Film lovers in Sedona will join over 100,000 film enthusiasts around the world to view and judge the work of the next generation of filmmakers when the 24th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival screens at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, Sept. 24-30, hosted by the Sedona International Film Festival.
The final ten Manhattan Short finalists hail from eight countries with films from U.K, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Norway, Italy and Canada, alongside two films each from France and USA. These Final Ten Films represent the best short films from among 970 submissions from 70 countries received by Manhattan Short for 2021, testimony to the enduring vibrancy and creativity of short films worldwide.
The MANHATTAN SHORT Final Ten are:
Death By Handshake (USA), Ganef (UK), Bad Omen (Afghanistan), Rough (Northern Ireland), Archibald's Syndrome (France), The Kicksled Choir (Norway), Closed to the Light (Italy), Out of Time (France) Aurora (USA) Monsieur Cachemire (Canada).
Manhattan Short continues to be a showcase for new voices and perspectives. “Death By Handshake” director Hudson Flynn, for example, was just 16 years old when he created his wry nod to New York City living during the Covid-19 pandemic. Humor also pervades films like “Rough” from Northern Ireland, France's “Archibald's Syndrome” and “Monsieur Cashemire” of Canada. “Out of Time” and the animated “Aurora” are close studies by a pair of woman directors of life at different stages of our existence from French and American perspectives. Short films tackling big topics include Norway's “The Kicksled Choir”, which offers a refreshing look at conflict resolution, while “Bad Omen” examines how a woman copes with stark circumstances in Afghanistan. “Closed To The Light” reaches back in time to focus on a riveting moment in World War II Italy while the UK's “Ganef” examines that war's trickle-down effect on subsequent generations.
Film synopsis are as follows:
DEATH BY HANDSHAKE: A talented teenager copes with restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic by filming a witty love letter to his New York City hometown.
GANEF: A little girl, spooked by a dark tale from her mother’s wartime past, starts to believe her adored house cleaner is a sinister thief.
BAD OMEN: Kabul, Afghanistan. Pari, a widow and mother, struggles to purchase her prescription glasses in order to continue working as a tailor.
ROUGH: Ex-paramilitaries enforce their own brand of street justice but when they condemn a dog to death, they bite off more than they chew.
ARCHIBALD’S SYNDROME: Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but for Archibald it’s literally an affliction until he meets a free-spirited woman during a bank robbery.
THE KICKSLED CHOIR: A boy wants to sing in the local choir but when his father gets into a fight with a refugee, his aspirations are in jeopardy.
CLOSED TO THE LIGHT: In a moment captured in time, die-hard Italian fascists conduct reprisal executions of civilians in Lombardy during World War II.
OUT OF TIME: Felix’s mother has been called in and an exasperated director is threatening to ban him from the premises. But Felix still has a few moves.
AURORA: The animated tale of a little girl who falls in love with a beautiful horse named Aurora and learns about love, friendship and growing up.
MONSIEUR CACHEMIRE: A bank loan officer extracts dark secrets from the past from an eccentric and mysterious customer in need of funds.
You Be the Judge!
Which of these final ten short films is best? That's up to a worldwide audience to decide. Cinema-goers across the United States and the globe will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. Manhattan Short is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes will be sent through to Manhattan Short HQ with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com on Monday, Oct. 4.