In Part I of the Vimeo Spotlight, we watched animated videos together, but this week, we’re featuring three live action (yes, real people!) short films that manage to whittle down the magic of cinema in less than fifteen minutes and on your computer screen. Montages, murder, and marriage – we’ve got it all right here.
Moments | link
Created by a filmmaking collective called Everynone, “Moments” celebrates life by focusing on the B-roll of day-to-day life. The short ties all of these moments together, easily transitioning from a kite flying up in the air to a newspaper being thrown onto a porch. It’s a video of relatables – from the intense game of kickball to the race to catch the bus – that makes its audience realize that there are beautiful moments all around us that essentially make up the lives we live.
Prospect | link
“Prospect” is a science fiction short, a coming-of-age story, and a thriller wrapped up in a thirteen minute film. The piece focuses on a teenage girl and the specific circumstances that force her to grow up quickly and quietly. Set on a toxic alien planet, the girl and her father harvest precious materials that they hope to sell for millions back on their home planet.
“Prospect” premiered at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival and it’s clear why the film was chosen for the festival – the cinematography is spectacular, the plot is strong, and the moss-filled, damp, forestral scenery is out of this world. Literally.
I Fenicotteri (Flamingos) | link
Directed by Francesca Coppola, you would think that “I Fenicotteri” is just another family gem in the Coppola dynasty. Although the Italian filmmaker is not related to Francis Ford or Sofia, her film has garnered attention in all the right places. Released in 2012, it premiered at the MoMA, as well as Lincoln Center as part of their New Directors/New Shorts Program.
Set in 1989 Milan, the short is about the delicate nature of father-daughter relationships pre-divorce. An innocent trip to the park to see flamingoes reveals the wavering reliability of a father who seems a bit lost, and the confusion and fear a child feels when she’s taken along for the ride.
