30 films will be screened as part of the Shortcut competition dedicated to short films, during Tofifest 2016
They will include this year’s winner of Academy Awards, the winner of Student Academy Awards, the winner of the Palme d’Or in Cannes, but also a number of completely unknown “dark horses”. This is the selection for the international short film competition at Tofifest 2016. You will have an opportunity to see 30 films from 23 different countries.
Every year, Shortcut becomes the most popular section of Tofifest for film-makers from all around the world, and this year is no different. In 2016, we have received 1,790 submissions from as many as 60 countries. Out of that great number, the selection committee has selected 30 films. Poland and France are two countries having the strongest representation, but the competition also features films from Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Croatia, and Romania.
What is so fascinating about short films? These are all very diverse stories, which make it possible for the audience to go on a journey from Mexico to Taiwan, or... to become a cat spying on a neighbour – and all that during a single screening session.
Oscars, Lions, and Palme d’Or Awards
Since stutter ruins his real life, he decides to seek shelter in the Internet, where he can become “king of the party”. And that is what happens to the protagonist in the true gem of a film among the competitors of Shortcut, which has also won this year’s Academy Award for the Best Short Film, i.e. the British “Stutterer” by Benjamin Cleary. The film discusses the problem that is becoming more and more important, these days – the splitting if the “real” and “on-line” worlds. There is also a disturbing question lurking in the film: will the latter of the two soon become our everyday reality?
The Shortcut section also includes the winner of Student Academy Awards for Best Foreign Narrative – “Tenants” by Klara Kochanska. It is a story about Justyna, a lonely woman in her thirties, who buys a flat at a bailiff auction. She does not care about the risk that may involve. On the day she is to move in her new flat, it turns out that the key does not fir the lock. Justyna’s dream about her own place to live will come true... as a nightmare.
During Tofifest, we will also have an opportunity to see the Polish première of the winner of the Palme d’Or in Cannes 2016 in the Short Film category, i.e. the Spanish “Timecode” by Juanjo Giménez Peña and the French “Gabber Lover” by Anna Cazenave Cambet, which won the Queer Palm in Cannes. Another film awarded by the jury in Cannes was “The Girl Who Danced with the Devil” João Paulo Miranda Maria from Brazil (the film will have its Polish première at Tofifest).
There are also two shorts that have come to Torun all the way from Venice. This is the winner of the Horizon Award – “Belladonna” by Dubravka Turić from Croatia, and the nominee for the Venice Horizons Award – “Group Violence”. This is a story about the mysteries of suburbia in French cities, occupied by Muslims. The film was directed by Karim Boukercha, who worked as a screenwriter in films directed by Costa-Gavras.
Polish premières during Tofifest
Every year, the Shortcut section features Polish premières of the best international short films. This year is no different.
Polish premières featured in the Shortcut section are usually dedicated to important problems faced by contemporary people. For example, the Taiwan-Singapore co-production “Anchorage Prohibited” by Chian Wei Liang discusses the problem of assimilation of emigrants, who are looking for their new homeland, in Taiwan (the film was the absolute winner of the Taipei Film Festival). We have also the Danish-Greek co-production “Euroman” by Gabriel Tzafka, which is a film echo of the economic crisis that has been rampaging through Greece, in recent years (the film has won the short film competitions at film festivals in Cairo and Athens).
As for “55 Pills” by Sebastián Muro, it is a story about youth, drugs, and the problems the two mentioned things bring in the life of young Argentinians. The Swedish “Boys” by Isabella Carbonell is a shocking story that discusses the issue of sexual violence happening behind closed doors, all around us.
Now, if you have a teenage daughter, it might be worth seeing the Polish première of “Rainbow Party” by Eva Sigurdardottir from Iceland. It is a gut-wrenching dissection of a community of young girls, where the “most popular ones” can go as far as destroying an outsider (the film has won the Edda Awards Iceland for the Best Short Film of the Year).
We will also have a “tripping” première. Imagine you offer a ride to a hitch-hiker and he warns you that... the end of the world is coming this afternoon! No wonder that such a chance encounter will change your life for ever. This is a summary of the plot in the Romanian film entitled “4:15 P.M. The End of the World” by Gabi Virginia Șarga.
