I saw Ryan’s film “Human Resources” on Film Shortage as I was searching for filmmakers to participate in the 2018 Charm City Fringe Short Film Program. His film was both engaging and bizarre. I contacted Ryan around the time he was finishing up post production on his short film, “Bennifer,” which is one of my favorite shorts films. “Bennifer” is about Jed, played by Keith Poulson, who visits his mother on an island after a long absence, where they both have conflicting memories of their shared past. The moments in this short are big, almost out of a kid’s story, but beautifully hidden under brilliant performances, especially from Kristin Griffith(who played Flynn across from Diane Keaton in Woody Allen’s Interiors,) as she seems to struggle with a loose grip on reality, and delusions of becoming a star. The role of Bennifer is played by Keith McDermott. (McDermort played the lead, Alan Stang, across from Richard Burton on Broadway’s Equus. ) Bennifer reenforces Anne’s (Kristin’s character) version of her past with her son., as he pushes the son away in a brilliantly absurd sequence.
Read moreInterview with Stefanie Abel Horowitz
Stefanie Abel Horowitz directed theater for a decade before pivoting to film. Her first short film, Up North, premiered on Short of the Week in 2017. sometimes, i think about dying is her second short film and premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. She also participated in the 2019 New Voices Sundance Lab with an episodic project she co-created with Daisy Long. Abel Horowitz is repped by Daniela Gonzalez and Zach Cox at Circle of Confusion. Now, sometimes, i think about dying is up for an Oscar nomination. Check out Stefanie as she takes on the world of film.
Read moreInterview with Filmmaker Jéronimo Acero
Jéronimo Acero is a French filmmaker, who has been making films for over a decade. He has screened at a number of festivals, but I had first seen one of his shorts, “P.O.V.” on the nobudge.com site. In this short, the actors are asked to wear helmet cameras so that the filmmaker can a achieve a first person narrative.
Read moreInterview Filmmaker Christopher Good
On the narrative side, Christopher’s short film, “Brad Cuts Loose,” premiered at the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival, and online as a part of Vimeo’s Staff Pick Premiere series. The film exhibits Christopher’s unique humor and sensibilities through the script and through the very needy and bizarre, yet sympathetic, characters, who were well executed by Kentucker Audley and Tipper Newton. Tipper Newton returned in Christopher’s most recent short, “Crude Oil,” which premiered at Sundance and is a part of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Tour, where she plays against Andreina Bryne, also a producer on the film (and many of Christopher’s other projects.)
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