Episode VI
The 2014 Rumschpringe International Short Film Festival occurred from 30 October - 8 November at Franklin & Marshall's Green Room, The Ware Center, and Zoetropolis Film & Art.
Fifty-three (53) films were selected as Official Selections in six categories: drama, comedy, animation, documentary, music video and horror. We included two Special Selections, a horror and Alone in North America by David Hilbert
Mike Lombardo of Reel Splatter Productions presented the Official Selections for Horror along with a Special Selection, Edward Lee's The Big Head by Michael Ling. A zombie walk was organized by Stew Bradley which preceded the event.
The 2014 Official Selections
GRAND PRIZE & Best Documentary
Poustinia: The Art of Gendron Jensen
by Kristian Berg
Gendron Jensen draws bones. Detailed, meticulous, wondrous images of bones. Kicked out of amonastery in his 20's, Jensen retreated to the north woods of Minnesota and into a singlemindedlifelong pursuit of work that compels to look beyond the ordinary to a deeper, more spiritual realm. (27m, USA)
Best Drama
Snowflake by Francesco Roder
Aurore is dying and Claire is at her side, waiting for the end to come. But Aurore has written a diary about them and in their last night together, Claire will finally look at their love story through the eyes of her beloved. (15m, Italy/USA)
Best Comedy
Ballkoni (Balcony) by Lendita Zeqiraj
Jeton, a 10-year-old boy is sitting on the edge of a balcony on the 4th floor. Neighbors and passers-by, terrified by this situation, call the police and firefighters for help. But the situation quickly becomes unmanageable. (20m, Kosovo)
Best Music Video
Running in Place by Rob Underhill
“Running in Place” is a story of a child overcoming the hardest of beginnings in life: parents separated, separation from one’s mother by social services, parents lost to drug abuse and mental illness. (4m, USA)
Best Horror
Tasha & Friends by Greg Kovacs
Local children's show host, Tasha, decides to shut the show down. Her puppet co-stars, however, want to shut her down –permanently. (14m, Canada)
Best Animation
In Capricious Hands by Stephan Larson
Living in a box, life is pretty bleak and boring -and then a window opens. (5m, USA)
Best Home Grown
Life Stats by Jason Bartch
Life isn't as well-calculated as it seems for Elliot, who wears a device around his wrist that compiles statistics for everything he does. (6m, USA, Comedy)
Best Actor - Pablo Vega
Con Quien Sueña Berta? (Who's In Berta's Dreams)
by Francisco Javier Gómez Pinto
Jonás and Alfredo have been friends since childhood. Alfredo trusts Jonás and Jonás knows Alfredo well. Alfredo is certain he has something that Jonás does not. Jonás wants everything Alfredo has. Alfredo knows how to love. Jonás does, too. (25m, Spain, Drama)
The story of a desperate young mother and her stubborn sulky daughter who have left their home in a huff and are trying to live on their own. However, this change in their life does not seem to be happening easily or smoothly.
The notice of an old friend that is just about to die brings Amar back to India 40 years after he left, in order to deliver a mysterious box.
A young girl takes a mystical walk along beautiful Black Rock Creek.
In a world where balloons are alive one fearful balloon must learn to put his fragile life in the hands of an unlikely friend.
Inspired by true events, a life shattering tragedy unites two former adversaries in search of answers: a police officer and a gang-member, both hardened by years of working the streets.
Chypre focuses on a woman's relationship problem with a hint of fragrance. How a middle class wife who is ignored by her husband finds herself interested in a fellow lady commuter , a mystery of growing silent rendezvous between two women.
Each person wonders what is better: to live with the past where one was happy or with the present where nothing of what you loved has left.
This story follows a struggling couple who plan a get-a-way weekend to work things out. When an unexpected event happens, they must put their differences aside to conceal a secret.
The middle of the night. Moans are heard behind the parents' door. Two young sisters are asking questions.
NYPD Detective Destiny Jones faces her childhood abuser - her stepfather - in the midst of solving a case that hits close to home.
Check out the Hollywood lifestyles of the Van Ness Boyz.
A couple of self-obsessed, emotionally stunted narcissists nearly come to blows during a heated discussion about cookies, fonts and who exactly erased GAME OF THRONES off the DVR.
S. Kramer Herzog's Eye of the Storm takes a harshly real view of the media and the circus that it can create. The documentary was shot during the hours leading up to the 2005 execution of Crips founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams at San Quentin State Prison.
A vegan anthem with Jesse Vital's clever and irreverent wit.
Witnes a prime-time TV interview with Bob about life, coping with loss, love, and the contents of his coffee table.
