The Tribeca Film Festival and John Polson, director (Swimfan, Hide & Seek) and founder of Tropfest, have announced the line-up for the first annual Tropfest@Tribeca, the collaboration of the largest short film festival in the world and the fastest-growing film festival in North America. Tropfest@Tribeca has been created in the spirit of the original Tropfest in Australia to recognize the critical role that short films play in the craft of filmmaking. The program encourages short film production by offering platforms for emerging filmmakers to create innovative works and showcase their films to diverse audiences.
Eight new short films made exclusively for Tropfest@Tribeca, all in competition, and eight Tropfest classic shorts, which have previously played at Tropfest in Australia, will be screened together the evening of Friday, April 28, 2006 at the Tribeca Drive In at the World Financial Center. Each of the finalist’s films incorporates the Tropfest@Tribeca Signature Item, a manhole cover, which designates that it was made specifically for Tropfest@Tribeca. Following the guidelines of Polson’s Tropfest, each film must be under seven minutes in length and must be making its world premiere. This event is free, but requires a ticket.
The Daily Show’s Ed Helms will host the evening and a jury of 7 judges: Darren Aronofsky, Caroline Baron, Matt Dillon, Famke Janssen, Anthony Lapaglia, Charles Randolph, and Naomi Watts will be on hand to screen the films and will select a Tropfest@Tribeca winner from the eight finalists. The winner will receive a cash award of $2,500 and Final Cut Pro software from Apple.
“Having built a Festival with a huge national following in Australia, it gives me great pride to bring this to the States and to Tribeca,” said John Polson. “The quality of submissions demonstrates the desire to create original films. It is immensely gratifying to provide opportunities and an audience to a new generation of short filmmakers around the world.”
“John Polson has created an original platform for emerging filmmakers,” said Robert De Niro. “We are pleased to offer, along with John Polson, this distinctive cultural event to our Festival community.”
Following are the 16 short films selected for Tropfest@Tribeca:
TROPFEST@TRIBECA FINALISTS:
From Down Under to underground, these Tropfest@Tribeca shorts explore relationships and reality in seven minutes or less.
· The 100% Perfect Girl, directed by Ougie Pak (U.S.A.) – A melancholic fairy tale exploring the possibility/impossibility of perfect love. An anonymous boy believes that he’s met the 100% Perfect Girl.
· The Bracelet, directed by Blaise Hemingway (U.S.A.) – A slacker’s life is saved from a robot revolution when he purchases a ‘Live Strong’-inspired bracelet in support of the robot movement.
· Busy Night, directed by Stuart Goldstein (U.S.A.) – Marie is celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend, Robert. The evening is perfect, until Robert’s cell phone emits a “beep” at the wrong time.
· Charge For That, directed by Chris Cassidy (U.S.A.) – Filmmaker Chris Cassidy’s latest documentary chronicles a “day in the night” of artist Mark Nilsen and exposes one of his unique ideas. The streets of New York have been an endless palette for Nilsen. You’ll see everything from dog piss to enthusiastic passersby as Nilsen brings his work from creation to commerce in this Cassflix film Charge for That.
· Charmed Robbery, directed Jackie Schulz (Australia) – Tristan couldn’t talk to the girl he loves if you put a gun to his head. Or could he?
· Deviation, directed by Jon Griggs (U.S.A.) – An online-game character rebels against the futility of his violent and repetitious existence.
· The Test, directed by Lisa M. Perry (U.S.A.) – A short film about what transpires in the 6 minutes after a dysfunctional couple find out they are having a baby.
· The Watering Hole, directed by Matthew Bonifacio (U.S.A.) – In the aftermath of her mother’s death, a young girl makes the ultimate sacrifice to stop her father’s downward spiral into depression and alcoholism.
TROPFEST CLASSICS:
A taste of Australia’s Tropfest with a sampling of eight of their favorite alums from Down Under selected by Tropfest founder John Polson.
· Buried, directed by Tim Bullock (Australia), 2003- sometimes, disposing of a body can be a real pain in the arse.
· Carmichael and Shane, directed by Alex Weinress & Rob Carlton (Australia), 2006 – A single father has a unique approach to raising his two year old twin boys- pick a favourite.
· Fingerprints, directed by Catherine McVeigh (Australia), 2005 – A cop’s hunt for clues becomes much more than routine as his search reveals a devastating truth…
· The Little Woman, directed by Greg Williams (Australia), 2005 – Ted wants the police to get his wife and kids back. The police are more interested in finding out just how nuts Ted is.
· Lucky, directed by Nash Edgerton (Australia), 2005 – Lucky finds himself in a bind and he’s going to have to pull off more than a Houdini act to get him out of this one.
· Not What I Expected, directed by Timber Dean (Australia), 2003 – When two people an ocean apart fall in love, only music can bring them together.
· Self Serve, directed by Frazer Bailey (Australia), 2004 – When Griff pulls into a remote country service station, he didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get good service.
· The Story of the Bubbleboy, directed by Sean Ashcroft (Australia), 2006 – In a stab-happy world, a sad outcast wrestles with his demons. The story of bubbleboy is a film about being trapped by the past and redeemed by the future.
For more info, visit the Tribeca Film Festival website.
