2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Snowball

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection 
Snowball

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Eric Bent's animated film Snowball as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Mission Complete While Under Fire

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Snowball

Eric Bent

Directed and Written by Eric Bent

Sometimes simple is best.

It is always tricky to tell a complete story in the context of a micro-short.

Snowball manages this tricky feat using simple animation techniques. (Note that by simple, we don't mean undifficult.)

While not exactly the same technique and used for humour rather than drama Snowball reminded the judges of great dramatic animated films from Montreal done in a similar style - most notably The Street.

Back to the Enemy

*****

Runtime: 1 min: 5 sec
Completion: 2010
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)

Synopsis: A young man becomes the target of a snowball thrower while making a snowman. Will he ignore it....or get back at him? (Somewhat based on a real event)

Turning to Face the Enemy

*****

Filmmaker Bio: Eric Bent is an animator, visual artist and (sometimes) musician originally from Aylmer, Quebec but now based in Montreal. He is currently undergoing his final year in the Film Animation Program at Concordia University, but plans to continue making films well after he graduates.

Filmmaker Age: 23

Filmmaker Statement: This film is based on something my older brother did to a neighbour's kid when we were young. I figured it would be a funny idea, and the simplicity of it made it ideal and easy to animate considering the technique (charcoal on paper).

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Snowball!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: How the Coyote Got His Cunning

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
How the Coyote Got His Cunning

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Claire Niebergall's animated short film How the Coyote Got His Cunning as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

The World is Created

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Coyote Thinks He is Clever

How the Coyote Got His Cunning

Claire Niebergall

Directed and Written by Claire Niebergall

Simple and elegant, How the Coyote Got His Cunning tells an old story using traditional designs filtered through modern animation technology.

One of our judge's remarked that it reminded them a little of the work of Coe Hoedeman - like a 2D mash-up of his NFB films Owl and the Raven: An Eskimo Legend and Tchou-Tchou.

It's also comforting to know that the very first all-nighter was not a success! Setting the pattern for all the failed cram sessions held ever since.

Killer Whale

*****

Runtime: 3 min : 20 sec
Completion: May 2010
Country of Origin: USA (Pennsylvania)
Synopsis A fable about the creation of the world, the ranking of all its creatures, and the world's first (failed) all-nighter.

Eagle

Filmmaker Bio: Claire Niebergall is a senior animation and graphic design student at the University of Pennsylvania. Her first animated short, How the Coyote got his Cunning, has been featured in five film festivals across the United States and Canada. She is currently interning at Little Airplane Productions, the New York animation studio behind The Wonder Pets.

*****

Cocky Coyote

Filmmaker Statement: The film is an adaptation of a Native American folktale, where the Coyote schemes to become the strongest of all the animals. The visual style simulates cut-paper and uses the cultural motifs of the Pacific Northwest.

*****

Six Well Rested and Happy Animals

Filmmaker Age: 21

*****

Man Gives Coyote His Bow

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including How the Coyote Got His Cunning!

*****

Cunning Coyote!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Nodin (Wind)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Nodin (Wind)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Nodin Wawatie's short film Nodin (Wind) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Short Short Film.

Nodin (Wind)

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Nodin (Wind)

Nodin Wawatie

Directed and Written by Nodin Wawatie

Wapikoni Mobile is a group who work with aboriginal youth to help them tell their stories by putting cameras into their hands. We strongly believe in that method and we believe in more strongly in the results, especially when they are great films like Nodin Wawatie's Nodin (Wind).

Nodin is a confessional animated film that confronts the tension between tradition and new cultures, in this case between Hip hop B-boy culture and Anishnabe culture.

Wapikoni Mobile Logo

*****

Runtime: 2 min: 45 sec
Completion: 2010
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)
Language: Anishnabe with English sub-titles
Synopsis: Nodin exprime sa fierté d'être anishnabe par la danse Hip hop.
Synopsis: Nodin expresses his Ansihnabe cultural pride through Hip hop dancing.

Bio Cinéaste: Nodin Wawatie vit à Kitigan Zibi, une communauté anglophone de la nation algonquine. Il est, depuis septembre, étudiant au Collège Algonquin d’Ottawa en Animation. Bilingue, il parle couramment l’anglais et l’algonquin. Nodin est également un très bon danseur. Il pratique autant les danses traditionnelles que le Hip hop.

