BEST AMERICAN SHORT FILMS 4
Goodbye by Tyler Russo (2015) (USA) (7m)
Goodbye was made by Tyler Russo while at the California Institute of the Arts and is all the more remarkable for it. Goodbye could be classed as a horror, but is more disturbing than horrific. Having been killed in a road accident, a man finds himself bodiless and faced with a group of gatekeepers, who were once human but are now something else. It is the job of the gatekeepers to interview the man and decide upon a suitable vocation for eternity; and should surely try to avoid becoming a gatekeeper.
Cooped by Mike A Smith (2014) (USA) (9m) *
Cooped, a fantastic hand-drawn animation, was selected as the Best Short Animation in the competition. Written and directed by American Mike A Smith, Cooped is a comic short film that tells the story of a poor dog that is stuck inside all day while his master is at work. The hound can see the amazing world of squirrels and tennis balls that exists outisde his place of imprisonment, but is unable to open the door. With his master only ever coming back to sleep, it seems that our canine hero will never get out...
The Last 3 Minutes by Po Chan (2010) (US) (5m) *
Written and directed by American cinematographer Po Chan, The Last 3 Minutes is an unashamedly tear-jerking flashback through a dying man's life. Every shot is lovingly crafted and there are some beautiful American landscapes - as one might expect from an American DoP! Shot in 2010, Chan also shows the possibilities of the new class of video-capable DSLR cameras (in this case a Canon 5D). It may not be to everyone's tastes but her film is truly filmic...
Mei by Arvin Chen (2006) (USA/Tawain) (11m)
One of those sweet, understated romantic dramas, Mei is the story of a young man who works on a noodles stall run by a father and daughter. He is, of course, in love with the daughter but the eponymous girl in question plans to use her English language skills to leave Taiwan and find a job in New York. Will our reticent hero pluck up the courage to tell her how he feels or will something else come out of his mouth..? It won a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
