There’s an enormous number of short films included in this year’s Local Sightings Festival, lucky me! I’ve probably said this many times before, but I seriously love shorts. I’d argue it takes quite a bit more planning, creative storytelling and ingenuity to make a quality short than a feature-length; especially one that stays with the viewer long after the 5, 10, or 20 minutes it shows on the screen. Below are a few of my favorites so far; I haven’t taken a precise approach to my viewing (like grouping them by type or genre) so it’ll seem a little more slap dash, but it also means I won’t limit my favorites to one per grouping… just the best of the best to share with you.
Local Sightings 2021: A Black Rift Begins to Yawn
A cosmic horror film “inspired by H.P. Lovecraft” provides little-to-no narrative clarity, but goes heavy on dreamy visuals, time folding in on itself, identities questioned, and pink and blue lighting.
Local Sightings 2021: Thin Skin
The marquee event of this year’s festival delivers bone-dry deadpan humor wrapped in the pathos of fighting to achieve a dream under difficult circumstances.
Local Sightings 2021: Rehab Cabin
A pair of best friends decide to take their favorite child-star actress to a cabin in the woods to help her dry out. As you can imagine, the aging actress isn’t into it, and chaos ensues.
TIFF 2021: The Forgiven
Clearly, a big mood for mid-pandemic entertainment is the foibles of the insufferably privileged on holiday. Here, it will prove to be ghastly weekend for Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain in Morocco where a drive to a housewarming takes a tragic turn.
In Cry Macho, a grizzled Clint Eastwood goes on a meandering journey to abduct a child from Mexico
When the biggest point of praise is the acting and comedic timing of a rooster, your film might be in trouble.
TIFF 2021: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Presented as part of TIFF’s tribute to Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a surprisingly loving portrait that tells her often outlandish story without making a complete joke of her sincere faith and boundless love.
Giddy Stratospheres is a dark stumble through the follies of youth
We’re dragged through the streets of London as Lara (Laura Jean Marsh) and Daniel (Jamal Franklin) are rushing to make it from one debaucherous romp to the next. An all too familiar scene for those of us barely tickling 21 in the early aughts and perhaps something we’d mostly like to forget. The story turns tragically dark and we’re left to deal with the fallout of a lifestyle that’s never meant to last.
The SunBreak at Local Sightings 2021!
Jenn and Morgen and diving into this year’s hybrid festival, which is showing films online via Eventive as well as in person at the Northwest Film Forum.
Broken Diamonds, an Unapologetic Look at Schizophrenia and the Love of Family
Set to leave for Paris, Scott (Ben Platt, Politician and Pitch Perfect) can’t wait for the rest of his life to begin. A budding novelist stuck in his home town slinging drinks as a waiter, this literal ticket out of town is the catalyst he needs. Then he gets a call, his dad has died and the fall out isn’t just having to take care of the family estate. His sister Cindy (Lola Kirke, Gone Girl) has schizophrenia and Scott is the last relative that has any ability to care for her. Does he take the trip of a lifetime, live in Paris and work on his dream or stay back to make sure his sister is ok. This struggle throws his life into chaos in a way he was never prepared for.