When William Vela started the Miami Short Film Festival in 2002, he did so because there were so few venues in the city for filmmakers to showcase their work. That first festival screened just 11 movies—including his own, an 11-minute short called 360 that he says he keeps buried “because it was so bad”—and attracted an audience of 350 people. This year, he is expecting 3,500 people to show up.
It’s not just the size of the audience that has grown for the festival, which marks its 15th anniversary this month. Vela says the festival will screen about 100 films, culled from 1,000 submissions from filmmakers across 35 to 40 countries. He believes there is a special appeal to short films, which will be screened in 90-minute sessions of eight to 10 works.
“Filmmakers have to compact into a really short amount of time a beginning, a middle and an end,” says Vela. “It’s a really artistic and creative way of making a film. Watching a group of shorts together is a rollercoaster of emotions. With one film, you laugh, the next you cry. Even if you don’t like something, there is the factor of being surprised about what’s coming up next.”
Here, Vela gives his top picks of the movies to see at this year’s Miami Short Film Festival.
Adolescence
Dir. Javier Blanco. 3 minutes 28 seconds. Mexico.
“This is an amazing film from Mexico that shows the history of an older couple in three minutes. There is hardly any dialogue and the acting is amazing.”
Born Dirty ‘Butter’
Dir. Matt Devine. 4 minutes 57 seconds. Australia.
“This music video makes a social statement about dairy products. It’s techno, and very low, and is about this guy getting drunk on dairy products. He’s institutionalized when he butters himself and starts dancing—one of the best music videos this year.”
Starring Austin Pendleton
Dirs. Gene Gallerano, David Holmes. 19 minutes 21 seconds. USA.
“This documentary is about Austin Pendleton, an actor who has worked with Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman, Ethan Hawke… he’s been in so many movies but nobody knows his name.”
This Moment
Dir. Sven D. 2 minutes 57 seconds. USA.
“This short film is a visual poem about surfing, made with an iPhone 6. It’s made by very experienced people and looks amazing.”
Stutterer
Dir. Benjamin Cleary. 12 minutes 54 seconds. U.K.
“This won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short—it’s about a man with a speech impediment who must face his greatest fear.”
3-Way (Not Calling)
Dir. Molly McGlynn. 10 minutes 42 seconds. Canada.
“This is a really smart comedy—it’s funny, but it also talks deeply about the relationship of the couple at the center. Their love is dying; what can they do to spice things up?”
Hell
Dir. Sandro. 8 minutes 51 seconds. USA.
This film features John Malkovich reciting Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.” Vela says, “It’s about the violence of humanity.”
Lightningface
Dir. Brian Petsos. 18 minutes 55 seconds. USA.
“Lightningface stars Oscar Isaac—he’s one of the greatest actors out there. He was raised here in Miami; he was originally from Guatemala and moved here when he was four or five years old. In this movie, it’s only him and the camera for 18 minutes.”
Twinsburg
Dir. Joe Garrity. 15 minutes 48 seconds. USA.
Vela describes this movie about two brothers who reunite at the world’s largest congregation of twins as “an all-American comedy.”
Miami Short Film Festival is at Cinépolis and Miami Beach Cinematheque. November 14–19, times vary; $12–$17.
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