The 2016 Social Political Short Film Festival is open for voting, and just in time for the election! All 23 films speak to a social or political issue relevant to the controversial times in which we live. Click on the image or on the film name to view the entries and remember, you can vote for as many films as you like, once a day for the duration of the contest!
House of Fun torture euphemism by Merijn Bisschops
“The soundtrack of House of Fun, torture euphemism can be performed live by a single percussionist.
House of Fun was the name of an existing torture chamber in Dubai.
Don’t be scared.”
Illegal Aliens by Justin & Kristin Schaack
“Immigration is a complex subject with passionate people on both sides, so we tried to lighten the mood yet shine a relevant light on a discussion that will continue to be at the forefront of politics.
Make-up for the aliens took over 4 hours. Here’s a behind-the-scenes timelapse of Zenya’s transition https://vimeo.com/189115573
We shot the film in one day (aside from a few pick-up shots.)”
What Came After by Tonya Pinkins
“I like people to be aware of the inclusiveness of the “family” in the film as reflective of our philosophy that there is only one race, the human race.
Our cast includes people who identify as Mexican/Puertorican, Moroccan/Muslim, African American/ hearing impaired And Filipina/ Black/Queer.”
One Note by Bret Hoy
“It’s important to absolutely never forget the power of our creative minds. Empowering each other to use our creativity is essentially telling someone that their voice matters and you’re listening. It’s perhaps one of the most important things you can tell someone. Mark Sarich has given these kids an opportunity, and the motivation to speak and they do it through music.
Second, that nothing comes without work. Even music, as showcased in the film, can be a painfully creative process. Be that building up callouses or just repeated motion, wear and tear on your joints or even the frustration of writer’s block– learning to embrace that work is vital. These kids choose to pick up their instruments and go to an after school practice to learn this music. All of their classmates probably think it is pointless. That’s hard work.
Finally, I’ve learned from these kids (and Mark himself) that you can never think of yourself as a victim. You have so much power within you, and so much to say. So don’t stifle it. Let it out.”
Gonna Be a Soldier by Jonny Lewis
“‘Gonna Be a Soldier’ is about a little boy who does NOT want to be a soldier. We have subtitled versions available in 10 different languages. “Gonna Be a Soldier” is part of a series of 8 antiwar comedies.”
REAL CHANGE by Adam Becker
“I believe that good filmmaking is about empathy. I tried to make a film that documented part of humanity in a cinematic way so that it could be shared with a large audience. I tried to use my knowledge of cinematography and my experience working on hybrid documentary and commercial projects to facilitate making a film with very limited resources – but it was always meant to be an opportunity for others to share their stories.
The way that REAL CHANGE was made was somewhat unique in that it was democratic and participatory. The film’s subjects contributed their stories and each participated in the filmmaking process. They were not “selected” as subjects. Instead, they volunteered to share their stories. It was a truly collaborative and enjoyable storytelling effort in that way, and it was fun getting to know each of the four guys as we spent time together in Seattle.
I really do believe that ‘it’s important to tell your story.’ A person having a voice and being able to tell others about their lived experience has real value for that individual and for society as a whole. There must always be an artistic venue for that purpose. I learned a lot about each person during the time that we spent together, and I think we all learned a lot about making a film. Because we all worked together, it was a great honor to have the film screen in so many wonderful festival programs. Frankly, many more people viewed this film than I ever would have imagined. It was important to me that the film find venues in which the subjects stories could be shared, and I’m honored that people are continuing to view the film today. I thank Robert, George, Buddy, and Daniel for sharing their stories and for helping to make this film.”
Across the River by Iulia Nastase
“The movie was filmed in Canada, an hour away from Montreal, while we wanted to make everyone believe that it was shot in Romania and Republic of Moldova. The short movie was made with only $1000.
I, the actress and director of the movie, actually entered in the freezing cold water and I was afraid that I might get a hypothermia. It was in November. A week later it snowed. The crew made a bet that I wouldn’t do it(I knew about the bet only after the shot!)”
What You Gotta Do by Michael Albright
“Made almost exclusively by volunteers, “What You Gotta Do” was a community endeavor.
The writing and editing in the climax sequence was inspired by the intercutting typically seen in Christopher Nolan films.
Our goal was to tell a good story that acts as a catalyst for positive change.”
Birthday by Dimitris Katsimiris
“Our actor Thomas Chavianidis, who played the role of Mario’s the boy with cerebral palsy, has won the Best Actor Award in Drama International Film Festival 2016(Greece.)
Mario’s role model is not a human being but a superhero, he loves Superman.
Mario’s and his mother Ms. Niki exist, they live in Athens, Greece.”
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