khalili, Esma Mouhktar)

Colours

Review preview for Colours

A good wee film.

Andrew Robertson · 3 out of 5
A gay teenager struggles to cope and find acceptance in prison.

(Country: UK; Year: 2013; Director: Graham Fitzpatrick; Writer: Graham Fitzpatrick; Stars: John Ballantyne, Elek Kish, Ian Michie, Jamie Ross)

Dad's Stick

Review preview for Dad's Stick

Well worth tracking down.

Andrew Robertson · 4.5 out of 5
An experimental biopic about a man who keeps things that might be useful.

(Country: UK; Year: 2012; Director: John Smith; Writer: John Smith)

Danger Of Complete Extinction (Opasnost Polnogo Istchjeznovjenija)

Review preview for Danger Of Complete Extinction

Konstantin Kolesov's film doesn't have nothing to say but it doesn't have much to say about nothing.

Andrew Robertson · 2 out of 5
A man who is worried about turning into hiis dad reacts against the world at large.

(Country: Russia; Year: 2012; Director: Konstantin Kolesov; Writer: Konstantin Kolesov; Stars: Filipp Avdeyev, Gleb Golender, Valentina Kuvayeva)

Emergency Calls (Hätäkutsu)

Review preview for Emergency Calls

Powerful stuff.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
An abstracted story based on real life calls to the emergency services.

(Country: Finland; Year: 2013; Director: Hannes Vartiainen, Pekka Veikkolainen; Writer: Hannes Vartiainen, Pekka Veikkolainen; Stars: Juha Hippi, Lauri Hynninen, Eeva Putro, Jonna Uhrman)

Erotos

Review preview for Erotos

Montaldo has to some extent revealed the horror of the body as a thing itself.

Andrew Robertson · 2 out of 5
A couple has a sexual encounter in a car.

(Country: France; Year: 2013; Director: Gregory Montaldo; Writer: Gregory Montaldo; Stars: Aurélie Mele, Agnès Croutelle, Camille Damour, Julie Cardile)

Exchange And Mart

Review preview for Exchange And Mart

Directors Martin Clark and Cara Connolly have an eye for detail.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A girl boarding at a remote highland school undertakes a challenging self-defence test, but things don't go according to plan.

(Country: UK; Year: 2014; Director: Martin Clark, Cara Connolly; Writer: Cara Connolly; Stars: Ewen Bremner, Grace Chilton, Emily-Jane McNeill, Lorne MacFadyen)

Getting On

Review preview for Getting On

An amazing film, masterfully paced.

Andrew Robertson · 5 out of 5
A woman labouring under the weight of housework with no reward, has an unusual visitor.

(Country: UK; Year: 2012; Director: Ewan Stewart; Writer: Ewan Stewart, Liam Stewart, Liam Stewart; Stars: Antoni Burns, Louise Goodall, Veila Hutton, Liam Lambie, James O'Hara, James Ramsay, Pamela Robertson, Isobel Thompson)

Gutenberg

Review preview for Gutenberg

Slight but entertaining.

Andrew Robertson · 3 out of 5
A tribute to John Gutenberg, who introduced the printing press in Europe.

(Country: UK; Year: 2013; Director: Amalie Vilmar; Writer: Amalie Vilmar)

How To Abandon Ship

Review preview for How To Abandon Ship

Its realism isn't textural or technical, but emotional.

Andrew Robertson · 5 out of 5
An anatomy of a failed relationship, with puppets.

(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Robin McKay; Writer: Robin McKay; Stars: Nate Diekman, Brittany Hubbard, Michael Sanchez)

The Immaculates (Gli Immacolati)

Review preview for The Immaculates

Strikingly presented.

Andrew Robertson · 3.5 out of 5
Tensions rise after a teenage Italian girl is apparently attacked by Roma boys.

(Country: France; Year: 2013; Director: Ronny Trocker; Writer: Ronny Trocker; Stars: Adriana Tudor, Sarah Perahim, Seby Ciurcina)

Karmok

Review preview for Karmok

If prompting an audience to think of other things it's usually prudent to bring their attention back.

Andrew Robertson · 2 out of 5
A short film about movement.

