With short films, sometimes it can be difficult to squeeze in genuine character development without it feeling too heavy handed. With Oppitunti / A Lesson, the director Outi Hartikainen does an amazing job of crafting a pure and simple piece all under 4 minutes. I mean, we’ve watched certain Sci-Fi prequels that can’t create a decent character even given 142 minutes and billions of dollars in over-used CGI.
It’s a short film about prejudice, about forced uniformity among pupils, and about how, for reasons of conscience, one can even question authority. This is a student project from Tampere Uni. of Applied Sciences, produced in 2010.
-from the director:
This film won the Best Fiction Award at Couch Fest Films for 2011 as well as playing at the following film festivals:
Couch Fest Films “Best Animation” 2011. Osman Cerfon‘s Sticky Ends is not as romantic as the title implies (sigh) yet it is still clever and dark as ever.
Osman Cerfon first studied graphic design in Chaumont, then Fine Arts in Epinal, and finally animation in “La Poudrière” school in Valence, where he graduated in 2007 with the film Tête-à-tête (Head-to-head). Since 2007, he works on various projects as a scriptwriter or as an animation technician. In parallel, he develops The Jinx Chronicles, a collection of short films where misfortune tracks those who alas find themselves on its way.
Couch Fest Films “Best Science Fiction” This film made our staff instant robotaphiles. Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!
ROSA is an epic sci-fi short film that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where all natural life has disappeared. From the destruction awakes Rosa, a cyborg deployed from the Kernel project, mankind’s last attempt to restore the earth’s ecosystem. Rosa will soon learn that she is not the only entity that has awakened and must fight for her survival.
The short-film was created entirely by young comic-artist Jesús Orellana with no budget during a single year. Since it’s world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival, ROSA has been an official selection at film festivals around the world such as Screamfest, Toronto After Dark, Anima Mundi or Los Angeles Shorts Film Festival. In October ROSA was screened at the opening night of the Sitges International Film Festival, considered the world’s best festival specialized in genre films. Following the succesful festival run, the short film has attracted the attention of the major talent-agencies and Hollywood producers. Currently ROSA is in development to be a live-action motion picture.
Read more on their official blog here.
Couch Fest Films “Best Animation Style”. Our poor eyeballs couldn’t keep up with all the amazing details in this short
Rumbleseat is an animated short film based on the music of The Sadies set in a world created by animator and director Mike Roberts. Based on classic westerns and rockabilly culture, the film centers around a young man who finds himself in the back of a hot rod occupied by four sinister ghouls. From the Rumbleseat of their car, he journeys through moments of his life and realizes he must make peace with what heʼs left behind and find insight as to what has led him to this strange world.
‘Drift‘, directed by Steve Bellana, has won Best Time-Lapse for Couch Fest Films 2011.
It’s kind a like a real-world version of Hungry Hungry Hippos:
‘Umbra‘, directed by Malcolm Sutherland, has won the Most Surreal Award for Couch Fest Films 2011.
We loved this film but can’t sleep as we’re trying to figure out what actually happened. Sigh.
‘T is for Toilet‘, created by Lee Hardcastle, has won the Best Claymation Award for Couch Fest Films 2o11.
Couch Fest Films Best Claymation: We’ve seen some impressive stuff in a bathroom at a pizza buffet once but this is ace.
The full list of winners can be seen here.
Los Gritos, directed by Roberto Perez Toledo, snags Best Dialogue for Couch Fest Films 2011.
Strange…normally romantic screaming is key for a successful date.
The full list of winners can be seen here.
Meat or Die (Yans!Gans!) / Meat05 – Linda, directed by Tai Murayama, wins Most ADHD Compliant Award Couch Fest Films 2011.
This movie gave some of our interns brain cramps and then we fired them. Yep.
‘I want to Spent the Rest of My Life with You’, directed by Manuela Moreno, has won Best Love Story for Couch Fest Films.
The full list of winners can be seen here.
