The Sundance Film Festival has announced the film selections for their upcoming edition, which will take place in Park City, Utah between January 16-26.
Sundance, in conjunction with the Utah Film Center’s Tumbleweeds program, has launched a new youth-oriented section of the festival called “Sundance Kids.” Only two films were selected for the category—one animated and one live-action. The animated film is Annie-nominated and Oscar hopeful Ernest and Celestine.
The following thirteen films will compete in the animated short category:
Allergy to Originality / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Drew Christie) — A humorous, animated op doc explores the rich history of adaptation, plagiarism, and other forms of appropriation in art.
Astigmatismo / Spain (Director and screenwriter: Nicolai Troshinsky) — A boy loses his glasses and can only see one thing in focus at a time. With his sight shaped by the sounds around him, he must learn to explore a blurry world of unknown places and strange characters.
Blame It on the Seagull / Norway (Director: Julie Engaas, Screenwriters: Julie Engaas, Cecilie Bjørnaraa) — An animated documentary about Pelle Sandstrak and the way he showed the first signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette’s syndrome as a teenager.
Crime: The Animated Series (Marcus McGhee) / U.S.A., Canada (Directors: Alix Lambert, Sam Chou) — When Hartford teacher Marcus McGhee has his car stolen, the police refuse to assist him. Directors Alix Lambert and Sam Chou mix humor with stark reality in this animated documentary short. Previously
featured on Cartoon Brew.
Marilyn Myller / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Mikey Please) — Marilyn maketh. Marilyn taketh awayeth. Marilyn is trying really hard to create something good. For once, her expectation and reality are going to align. It will be epic. It will be tear-jerkingly profound. It will be perfect. Nothing can go wrong.
The Obvious Child / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stephen Irwin) — Somebody broke the girl’s parents. The rabbit was there when it happened. It was an awful mess.
Passer Passer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Louis Morton) — Also a featured short in the
2013 Cartoon Brew Student Animation Festival,
Passer Passer is an animated city symphony that celebrates the hidden world of background noise.
Phantom Limb / United Kingdom, Australia (Director and screenwriter: Alex Grigg) — James and Martha narrowly survive a motorcycle accident. During the aftermath, however, James begins to experience Martha’s phantom pains. This short was originally part of Late Night Work Club’s
Ghost Stories which was
featured on Cartoon Brew.
Piece, Peace / South Korea (Director and screenwriter: Jae-in Park) — Psychological changes among different characters lead to a more and more extreme situation.
The Present / Taiwan (Director: Joe Hsieh, Screenwriters: Joe Hsieh, Ching-Chwang Ho) — A married man on a business trip checks into a hotel. The hotel manager’s daughter falls for him at first sight. Rejected by the man, she embarks on a journey of revenge.
Subconscious Password / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Chris Landreth) — In a film that has been
shortlisted for this year’s Best Animated Short Film Oscar category, Academy Award-winning director Chris Landreth (
Ryan, 2004) returns as Charles, a man paralyzed by his inability to remember a friend’s name. Thus begins a mind-bending romp through a game show of the unconscious—complete with animated celebrity guests.
White Morning / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Paul Barritt) — A short film about the violence of little boys and little men.
Yearbook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up.
