WASHINGTON, July 19 (RIA Novosti) – The largest collection of short films by Russian filmmakers ever to screen in the United States will be showcased at this year’s DC Shorts Film Festival in September, according to the event’s organizers.
The festival has screened some of the world’s top short films since its inception a decade ago, but never any from Russia until this year, festival director Jon Gann told RIA Novosti on Friday.
Of the more than 150 films from 22 nations that will be shown at this year’s festival event, to be held Sept. 19-29 in Washington, 16 films from emerging Russian filmmakers will be screened.
Gann said he was interested in bringing Russian films to this year’s festival and that he bumped into the director of the Moscow Film Festival who helped him make contacts, which led to Russian filmmakers being included this year.
Gann said he also discussed including Russian films in this year’s festival with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization that stages the Oscars, and that the Academy gave him $10,000 to help make it happen.
Finding Russian short films presented Gann with a bit of a problem, he said.
“We discovered that short film is not necessarily what Russian film schools concentrate on, so there’s not a lot of content. … There is not a culture of short films in Russia,” Gann told RIA Novosti.
Festival organizers received 75 Russian submissions, and 16 were selected to appear at the 2013 festival.
The 16 Russian short movies, ranging from 2 to 17 minutes, include dramas, comedies, experimental films and animation.
“There is a lot of animation, and there’s almost always a hunched over woman in a babushka in the films. We thought it was a stereotype, but it’s in almost every film we’re showing from Russia,” Gann said.
“The idea of happiness is something we were looking to explore with the films, but the Russian version of happiness and the American version of happiness are very different,” he added.
The Russian films “were pleasant but not joyous, they were just less miserable. … Many of the films we received are period pieces, they explore the past as an easier time to live,” Gann said.
When asked which Russian short films he’s most excited about screening at the festival, Gann noted “Caution, the Doors are Opening,” a movie recreating Moscow’s subway using buttons found in the subway system; and “Chippendale,” a film about a greedy antiques dealer who gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a rare Chippendale dresser.
Almost all of the 16 Russian filmmakers whose movies will be screened at the festival live in Russia, Gann said, with the exception of one who recently moved to Boston.
Festival organizers say that two of the Russian filmmakers will be attending the festival, though they are hoping to include more.
The Russian animated short films that will be screened at the festival include:
“Mole at the Sea,” a five-minute animated film (trailer below) about the human impact on a pristine beach being mourned by a lone mole.
“Pishto Goes Away,” a nine-minute animated film (trailer below) about a farmer’s dog coaxing his owner back to a small town to show him the importance of a simple life.
“The Primaeval Father,” a three-minute animated film (trailer below) about one caveman’s clever invention being crushed by his brutish father.
