Home > Festivals and Events > Encounters Short Film Festival : Short Films - Bold Ideas

Encounters Short Film Festival : Short Films - Bold Ideas

Wednesday 1 January 2014, by Elise Loiseau

Le festival Encounters à Bristol, qui présente des courts métrages ainsi que des courts métrages d’animation, est le principal festival de courts en Grande Bretagne. Il présente, rien qu’en compétition, deux cent films. Pour sa dix-neuvième édition en octobre dernier, chacun y a trouvé son compte... Pendant six jours, Encounters a mis à l’honneur réalisateurs confirmés et premiers films. Retour sur les courts primé au Watershed.

Combining live action shorts with animation, Encounters, already into its 19th edition, is the UK’s leading competitive short film festival. Among two hundred screenings (in the competition section alone) spread over 6 days in Bristol there is certainly something for everyone. The festival celebrates both first timers and established artists. Award winners were announced on Saturday. Here’s a selection of the best of this year’s offer, directors to look out for and shorts to catch at future festivals.

CHILDREN’S JURY AWARD

Fear of flying, dir. Conor Finnegan, UK, 2013, 2 mins 43 secs.

Ce court de Conor Finnegan raconte l’embarras d’un oiseau victime de sa phobie des airs. Mais alors que l’hiver survient, il doit choisir entre mourir de froid seul au Nord, ou rejoindre ses amis dans le Sud. Arrivera-t-il à surmonter sa peur ? L’excellente réalisation ainsi que le charme des personnages ont séduit le jury jeune, ajoutant un prix à la longue liste des récompenses déja remportées par ce court métrage qui a fait le tour du monde...( sacré Meilleur court d’animation au Galway Film Fleadh en Irelande ainsi qu’au LA Shorts Festival).

Conor Finnegan’s short film depicts the dilemma of an air-phobic bird. As winter arrives, said bird has to decide whether to freeze to death alone in the North or join his friends in the warmer South. Will he be able to overcome his fear? Impressive cinematography coupled with the charm of its characters appealed to the young jury, who rewarded it, adding to the film’s long list of prizes won across the world (Galway Film Fleadh, LA Shorts Fest...).

http://vimeo.com/46141955

DEPICT! 13 AWARD

Cool unicorn bruv, dir. Ninian Doff, UK, 2012.

Ils sont deux et ils discutent le prix d’un vélo. Un troisième débarque avec une licorne, tout de suite beaucoup plus swag. Absurde et particulièrement bref, ce court est juste brillant.

Two guys discuss the price a bicycle. A third one shows up with a much cooler mode of transport in the form of a unicorn. This absurd short shot in just one week is as brief as it is brilliant.

http://www.depict.org/2013/cool-unicorn-bruv/

UWE EUROPEAN NEW TALENT AWARD

Beat, dir. Aneil Karia, UK, 2013, 11 Mins 30 Secs.

Un matin, le personnage principal de ce court se sent comme possédé par une force surnaturelle. La chorographie, aussi effrayante qu’hypnotisante,évoque aussi bien le désespoir, l’euphorie, que la folie. BEAT est poétique et violent, à l’image de la vie dans les grandes villes. C’est un chef d’oeuvre. Il fait lui aussi le tour du monde dans les festivals, au Rhode Island Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival, et Brest Short Film Festival.

A man wakes up one morning when his body is suddenly seized by a supernatural power. The choreography is both hypnotizing and frightening. Impossible to say if he’s on drugs, desperate, crazy, euphoric. BEAT is both troubling and anarchic, poetic and violent, conveying the chaos of city life. This short is nothing less than a masterpiece and is now in competition in festivals worldwide, including Rhode Island Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival, and Brest Short Film Festival.

Watch the trailer :

http://vimeo.com/search?q=BEAT+Aneil+Karia

ANIMATED GRAND PRIX

In the air is Christopher Gray, dir. Felix Massie, UK, 2013, 9 Mins 45 Secs.

Chistopher est amoureux de Stacy, mais il ne sait pas comment l’impressionner. Peut-être que le python que Barry vient d’acheter pourrait faire l’affaire. Humour noir tout britannique, animation simple et efficace, ce court évoque South Park à son meilleur.

Christopher is in love with Stacey, but he doesn’t know what to do to impress her. Maybe the five-foot python Barry Flint has just bought his son could help... Felix Massie’s short seduced the jury with its simple outlook and very British dark humour.
Reminded me somewhat of South Park...

Watch the trailer

http://felixmassie.co.uk/films/christopher-gray

BRIEF GRAND PRIX

Orbit Ever After, dir. Jamie Stone, UK, 2013, 19 Mins.

Perdu dans l’espace, un vaisseau spatial abrite les amours contrariées de Nigel.
Ce jeune adolescent est prisonnier de sa famille de ploucs, lesquels l’empêchent de rejoindre la fille dont il rêve. Orbit ever after remporte le prix ultime, grâce à, d’après le jury : " son ingéniosité, son casting inspiré, son humour, sa trame efficace et sa fin poétique."

A stranded spaceship is the unlikely home of Nigel’s scorned loves. A romantic adolescent, Nigel is a prisoner of his own family of country bumpkins who prevent him from joining the girl he loves. Orbit Ever After took home the grand prize thanks to, according to the Jury, its “creative ingenuity, inspired casting, humour, clarity of storytelling and poetic ending”.

Watch the trailer

http://vimeo.com/69617686

See more at: http://www.encounters-festival.org.uk/encounters-2013-announces-double-british-grand-prix-winners

Elise Loiseau

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