Allison Schulnik's transfixing short film “Eager” is an explosion of beauty, color and violence, a complicated dance acted out by figures who seem alive and doomed at once. The Los Angeles-based artist, musician and filmmaker hand-crafted it in every sense of the word, using clay and stop-motion photography to create her alternatingly lithe and decrepit figures as they dance, slice each other open, and wear one another's bodies. All feel interconnected, and a sense of choreographed inevitability seems to pervade their routine. Watch The Wrap's ShortList Film Festival Finalists and Vote Here For Your Favorites But that's just one way of looking.
- 8/27/2014
- by Tim Molloy
- The Wrap
The third annual ShortList Film Festival, which runs through August 27, 2014 just announced the 12 finalists.
The 12 finalists include shorts prize winners from the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the La Film Festival, Tribeca, Aspen, Clermont-Ferrand and other prestigious festivals. The films and filmmakers come from the United States, Mexico, Mozambique, Germany, Brazil and elsewhere around the globe.
All films are available now through August 27 for online voting Here. The shorts will also air on the Epix network August 24 at 6pm Et/3pm Pt and again in Epix’s Drive-In on August 25 12midnight Et/August 24 9pm Pt.
Two winners will each receive $5,000 cash prizes, the Audience Prize sponsored by YouTube and the Industry Prize sponsored by Epix at an awards ceremony on August 28 at the YouTube Space Los Angeles.
The Industry Prize winner, chosen by a jury of independent film experts, will also receive a pitch meeting at Paramount Pictures, MGM or Lionsgate to pitch their next project. The Audience Prize winner determined by popular vote will also receive the use of the YouTube Space for their next project.
Each winner will receive the opportunity to consult with the independent movie studio Cinedigm.
The Shortlist is proudly sponsored by Cinedigm, Epix, MTV and YouTube. It is presented by The Wrap and programmed by Nancy Collet.
Here are the finalists in three categories:
Animation
"Eager"
Directed by: Allison Schulnik
USA, 8 Minutes
A rhythmic ritual is performed by a bizarre ensemble of macabre figures.
Special Jury Recognition, South by Southwest ’14
"Macropolis"
Directed by: Joel Simon
UK, 8 Minutes
Two discarded toys find a new lease of life in a big alien city full of humans.
Family Choice Award, Ashland International Film Festival ‘ 14
"Me + Her"
Directed by: Joseph Oxford
USA, 13 Minutes
When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's untimely death, Jack goes on a journey to mend his (literally) broken heart.
Best Animated Short, Aspen Shortfest ’14
Narrative Fiction
"The Gunfighter"
Directed by: Eric Kissack
USA, 9 Minutes
A gunfighter in the old West starts off a chain reaction when the voiceover announcing his entrance to a saloon proceeds to give a laundry list of the town’s deepest secrets.
Audience Award, Los Angeles Film Festival ‘14
"My Friend Nietzsche"
Directed by: Fáuston da Silva
Brazil, 15 Minutes
The improbable meeting between Lucas and Nietzsche will be the beginning of a violent revolution.
Audience Award, Clermont-Ferrand Iff '14
"Noah"
Directed by: Patrick Cederberg; Walter Woodman
Canada, 18 Minutes
A relationship steeped in social media and told through the lens of Noah’s computer screen.
Best Short Film, Toronto International Film Festival ’13
"Off Ground"
Directed by: Boudewijn Koole
Germany, 13 Minutes
A dance film about a boy that says farewell to his mother.
Audience Awards, Netherlands International Film Festival ’14
"The Phone Call"
Directed by: Matt Kirby
UK, 19 Minutes
When a shy lady (Sally Hawkins) who works in a suicide helpline call center takes a phone call from a distraught man (Jim Broadbendt), she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
Best Narrative Short, Tribeca ’14
"A Tropical Sunday"
Directed by: Fabian Ribezzo
Mozambique/Italy, 15 Minutes
It's Sunday and crowds of eager children line up for rides at the fairground. Among them are four street kids, who have spent the week begging and scavenging. Today all they want is to feel like children again.
