Quilt Fever by Olivia Loomis Merrion

QUILT FEVER

SPECIAL INTEREST DOCUMENTARY

Directed by Olivia Loomis Merrion

15 min. Documentary

I enjoyed this short but it really didn’t have a point. Very much slice of life about a quilting convention. It’s definitely worth viewing and there is something interesting with the quilting culture, yet I didn’t feel that there was a story or point of view to grip on to.

WATCHABLE

Film Description:
Every year, nearly 30,000 quilters descend upon Paducah, Kentucky for its huge quilt competition, doubling the town's population. "The Academy Awards of quilting" is a weeklong spectacle in which quilters from all over the world convene. Beyond the competition, the film weaves through stories of individual quilters to reveal deeper motivations behind the art.

CLICK TO WATCH

Available for viewing at the Mailchimp website under Mailchimp Presents -> SXSW 2020 Shorts

FOLLOW THE FILMMAKER: Twitter at @OliviaMerrion

Check out her website at oliviamerrion.com to see her other exceptional films.

Waffle by Carlyn Hudson

Waffle

DARK COMEDY

Directed by Carlyn Hudson

14 min. Scripted Short - USA

This is a bizarre, funny, good time. As someone who likes strange stories, I was captivated by this one. Definitely full of surprises and leaves you wanting to talk about it.

MUST WATCH

Film Description:

Kerry attends a sleepover with Katie, a socially awkward, mysteriously orphaned heiress. Kerry learns the hard way that Katie always gets what she wants.

CLICK TO WATCH

Available for viewing at the Mailchimp website under Mailchimp Presents -> SXSW 2020 Shorts

An Invitation to Tea by Desiree Abeyta

An Invitation to Tea

FANTASY DRAMA 

Directed by Desiree Abeyta

13 min. Scripted Short - USA

Watching this film made me want to stay in its world. There is so much more to this story that I am wanting to see. This is not, however, incomplete or bait for a longer film.  It is a fascinating story that made me emotional while igniting my imagination, reminding me of what I loved about Amazing Stories. It captured the feelings of hope and wonder, loss and grief, and 1,000 yet-to-be-taken adventures.  Do yourself a favor and watch this film.

MUST WATCH     

Film Description: 

A disheartened Millennial is encouraged to reconnect with the magical stories of her youth when she returns to her childhood home after the death of her grandfather.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

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Virtually Happy by Emma Selinski

Virtually Happy

SCI-FI DRAMA

Directed by Emma Selinski

11 min. Scripted Short - Australia

This short made me very sad. Not just for the main character, but for every character we meet along the way.  It is an obvious commentary on society’s addiction to social media and the potential results of the narcissistic lifestyle it can create. The visuals here are simple yet striking. It is frankly a troubling example of where we are at as a culture that you can’t take your eyes off of.      

WORTH THE WATCH

Film Description: 

A vibrant young woman dies taking a selfie on virtually the best birthday of her life.

 The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

Save 50% with promo code “SOUTHGATE” at https://www.juggernautfilmfestival.com.

Ad Lib by Joseph Catté

Ad Lib

FANTASY THRILLER

Directed by Joseph Catté

11 min. Scripted Short - France

 What starts our as fun, turns terrifying in this exceptional short. “Ad Lib” uses some very clever techniques to keep you guessing what is really happening.  It reminded me of a short you might find in a modern take on the Twilight Zone’s darker sibling, “Night Gallery”.  Truly unsettling and often scary, this might be a tough watch if you are triggered easily, but well worth your time if you want something scary that will stay with you.

MUST WATCH

Film Description: 

Max and Julie are very much in love. Julie is rather jealous, but Max knows that no one is perfect. Certainly not himself.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

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Body Hackers by Dale Metzz + TL Westgate

Body Hackers

SCI-FI COMEDY

Directed by Dale Metzz + TL Westgate

7 min. Scripted Short - USA

This is a truly funny short. The script is clever and sharp.  The comedic performances also deserve praise as they are very good across the board.  Although we’ve seen this plot device before, Body Hackers has a fresh take that keeps you laughing.  

MUST WATCH

Film Description: 

A daddy/daughter camping trip turns to terror, hilarity ensues!

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

Save 50% with promo code “SOUTHGATE” at https://www.juggernautfilmfestival.com.

Consume by Bruno Gradaschi

Consume

SCIENCE FICTION

Directed by Bruno Gradaschi

14 min. Scripted Short - Argentina

This short is visually stunning.  There is so much great design work here that I found myself lost in the look and feel of Consume.  The story is interesting and keeps you engaged, but the real star is the world that was built here.  Consume felt like I was watching a silent film from the future, rather than the past. There is definitely more fun to be had in this universe.