Short animations
Unlike in previous years, this year the Shortcut section feature a lot more excellent animations. The British “Edmond” by Nina Gantz tells a story about the title Edmond, who one day decides to take a look at his life in retrospect. The film has won the BAFTA Award and the Jury Award for a short film at Sundance Film Festival.
As for the Hungarian “The Noise of Licking” by Nádja Andrasev, it is a perverse and warm story about a certain cat that has fallen in love with the wife of a neighbour... The story has already been recognised by jurors in Cannes, by awarding the Cinéfondation Award. A nominee for the afore-mentioned award was also “The Alan Dimension” by Jac Clinch – a story about a particularly troublesome husband, who is stubbornly clung to the idea of predicting future.
As far as animations are concerned, it is worth recommending the German “Trial & Error” by Antje Heyn, which won the Platinum Remi Award at WorldFest Houston and will have its Polish première in Torun, same as the French short film “In the Soldier’s head” by Christine Rebet.
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Tofifest IFF 2016: SHORTCUT
International Competition of Short Films
- 4:15 P.M. The end of the world (4:15 P.M. Sfârșitul lumii), by Gabi Virginia Șarga; Romania
- 55 Pills by Sebastián Muro; Argentina
- Anchorage prohibited (Jin zhi xia mao), by Chiang Wei Liang; Taiwan, Singapore
- Adaptation, by Bartosz Kruhlik; Poland
- A Quiet Place, by Ronny Dörfler; Germany, Romania
- Belladonna, by Dubravka Turić; Croatia
- Boys (Pojkarna), by Isabella Carbonell; Sweden
- Drawing Class for Adults (Urok risovania dlja vzroslyh), by Lika Yatkovskaya; Russia
- Edmond, by Nina Gantz; Great Britain
- Empire, by Kristof Hoornaert; Belgium
- Euroman, by Gabriel Tzafka; Denmark, Greece
- Gabber Lover, by Anna Cazenave Cambet; France
- Group violence (Violence en reunion), by Karim Boukercha; France
- In the Soldier’s head, by Christine Rebet; France
- Tenants, by Klara Kochanska; Poland
- Occupy Jämsä, by Jaakko Kaján; Finland
- Penelope, by Heta Jäälinoja; Estonia
- Rainbow Party, by Eva Sigurdardottir; Iceland
- Stutterer, by Benjamin Cleary; Great Britain
- Great News, by Kuba Gryzewski; Poland
- Lockjaw, by Kordian Kadziela; Poland
- Timecode, by Juanjo Giménez Peña; Spain
- The Alan Dimension, by Jac Clinch; Great Britain
- The Diver (El Buzo), by Esteban Arrangoiz; Mexico
- The Girl who danced with the Devil (A moça que dançou com o Diablo), by João Paulo Miranda Maria; Brazil
- The Noise of Licking (A nyalintás nesze), by Nádja Andrasev; Hungary
- The Unhappy One (Nelaimīgais), by Kārlis Vītols; Latvia
- Trial & Error, by Antje Heyn; Germany
- Whatever the Weather (Bei Wind und Wetter), by Remo Scherrer; Switzerland
- Skwar, by Agata Trzebuchowska and Mateusz Pacewicz; Poland
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The 14th edition edition of the Tofifest International Film Festival will take place in Torun, from 15th October to 23rd October, 2016. The main topic of this year’s edition will be a discussion about the rebellion of women and struggle for human dignity with reference to “Thelma & Louise” by Ridley Scott, which has its 25th anniversary this year. The Golden Angels of Tofifest 2016 will go to Allan Starski, Marek Kondrat, and Andrzej Seweryn.
The festival will be opened by a concert by Steve Nash & Film Orchestra with guest appearances of Tomasz Organek and Natalia Nykiel. The Closing Ceremony will be accompanied by the “Tribute to David Bowie” concert, featuring Brodka, Skubas, Natalia Przybysz, Tomek Makowiecki, and Tymon Tymanski singing selected songs of the Master. Tickets for both concerts are already available on www.bilety24.pl.
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