Recently the city played host to the 2019 Liverpool Film Festival, showcasing the best stories from around the world of independent film. The festival welcomed filmmakers from around the globe, providing the perfect platform for their films to be seen as they are meant to be seen.
Danielle White from Ya Gals on Film attended the Liverpool Film Festival on behalf of Explore Liverpool, giving us the run down on the Short Films section:
I was privileged to watch a collection of Short films at Liverpool Film Festival for Explore Liverpool. Short films are something I haven’t gone out of my way to seek out, but I felt so lucky to be able to watch this collection on the second night of the festival.
A Modern Magician (@ElevatorProds / UK): A Modern Magician is a dark and well-paced comedy shot in West Kirkby. The film was adapted from a short story by William Olaf Stapledon from the 1920s. The family of the author were watching in the audience for the first time, which gave the showing a special feeling.
This charming film follows odd-ball Jim as he explores his strange powers to impress his childhood sweetheart. A Modern Magician keeps the voice & interpretation of the audience in mind.
The Dustbin Connection (directed by Chowdhury Asif Jahangir Arko / Bangladesh):The Dustbin Connection is a heartwarming tale about a magic dustbin, that I probably would never have had the pleasure of seeing if it wasn’t playing at LIFF. Although not the most advanced film in terms of cinematography and special effects, The Dustinbin Connection is an enjoyable short film filled with imagination.
New Bronx (@GSFpl @filmsfrompoland / Poland): New Bronx (Newy Bronx) is shot through the Snapchat lens of teenagers living in an urban house estate in Poland.
The standouts for me from this short was the emotive performance from lead actress Paulina Kaczynski, who plays Natalia, and the intensity of teenage angst running throughout the short.
Ariel (directed by Linus Tunstrom / Sweden): Ariel was one of the more stylistically shorts of the evening, with beautiful and vivid cinematography. Ariel is a little girl with a very special gift, but parents with opposing ideas of how to nourish that gift.
It felt a lot like a modern fairytale or cautionary tale, with themes of sadness, beauty and conflicting parental opinions.
Bellmouth (@2AM_FILMS / UK):
Bellmouth starts out as an extremely wholesome camping trip between a father, son and daughter, turns into a very real and sad story.
This film was one of the standouts for me and a sobering reminder that homelessness can affect everyone here in the UK.
14 (directed by Hiroshi Kizu / Japan): stylish and crisp choreographed music short. A nice pallet cleanser in between films.
Carry My Heart To The Yellow River (directed by @hurkman / China):
Stunning cinematography that makes you realise there are breathtaking places in the world off the beaten path.
Carry My Heart To The Yellow River is an absolutely beautiful story about a teenager who sets off on a journey around rural China in honour of her sick friend. I could have watched a full feature of this, and I urge you to watch it if you can. Absolutely stunning.
To view more of Danielle’s content visit www.yagalsonfilm.wordpress.com
