Here’s some of our favorite shorts in this year’s international
competition!
Note: we didn’t review documentary—because we’ve
both got lives.
 Fiction
– Film
A la salida (Mexico)
Short, sweet
and to the point. This director doesn’t waste any time. He
puts you right in middle of the schoolyard chaos—mis-en-scene
to the max. Don’t blink, or you might miss out.
Nie Solo Sein (Germany)
“How the fuck did they do that?” That’s
what you’ll be mumbling to yourself again and again. That
and, “I wish I could eat out of the trash.”
Desastre (Canada)
This is one of the funniest Canadian films I’ve seen
in a long time. Funny because it makes more fun of America than
anybody else, while busting out all the French clichés and
stereotypes. It’s a mini-Rushmore. Delightful.
The Raftman´s Razor (USA)
Big ups to the director of this little gem. Besides applying
a great narrative style and voice, he stole from the best. And in
this case, the best was Alan Moore’s & Dave Gibbons’s
comic-defining-classic “Watchmen”. We all know where
you got that story-within-the-story.
Wenn Zwei Sich Streiten (Germany)
What do you know, those morbid, depressing, nihilistic
Germans actually made a FUNNY film! (And not as in “Funny
Games” funny.) Definitely one of the most entertaining films
you’ll see in this year’s selection.
Little Terrorist (United Kingdom - India)
Current events have a way of influencing and warping our
own perspective and tastes. Maybe in any other decade this film
would have been passed up. But it is never more prescient than right
now.
Experimental
 Die
Flutung Von Viktoria (Germany)
You cannot have an experimental selection without having
at least one German film that makes you go, huh? This is excellent
stop-motion animation, with the wild non-tangible storylines that
make the Germans masters, so you animation nuts make sure not to
miss this one. This gets my Lifetime Award for being the longest
experimental short I have ever been able to sit through.
Momento (Portugal)
One of the hardest things to get on the screen is a moment
that expresses timelessness of the action. Give these guys a cigar,
because they pulled it off with a moralistic tale that is universal
to us all. Great cinematography, too.
Kasino 2001 (Germany)
I was enchanted and shocked the first time I saw this.
It opens with a blocking shot that would make Orson Wells blush.
Short and sweet, just like a festival piece should be. But the magical
elements captured on film are what make this short a winner.
Animation
 Obras
(France)
This film was my bad acid trip, back when I thought my friends Da
Commish, Gemini and I were the only people left in the world. They
say a city has a billion stories. You’ll probably see about
999,999,999 of them played out in this short.
Le Regulateur (France)
Freaky French shit. Fritz Lang meets Edward Gorey meets
Tim Burton meets Ren & Stimpy. Once again the French impress
upon us why they’re at the height of animation these days.
Lucia (Germany)
We couldn’t let the French sweep our picks and we
were both touched by this tale about a curious little girl who goes
on strange midnight sojourn. Join her on her sleepwalk through a
colorful fantasy dreamland.
Fiction – Video
Bredband (Sweden)
What is up with the Scandinavian filmmakers and their clinical,
sterile and cold snapshots of modern man? And why are these people
always middle-aged? Do they eat their young over there or something?
Anyway, they do seem to make good films. And damn fine cell phones.
Hateip Haadom (Israel)
Much like Little Terrorist, the fact that this film made
selection is a sign of the times. However, if my son or daughter
ever brought that toy home, I might shoot them too. How annoying.
Runner (Spain)
We’re into video games here at La Jerga. And this
was mildly entertaining when properly enhanced.
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