En 2010, il a réalisé deux court-métrages dans le cadre du projet Wapikoni mobile : Nodin et Running Free. Très investi dans ces deux projets co-réalisé avec un ami, il a réussi à créer deux œuvres d’une simplicité mais d’une efficacité surprenante qui ont allumé les regards des jeunes et des moins jeunes. Avec leurs prouesses et leurs touches d’humour, ces films ont donné une bouffée d’air aux spectateurs lors de la projection finale. En plus de développer son regard artistique, ces réalisations lui ont permis de compléter son porte-folio pour accéder au Collège Algonquin d’Ottawa où il étudie actuellement.

Filmmaker Bio: Nodin Wawatie is from Kitigan Zibi, an Anishnabe English speaking community. Since September, he studies in the Animation program, at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Bilingual, he talks both English and Anishnabe. Nodin is also a very good dancer. He practices both traditional dance and Hip hop.

In 2010, he directed two shorts films during Wapikoni Mobile’s stop over in Kitigan Zibi: Nodin and Running Free. Very invested in these two projects which he worked on with a close friend, Nodin directed these two films with an effective simplicity that surprised both young and old. With their professionalism and sense of humour, these films were a breath of fresh air for the audience of the Wapikoni year-end projection. In addition to helping his artistic progress, these two films also helped Nodin complete the portfolio he submitted to Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he is currently studying.

Filmmaker Age: 22

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Nodin (Wind)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Clocked In

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Clocked In

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Ike AhLoe's animated film Clocked In as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Clocked In Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Clocked In

Ike AhLoe

Directed and Written by Ike AhLoe

Clocked In uses modern open source technology to tell a very old story - the battle between the security of work and being bored out of your freaking mind.

We were impressed by Ike's effective use of technology and we admire his approach to music - finding local bands willing to give him free music to use. It is always puzzling when we get a film that uses music without permission. The music choice almost always feels forced and inauthentic, not to mention unnecessary.

But great free technology and great free music are just tools. The painter is not defined by his brush but by his painting. The animator is not defined by his tools but by his film. And by that measure we define Ike AhLoe as being very talented indeed.

Arriving at Work

*****

Runtime: 9 min : 8 sec
Completion: 9 May 2011
Country of Origin: USA (Missouri)
Synopsis:  The battle to remain conscious and find humanity in an otherwise hostile work setting reaches a destructive and hopeful climax.

The Boss

*****

Filmmaker Bio: I'm from Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States.  I've been interested in animation since early grade school.  I would fill the margins of all my textbooks with stick figure flip-books and make stop motion tests with action figures.  I grew up in KC going to a lot of DIY punk shows in the area, and a lot of my work is inspired by punk/soul/garage/ska/noise/hardcore records and local flyer art.

*****

The Girl Next Cubicle

This project was sparked by Black Flag's song "Clocked In" and the image of smashing the time clock off the wall.  The story itself was inspired by previous work experiences of my mother, myself, and our respective co-workers. Actually, the office in the animation is a replica of an the old work place.

*****

Dreaming in Colour

I went to the Kansas City Art Institute and "Clocked In" is my senior graduation project.  I'm interested in all kinds of animation, especially cut-out stop motion, and stylized 3D.  When working on personal projects, I like to be involved with the whole process, including writing, design, direction, animation, and music/sound; but I do love to have friends help me out too. In this case, Don Beasley helped with the score, and my girlfriend, Stefanie, reluctantly helped voice act the word "What!".

*****

More Dreaming

The songs in the animation are from local KC (-1) DIY bands who contributed songs.  Punk doesn't have much presence in the animation world, and while I'm not trying to be that voice, I want my stuff to promote the kids making awesome show flyers to think about what other creative options they have.

*****

Suddenly Awake

I used all free software on Linux for "Clocked In", so it's an illusion that you NEED super expensive software with questionable licenses to make what you want.  Why shouldn't animations be included in hardcore 7" releases every once in a while? THEY SHOULD.

*****

Definitely Dreaming

Filmmaker Age: 23

*****

Must Work!

