If variety is the spice of life, then these shorts are chock-a-block full of flavour!
Walk Run Cha-Cha
20 minutes, 2019
Laura Nix
In Search of Lost Time II
No, not a redo of Marcel Proust’s epic six-volume novel, but a 20-minute Invitation to the Dance that is one of the finest love stories seen in recent memory.
Meet the Caos: after a semi-torrid, six-month love affair in Viet Nam (replete with illegal dance parties), Paul escapes the oppressive tyranny to Taiwan; eventually making his way to Los Angeles and the life of an engineer missing his partner. Six years—and many, if sporadic love letters later, Millie receives the much-coveted “Notice to Leave”, making her way to the City of Angels and a relationship that doesn’t feel “quite right”.
Remarkably, the solution comes in the form of Cha-Cha lessons (both group and private—ably given by the comely Maxsym Kapitanchuk and Elena Kirfuks), who show the partners just how to harness the steps but also rekindle their emotions.
The film ends with a marvellous performance by the aging pair in one of their 20-something favourites: “We’ve Only Just Begun.” By the final fadeout, it is clear that they have. JWR
The Confirmation (Konfirmaden)
18 minutes, 2019
Marie-Louise Damgaard
Boys will be…
For those born into the “wrong” sex, this short will explain the trials and tribulations of moving from Kristine to Mathias. Many of us go to their graves wondering why they’ve never felt “complete”. For those with the courage to change (Xean Peake doing yeoman’s service while his mom, Ellen Hillings, unwittingly supports and—momentarily—destroys her daughter/son while accepting Christ into his/her life). Religion, once again, has never seemed so shallow for those truly in need. JWR
Harbor
23 minutes, 2018
Paul Marques Duarte
It’s all in the cap
Bringing desperate boys to safety (England in this case), has never been easy, but when an “extra” voyager, (black youth N'Tarila Kouka as Nassim) wangles his way aboard with a great sleight of hand fooling the “body counters”, it’s just a matter of time before the ruse is discovered. Or is it?
With leader of the clan Adèle (heroically rendered by Marie Brunel) leading the fray, she risks everyone’s passage for the “new boy” and, ironically has to rely in the Heller of the group, Eliott, to put everything, (even after a “man overboard”) to rights.
The voyage works out better than most might expect, but the sequel of “what now” for these desperate/disparate youths is eagerly awaited. JWR
In the Absence
28 minutes, 2019
Seung-jun Yi
Reporting, not saving
Even as COVID-19 gives us all cause for concern, (and a lone gunman assassinates 22+ innocent people in Nova Scotia), it is important to remember how governments everywhere, fail in the time of abject calamity.
On April 16, 2014, the South Korean Sewol ferry sunk, killing many students (but not the captain…!), exposing President Park Geun-hye as a good-for-nothing-leader, not dissimilar to the current pathetic President of the United States.
Without “video links” of the disaster for the officials, it seems that nothing could be done to avoid loss of lives; civilian divers were far superior to their government counterparts, only to be called off. Three years later, the wreck was raised (with Park long gone) and the families of the dozens of deceased, livid beyond comfort.
Who deserves this kind of “leadership”? JWR