A man-child on roller skates deals marijuana out of a fanny pack that his ex-babysitter Sally gave him. While the school crossing guard is on Dirk's tail, someone steals his retro pack and he must do whatever it takes to find it so he can get his new speedy wheels and save his friendship with Sally.
A story about the food and politics. The setting: the fall of the Soviet Union.
Lewis is an endearing shut-in who always strives for perfection and finds his joy in pleasing those around him. Every night, he meticulously prepares a beautiful meal for his dinner party, though the guests aren’t quite who you’d expect. After his mother sets him up on a date, Lewis’ awkwardness causes things to go awry and he is left alone again.
David is tormented by the horrifying image of a 6'5', 400 pound clown named Gitchy. Soon everyone around him will see his reality. Gitchy the killer tickling clown --He’ll make you laugh, until you die
She has her mother's eyes... Is family a choice?
When the best friend he betrayed returns with a body in his trunk, seemingly perfect Cam must cover up a murder or risk having his own dark secret revealed.
Stand up for love, your friends, and what you believe in.... entirely on roller-skates! I WON'T FALL DOWN is from solo artist, Brandon McClean's debut album, Young and New.
Recently arrived in France with her parents from their native Russia, Natalia, six years old, has been impatiently awaiting her brother’s return from fighting in Chechnya. D-day has come and so has disillusion for the little girl. Is this man really the brother she used to know?
A troubled wife waits for the return of her husband from Afghanistan. The neighbors are watching.
In a world full of walking dead, a fight for a can of food becomes a fight for life.
A stop motion animated short that follows an astronaut stranded in space. What will happen as his oxygen, body, and mind begin to dwindle in the infinite void?
International press descend on a remote Tallahatchie County, Mississippi courthouse and draw the world’s attention to the murder trial of two white men accused of the horrific lynching of a 14-year old black boy from Chicago named Emmett Till.
A writer looking for one last great story finds himself at odds with his muse.
Forced to confront his past, Mark finally finds the courage to break his silence, open up to his son, and embrace his lost passion.
As with all stories, there is more than meets the eye, this tale is told from the perspective of each character to get the full account.
Khadijah, a middle aged Arabic woman is suffering from depression and low self esteem after her divorce. The divorce has scarred her and led her to believe that she is not beautiful. She begins a quest to look beautiful once again.
An homage to an event that has happened and that we always have to remember. A dramatic flashback to a life that has ended before its time.
A mother and son mourn the loss of an experimental aircraft pilot and uncover a mystery surrounding his last flights.
Sam finds a bracelet in her husband's pocket with an engraving of the name, 'Sophia.' Startled and confused, Sam spends the day contemplating the situation before having to confront her husband about a possible affair.
When their daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers, a mother and father desperately struggle against revealing an important family secret to investigators, that could ultimately lead to her safe return.
Earl returns home to his wife after serving three years in prison for a vicious assault.
A neglected orphan and a kind little girl come across one of the most dreaded land spirits. From Inuit oral history: the Amautalik.
In The Cameraman, a wannabee movie-maker's documentary turns into a real life horror story.
A five-year-old boy, despite his sheltered point of view, is able to piece together the fact that his mother has killed his father.
An orphan is adopted by a polar bear elder, who teaches him the skills he will need to survive and provide for himself.
A neurotic young man embarks on a whimsical journey to find the meaning of life and conquer his fear of death.
Cunning serial killer and notorious 'escape artist' Albert Tice has disappeared en route to a maximum security prison, turning the usually peaceful and quaint Topanga Canyon into grounds for terror.
Anna meets an old lady on the street, who performs a 'snow dance' to praise her husband to come back from Vietnam. She finds a friend in this woman while the conflict between Anna and her father was getting worst.
Witness Monitor tells the story of Christian Harris who works as a bartender for an exotic night club. Witness Monitor tells a story of voyeurism, an obsession to watch that plagues us all.
A comedic drama formulated around the premise that 'friendship should come before anything else'. Can they forgive each other and move on, or has their friendship been compromised by the rivalry?
Zugzwang in German means obligation to move. Life and chess are not so different. Often times in life, you know you have to make a decision, but the best thing to do would be not to make any. However... you must. We simply call this being screwed. In chess, it's called Zugzwang.
Edward Lee's The Bighead by Michael Ling
Based on the cult-horror novel by Edward Lee, The Bighead is a story of a creature returning home to settle a score. An extreme horror story that gave birth to the 'Splatterpunk' movement and a film that will have people talking. (25m, USA, Horror)
Alone in North America by David Hilbert
The Morning After Girls survived break-ups, break-downs, departures, arrivals and deportations. When the smoke cleared, they toured North America - playing music to gather people together. The ensuing miles would be their greatest test. As individuals and as a band, they found themselves on the wrong side of the law, the wrong side of the clock, and the wrong side of the wheel.