Best Drama, Aspen Shortsfest ‘14
"Verbatim"
Directed by: Brett Weiner
USA, 7 Minutes
A jaded lawyer wastes an afternoon trying to figure out if a dim-witted government employee has ever used a photocopier. All the dialogue comes from an actual legal deposition.
Best Short Film, Dallas International Film Festival ’14
"Not It (Zafo)"
Directed by: Pablo Orta
Mexico, 5 Minutes
An afternoon with a group of young boys who draw straws to see who will perform a grim task
Best Short Film, Guadalajara International Film Festival ’14
Documentary
"The Silly Bastard Next to the Bed"
Directed by: Scott Calonico
UK, 9 Minutes
JFK places a salty call to his staff, questioning a potentially embarrassing expenditure.
Audience Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival ’14
The 2014 festival is programmed by Nancy Collet.
About The ShortList:
The ShortList (http://shortlistfilmfestival.com ) represents the best of the best of filmmaking in the format that young filmmakers and enthusiasts use most often: shorts. The ShortList showcases 12 award-winning short films hand-picked from world’s top film festivals of the past year. An Audience Award is chosen by viewers’ online votes and a Jury Prize is chosen by the Industry jury, a six-person panel of veteran independent film professionals. Winning films will be announced at a special live event on August 28 in Los Angeles and will air on the Epix network.
About The Wrap News Inc.:
The Wrap News Inc., founded by award-winning journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009, is the leading digital news organization covering the business of entertainment and media. As a multi-platform media company, The Wrap News Inc. is comprised of TheWrap.com, the award-winning, industry-leading outlet for high-profile newsbreaks, investigative stories and authoritative analysis; PowerGrid Pro, the most current, relevant film development database; and TheGrill, an executive leadership conference centered on the convergence of entertainment, media and technology. The Wrap News, Inc. is backed by Maveron, a venture capital firm based in Seattle, Washington and co-founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Dan Levitan.
The 12 finalists include shorts prize winners from the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, the La Film Festival, Tribeca, Aspen, Clermont-Ferrand and other prestigious festivals. The films and filmmakers come from the United States, Mexico, Mozambique, Germany, Brazil and elsewhere around the globe.
All films are available now through August 27 for online voting Here. The shorts will also air on the Epix network August 24 at 6pm Et/3pm Pt and again in Epix’s Drive-In on August 25 12midnight Et/August 24 9pm Pt.
Two winners will each receive $5,000 cash prizes, the Audience Prize sponsored by YouTube and the Industry Prize sponsored by Epix at an awards ceremony on August 28 at the YouTube Space Los Angeles.
The Industry Prize winner, chosen by a jury of independent film experts, will also receive a pitch meeting at Paramount Pictures, MGM or Lionsgate to pitch their next project. The Audience Prize winner determined by popular vote will also receive the use of the YouTube Space for their next project.
Each winner will receive the opportunity to consult with the independent movie studio Cinedigm.
The Shortlist is proudly sponsored by Cinedigm, Epix, MTV and YouTube. It is presented by The Wrap and programmed by Nancy Collet.
Here are the finalists in three categories:
Animation
"Eager"
Directed by: Allison Schulnik
USA, 8 Minutes
A rhythmic ritual is performed by a bizarre ensemble of macabre figures.
Special Jury Recognition, South by Southwest ’14
"Macropolis"
Directed by: Joel Simon
UK, 8 Minutes
Two discarded toys find a new lease of life in a big alien city full of humans.
Family Choice Award, Ashland International Film Festival ‘ 14
"Me + Her"
Directed by: Joseph Oxford
USA, 13 Minutes
When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's untimely death, Jack goes on a journey to mend his (literally) broken heart.
Best Animated Short, Aspen Shortfest ’14
Narrative Fiction
"The Gunfighter"
Directed by: Eric Kissack
USA, 9 Minutes
A gunfighter in the old West starts off a chain reaction when the voiceover announcing his entrance to a saloon proceeds to give a laundry list of the town’s deepest secrets.
Audience Award, Los Angeles Film Festival ‘14
"My Friend Nietzsche"
Directed by: Fáuston da Silva
Brazil, 15 Minutes
The improbable meeting between Lucas and Nietzsche will be the beginning of a violent revolution.
