Category Archives: Short Films

New Yorker Films: “The Smallest Power”-A Woman In Iran Finds Her Might

The New Yorker (April 17, 2024): In “The Smallest Power,” the filmmaker Andy Sarjahani captures the power of an individual act of resistance amid the chaos of nationwide disorder. The animated short is a product of his own circuitous journey to understand his dual identities. Sarjahani’s mother, Tammie, is a Baptist from the American South.

His father, Ali, was born a Shiite Muslim from Iran. They met in the library at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, married in 1978, and eventually settled in Russellville, Arkansas. “I grew up in the Ozarks, so I didn’t have a deep connection to my Iranian heritage,” Sarjahani told me. His family had Christmas trees and celebrated Easter but also marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

Winter Sports: The World Of Young USA Ski Jumpers

NOWNESS (February 19, 2024): A historically niche sport, predominantly known in an Olympic context, ski jumping has gone through waves of popularity in the U.S.

Yet, while huge grassroots communities foster the development of a new generation of young ski jumpers, the sport is at a critical point in its lifecycle – with no college programs, limited spots at international level, and a recent reduction in Olympics categories

Arts & Literature: Ursula Magazine – FALL 2023

Image

Ursula (FALL 2023): The new issue feature Takesada Matsutani, 86, who has lived and worked in Paris since the late 1960s, but he came of age as an artist in Osaka, Japan, as a member of the avant-garde Gutai movement. He has long worked in highly experimental ways with printmaking and artist’s books.

LIFE TO MATTER

Takesada Matsutani’s Paris

Takesada Matsutani, Eyes, 2023. Part one (double-sided): Collage with photo by Matsutani, felt pen, sumi ink on burnt and cut silkscreen printed paper

THE TOWN,
THE COUNTY,
THE DESERT,
THE DROP

Mark Bradford on history, painting and unstable places

Mark Bradford, You Don’t Have to Tell Me Twice, 2023 © Mark Bradford. Photo: Joshua White. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth

Preview: “On The Verge Of” AI-Generated Short Film

Arts & Architecture Films (August 13, 2023) – ‘On the Verge of’ is an AI-Generated short film by Feen’Arts. It is the cinematic exploration of what Post-AI world would look like, inspired by the works of Manuel Hector Coto This short film is solely made using AI based language models.

Wildlife Film Trailers: ‘A Prairie Dog’s Life’ (2023)

Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam – WFFR (August 11, 2023) – On the plains of South Dakota, a community of rodents struggles to survive under harsh conditions. In addition, quarrels and conflicts within the colony make life quite difficult… But thanks to a special ‘dog language’, they can prevent attacks from coyotes and badgers.

Filmmaker: Philippe Moreau (Frankrijk, 51 min, 2023)

Weather: ‘Vorticity 5’ – A Storm Time-Lapse Film

Mike Olbinski Films (August 8, 2023) – Vorticity 5 took two years to film. Tens of thousands of miles across the central United States, from Montana to the Texas/Mexico border. A few hundred thousand shutter clicks. Loads of McDonalds, Subway and Allsups.

The most epic, cheap motels. And countless, stunning storms. This is the first time for any movie of mine where I have tornadoes AND haboobs make appearances. The haboob (dust storm) happened in May of 2022 in southwest Kansas. It was amazing and unexpected. Of all the clips that make up this film, I’m the most proud of that one.

It was like my world of chasing in Arizona finally collided with the universe of supercells and tornadoes on the plains. I hope you enjoy this film. The colors, the storms, the lightning, the twisters and the dust. It’s everything I love, everything I am continually awestruck by no matter how long I do this.

London Design Biennale: ‘Future Is Rural’ In Japan

Dezeen Films (June 28, 2023) – Photographer Edmund Sumner has created a film featuring eight projects that emphasis the   Future is Rural theme of the Japan Pavilion at the London Design Biennale, which was curated by Yuki Sumner. Yuki Sumner aimed to highlight projects by artists, designers and activists tackling issues such as depopulation and an ageing society in rural Japan, in the film.

Cinematic Travel: ‘Five Elements Of Mauritania’ In Northwestern Africa

Timelab Pro Films (June 26, 2023) – Mauritania revealed itself to us like a symphony of nature’s elements. When we experienced the raw power of the earth, the gentle touch of the wind, the captivating dance of fire, and soothing embrace of water, it felt like there was an invisible force, a fifth element, giving meaning to everything that surrounded us.

Among the calm sand dunes, we met people who found their peace amidst the shifting sands, while others, along the shore, were braving the ocean. And in between, the wondrous Eye of the Sahara stood as a silent witness.

Like a celestial watching over the ever-changing life amid the timeless dunes, quietly keeping the secrets of the past. Immersed in the nature of Mauritania, we felt wonder and connection to the timeless history.

Author of the project: Andrew Efimov

Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest.

Oceans: “Into The Abyss – Worlds Of The Deep” (2023)

Natural World Facts Films (June 17, 2023) – Explore the wonders of the deep ocean as you’ve never seen them before. This is a collaborative film series with Schmidt Ocean Institute, using their extensive library of 4K footage from an array of deep sea ecosystems.

Below are the episodes in order (subject to change):

  • 1 – The Twilight Zone
  • 2 – The Midnight Zone
  • 3 – The Abyssal Plain
  • 4 – Seamounts and Canyons
  • 5 – Hydrothermal Vents

Schmidt Ocean Institute is a non-profit oceanographic research foundation that has been pioneering deep-sea research and discovery since 2009, on board their old vessel RV Falkor and their brand new RV Falkor (too), the most advanced marine research vessels in the world.

Their remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian is equipped with a suite of sensors and a 4K camera that has illuminated the depths and live-streamed dives around the world. All footage shown is filmed and provided by Schmidt Ocean Institute.

Cinematic Short Films: ‘The Lone Valley’ (2023)

Robin Pogorzelski

Robin Pogorzelski Films (May 10, 2023) – I met Antonio while hiking this summer in the French Alps. He was sitting with his two dogs at the top of a mountain pass, looking down on his flock of sheep. We talked for an hour. A month later, I came back with a camera to make this short film with him.

This documentary is a tribute to the shepherd.

With : Antonio De Feo
Shot & Edit & Color : Robin Pogorzelski
Sound Engineer: Simon Bourrat
Sound Designer / Mix : Raphaël Pibarot
Original score : Antoine Duchêne
Impeesa Production