Synopsis

Laugh away the woes of the world with this eclectic collection of comedies. From the absurd anxieties of wannabe filmmakers to the ridiculous delusions of the recently dumped, these stories are insightful, unexpected, and delightfully irreverent.

In Nervous Energy, two fiercely ambitious aspiring filmmakers make a pact to break up with their boyfriends to free them up for the next phase of their careers. In 1:10, a schoolyard tussle between two friends escalates when the kids’ self-righteous and macho fathers get involved. Heartsick follows Jess who, spiraling from a recent breakup, writes a detailed email to her ex about how well she is doing, with a few embellishments here and there. When Jamie finds a mysterious trombone case one night—the contents of which might change his life forever—he convenes an emergency meeting with his friends in Moonluck Wonton. In Duck Duck Goose, recently divorced Juju is pressured by her mother to make an impression as an eligible wife while attending a funeral. A couple is put to the test, literally, when they agree to participate in a joint therapy session that will be observed by an international panel of psychology experts in Exam.

Synopsis

A schoolyard tussle between two friends escalates when the kids’ self-righteous and macho fathers get involved. Through an astute observational lens, the hustle and bustle of elementary school-aged children is humorously and poignantly juxtaposed with the absurd dynamics of grown men who have yet to grow up.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 5: Comedy.

Synopsis

Clever animated shorts from across four continents appear in this delightful family program full of polar bears, empty cans of tuna, and beloved grandparents. Presented as a relaxed screening and recommended for cinema-enthusiasts ages 8 years and older.

An empty tuna can and his kitchen friends battle an evil package of spaghetti in Tsuna the Empty Can – Meatball and Spaghetti. In Pow! Jake struggles to keep playing video games while his family attends an intertribal gathering. On the Mat Outside My Door is a poem to an intrusive and ultimately loveable rat. After losing his grandfather, Mundinho meets a whale who lessens his grief in Yore Gramps and the Whale. Snow Bear follows the adventures of a polar bear who must make a new friend in his changing environment. A long car trip made worse by bickering parents shifts into an epic adventure in Are We There Yet? Lily asks “What could be scarier than the meanest teacher in school? ” A teenage boy finds common ground with his grandfather during their weekly visits in Wednesdays with Gramps.

Synopsis

During a long car ride, nine-year-old Timo escapes his parents’ bickering by creating a fantasy world in the passing landscape. A spaceman and T. rex battle across the skies and rolling hills, taking Timo along with them.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 9: Family Friendly Animation.

Synopsis

In this sensitive adaptation of Judith Kerr’s internationally acclaimed autobiographical classic, nine-year-old Anna finds the world shift dramatically around her in 1933 Berlin. When her father, a high-profile Jewish theater critic, abruptly flees to Zurich to escape the Nazis, the family scrambles to follow, leaving everything and everyone behind⁠—from a beloved nanny and friends to cherished toys. A new life filled with challenges and privations, met with persistence and triumphs, lies ahead.