Eye For Film >> Festivals >> London >> 2008 >> Short Cuts And Animation
The London Film Festival continues to supply a great selection of UK and world shorts. They are divided up into nine programmes and they run as follows.
- Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences - "A selection of short animated films from around the world."
- Bigmouth Strikes Again - "Being a bigmouth and a bully can backfire, and the young people in these films learn some life-changing facts before their final descent into adulthood."
- A Day in the Life - "A selection of short films about memorable days and events which have great significance for those involved."
- Down on the Street - "A diverse selection of short films about the lives of young people around the world and their experiences on the streets of their cities."
- International Animation Panorama - "A selection of new international and British animation films."
- London Calling - "A selection of recent shorts from some of the capital's most exciting new filmmakers, supported by Film London's production schemes."
- Shock Tactics - "This short film selection has shock value for everyone."
- A Strange Day - "Consistently thought-provoking and occasionally disturbing, these seven short films cover all bases between slightly quirky and way out there."
- Suffer Little Children - "Growing up can be hellish for all manner of reasons, as these films demonstrate."
- TCM Classic Shorts - Six films vie in competition for a prize pot of £10,000, split between the overall winner and two runners-up.
View other London Film Festival Films by strand: Cinema Europa, Experimenta, Film On The Square, French Revolutions, Galas And Special Screenings, New British Cinema, Treasures from the Archives, World Cinema
The Wednesdays and Nine-Ball
52 Percent
(Country: Poland ; Year: 2007; Director: Rafal Skalski)
Suffer Little Children
52% is the ideal proportion of one's leg length to height and one of the most important admission criteria set by the Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg. 11-year-old Alla has two months to reach these dream proportions to be admitted to the school.
7 More Minutes
(Country: Poland, Germany; Year: 2008; Director: Izabela Plucinska)
International Animation
After a train accident four people meet up at the beach to say farewell.
The Acquaintances of a Lonely John
(Country: USA ; Year: 2008; Director: Benny Safdie)
Down on the Street
This is the story of a lonely man called John trying to connect with anyone he can.
Advantage
(Country: Australia; Year: 2007; Director: Sean Byrne; Writer: Rob Beamish; Stars: Shelly Lauman, Mark Winter)
Shock Tactics
A young couple stumble home after a big night out. Their frisky interlude at a suburban tennis club lands them a role in a far more sinister, supernatural game and their opponents have a distinct home court advantage.
Aquarium
(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Rob Meyer; Writer: Rob Meyer; Stars: Don L Bagley, Kurt Braunohler, Zachary Brian, Matt Campbell, Barbara Ann Davison, PK Egersheim)
A Strange Day
Something's fishy at an aquarium society meeting.
I Love Sarah Jane and My Olympic Summer
Awkward
(Country: Canada ; Year: 2008; Director: Kellie Ann Benz)
Shock Tactics
A dinner party and the conversation begins to get awkward as offensive language creeps into the everyday banter.
Baghdad Express
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Nimer Rashed)
London Calling
A teenage girl working in her father's Arabic restaurant is forced to decide which comes first - her dreams or her family.
Because There Are Things You Never Forget
(Country: Argentina, Spain; Year: 2008; Director: Lucas M. Figueroa)
A Day in the Life
Four friends accidentally kick their football into an evil old lady's yard. They'll never play with their ball again and so plot a deadly revenge.
Berni's Doll (
)
(Country: France ; Year: 2008; Director: Yann J.)
International Animation
Provocative satire on sexual consumerism via exploitation of the third world.
Bitten
(Country: France ; Year: 2007; Director: David Morley)
Shock Tactics
Clara has been bitten. Frightened and alone, she flees through a dark and sinister forest, pursued by a gun-toting man bent on her destruction. She finds help in an isolated farm, but this sanctuary is only temporary…
This Way Up and Protect You + Me
Buses and Trains
(Country: Australia ; Year: 2008; Director: Chris Frey)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
A group of homeless teenagers ride the late-night transport across the urban landscape, but one of the gang has a secret she can't reveal.
Cartrouble
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Dave Hunt)
London Calling
Man, woman, car... trouble.
Chainsaw
(Country: Australia ; Year: 2008; Director: Dennis Tupicoff)
International Animation
Romance is like a chainsaw: a very dangerous beast indeed.
A Child's Metaphysics
(Country: Japan ; Year: 2007; Director: Koji Yamamura)
International Animation
A metaphysical exploration of childhood psychology and physiognomy.
