'The Academy of Arts and Sciences' doesn't only award feature length films, they also award short films. Below, are this years nominees and a small review.
Pentecost (Ireland) Director Peter McDonald
Synopsis (IMDb)
Ireland 1977. Eleven-year-old Damian Lynch (SCOTT GRAHAM) is called in at the last moment to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish. Following his last appearance as an altar boy when he knocked Father O'Toole off the altar, Damien is serving a three-month ban from his only passion in life...football. To make matters worse, Damian's team, Liverpool FC, are playing in their first European cup final in two weeks time. Damien's father (MICHAEL MCELHATTON) offers him a reprieve and crucially a chance to see the European cup final if he serves the mass correctly. Damien now faces a choice: either conform to the status quo or never watch his beloved Liverpool play again...
Review
This is a humorous little tale with excellent acting and a cute ending. For any man who has been an altar boy, this film will be even more enjoyable.
Raju (Germany) official website
Synopsis (IMDb)
A German couple adopts in Kolkata an Indian orphan. Their child suddenly disappears and they realize that they are part of the problem.
Review
This film is profoundly sad on a few levels. A German man and woman who wants a child so bad, they go to India to adopt one. When the husband discovers their child is not as advertised, both the boy and the couple are thrown into crisis.
The Shore (Ireland) http://theshorefilm.com/ Terry George
Synopsis (IMDb)
The Shore is the inspiring story of two boyhood best friends - Joe (Ciarán Hinds) and Paddy (Conleth Hill) - divided by 25 years of misunderstanding. Their world and their friendship is shattered by the conflict escalating in Northern Ireland, the two boys take very different paths until, 25 years later, Joe returns for the first time to his homeland with his 24-year-old daughter, Patricia. In his absence Paddy, his best friend, has married Joe's former fiancée Mary. What happened all those years ago? Can old wounds be healed? The answer is in equal parts hilarious and moving.
As warm and entertaining as any short I've seen. Great story, great acting and beautiful scenery make 'The Shore' a winner. As with most short subject films, there is a moral to this story: communication can save years of agony.
Time Freak (USA) Director Andrew Bowler
Synopsis (IMDb)
A neurotic inventor creates a time machine and gets lost traveling around yesterday.
Stillman (Michael Nathanson) has invented a time machine, he could go anywhere in time he wants. Stillman doesn't go anywhere except back to the beginning of the errand he had just ran in preparation for his trip to ancient Rome. He just has to get it right. His friend, and roommate Even, (John Conor Brooke), comes looking for him and discovers the time machine-several times.
Review
The moral of this comical short film is: people with OCD should never be let near a time machine.
Tuba Atlantic (Norway) Director Hallvar Witzo
Synopsis (IMDb)
Everybody is going to die one day. Oskar (70) is going to die in six days. He is now ready to forgive his brother for a disagreement years ago. Will he reach his brother, who he believes live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, before it is too late?
Review
An unexpectedly pleasant story of the impending death of a 70 year old man. Oskar (Edvard Eaegstad) has an incredible hatred of seagulls, spending most of his day killing them off.
Since his time on earth is almost up, his "angel of death" comes to help him pass. Inger (Ingrid Viken) is lovely and young, Oskar hates her at first. He has a brother he also hates, someone should have told him something I've heart many times, "let it go" This little film is funny and well made, with engaging characters. Well done.
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