BEST AMERICAN SHORT FILMS 3
Cindy's New Boyfriend by Robert Brinkmann (2015) (USA) (23m)
Written by Sean Sellars and directed by Robert Brinkmann, the comic Cindy's New Boyfriend was a finalist in in the 9th competition. Cindy is the ex-girlfriend of Spencer, who persuades his friend Nick that he should use his acting talent to scare off Cindy's new boyfriend. However, things go wrong when Cindy's new boyfriend turns out to be a man not easily scared. Brinkmann is better known as a cinematographer, shooting such films as The Cable Guy.
Terry Tate: Office Linebacker by R M Thurber ('02) (US) (4m)
Terry Tate: Office Linebacker is a mockumentary with a crazy edge. Written and directed by Californian filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber, it combines both visual and spoken comedy, a trick Thurber would repeat with his debut feature film, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. High production values and the combination of slapstick and modern humour make this a great comedy short film.
The Brink by Ben Jendras (2015) (USA) (7m)
The Brink won the People's Choice award in the 10th FILMSshort competition, proving its ability to capture the imagination. Directed by American filmmaker Ben Jendras, The Brink sees a man deserted in an endless wasteland. When he sees the sun glinting off a distant object, he sets off towards it but is blocked by another survivor, who assures him he cannot overcome the massive chasm in front separating them from rescue. But who is this second man, and why is our hero here anyway? All will be revealed.
The Chubbchubbs! by Eric Armstrong (2002) (US) (5m)
Written by Jeff Wolverton and directed by Eric Armstrong, The Chubbchubbs! was the first short animation film produced by Sony PIctures Imageworks (SPI) and won the makers the Best Short Animation Oscar in 2003. It helped positiion SPI as both a special effects company and an animation studio (now Sony Pictures Animation) but its feature films, inlcuding the Open Season series have failed to dent the dominance of Pixar and Dreamworks.