Audience Award, Clermont-Ferrand Iff '14
"Noah"
Directed by: Patrick Cederberg; Walter Woodman
Canada, 18 Minutes
A relationship steeped in social media and told through the lens of Noah’s computer screen.
Best Short Film, Toronto International Film Festival ’13
"Off Ground"
Directed by: Boudewijn Koole
Germany, 13 Minutes
A dance film about a boy that says farewell to his mother.
Audience Awards, Netherlands International Film Festival ’14
"The Phone Call"
Directed by: Matt Kirby
UK, 19 Minutes
When a shy lady (Sally Hawkins) who works in a suicide helpline call center takes a phone call from a distraught man (Jim Broadbendt), she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
Best Narrative Short, Tribeca ’14
"A Tropical Sunday"
Directed by: Fabian Ribezzo
Mozambique/Italy, 15 Minutes
It's Sunday and crowds of eager children line up for rides at the fairground. Among them are four street kids, who have spent the week begging and scavenging. Today all they want is to feel like children again.
Best Drama, Aspen Shortsfest ‘14
"Verbatim"
Directed by: Brett Weiner
USA, 7 Minutes
A jaded lawyer wastes an afternoon trying to figure out if a dim-witted government employee has ever used a photocopier. All the dialogue comes from an actual legal deposition.
Best Short Film, Dallas International Film Festival ’14
"Not It (Zafo)"
Directed by: Pablo Orta
Mexico, 5 Minutes
An afternoon with a group of young boys who draw straws to see who will perform a grim task
Best Short Film, Guadalajara International Film Festival ’14
Documentary
"The Silly Bastard Next to the Bed"
Directed by: Scott Calonico
UK, 9 Minutes
JFK places a salty call to his staff, questioning a potentially embarrassing expenditure.
Audience Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival ’14
The 2014 festival is programmed by Nancy Collet.
About The ShortList:
The ShortList (http://shortlistfilmfestival.com ) represents the best of the best of filmmaking in the format that young filmmakers and enthusiasts use most often: shorts. The ShortList showcases 12 award-winning short films hand-picked from world’s top film festivals of the past year. An Audience Award is chosen by viewers’ online votes and a Jury Prize is chosen by the Industry jury, a six-person panel of veteran independent film professionals. Winning films will be announced at a special live event on August 28 in Los Angeles and will air on the Epix network.
About The Wrap News Inc.:
The Wrap News Inc., founded by award-winning journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009, is the leading digital news organization covering the business of entertainment and media. As a multi-platform media company, The Wrap News Inc. is comprised of TheWrap.com, the award-winning, industry-leading outlet for high-profile newsbreaks, investigative stories and authoritative analysis; PowerGrid Pro, the most current, relevant film development database; and TheGrill, an executive leadership conference centered on the convergence of entertainment, media and technology. The Wrap News, Inc. is backed by Maveron, a venture capital firm based in Seattle, Washington and co-founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Dan Levitan.
- 8/19/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Allison Schulnik’s second New York solo exhibition at ZieherSmith, Eager, included a startling array of painting, sculpture, drawing, and film, creating a beautiful, yet haunting world. Schulnik talks with Bradley Rubenstein about her new show, her dance background, the difference between working in New York and Los Angeles, and, of course, cats.
Bradley Rubenstein: I just read that you had originally been a dancer, and after watching the film Eager it makes perfect sense. There is a real sense of choreography in it. Can you talk a little about your beginnings as a filmmaker and painter?
Allison Schulnik: I have a lot of painters in the family, so I was painting at a young age. I think everyone expected me to be a painter, including myself, so I decided to go to film school instead. I didn't really have an interest in going to school for painting.
Bradley Rubenstein: I just read that you had originally been a dancer, and after watching the film Eager it makes perfect sense. There is a real sense of choreography in it. Can you talk a little about your beginnings as a filmmaker and painter?
Allison Schulnik: I have a lot of painters in the family, so I was painting at a young age. I think everyone expected me to be a painter, including myself, so I decided to go to film school instead. I didn't really have an interest in going to school for painting.
- 4/30/2014
- by bradleyrubenstein
- www.culturecatch.com
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