Films in Competition: Plots, Emotions, and Details
SBIFest 2024
BEST SHORT FILM
(14 short film)
1) As Easy As Closing Your Eyes
21,43 minutes
United States
Director Parker Croft
Parker Croft is a writer-director with a background in acting and cinematography. His short Suncatcher received sixty-two festival selections, winning thirteen awards with an additional twenty nominations.
He has directed content for the NBA, FIBA Basketball World Cup, Shiseido, Better Booch, Happier Living and numerous music videos for artists ranging from Vader the Vilin to the All-American Rejects.
He co-wrote the feature film Falling Overnight which won the Special Jury Prize at Cinequest before streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
United States
Plot:
As Easy As Closing Your Eyes was developed with the belief that a new fictional technology like Amesten would allow us to explore one of the oldest and most universal human questions from a fresh vantage point. It's a film that asks how far we would go to get more time with the ones we've lost, a film that explores the unanswerable riddle of loving what is mortal.
2) RUNAWAY
United Arab Emirates
8 minutes
Director Andrey Solomonov
Plot:
A seemingly successful and brutal biker comes to the desert to get rid of the contents of his rucksack. But he clearly lacks the determination and will to say goodbye to all his belongings. The events reveal to the viewer of the short film the dramatic situation in which the hero is driven, fleeing from the circumstances that have changed his life.
3) Shahroor
State of Palestine
14,59 minutes
Directors Yafa Ezzat Shahroor, Mo'men Ghanim Hasanain
State of Palestine
14,59 minutes
Yafa Shahroor and Mo'men Ghanim co-directed this film.
Yafa Shahroor is a documentary filmmaker. Yafa has always been eager to create films and present TV shows, and her passion has never stopped growing.
Mo'men Ghanim is a Northwestern University alumni. Mo'men has worked in all media fields for the past six years: commercials, filmmaking, and social media. He worked at Northwestern University as a teaching assistant in filmmaking classes. Mo'men is driven toward making films about those who can't tell their stories.
Plot:
Shahroor is a short documentary about Yafa’s story, who was known for her passion for media since childhood. She had a clear plan to achieve her dream, with the support of her father Ezzat, the journalist, but one day all that vanished.
This film was made for those who lost hope in reaching their dreams and couldn't find the light by the end of the tunnel. This film holds many memories; it was more like me journaling my emotions, but I journaled them as a filmmaker by making this film.
4) Patellidae
United Kingdom
17,22 minutes
Director Elpida Koumpoura
Elpida Koumpoura is passionate about creative work, specializing in filmmaking and video editing. She was born and raised in Greece and lived for a short period of time in Germany and the Netherlands. In 2016, she moved to Edinburgh, where she works and resides.
At an early age, Elpida was deeply inspired by the traditional global film cultures as well as literature and fine arts. Her previous achievements include pursuing an Apprenticeship Diploma in Graphic Arts: Electronic Design of Printed Matter and completing 120 credits in Natural Sciences at The Open University.
Plot:
Patellidae is a seventeen-minute fantasy drama about a homeless girl -Annie- who collects seashells on Cramond Island. Following her father's disappearance during a sea tide, Annie returns to the island every day in order to find him. While walking along the island, Annie discovers a sea creature. A creature that can only be found in myths about the sea.
5) WIZARD
Russian Federation
5 minutes
Director Arsen Aristakesyan
Arsen Aristakesyan, journalist and TV producer. Arsen Aristakesyan has worked for 20 years at leading Russian TV channels and has produced more than 1000 TV programmes. In 2023 he entered the Higher Courses of Cinema and Television at the All-Russian State University of Cinematography named after S.A. Gerasimov. S.A. Gerasimov. In the workshop to the great Soviet and Russian director - Alexander Proshkin. He believes that it is never too late to make a film if you have something to say to the audience. The main thing is to be honest with them, and with yourself!
Plot:
The young man decided to propose to his beloved girl. He wants this day to be magical for her. But, suddenly... Will he be able to give his beloved a holiday if everything immediately went wrong?
6)Give Way To The Right
Russian Federation
14 minutes
Director Mikhail Shklofsky
Plot:
In an effort to end the abusive relationship, Sasha leaves her husband, taking her daughter and mother with her. When the car gets stuck in a dead traffic jam, Sasha starts having a panic attack. When her mother tries to intervene in the situation, it only gets worse.
7) Maryam
Afghanistan
4 minutes
Director zainab entezar
Plot:
Short film that the author dedicates to her mother.
Silent film that develops on its musical soundtrack. A reflection on poor childhood, and simple games as a refuge from the hard hard life.
8) The Girl Who Faded Away
United States
5, 34 min
Director Brent Heise
I attended the American University in Washington D.C. During my freshman year, I made a supernatural-themed short film featuring Sara, the future class valedictorian. This project received top billing at the Media Festival. I considered this a good omen, and it was.
