TALKING WITH ANGELS, CONTRACTOR 014352, THE PAST WE LIVE IN and MOVING VIOLATION compete in the short film category at the 2018 Manchester Film Festival
Science fiction, war and comedy collide in Shorts Session 3 at the 2018 Manchester Film Festival.
Nick Wild brings together a talented northern cast in his comedy short TALKING WITH ANGELS while real and imaginary worlds collide in Simon Ryninks psychedelic short CONTRACTOR 014352. Jerome Weber’s World War II short THE PAST WE LIVE IN and Laura Higgson’s female-driven dark comedy MOVING VIOLATION also screen at the festival.
TALKING WITH ANGELS
NICK WILD | UK | 24 MINUTES | ENGLISH LANGUAGE
God goes digital in Nick Wild’s TALKING WITH ANGELS, a hilarious short about an overworked and underpaid angel who has one final mission to complete on his ‘tour of duty’. When his celestially powered smartphone fails to pick up a network connection for his final mission, angel Frank decides to kill some time and go to the theatre to see “Communing with Angels – A Psychic Evening with Bernard De La Reine.” But all is not what it seems with scam artist Bernard (Vic Reeves) who has enlisted the help of his disillusioned wife Lucy (Jane Horrocks) to trick the audience. As the show starts to fall apart, Frank steps in to help and Bernard is soon set up for his own TV show that will change his life forever. But was it chance that threw them together or was it destiny? Fast-paced, funny and incredibly entertaining, an all-star comedy cast and witty script make this entertaining short an awards contender.
CONTRACTOR 014352
SIMON RYNINKS | UK | 13 MINUTES | ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Real and imaginary worlds collide in Simon Ryninks psychedelic short CONTRACTOR 014352. Desperate for a genuine connection, a lonely data entry clerk Guy (Johnny Flynn) reaches through his computer screen, in search of the human behind the data he deals with every day. In this visually lavish piece, Ryninks turns an ultimately mundane story into a philosophically tasty piece of science fiction to deliver a striking short about the importance of human connection.
THE PAST WE LIVE IN
JEROME WEBER | LUXEMBOURG | 15 MINUTES | FRENCH AND GERMAN LANGUAGE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
The past comes back to haunt a former, forcibly recruited WWII soldier in Jerome Weber’s war short THE PAST WE LIVE IN. Now suffering from dementia, Felix (Gilbert Johnston) relives an emotional friendship with a solider from the enemy (Issaka Sawadogo) when he confuses his 7-year old nephew with an old friend from the Second World War. Despite the slow pacing, Weber’s keen eye for detail shines through in this 15 minute short with the WWII flashbacks in particular standing out as visually striking.
MOVING VIOLATION
LAURA HIGGSON | USA | 12 MINUTES | ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THIS IS US star Milana Vayntrub delivers a superb lead performance in Laura Higgson’s female-driven dark comedy MOVING VIOLATION. Deserted by her fiancé just ten days before their wedding, Tara (Vayntrub) optimistic nature is put to the ultimate test when a trigger-happy speed camera is installed across the street from her house. Convinced it’s the speed trap – and not her ex – that’s ruining her life, Tara resorts to petty vandalism and emotional desperation before finding a way to turn the device into a tool of sweet revenge. A sharp, funny and entertaining short with a cracking female cast.
Shorts Session 3 screened at the Manchester Film Festival on 2 March 2018
Donna is the Founder and Editor of Frankly, My Dear UK. By day, she works as a digital marketing specialist, by night she reviews film, theatre and music for a wide range of publications including WhatsonStage and The Reviews Hub. Loves Formula 1, prosecco and life.
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