Production Note: Freestyle and Open Source Development
This is the first short film to utilize the Freestyle Renderer that is currently being integrated into blender. Because everything I used was pre-release software, I often came into bugs and problems. Because blender is open-source, it's easy to communicate directly with the developers. I would often report bugs to T.K., the main developer of the Freestyle Branch of Blender, and he would fix it overnight or give me advice on correct/alternative usage.

*****

Dreaming of Maps

One time I was having problems because, when Freestyle was active, the blur node values in the compositor would not animate even though they were key-framed. The blur values stayed at the first key-framed value. This is referring to the part where the main character punches the computer into blurred color vapor. This was the process I was basing the whole ending sequence on so I was pretty freaked out that it as failing me. Luckily I sent in a sample file to T.K. and he fixed the bug overnight.

*****

Must Concentrate

I also asked him early on to add the ability to animate freestyle line qualities and he implemented some of my ideas. There was another occasion where I paid a developer 20$ to implement a rigging feature.

*****

Definitely Dreaming

This is a great benefit open-source has for artists. Artists aren't locked into what's there. You can always expand the program or get someone to do it for you. This way the artist's ideas always come before technical obstacles.

*****

Very Metal Dreams

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Clocked In!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection 
Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Katty Yew Ngan Lun's animated film Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Au Coeur de la Forêt Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

Katty Yew Ngan Lun

Directed and Written by Katty Yew Ngan Lun

The Cégep du Vieux Montréal invited the YoungCuts Film Festival this year to come talk to the students about best practices when submitting short films to film festivals and to watch the films by the graduating class. As we have written before, inviting a YoungCuts representative to your year-end screening is always a good idea.

Like many of the great animated films that we have seen this year, Au Coeur de la Forêt is about a trip into the woods where the hero (or frequently as in this film heroine) collides with creatures from nature in unexpected ways.  In style, it somehow magically blends Hayao Miyazaki with old episode of Scooby-Doo.

Like all CVM films, it has a French title but no dialogue, so the story must be told purely visually. (This is a very good idea by the way, it gives all of the films that come out of CVM universal appeal.)

Missing: One Puppy!

*****

Runtime: 1 min: 14 sec
Completion: 2011
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)

Synopsis: Une petite fille prénommée Sun-mi colle des affiches de son chien perdu afin de le retrouver. Elle le cherche désespérément dans la forêt où elle a perdu sa trace. Sun-mi aperçoit alors deux yeux bien cachés dans un buisson. En espérant que ce soit son chien, elle s'en approche. Elle se retrouve soudainement dans une situation plutôt inatendue.

Synopsis: A little girl named Sun-mi is putting up posters of her lost puppy. She desperately searches the forest where she originally lost him. Seeing two eyes peeking out from a bush, Sun-Mi approaches. She suddenly finds herself in a very unexpected situation!

Sun-mi searches for her puppy.

*****

Bio Cinéaste: J'ai toujours eu un interêt particulier pour toute forme de production artisque. En réalisant que les films d'animations me fascinent, je décide d'étudier en animation 2D au Cégep du Vieux-Montréal en 2008. À la fin de mon DEC, je réalise fièrement le court-métrage d'animation 2D Au Coeur de la Forêt. Ce projet m'as permit d'explorer toute les phases de la production d'un film d'animation. Je réalise egalement que l'effort et le plaisir qu'on met dans un projet reflête sur le résutat final. Je plannifie poursuivre mes études en animation 3D afin d'élargir mes connaissances artistiques.

Filmmaker Bio: I have always been particularly interested all forms of artistic expression. Realizing that I was fascinated by animated films, I decided to study traditional animation at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal in 2008. Having finished my DEC, I proudly completed my 2D animated short film Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest). This project allowed me to explore all the phases of producing an animated film. I also realized that the more effort and joy that we invest into a project, the better the final product. I plan to continue my studies at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal in 3D animation to expand my artistic horizons.

Filmmaker Age: 21

Sun-mi in the Forest

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Il Était Encore Une Fois

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection 
Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Roxanne Baril-Monfette's animated film Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Il Était Encore Une Fois

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)

Roxanne Baril-Monfette

Directed and Written by Roxanne Baril-Monfette

The Cégep du Vieux Montréal invited the YoungCuts Film Festival this year to come talk to the students about best practices when submitting short films to film festivals and to watch the films by the graduating class. As we have written before, inviting a YoungCuts representative to your year-end screening is always a good idea.