City
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Cordelia Swann)
London Calling
Reflections found on objects, places and monuments on the streets around the City of London.
Last Time In Clerkenwell and Love You More
Cry Me A River (Heshang aiqing)
(Country: China, Spain, France; Year: 2008; Director: Jia Zhang Ke; Stars: Zhao Tao, Guo Xiaodong)
Showing with 24 City
Four old college friends reflect on what might have been.
A Day In A Life
(Country: Belgium; Year: 2007; Director: Nicolas Daenens)
A Day in the Life
Two street punks, Mario and Tom plan a bank job. Emin agrees to be their driver - but he doesn't have a car.
Deconfliction
(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Edward Tyndall ), Official Site
Shock Tactics
Rant and reflect with Tina Highland. (D)
Dennis
(Country: Denmark; Year: 2007; Director: Mads Matthiesen; Writer: Mads Matthiesen, Martin Zandvliet; Stars: Kim Kold, Elsebeth Steentoft, Lykke Sand Michelsen)
A Strange Day
When Dennis, an introverted bodybuilder, invites a local girl out on a date his mother is hurt and disappointed. Despite the pressure she puts on him to cancel the date, Dennis ventures into a night that he will never forget.
Elephants
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Sally Pearce)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences and International Animation
An infestation of elephants spell trouble for a family.
Mumbler and September
Ella and the Astronaut
(Country: USA ; Year: 2008; Director: Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, Robert Machoian)
Suffer Little Children
A young girl, a toy astronaut and a lot of imagination.
Fantaisie in Bubble Wrap
(Country: USA ; Year: 2008; Director: Arthur Metcalf)
International Animation
A whimsical jaunt through the world of bubblewrap.
È Finita La Commedia
(Country: Belgium, Spain; Year: 2006; Director: Jean-Julien Collette, Olivier Tollet; Writer: Jean-Julien Collette, Olivier Tollet; Stars: Christian Crahay, Cédric Eeckhout)
TCM Classic Shorts
A father and son chat in a parked car... but what are they waiting for?
Frankie
(Country: Ireland ; Year: 2007; Director: Darren Thornton)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Frankie is a 15-year-old boy who wants to be the best Dad ever, but as his day goes on, he starts to realise how impossible this will be for him.
Gone Fishing
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Chris Jones; Writer: Chris Jones; Stars: Bill Paterson, Devon Murray, James Wilson, Eric Bailey, John Basham, Lin Blakley, Desiree Densiti, Ruth Gemmell, Lucy Joyce, David Talbot)
TCM Classic Shorts
An elderly man trying to cope with loss bonds with a youngster over the story of a monstrous pike.
Leaving and Love Does Grow on Trees
Good Boy (Bom Garoto)
(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: Davyde Wachell; Writer: Davyde Wachell; Stars: Wallace Coutinho, Marilia Coelho, Jaqueline Macóeh, Diego Ferreira, Juan Lima, Lauro Albuquerque ), Official Site
Down on the Street
Surviving the slums of Rio is a challenge for a boy and his mum. (S)
Half a Bear
(Country: Latvia ; Year: 2007; Director: Nils Skapans)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Will Bear find a new friend?
Haze
(Country: Singapore; Year: 2008; Director: Anthony Chen)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
It's a hot humid day in Singapore and two teenagers decide to skip school and stay in, playing out an innocent love affair amongst the heat haze of the city.
The Hunt
(Country: Latvia; Year: 2007; Director: Jänis Cimermanis)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Can the Rescue Team save the animals from the hunters?
I Love Sarah Jane
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Spencer Susser; Writer: David Michôd, Spencer Susser; Stars: Brad Ashby, Mia Wasikowska, Vladimir Matovic, Beau South, Peter Yacoub, Richard Mueck, Anton Enus), Official Site
A 13-year-old will stop at nothing to win the heart of the girl of his dreams.
A Strange Day
Jerrycan and Aquarium
In the Woods
(Country: USA ; Year: 2008; Director: Paul Vester)
International Animation
American language in the bush years.
Jerrycan
(Country: Australia; Year: 2008; Director: Julius Avery; Writer: Julius Avery)
Suffer Little Children
A young boy is bullied into making a life or death decision, but can Nathan prove himself to his mates?
Kingsland #1 Dreamer
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Tony Grisoni)
A Day in the Life
Kurdish Huso arrives in Dalston with high hopes, but integrating into the community proves more difficult than he anticipated.
