The Westport Library is delighted to welcome back SHORT CUTS Film Festival, live, beginning Thursday, October 27, in the Trefz Forum.
SHORT CUTS presents award-winning short films curated primarily from the annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
“Tribeca screens roughly 3,000 international short films each year and chooses about 90 for its festival,” said SHORT CUTS producer Nancy Diamond. “We preview most of them, and then chose 12-15 films for SHORT CUTS. We like to say, ‘we choose the best of the best.’”
Diamond launched SHORT CUTS in 2010, after realizing there were few venues where the public could see short films. Oftentimes, short films were self-funded promos for a feature film or for a student thesis. Only film festivals were showing short films, and Tribeca, one of most prestigious in the world, was based nearby. Fairfield County residents have been treated to these international treasures close to home for the past 12 years.
Five narrative films will open the festival on October 27. In Norway’s Night Ride, winner of Tribeca’s Best Narrative Short Award, Ebba assists a fellow tram rider with surprising results. Best LGBTQ short at Cleveland International Film Festival Coming Out With the Help of a Time Machine (USA) blends science fiction with contemporary social issues. Pete is an animated selection, following a young girl who wants to play baseball with the boys. Five-O, directed collaboratively by seven French film students, questions whether a street drug look-out can escape his world and become an opera singer. Sparring Partner, written by Tony Award-winner Neil LaBute, offers strong verbal bantering and features Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong. Sparring Partner director J.J. Kandling will be a guest of SHORT CUTS, appearing after the films for a conversation with Diamond and to answer questions from the audience.
SHORT CUTS Film Festival is a program of the not-for-profit JIB Productions, producer of the long-running lunchtime series Play With Your Food. The SHORT CUTS Film Festival continues Thursday, November 17, with an evening of documentary shorts and completes its 2022 slate on Thursday, December 8, with a second program of narrative shorts. All programs run from 7 to 9 pm. Tickets are $25; refreshments and popcorn will be served.
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