For those who missed
Spring Fest 2015 at The Palace Theatre: You missed out on a lot. Even attending one day, Sunday, wasn’t enough.
Saturday, April 25, was filled with documentaries (
Northside ,
At What Cost , and
Million Dollar Mayor ) and a sneak peak at
The Undersigned , a television show pilot being filmed in Syracuse.
The
One Take SUPER 8 Festival took place at 10 p.m. that evening, an approximate 45-minute stretch of selections of entries from previous years.
May 26 featured a documentary,
Monster Mansion Memories , which was written, produced and directed by Andy Wolf. The culminating feature:
King Lee , a fictitious film based on the exploits of former mayor Lee Alexander.
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Sunday’s short films took place at 1 p.m., and they were a definitive highlight. By short films, we include short shorts (they can last from seconds to a couple of minutes long) and the features that conclude before they are considered full-length feature films.
Throughout history, the use of shorts have been utilized with other features. Laurel and Hardy or Charlie Chaplin were familiar faces that graced the silver screen. Walt Disney and Looney Tunes have effectively constructed the art of storytelling into animated segments. Disney and Pixar have brought the animated short back, creating shorts before the features. Being a fan of Pixar, whose feature lengths are wonderfully told, and the consistent shorts are often better than blockbusters or even trilogies that have been/will be adapted for the screen.
“Shorts are very difficult to make,” stated Mike Massurin, Executive Director of Syracuse International Film Festival (SYRFILM No Riders Crucible Crucible was part of a longer script Making Waves Sydney Schwab speaking to the audience at Spring Fest 2015.
Jump Street films. Film inspired her, and she utilized a tactic that many directors used.
The Haircut Banshee , Castle , and True Blood to name a few. The actors weren’t distracting, however, and they didn’t take away from the purpose of the story.
The main character, Amy, is hesitant to get a haircut at the beginning of the film. She goes to a party, talks with her friends, who are supportive of her. At the dinner table, her family members are hesitant. Come to find out, she is enlisting in the military.
The perceived girly-girl goes through a lot in the 14-minute film. The sexism that Amy faces are thrown in her face, and she doesn’t back away. She faces oppression and finally goes through with getting her hair cut, which can be heard, but not seen, when the credits roll.
It’s a very poignant film, proving that her other antagonists are the other cadets than her direct superior, who is tough on both the men and women recruits.
The Man in the House The Man in the House deserves a standing ovation … even if I am the only one standing. The concept started out as a drawing, according to the writer/director.
To go back to my tweet: This film is what nightmares are made of, so dark and ominous, but it is so beautifully crafted. If The Twilight Zone was an entity itself and had terrors, this would be the cause for pre-bedtime anxiety, a reason to check under the bed and in the closet, a reason to keep the blanket pulled over its head.
When asked about the meaning behind his film, Markwardt looked at the audience member and asked, “What do you mean?” He chuckled a little bit. He continued, stating that he had five different explanations for the short, but he didn’t explain any of them. He wanted the audience to question the reality that he created and come up with their own explanations.
My Little Bubbles @filminsyracuse My Little Bubbles killer dog emulates the Monty Python rabbit, makes you question your sanity.” — before Pizzano explained to the audience that he “may have watched too much Monty Python as a child.” Unfortunately, this is a spoiler, but it doesn’t take away from the short.
It’s never explained why the five characters were lost in the woods. It never explains what happens to the first character who is already dead by the time the story begins. It’s never explained why the cute little fluff ball of a dog outwits and savagely consumes the people he is trapped with.
The characters are cartoonish, but it works out very well due to their consistency and commitment to the roles. And the 17-minute parable pays homage to Dr. Seuss and The Brothers Grimm and a little bit of Aesop for good measure. The latter is not a stretch, because there is a lesson to be learned: Never underestimate the primal instincts of a little white dog that can essentially be carried around in a purse.
The Wish Horse The Wish Horse still shot.
A Hero with a Thousand Faces can be referenced when considering the boy, and that same character is tested through the 25-minute duration. As he wants to stray, act his age and learn from decisions both good and bad, the protagonist returns to being the adult and accepts responsibility.
Every character has a distinct vulnerability, an Achilles Heel per se, and the actors don’t break from their roles. The film is raw and painful to watch, but these qualities yield its honesty and beauty.