WORTH THE WATCH

Film Description: 

A world where everyone lives in the work stations and eats liquid food coming from dispensers. Workers that are only numbers fulfill incomprehensible and alienating tasks to earn points and reach a target to move up the chain and access a better life. We know him as 079 and he keeps falling short leaving that promotion too far to reach. So he decides to steal the remaining points from his next door neighbor.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

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Living in Crime Alley by Rob Ayling

Living in Crime Alley

BATMAN FANFILM

Directed by Rob Ayling

9 min. Scripted Short - UK

I really love how this film gave us a street level view of Gotham that didn’t involve insane villains or end in a big BIFF – KAPOW – SMASH.  It tells a small personal story that really captured my imagination.  Great design that doesn’t get lost in its own aesthetic. While Crime Alley is not a place you want to live, this is a corner of the Batman Universe I definitely want to see more of.

WORTH THE WATCH

Film Description: 

A single father struggles to bring up his child, a huge fan of the dark knight, in downtown Gotham, known to citizens as Crime Alley.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

Save 50% with promo code “SOUTHGATE” at https://www.juggernautfilmfestival.com.

Lost Treasure of the Valley by Robert Husted

Lost Treasure of the Valley

FANTASY COMEDY 

Directed by Robert Husted

25 min. Scripted Short - USA

Three words that sum this film up are interesting, absurd, and funny.  I love B level sci-fi from the 80’s and this captures that category perfectly.  I laughed a lot at the ridiculousness of it all and at some legit funny dialogue.  If you dig campy B Movies, you don’t want to miss this one. Oh, and I am now obsessed with abandoned shopping carts.  

WORTH THE WATCH

Film Description: 

A photographer and an adventurer discover that all of the abandoned shopping carts in LA's San Fernando Valley lead to a hidden cave off of Sepulveda Blvd. with a lost treasure inside - guarded by a dragon!

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

Save 50% with promo code “SOUTHGATE” at https://www.juggernautfilmfestival.com.

Transfert by Jonathan Degrelle

Transfert

SCI-FI

Directed by Jonathan Degrelle

13 min. Scripted Short – France

I am a sucker for stories involving alternative history, now add time travel and Nazis and you’ve got a film I need to watch.  “Transfert” hits all these marks and has an engaging story as well.  It’s not a world I would hope to live in, but the design is fantastic.  It left me asking questions and wanting more, which is exactly what a film like this should do. 

 WORTH THE WATCH

Film Description: 

1967: IV Reïch. The Germans won the war. ISAAC, a survivor of the concentration camps, is sent by Max, a Nazi officer, in the middle of the Second World War to recover a strange mechanism. But during his quest, he will be facing his worst nightmare ...

Follow Transfert on Twitter at @Transfert_film

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

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Hood: A Star Wars Story by Damon Wellner

Hood: A Star Wars Story

SCIENCE FICTION STOP MOTION STAR WARS FANFILM

Directed by Damon Wellner

6 min. Scripted Short - USA

I was engaged and laughing through this entire film. While the subject of this short is a deep cut for Star Wars fans, the creativity and humor on display make it a completely enjoyable watch for even those that don’t know anything about the series.  Hood: A Star Wars Story has now become part of my head canon as a side story to The Empire Strikes Back.  

MUST WATCH

Film Description: 

Hood tells the comedically tragic backstory of the Star Wars universe's favorite background character, Willrow Hood.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

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ZETA by Alec Knopf

Zeta

SCI-FI THRILLER

Directed by Alec Knopf

17 min. Scripted Short – USA

I was fascinated by this film.  It’s beautiful to look at and a completely engaging story.  If you are a fan of William Gibson or Philip K. Dick, this is a short you do not want to miss.  Excellent all the way around, from script to design to performances.  It’s all there.  

MUST WATCH

Film Description: 

Charlie, a successful real estate marketer, lives an effortless life at the hands of his digital assistant, ZETA. When ZETA discovers that Charlie has been keeping secrets, "she" sees it as a threat to her purpose in life. As ZETA uses every tool at her disposal to correct his behavior, Charlie must rely on his own wits to regain control over his life.

The Juggernaut Film Festival Digital Pass is available for purchase and viewing until November 14, 2021

Save 50% with promo code “SOUTHGATE” at https://www.juggernautfilmfestival.com.