Representing the best work of nascent film talent from across our planet, the International Shorts series curated by veteran VIFF programmer Sandy Gow each year reflects, as we’ve written in the past, the work of an “honest and forthright, humane and caring VIFF staffperson of unparalleled integrity, as well as an abiding warmth of spirit, an individual who prioritizes films not just as ‘craft’, but of immense heart and cinematic intelligence.”
As VanRamblings wrote in Part One of this two-post series on VIFF 2015’s International Shorts programme, Sandy recommends all 37 films in the shorts series, winnowed down from the 500 short films Sandy screened, to the 37 gems you’ll see screened at this, our beloved, glorious and life-changing 34th annual Vancouver International Film Festival.
Without further ado, let’s get to what’s most important: the films …
Love, Pain and the Whole Damn Thing
A programme of short films about love, from romantic to tragic, its intoxication and heartbreak, its consequences and, oh yes, its responsibilities.
Monday, October 5th, at 1pm, International Village, Cinema 8
“This is a programme that is close to my heart as I’ve come to terms with my aged and deteriorating mom. As is the case with many of us of our age, our parents are not in great shape. Love, Pain and the Whole Damn Thing is about all the factors that come into play when you love somebody, everything from the infatuation of love when you meet someone to the responsibilities of love. Of the four International Shorts programmes this year, this is the one with the most cohesive theme, although each film is distinct within the theme in approach and subject matter.”
“We’ve got everything from Coffee to Go, such a wonderful film, it could easily have been in the Great Performances programme, the story about a couple who have broken up and meet two years later, and it’s not only really awkward, it’s really painful.”
“Then there’s Last Base, a film about two base jumpers who have a commitment to a friend who died. How far will they go in risking their lives to fulfill the commitment?”
“Treading Water is all about taking care of your parents when they get old and major health issues emerge. For me this is a very personal film. This year we had several films that explored the theme of aging parents, but this one was the best of the bunch.”
What Defines Reality?
This programme of shorts probes the title question, as well as things that can influence our world views, be they social, political or religious conventions, the opinions of others, or even our own sense of self.
Sunday, October 4th, at 3:45pm, International Village, Cinema 8
“The overall thematic structure in this series, although the films are all quite different, speaks to our sense of self, how others perceive us, and the decisions one makes in one’s life.”
“In Birthday, a soldier returns from combat severely injured, he’s lost his legs, and gives in to serious depression. But by film’s end, he manages to rise above.”
“Deformity Prays For Radiation is a beautiful little film that the Festival will present as a world première. It’s like a folk tale complete with a Greek, in this case a Ukrainian chorus commenting on the action. It’s all about the decay of things, and one of them is a relationship of sorts.”
