It’s a (shorts) wrap

Exclusive to MeierMovies, April 21, 2019

The 28th annual Florida Film Festival is concluding today. (Look for my blog tomorrow on last night’s awards ceremony.) Though I didn’t see as many features as I usually do, I did manage to screen 57 of the festival’s 130 short films.

You can find my article on the four domestic narrative shorts blocks here, but I’d also like to recognize a few films I enjoyed from two other blocks: the international animated shorts and midnight shorts. (Yes, I actually liked midnight shorts this year. Pick your jaw up off the floor.)

Among international animated shorts, Guaxuma (5 stars), by Nara Normande, is my pick for not just the best of the block, but the best of the entire festival (keeping in mind I’ve seen only about half). Check out the trailer here, though it doesn’t begin to do justice to this multi-medium masterpiece.

Other strong entries in that block include, in order of quality, Hybrids, The Call, Cerulia, Caterpillarplasty and Selfies.

Among midnight selections, Special Day, a wonderfully concise, complete and scary tale, takes the cake, literally. (See it and you’ll know what I mean.) Others worth a watch include the unique documentary Everything You Wanted to Know about Sudden Birth* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) and the imaginative and quirky horror shorts Black Spot and First Kiss.

See you at next year’s festival!

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