Dona Beatriz Ñsîmba Vita [short film]
Synopsis
Through unique and fantastical imagery, the 17th-century Congolese heroine and prophetess Kimpa Vita comes to life in contemporary Brazil. In an effort to rescue her people from colonial oppression, Kimpa Vita methodically replicates herself.
This film screens as part of the Animated Shorts: Major Developments program.
Film Credits
- Catapreta, Miriam Rolim
- Catapreta
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Vox Humana [short film]
Don Josephus Raphael EblahanPhilippines, United States, Singapore
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Animated Shorts: Major Developments
Synopsis
Showcasing a diverse mix of animation techniques, the films in this program focus on moments of transition where characters, both relatable and fantastic, make discoveries, face irreversible choices, and navigate outbursts. Featuring work by Loïc Espuche, Michèle Lemieux, Nina Gantz, Delia Hess, Bianca Lambert, Zohar Dvir, Olivia Griselda, Sarah Cheok, and Catapreta.
Leo tries to hide his big secret while still making the most of his summer in the world of Yuck! (Beurk!) (France), where wanting to kiss makes your lips glow. The painstaking pinscreen animation process is used to create a darkly poetic piece about the tragic life of Queen Mariana of Austria as captured by Baroque painter Diego Velázquez in The Painting (Le tableau) (Canada). In the absurdist stop-motion piece Wander to Wonder (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, United Kingdom), unusual collaborators suffer through the loss of their TV show’s host. The frustration of being trapped in a hotline’s hold system starts to bleed into the physical world in On Hold (Switzerland). After taking more than the recommended dose of cannabis to assuage her fibroid pain, Amanda wades through the voices in her head in Super High: A Period Piece (United States). Carol’s fear of committing to her girlfriend aligns with the onset of unexpected world-changing circumstances in Butterfly Kiss (Germany, Israel). Dona Beatriz Ñsîmba Vita (Brazil) is a surreal and striking portrayal of the political life of African heroine Kimpa Vita, an overshadowed but significant historical figure who initiated the movement to save the Republic of Congo — as well as other parts of central Africa — from Portuguese colonial rule. And when a mail carrier makes a mistake, an unassuming woman enters a vibrant world of otherworldly pleasure in She and Her Good Vibrations (Singapore)
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
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After Dark Shorts: Disturbing Diversions
VariousFrance, Hong Kong, Mexico, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
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Black Perspectives Shorts: Growing Pains
Synopsis
In these shorts from across the diaspora, our protagonists are forced to mature in the face of difficult and uncomfortable truths. Featuring works by Laetitia Angba, Julie Redon Lissouba, Tevin Kimathi, Millan Tarus, Jean Gaspa, Natalie Jasmine Harris, Samuel Laine, Guilherme Gomes, and Julia Conatti.
A teenager grapples with the increasing likelihood of her father’s deportation in Lana (Canada). Stero (Kenya) puts us in the shoes of a young Kenyan boy as he embodies the traits of a badass hero. Go in Peace (Al nan la paix) (France) transports us to the crowded, sweaty waiting room of a Haitian consulate as tensions boil over. In Grace (United States), we take a trip to the American south of the 1950s, where a teenager grapples with guilt and her sexuality ahead of getting baptized. Free Lunch (United States) showcases the tragicomic events that take place when a child doesn’t have enough money to pay for his school lunch. Finally, we explore the ruminations of two twentysomethings from São Paulo in Trying (Estamos tentando) (Brazil).
Screenings & Events
Sold Out/Rush Only? Learn when new tickets get released by signing up for our ticket availability email list!
Sponsors
Black Perspectives Program Sponsor
With Support From
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Animated Shorts: Major Developments
VariousBelgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Singapore, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States
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Trying [short film] Estamos tentando
Synopsis
Down on her luck after an exhaustive job search, Luna returns to the home of her childhood friend following another failed interview. They commiserate over wine, working to re-establish their relationship as young adults navigating São Paulo, Brazil.
This film screens as part of the Black Perspectives Shorts: Growing Pains program.
Film Credits
- Bruno Giro
- Guilherme Gomes
- Murilo Salazar
- Eduardo Makino
- Jamile Cazumbá, Lucas Oranmian
- Amabis, delanegra, Zé ruivo
- Guilherme Gomes, Julia Conatti, Marcella Arnulf, Twyla Hase
- PNPN
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Comedic Shorts: Doing the Most
Synopsis
Unbound obsessions and delusional desires fuel these hilarious shorts that embody the essence of “fake it ‘til you make it!” From the delightfully heartwarming to the absolutely bonkers, these films remind us to dream big, live large, and leave it all on the field. Featuring works by Natalia García Agraz, Isabel Perry, Adam Yates, Stéphanie Bélanger, Luisa Arraes, Chris Cole, and Wissam Charaf.
In Passarinho (Mexico), two teenage best friends devise a plan to meet their dreamy idol, a superstar Brazilian soccer player. But things change when one of them gets their first period at the game. Fishbowl (United States) captures the joy and futility of trying to relive one’s youth when an unlikely pair of twentysomethings spend a summer weekend doing whatever it takes to forget their exes — and also keep a goldfish alive. Lumen (Canada) takes “the customer is always right” to new heights when an isolated woman discovers that her Facebook Marketplace order has been canceled. A wealthy matriarch’s important work dinner is thrown into disarray when her housekeeper doesn’t show up in Dadá (Dependências) (Brazil). Out of options, a grandson tries to save his hospitalized grandmother’s life with a freestyle rap, and finds himself joined by a handful of unlikely participants in Terminally Ill (United States). And a dedicated security guard finds his assignment guarding a waterfront construction site to be much more difficult than he thought in If the Sun Drowned into an Ocean of Clouds (Et si le soleil plongeait dans l’océan des nues) (France, Lebanon).
Screenings & Events
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Sponsors
Comedy Program Partner
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