Konvex-T
(Country: Sweden ; Year: 2008; Director: Johan Lundh)
Shock Tactics
Axel is a sad man who finds himself living in a nightmarish, strange, dystopian world. After a brief, strange encounter with his love interest, Agnes, he visits the corporate physician and shows him a big unpleasant boil he's got on his buttock.
Laban the Little Ghost: No ones afraid of Laban
(Country: Sweden; Year: 2008; Director: Lasse Persson)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Laban is a ghost who has difficulty scaring anyone.
Laban the Little Ghost: The Queen's Friend
(Country: Sweden ; Year: 2008; Director: Alicja Jaworski)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
The Queen's friend wants to see a ghost but is she prepared for it?
Lakemba
(Country: Australia ; Year: 2008; Director: Platon Theodoris)
Down on the Street
In the Sydney suburb of Lakemba, Sef and Chux are into creating hip hop, smoking weed and Islam.
Last Time In Clerkenwell
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Alex Budovsky; Stars: n/a), Trailer
Birds go bonkers.
International Animation
Leaving
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Sam Hearn, Richard Penfold; Writer: Penfold Richard; Stars: Kierston Wareing, Johnny Harris, Joe Siffleet)
A battered wife tries to find the courage to leave her husband.
TCM Classic Shorts
Love Does Grow on Trees
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Bevan Walsh)
London Calling
It's 1989 and thirteen-year-old Danny's life is thrown into chaos when he discovers adult magazines, girls, and the embarrassment that goes with both.
Love You More
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Sam Taylor-Wood; Writer: Patrick Marber; Stars: Harry Treadaway, Andrea Riseborough, Samuel Roukin, Paul Ritter, Pete Shelley, Harriet Ashcroft, Alex Kelly)
Two schoolkids get amorous while listening to the new Buzzcocks single.
A Day in the Life
Max's Words
(Country: USA; Year: 2007; Director: Galen Fott, Jerry Hunt)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Max discovers the creative power of words.
Midnight Lost and Found
(Country: India ; Year: 2007; Director: Atul Sabharwal)
Down on the Street
Arvind works behind bars at a late-night pharmacy. A relationship develops with a Mumbai prostitute who visits nightly to buy condoms.
Mumbler (Mompelaar)
(Country: Belgium; Year: 2007; Director: Wim Reygaert, Marc Roels; Writer: Wim Reygaert, Marc Roels; Stars: Serge Buyse, Jan Coemelck, Piet De Praitere, Gunter Lamoot)
Blaring and showy horror flick goes for the throat.
A Strange Day
My Olympic Summer
(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Daniel Robin; Writer: Daniel Robin, MR Dhar; Stars: MR Dhar, Annette Bhole, Etta Robin, Stanley Robin, Debbie Robin)
A discovery prompts a filmmaker to re-examine his parents' relationships.
A Day in the Life
My Rabit Hoppy
(Country: Australia ; Year: 2008; Director: Anthony Lucas)
Shock Tactics
A school project about a pet rabbit that goes horribly wrong.
Nine-Ball
(Country: Sweden; Year: 2008; Director: Nikolina Gillgren; Writer: Per Gavatin; Stars: Daniel Gustavsson, Christopher Heden, Magnus Krepper, Peter Jarn, Paula McManus)
A man who struggles to communicate learns a lesson from his son.
TCM Classic Shorts
One Shoe Short
(Country: Australia ; Year: 2007; Director: Jackie Van Beek)
Suffer Little Children
Life in a remote Alice Springs aboriginal community where there's not enough shoes to go round the local school.
On the Line
(Country: Germany, Switzerland; Year: 2007; Director: Reto Caffi)
A Day in the Life
A department store security guard is secretly in love with a clerk in the store's bookshop and hopes to connect with her on the commute home.
Panic Painter
(Country: Sweden ; Year: 2008; Director: Johan Hagelbäck)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
A visit to a gallery demystifies modern art.
Playground
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Avril Evans)
London Calling
Best friends Malachi and Neil visit their special hideaway only to be greeted by an uninvited guest.
Pop Art
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Amanda Boyle)
A Strange Day
Arthur, the new boy at school is 'special'. In fact, he's inflatable, but Toby likes him.
Protect You + Me
(Country: USA ; Year: 2008; Director: Brady Corbet; Stars: Daniel London, Patricia Connolly)
A meal with mum turns sour.
A Strange Day
Rabbit Punch
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Kristian Andrews)
International Animation
The growing pains of a 14-year-old Norfolk boy.
