The art of short films and screening short cinema has been perfected by the DC Shorts Film Festival and Festival Founder and Director Jon Gann.
For the past ten years hundreds of filmmakers and thousands of audience members have enjoyed the world’s top short films at the DC Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition.
This year for eleven days (September 19–29, 2013), in six venues in DC, MD, and VA., DC Shorts have and will continue this weekend to showcase more than 153 films from 23 nations, including the country’s largest collection of short films by emerging Russian filmmakers. All entries have a run time between one minute and 30 seconds, and will be shown in venues in downtown DC at E Street Cinema, U.S. Navy Memorial, Atlas Performing Arts Center, and Anacostia Arts Center. Other venues are the Angelika Mosaic Theater in Fairfax and VisArts in Rockville.
The amazing growth and success of the Festival that features truly independent films and filmmakers has earned it a reputation as “one of the most influential film festivals” by Moviemaker Magazine – and Festival claims of being the largest short film event on the East Coast. And for the first time ever, through partnerships with the Moscow Film Festival and Shar Film School, and partial funding from an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grant, DC Shorts has curated 16 films — comedies, dramas, experimental and animation — that highlight the storytelling of Russia’s emerging filmmakers.
This final weekend, the DC Shorts Film Festival will highlight two different 90-minute “Best of” Fest Showcases including the Jury Prize winners (Outstanding First-Time Director, Outstanding Local Film, etc.) as well as the Audience Favorites as polled during the opening Festival weekend. A 70-minute free family showcase will also screen multiple times on Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight – Friday, September 27 at 7:00 pm, the DC Shorts Screenplay Competition takes place at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. This is not your usual screenwriting competition. Here the top six screenplays selected from 145 submissions judged by a panel of judges, will be performed at a table reading and voted on by the audience for their favorite. One lucky winner will not only walk away with $2,000 to shoot their project, their completed film will automatically screen at next year’s 2014 DC Shorts Festival. Last year’s Screenplay winner, Shenanigans, was made into a seven-minute film and is a part of this year’s festival. The final screening for the film is this Sunday, September 29th at 4 pm at the Angelika Mosaic Theater, in Fairfax, VA.
With the ever-changing world of technology and how we watch our films, so too has the DC Shorts Film Festival evolved. This year the Festival has expanded to include 120 films on their Online Film Festival that are available to be watched from the comfort of your home from any computer – or smartphone, or tablet during the Festival week.
Closing out an amazing week of “Keeping Short. Keeping Reel” film, is the DC Shorts Closing Night reception, Saturday, September 28th from 8:00 pm–11:00 pm at Gibson Guitar Showroom in Washington, D.C.
Here are the six screenplays in competition at the Atlas Performing Arts Center:
Bernie and Rebecca
Comedy | Charlottesville, Virginia
After their first date, a new couple speculates about their future.
Five Days in Calcutta
Drama | Los Osos, California
Down on his luck, Bernie needs the help of his brother to get back on his feet.
The Inspiration
Comedy | Washington, DC
How can a devout Christian do an unthinkable act? With a little divine inspiration.
Kids Suck
Comedy | Swainsboro, Georgia
Children today are the main topic of conversation when two 20-somethings meet for a casual meal.
The Goblin Baby
Drama | Washington, D.C.
When her son is snatched by a supernatural being, Claire stops at nothing to find him.
The Sweet Life
Drama | Seattle, Washington
A day in the life of a perfectly average candy salesman.
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Here are the two showcases of Best DC Shorts with a brief description of the film and a trailer when available:
BEST OF DC SHORTS: SHOW A
Uisce Beatha (Whisky/Water of Life)
Great Adventures
Not Anymore A Story Of Revolution
Mile High Pie
88 Miles to Moscow
Today I Will Tell Her
Pishto Goes Away
Ol’ Bay
Mi Ojo Derecho (Apple of my Eye)
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BEST OF DC SHORTS: SHOW B
El Hombre Equivocado (The Wrong Man)
Practice Makes Perfect
Pearl Was Here
Sit With Me
Honk If You Love Someone
Paulie
Legal Stranger
Ojos Que No Ven
Loot
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Other Festival Winners:
Jury Award Selections:
• Outstanding Local Film: HONK IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE
• Outstanding First-Time Director: Devon Avery, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
• Golden Pineapple:(Outstanding Use of Food ): MILE HIGH PIE
• Festival Programmer’s Choice: MI OJO DERECHO (Apple of My Eye)
• Filmmaker’s Choice (a peer award): UISCE BEATHA (Whisky/Water of Life)
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Audience Favorites:
• Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution
• Ol’ Bay
• Ojos Que No Ven (What The Eye Doesn’t See)
• Loot
• A Little Something on the Side
• El Hombre Equividado (The Wrong Man)
• Paulie
DC Shorts Film Festival and the “Best of” screenings are shown at five venues in DC, MD, and VA. Tickets can be purchased at the venue box office or online.
DC Shorts Screenplay Competition is at the Atlas Performing Arts Center – 333 H Street NE, in Washington, DC.Tickets can be purchased at the Atlas box office or online.