Returning to Portland, Oregon, I subsequently won a “Best of the Northwest Judges Choice” from the Alliance for Community Media for my indie feature “Twilight Man.”
I moved on to editorial work at the boutique animation studio Bent Image Lab. Working under the guidance of award winning director Chel White, I helped to bolster the company's presence in the film community through animated segments for features, commercials, and social media. Behind the scenes edits for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The 4-D Experience and David Oyelowo's directorial debut “The Water Man” are Blu-Ray special features. Recognition for one company reel appeared on Motionographer.com. Meanwhile, my post production work on Mr. White's memoir segment for Academy Award Winner Joan Gratz played at the opening night of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Plot:
The search for love happens in a place where angels fear to tread.
A man is walking on the edge of deep woods, holding an old wooden case. A white owl in the trees takes notice of him and swoops down. In a puff of smoke the owl transforms and becomes a beautiful female apparition. The “Girl” warns him against going further in these woods. The man stops and he sets his wood case on a fallen tree trunk. He opens it. Inside is an old fashioned turntable, a wind-up phonograph he cranks before carefully placing the needle on an old, black vinyl record.
9) Back to Life
United States
9 minutes
Director Jelena Sorkin
Jelena Sorkin was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. First, she started acting at the age of ten. Theater and dance, as she said, "saved her from post-war life." She continued acting in the USA, where she graduated from the New York Film Academy while she lived in Los Angeles, California.Jelena improved her acting skills at the Ivanna Chubbuk’s classes. In addition to acting, Jelena is deeply in love with film directing and is looking forward to improving her skills with MFA in New York where she moved in 2023.
Plot:
This short film will make you stop in the NOW and ask yourself: “What is it that I am blessed with that I don’t respect enough…but run in circles after material things imposed on me by the system?”
10) Diligitis
Italy
13,20 minutes
Director Luca Finato
Plot:
A man meets a woman after meditating about a relationship of a pair of lovers and their difficulty in expressing their love.
11) Goodnight
Singapore
5.50 minutes
Director Tommy Tan
Tommy Tan is a filmmaker and photographer based in Singapore with a fervent passion for storytelling through visuals.
His journey was sparked at Lasalle College of the Arts, setting him on a path of creative exploration and storytelling. His time at Lasalle was more than educational; it was a crucible that shaped his artistic vision and honed his craft.
Today, Tommy channels his passion into creating films and photographs that not only capture moments but tell profound stories, making him a distinguished artist in his field.
Plot:
A young man makes the decision to depart from his home, bidding his farewells as he goes.
12) Covoit Fatal
France
5 minutes
Directors Coralie Lemaistre, Aurore Boscus, Léandre Humbert, Céleste Fournet, Névia Poupon
Plot:
During a carpool trip, two young women are worried about the disturbing detachment their driver is showing in reaction to a sordid news reported on the radio.
13) The Most Beautiful Among Mothers
State of Palestine
12,19 minutes
Director mahmoud abu jazi
Mahmoud abu jazi ,born in 1962 studied art and theater in Athens , adding a new color to the Palestinian art was the purpose.
I graduated in 1989 and participated in different work of arts, tv shows and cinema in Greek language! including numerous works of theater, for example the lead role Hercules.
I returned home in 1992 and participated in numerous projects of cinema , I took the lead role in short film “BE QUIET” which took awards in Cannes festival and Dubai cinema festival.
In 2008 won the best lead actor in “JAMR AL-HEKAYA” in Valencia festival.
In 2012 ,The lead role in film “PALESTINE STEREO”.
in 2022 won five awards best leading actor in film "A DEAD SEA" in different international
festivals.
in 2012 started writing scenarios …
Plot:
The Most Beautiful Among Mothers""The main character of the film is the mother, since she is forced to sit everyday by the window to wait for her only son, because of the current situation in the 48 Palestinian community and the raise of violence rate. Despite that the mother is doing nothing but waiting for her son, still, she is worried and fear is taking over her, she is scared that in any moment someone will come to her with bad news about her son.Everything can happen here and now, the mother is again sitting next to the window, and patiently waits for her son, without interfering in anything that is taking place in the ally, and only at dawn when the son is back the mother calms down.
14) R12
Argentina
19 minutes
Director Facundo Aybar
Facundo Aybar (Argentina, 1984) is a director, producer, and screenwriter. He directed the short films Las Misteriosas Aguas de la Ría (2013) and R12 (2024), as well as numerous commercial pieces for the production company Carbono 14. He produced the film Bahía Blanca (2021) and served as the programming director for the Independent Latin American Film Festival of Bahía Blanca (2018–2022). He is currently in pre-production for his first feature film, Pedro Luro.
Plot:
A Renault 12 stops at a gas station. Its driver deceives the attendant, a submissive employee, into driving the car to prevent the end of the world. While the attendant drives without stopping, he faces the enjoyment of life by others—those beneath the car that keeps the world spinning.