Il Était Encore Une Fois was the first film that we saw at the first of two animation screenings at CVM and we will fell in love with it immediately. Like all CVM films, it has a French title but no dialogue, so the story must be told purely visually.

(This is a very good idea by the way, it gives all of the films that come out of CVM universal appeal.)

Il Était Encore Une Fois takes the traditional Aesop fairy tale of the Fox and his grapes (where the phrase "sour grapes" comes from) and tells a new story built on the old. The animation pays tribute to Tex Avery and Hayao Miyazaki while still being a fresh, original voice.

Maître Corbeau/Mister Crow

*****

Runtime: 1 min: 14 sec
Completion: 2011
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)

Synopsis: Il Était Encore Une Fois présente une version revisitée d'une fable populaire qui a bercé l'enfance de maintes générations. Maître Renard, parvenant à obtenir son fromage tant désirée, ne se douta point que Maître Corbeau, cette fois-ci, le lui offrirait dans son emballage métallique.

Synopsis: Once Upon Another Time revisits the classic fable that has been told to children for generations. Mister Fox finally gets his cheese only to find that Mister Crow has encased it in a metal container!

Maître Renard/Mister Fox

*****

Bio Cinéaste: Roxanne Baril-Monfette, née à Trois-Rivières en 1987, a rapidement développé un goût pour les arts visuels et l'animation. C'est par ailleurs au cégep du Vieux Montréal qu'elle y consacrera cinq ans pour produire et animer d'abord son premier court-métrage en dessin animé (Koöngo, 2009), et par la suite en animation 3D (Il Était Encore Une Fois, 2011). Diplômes en main, elle travaille maintenant dans le domaine de l'animation.

Filmmaker Bio: Born in Three-Rivers in 1987, Roxanne quickly developed a taste for visual arts and animation. She has just finished a five year animation program at Cégep du Vieux Montréal. Her first film was the traditionally animated Koöngo (2009) and her follow-up film is the 3D Animated film Il Était Encore Une Fois. Having earned her diploma, she is currently working in the animation field.

Filmmaker Age: 24

A Triumphant Mister Crow Laughs at a Disgusted Mister Fox

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Déboires (Setbacks)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Déboires (Setbacks)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Delia Gunn's animated memoir Déboires (Setbacks) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film and Best Short Short Film.

Deboires: A True Story - Honestly Told

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Déboires (Setbacks)

Delia Gunn

Directed and Written by Delia Gunn

Wapikoni Mobile is a group who work with aboriginal youth to help them tell their stories by putting cameras into their hands. We strongly believe in that method and we believe in more strongly in the results, especially when they are great films like Delia Gunn's Déboires.

The film tells a short, funny and heart-cracking story of a weekend lost to booze and bitterness. It's a true story, honestly told and in its narrative flow and artwork it reminds us of the best work of confessional graphic novelists like Chester Brown and Joe Matt.

Wapikoni Mobile Logo

*****

Runtime: 3 min: 1 sec
Completion: 2010
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)
Synopsis: Les mésaventures de Delia un soir de fête.
Synopsis: The misadventures of Delia on one shining night.

Bio Cinéaste: Née à Kitcisakik, Délia participe aux activités du Wapikoni Mobile dans sa communauté depuis 2007. Son premier film Je cache, est poème sur ce qui se cache dans son cœur, ses souhaits, ses peurs et le pardon. Celui qui aimait l’eau portait sur la mort d’un ami cher. En 2010, elle signe la réalisation de Déboires qui porte sur l’arrêt de consommation de sa sœur et d’elle-même.

Délia est une fille rieuse, dynamique, impliquée, fiable. Elle aime les arts en général et le dessin aux pastels. Elle a un rêve : voir grandir son fils dans un environnement sain. La naissance de Jocelyn est une double fierté, celle d’avoir mis au monde un magnifique garçon et celle d’avoir, depuis, complètement arrêté de boire.

