The European Short Film Festival opens in style with the Cinema District evening right in the heart of Defly Street this Friday, October 7. In addition to on-site dining, no less than 9 short films were screened that evening.
This opening night is part of the new season of The Autumn of the Image, an initiative led by the collective The Broadcast Band in Nice. Too Short a Festival! is an event showcasing short films, and this opening evening offered us a selection of 9 very varied films. Between fictions, animations, music videos, the Cinema District in its third edition stood out as usual.
Here is a review of these nine short films:
A First Selection of Fine Vintages
- THE FIANCÉS OF THE MACDONALD BRIDGE (Agnès Varda • France • 1962 • fiction • 2’51). This first film by the famous Agnès Varda served as a tribute to the director but also to the great Jean-Luc Godard, who unfortunately left us recently. He stars alongside the sublime Anna Karina in this film inspired by silent films with burlesque gags.
- THE DOGS (Floriane Devigne • France • 2022 • fiction • 19’41). A light yet touching film that tells the reconciliation story between a young woman expecting her first child and her family whom she hasn’t seen in years. A beautiful offering with very convincing actors.
- USER – THE REPLICANTS (Édouard Salier • France • 2007 • animation • 4’07). This is the first music video presented at this evening. In the form of a “flipbook,” the images scroll in a frenetic whirlwind accompanied by catchy music. A true audiovisual gem.
- UNCLE THOMAS, ACCOUNTING FOR THE DAYS (Regina Pessoa • Portugal • 2019 • animation • 13’). Certainly the little masterpiece of this evening. It’s an animated film directed by the talented Regina Pessoa. The director offers us a film with an impressive visual approach. A play of light using contrasts between black and white, shadow and clarity, for a stunning result. This film is very personal for the director, telling the story of a little girl and her uncle tormented by a life of calculations and numbers.
- VIEJO PASCUERO (Jean-Baptiste Hubert • France • 1993 • fiction • 3’). A very surprising little film. It is a letter to Santa Claus recited aloud by a young Argentine. The tone is humorous and the result is more than hilarious. A refreshing little comedic gem.
- NO LEADERS PLEASE Joan C. Gratz • United States • 2020 • animation • 3’). This audiovisual poem evokes a beautiful reflection on authenticity and freedom. With its visuals inspired by paintings, this film is particularly striking, albeit very short, yet very effective.
- BROADWAY BY LIGHT (William Klein • France • 1958 • documentary • 11’). A purely audiovisual experience with no dialogue. This film captures the atmosphere of the famous Broadway district, both in its beauty and its excess. An intriguing and captivating film.
- MAMOUR (ODEZENNE) (Vladimir Mavounia-Kouka • France • 2022 • animation • 3’52). A second music video, but this time in the form of an animated film. A love story paced by its electronic melody, for a magnificent result both for the eyes and ears.
- LEAVE A DAY (Amélie Bonnin • France • 2021 • fiction • 24’). For this last short film, we were treated to a sublime musical film. It’s a bittersweet romance, punctuated by some sung parts (even in the form of rap). In the end, a funny, moving film, carried by perfect actors with an outstandingly accurate narrative. A very beautiful conclusion.
For this opening night, the assessment is more than encouraging. The festival continues all week long, with a program of great richness until October 14. So if you want to know all the details, it’s right here: https://ufctc.com/
