Short of the Week
As the quieter summer period at Short of the Week winds down, our calendar is quickly filling up, with films already scheduled as far out as Halloween. Though this lull has given our team a well-deserved break, we’re eagerly anticipating the exciting times ahead, with both spooky and awards season not that far around the corner.
***
Team Favorites
Strange Beasts by Darcy Prendergast
When it comes to selecting documentaries for Short of the Week, we’re always on the lookout for something different. While discovering a compelling subject is crucial for the filmmaker, the real challenge lies in presenting it in a creative and engaging way. Darcy Prendergast’s Strange Beasts masterfully achieves this by striking the perfect balance between narrative and technique, using a mixed-media approach – combining animation, archival footage, and live-action – to tell the remarkable story of the Bacchus Marsh Lion Safari.
***
Stud Country by Alexandra Kern & Lina Abascal
When the film begins, it feels as if the directors have brought us directly to Club Bahia. Through Kenny Sulemanagich’s gorgeous cinematography and Luke Rihl’s steadicam work, we feel transported into the heart of the scene. Getting to feel the vibe firsthand, from its positive, fun and welcoming energy to the captivating beauty of the synchronized movements of the group. Between the framing and the camera movements, the image really creates an immersive experience, placing us there, on the dancefloor, soaking in that enchanting positivity.
***
We Used To Own Houses by David Robinson-Smith
As rising housing costs, economic inequality, and other factors lead people worldwide to question whether they’ll ever own their own homes, governments are scrambling for solutions to the housing crisis. As the problem deepens, public frustration turns into anger – an emotional response echoed by Australian director David Robinson-Smith, who captures these sentiments in his surprisingly poetic tale of greed and revenge.
***
Shortverse Best of the Month
Click on the image to see the short films our Shortverse team picked as their Best of the Month for August 2024
If you’re looking for more team favorites, then head over to Shortverse, where our screeners have selected their personal picks from the titles that caught our attention in August.