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2008 Films

A Gentleman's Duel

Directed by: Francisco Ruiz Velasco and Sean McNally, USA, 8 minutes, Rating: MT

A seemingly innocent tea party takes a dramatic turn in this clever short, when two arrogant aristocrats begin competing for the affections of the same buxom woman. When the two decide to hold a duel, things go drastically and comically out of control.

A Leg Up

Directed by: Bevin Carnes, USA, 2 minutes, Rating: FM

In a world of order and discipline, a young robot unwittingly finds himself as the center of attention when his leg starts moving with a mind of its own. Instead of being embarrassed, however, the robot embraces his uniqueness and inspires others to do the same.

Alice in Wonderland

Directed by: Norman Z. McLeod, USA, 76 minutes, Rating: FM

This 1933 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is generally considered the best live-action version ever made. Paramount Pictures in effect threw a costume party featuring all of its contract stars. Some of the stunning visual aspects of the film, one of more than 60 film versions produced worldwide since 1903, are the masks and costumes clearly modeled after the original John Tenniel illustrations. The film is also famous for its sophisticated (for the time) special effects, including suspending actors on wires and using an unusual rear split-screen process.

All in This Tea

Directed by: Les Blank, USA, 70 minutes, Rating: TN

Documentary pioneer Les Blank takes us into the hidden world of tea with his latest film, following world-renowned tea expert David Lee Hoffman to some of the most remote regions of China in search of the best handmade teas in the world. Dissatisfied with tea in the U.S., Hoffman travels to China to find tea for himself and ends up turning it into a profitable venture. In the process, he discovers that good, handmade tea is a rare commodity even in the Orient, where the ancient craft of making tea is fading into history in the wake of mass production.

Always Crashing in the Same Car

Directed by: Duncan Wellaway, UK, 12 minutes, Rating: MT

Featuring veteran British actors Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, this politically charged short shows how one wrong turn can shift the balance of power and ruin a man's life.

Apnée

Directed by: Claude Chabot, France, 4 minutes, Rating: MT

In this remarkable computer animated film the camera moves gracefully around an event that seems frozen in time. An overzealous photographer tries to capture an embarrassing moment between a man and woman but doesn't realize that time is working against him.

Ark

Directed by: Grzegorz Jonkajtys, Poland, 8 minutes, Rating: MT

In the future, mankind must search for uninhabited land due to a mysterious plague that has destroyed most of the human population. But the remaining humans are oblivious to the true nature of the disease that is killing everyone, until one man makes a startling discovery.

B for Beekeeper

Directed by: Thomas O'Keefe, USA, 12 minutes, Rating: MT

The love and respect that a modern-day beekeeper feels for his charges is profiled in this carefully constructed film featuring Reidsville, North Carolina resident Bill Waddell.

Banking on Escape

Directed by: Molly Porter, UK, 3 minutes, Rating: FM

A lonely piggy bank has nightmares about the horrible things that might happen when his owner decides to make a withdrawal. In a desperate attempt to escape his fate the piggy bank tries to hide, but only succeeds at making a terrible mess.

Board Control

Directed by: Emil Trier, Norway, 28 minutes, Rating: MT

From 1978 to 1989, Norway was the only country in the world where it was illegal to buy, sell or use a skateboard. We follow two generations of Norwegian skateboarders and see how the ban actually fostered a unique and creative environment in which the sport thrived.