Filmmaker Bio: Born in Kitcisakik, Délia first participated in the Wapikoni Mobile’s activities in her community in 2007. Her first film Je cache is a poem about what is hidden in her heart, her wishes, her fears and learning to forgive herself. Celui qui aimait l’eau is the cinematic portrait of the death of an important friend. In 2010, she directed Déboires (Setbacks) the story of why she and her sister stopped drinking.

Delia is a funny, dynamic girl, involved in her community and worthy of trust. She like the arts in general and drawing in pastels in particular. Her dream is to watch her son grow up in a healthy environment. She is doubly proud of Jocelyn’s birth: proud to give birth to a magnificent boy and proud to have completely stopped drinking.

Filmmaker Age: 20

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Déboires (Setbacks)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Just Can't Trust a Drunk Ninja

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Just Can't Trust a Drunk Ninja

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Greg Doble's animated film Just Can't Trust a Drunk Ninja as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

This is a Ninja.

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

 Just Can't Trust a Drunk Ninja

Greg Doble

Directed and Written by Greg Doble

A whimsical animated exploration of the dangers of riding the subway, public drunkenness and ninjas or as Chuck Norris would say it, "Ninnjaaaazzzzzzz..."

It's always tricky for an animator to introduce his characters and tell a complete story in two minutes or less, something that Greg Doble handles with deceptive ease.

We particularly enjoyed the way that Greg split up the screen and used frames to tell his story.

This is a Ninja on a Drunken Spree

*****

Runtime: 2 min
Completion: 2011
Country of Origin: Canada (Alberta)
Synopsis:  A cautionary tale that humorously warns us about the dangers of drunken, uncoordinated, weapon carrying ninjas.

Any Questions?

*****

Filmmaker Bio: Greg Doble, a new media artist based in Calgary, is currently a fourth year student at the Alberta College of Art and Design in the Media Arts and Digital Technologies Program. Favouring illustration, animation and photography in his work, he likes to focus on the mundane as well as on interesting interactions between people, and he often elaborates on everyday experiences in fantastic ways. Doble describes his work as narrative based and characterizes his style as light-hearted with a carefree sentimentality.

Filmmaker Age: 21

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Just Can't Trust a Drunk Ninja!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: The Girl and the Fox

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
The Girl and the Fox

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Tyler Kupferer's animated film The Girl and the Fox as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

The Girl and the Fox

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Ilona finds her chickens murdered.

Tyler J. Kupferer

The Girl and the Fox 

Written & Directed by Tyler J. Kupferer

An early candidate for Best Animated Film, The Girl and the Fox is a hauntingly beautiful short film about a young girl (Ilona) who angrily stalks a chicken-killing fox into the woods at the edge of her farm.

The art is original while also tipping the hat to Hayao Miyazaki as you can probably tell from the film stills.

We will program the film during our screening for the Best Animated films. Look for more information about that screening in the months to come. 

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Ilona in the woods

Runtime: 5 min : 30 sec
Completion: January 2011
Country of Origin: USA
Synopsis: Ilona, a nine-year-old girl who lives in the wilderness with her mother and father, has fallen on hard times. Supplies are running low, and when a mysterious fox starts killing their livestock, she has no choice but to track down the strange creature in order to ensure the survival of her family.

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Ilona's lantern lights up the dark woods

Director’s Statement: The Girl and the Fox is an exploration of the different perspectives of life, and how the lines between good and bad become more blurred the closer they are examined. The film is rooted in natural colors, textures and audio to make the imaginary world of our protagonist detailed and believable. My goal as a filmmaker is to pull the audience into this world as deeply as possible, and allow them to become immersed in the conflict between different yet equal forces. The film concludes on a bittersweet note, unwilling to settle on a resolution of morality, but rather appreciate the purity of understanding. This ambiguity is intentional to further encourage viewers to explore the themes of the film and draw their own conclusions.

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The first snowflake

Filmmaker Bio: Tyler J. Kupferer is an American filmmaker and animator from Columbus, Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University in 2008 with a bachelor of science in computer graphics technology and received a master of fine arts in animation from the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2011. The Girl and the Fox is the fourth animated film Tyler has directed since he began studying filmmaking in 2007.

Filmmaker Age: 24

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The Girl and the Fox

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including The Girl and the Fox!