Rainhorse
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Sebastian Godwin)
London Calling
A nail-biting stand-off between a man and a horse. From the short story of the same title by Ted Hughes.
Ralph
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Alex Winckler)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Showing as part of UKFC Completion Fund Shorts at EIFF 2008.
Refrains
(Country: Poland ; Year: 2007; Director: Wiola Sowa)
International Animation
An episode repeats itself in the life of a family of three very close-knit women.
Ripple
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Paul Gowers; Writer: Paul Gowers, Jim North; Stars: Ben Crompton, Bill Thomas, Lucy Holt, Glenn Doherty, Tony Bluto, Abbie Hirst, Sandy Walsh)
TCM Classic Shorts
A series of unfortunate effects make a man's trip to see his girlfriend spiral out of control.
Roads
(Country: Israel; Year: 2007; Director: Lior Geller ; Writer: Lior Geller; Stars: Waseem Nur Habshi, Daniel Chernish, Mahmud Mura, Osama Rabaya, Haled Mayer Marwat), Official Site
Down on the Street
A 13-year-old Arab and an Israeli ex-soldier connect. (S)
Rolling On
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Paula Desiderio)
London Calling
A high-octane look at skateboarding as a positive London subculture; with contributions from legendary pro-skater Tony Hawk.
Ryan
(Country: UK ; Year: 2007; Director: David Scofield)
Suffer Little Children
In a typical town in anywhere UK, Ryan is wandering the estate bored, but finds himself drawn into the older kids' games of aggression and intimidation.
Spending the Night
(Country: Sweden ; Year: 2007; Director: Amanda Adolfsson)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
A young girl is going to spend the night at her boyfriend's place, his parents not being home. They rent a movie and have high expectations for the evening. But things don't really turn out the way they thought they would.
September
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Esther May Campbell)
Marvin is not going anywhere. Into this forgotten corner of English countryside and motorway services arrives an extraordinary young girl, changing his world forever.
Shock Tactics
Tales for Tiny Tots: Bye, bye little monkey!
(Country: Sweden; Year: 2007; Director: Anna-Clara Tidholm, Gun Jacobson)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Little monkey gets wet while playing outdoors.
Tales for Tiny Tots: Nelly Packs
(Country: Sweden; Year: 2007; Director: Anna-Clara Tidholm, Gun Jacobson)
Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences
Nelly decides to leave home.
There Are Monsters
(Country: Canada ; Year: 2008; Director: Jay Dahl)
Shock Tactics
There's a strange little girl standing in the front garden…
Thick-Skinned
(Country: France ; Year: 2007; Director: Jean-Bernard Marlin, Benoît Rambourg)
Suffer Little Children
A 12-year-old boy tries to kill a kid from his neighbourhood to impress his father.
Tight Jeans
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Destiny Ekaragha)
Bigmouth Strikes Again
“How can a man wear jeans dat tight? It's dat emo look, innit?”. A humourous and authentic slice of life from the perspective of the young black British male.
Tomboy
(Country: France ; Year: 2007; Director: Claudine Natkin)
Suffer Little Children
Chloe is a 10-year-old who plays football, never cries and doesn't like other girls. But when Marie, a sweet blond girl, joins in, Chloe and her boy friends decide to invent a new game.
This Way Up
(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Adam Foulkes, Alan Smith), Official Site
Laying the dead to rest has never been so much trouble.
International Animation
The Wednesdays
(Country: Ireland; Year: 2007; Director: Conor Ferguson; Writer: Luke Clancy, Conor Ferguson; Stars: Doreen Keogh, Des Keogh, Alan Devlin, Pat Laffan, Tina Kellegher, John Collins, Susan Moore)
An elderly couple find and unusual way of spicing up their relationship.
TCM Classic Shorts
Wonders of the World
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Cordelia Swann)
London Calling
Dazzling images of a funfair at night in London's West End.
The Wrestling
(Country: Iceland; Year: 2007; Director: Grimur Hakonarson; Writer: Grimur Hakonarson; Stars: Halldor Gylfason, Bjorn Ingi Hilmarsson, Helga Braga Jonsdottir, Maria Gudmundsdottir)
A Strange Day
A love story about two gay wrestlers living in rural Iceland who must keep their relationship a secret from the inner world of Iceland's national and very macho sport.
The Yowie and the Magpie
(Country: UK ; Year: 2008; Director: Dylan White)
London Calling
A darkly comic animation set in the Australian outback of a bloodthirsty hunter and his mythical quarry.
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