(Country: Faroe Islands; Year: 2012; Director: Rannvá Káradóttir, Marianna Mørkøre; Writer: Rannvá Káradóttir, Marianna Mørkøre; Stars: Kristina Sørensen Ougaard, Matilde Wendelboe Dresler)

L'Assenza

Review preview for L'Assenza

A tale that's rich in allusion without its various acts of homage becoming too heavy-handed.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A man becomes obsessed by the presence of his double in an old Italian film.

(Country: UK; Year: 2013; Director: Jonathan Romney; Writer: Jonathan Romney; Stars: Lia Alu, Anna Y. Barbaran, Simon Blackhall, Jack Boswell)

The Misbehaviour Of Polly Paper Cut

Review preview for The Misbehaviour Of Polly Paper Cut

Nat Di Resta gives Polly a naive enthusiasm that makes her likeable even when it's clear that she needs to be locked up.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
A bored Spanish girl in Florida decides to become a supervillain.

(Country: UK, US; Year: 2013; Director: Bryan M. Ferguson; Writer: Bryan M Ferguson; Stars: Nat Di Resta)

No Hope For Men Below

Review preview for No Hope For Men Below

A striking work.

Andrew Robertson · 3.5 out of 5
The story of the Redding Pit disaster and the experiences of the women waiting whilst their men were trapped below.

(Country: UK; Year: 2014; Director: Adam Stafford; Writer: Janet Paisley)

On The Threshold (Sto Katofli)

Review preview for On The Threshold

Unflinching in its observation, compelling in its detail.

Andrew Robertson · 4.5 out of 5
A devoted young woman does everything for her family.

(Country: Greece; Year: 2013; Director: Anastasia Kratidi; Stars: Myrto Papoulia)

Pandas (Pandy)

Review preview for Pandas

Pandas is gleeful, brutal, mischievous and funny.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
Animated tale about the clash for space between pandas and humans.

(Country: Czech Republic, Slovakia; Year: 2012; Director: Matus Vizar; Writer: Matus Vizar)

The Questioning (Cha Fang)

Review preview for The Questioning

Almost as much documentation as documentary.

Andrew Robertson · 3 out of 5
A supporter of human rights activists documents a police search of his home.

(Country: China; Year: 2013; Director: Rikun Zhu)

Riverbero

Review preview for Riverbero

Though intriguing, even entertaining, the film doesn't quite strike the right balance between subject and depiction.

Andrew Robertson · 3 out of 5
An introduction to the dynamics of sound in the reverberation chamber.

(Country: Italy; Year: 2013; Director: Federico Biasin, Giorgio Ferrero; Writer: Tommaso Bertani, Federico Biasin; Stars: Davide Corbo, Roberta Cortese, Adele di Pasquale, Marta Enrico, Aurora Hysenji) , Official site

Six Day Run (Kuuden Päivän Juoksu)

Review preview for Six Day Run

Unflinching.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A documentary about one of the world's most gruelling sporting challenges.

(Country: Finland, US; Year: 2013; Director: Mika Taanila; Writer: Mika Taanila)

That Music (Esa Musica)

Review preview for That Music

A touching tale of a magically real quest.

Andrew Robertson · 3.5 out of 5
A construction worker seeks out a song that reminds him of his family.

(Country: Colombia; Year: 2013; Director: Dario Vejarano; Stars: Julio Pachón, Miguel Ariel Sierra) , Official site

A Third Version Of The Imaginary

Review preview for A Third Version Of The Imaginary

Seek it out.

Andrew Robertson · 4.5 out of 5
A visit to the image library of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation in Nairobi.

(Country: Kenya, US; Year: 2012; Director: Benjamin Tiven; Writer: Benjamin Tiven)

Trusts And Estates

Review preview for Trusts And Estates

It does entertain, but it's gruelling.

Andrew Robertson · 2 out of 5
Four lawyers partake in an increasingly unpleasant conversation over dinner.

(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Jeanette Bonds; Writer: Jeanette Bonds; Stars: Juan Riedinger, Benjamin Ochieng, Jess Iglehart, Dan Russo, Sean Buckelew)