One of the aspects of covering film festivals that I look forward to most is covering the short films that are shown. This year’s selection of shorts at the Fantasia International Film Festival did not disappoint. My friend and I now have new favorite directors to watch for and we have obscure lines we can quote from these shorts for a laugh. You should try to view these as well:
Meat Friend
Meat Friend made its Canadian premiere on July 15th. Written by Stephan Johanson and Izzy Lee (Lee also directed), this short is horror and comedy and fantasy and just a meaty good time. A young girl microwaves raw hamburger meat which causes it to become alive. It just isn’t any sentient being though, this Meat Friend has the spirit of an ex-con who loves to teach young Billie lessons he has learned from his life of crime. This film only runs about 8 minutes but I enjoyed it so much I watched it a few times. You should check this out so you can celebrate Meat Day with us here at FCS.
Finding Feodan
This Canadian short was shown on July 24th. Written by Jean-Paul Botelho Botelho (who also directed) and James Rae, this 5 minute short is labeled as fantasy and experimental. It was a brief glimpse into the dialogue and thought process of a dying knight before he makes a suicidal charge at the enemies. This one, though brief, was impactful. It almost felt like an intense violation of privacy hearing the Knight’s last train of thought, but I was also privileged to be included on that ride.
Not Another Serial Killer
This short made its world premiere on July 23rd. Written by Angela Goulene, she also directed this 9 minute short with Alessandro Russotti. A horror comedy, this was another fun short. I came across a meme a week ago that said something along the lines of “I realized I had bad taste in men when I wanted to date Joe from You.” I shared it and included the line “it’s funny because it’s true.” I thought I had bad taste in men until I met Tessa Fey. This poor kill only dates serial killers and one of her exes has escaped from prison and came straight to her. Watch this one for the laughs; watch this one for the chills of the idea of having a serial killer as an ex; watch this one to feel better about your exes. Just watch this.
Operation Frankenstein
Operation Frankenstein made its North American premiere on July 25th. This cute animated film was written by José María Fernández de Vega (who also directed) and Fermín Solís. For 11 minutes we get to watch as three siblings are inspired by Frankenstein to make their own creature. Told in rhyme, this short is like a Burton-esque Dr. Seuss adventure. Two thumbs up. Or maybe I shouldn’t do that; these kids may want to use my digits…
The Tale of the Party Pooper Monster
This short made its premiere on July 15th. Written and directed by Alex Brenneur, the only disappointing part about this short was that it was only 2 minutes long. It made me gasp, laugh, and want more. Who would think that watching a monster ruin a child’s birthday party would be so fun?
If you are able to watch any of the above shorts, I highly recommend all of them. And keep your eyes out for more work from the above writers and directors. I know I will.
This year’s Fantasia Film Festival runs from July 14th to August 3rd.