Cinema 16: European Short Films

Synopsis
A selection of 16 short films, including many unseen early works from some of Europe’s greatest directors. Made between 1957 and 2000. All the films are accompanied by commentaries, many given by the directors themselves.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Year of release
2004
Year of production
2004
Subjects
Media studies
Keywords
experimental film & video; short films

Distribution Formats

Type
DVD
Format
Region 2 PAL
Price
£20.00
Availability
Sale
Duration/Size
210 minutes (films) + 210 minutes (commentary)
Year
2004

Sections

Title
Talk
Synopsis
(Sweden, 1997). Birger is old and retired from work. Still, he goes back to work since he has nothing else to do. Back home he gets a rare visitor: a girl from Hare Krishna recruiting new members. But his need for human contact proves to be to overwhelming for the girl...
Duration
14 mins

Title
Charlotte et Veronique
Synopsis
(France, 1957). Also known as ALL THE BOYS ARE NAMED PATRICK or TOUS LES GARCONS S’APPELLENT PATRICK. This was Godard’s first Parisian short and is unique in being the only time Godard directed from someone else’s script - in this case Eric Rohmer. Students Veronique and Charlotte separately meet the same man who makes a date with each of them. But when they both turn up at the same time, so does he - with a third woman in tow.
Duration
21 mins

Title
Copy shop
Synopsis
(Austria, 2001). A man who works in a copy shop copies himself until he fills the whole world. The film actually consists of nearly 18,000 photocopied digital frames, which are animated and filmed with a 35mm camera.
Duration
12 mins

Title
El secdleto de la Tlompeta
Synopsis
(Spain, 1995).The debut short from Javier Fesser, one of Spain’s most imaginative and visual Spanish filmmakers. A quiet filling-station attendant runs away from the police. While escaping, he meets father Lucas, whose doorman happens to be a key piece in completing the puzzle that helps to unveil ‘The Secdleto of the Tlumpeta’.
Duration
18 mins

Title
Epilog
Synopsis
(Germany, 1992). A stylish revenge film, made in 1992.
Duration
12 mins

Title
Fridge
Synopsis
(Scotland 1996). A tale of a boy trapped in an abandoned fridge at the back of a housing estate and the attempts of an alcoholic couple to free him.
Duration
20 mins

Title
Opening day of Close-up, The
Synopsis
(Italy 1996). A series of moments before the first screening of Abbas Kiaristami’s film ‘Close Up’ at the Nuovo Sacher Cinema. Nanni Moretti talks on the phone to the film’s distributor to confirm the ad in the newspapers; goes into the screening booth to talk with the projectionist; advises the people at the ticket counter on how best to present the film; and makes sure that the bar is ready.
Duration
7 mins

Title
Gisele Kerozene
Synopsis
(Holland 1999). This first short film from Jan Kounen is a wild broomstick ride around the cityscapes of Paris. A frame by frame animation that takes its influence from Norman McLaren’s classic animation short ‘The Neighbours’. A group of ‘proto punk’ witches mount their brooms and indulge in a wild track race to try to get back a magic skull cowardly stolen by Gisele Kerozene
Duration
4 mins

Title
World of glory
Synopsis
(Sweden,1991) Standing in a crowd a man is watching as naked people are shut up in a truck and gassed to death by the fumes. Then he shows us his mother, his father’s grave, and tells us about his profession. He also shows us his bed, his car, his brother, his son and a man who owes him money. He finds life quite short. He gets drunk and is entangled by his own jacket, thinking he’s become blind. He takes Holy Communion in a Church. He can’t sleep, as he hears somebody screaming. His wife wants him to go to bed to be able to get through the following day.
Duration
16 mins

Title
Concert of Wishes
Synopsis
(Poland 1968). A young couple travelling by motorbike leave a lake campsite at the same time as a bus load of men. They lose the tent along the road which is picked up by the men in the bus, who offer to trade the tent for the girl.
Duration
16 mins

Title
Batteur du Bolero, Le
Synopsis
(France, 1992). The ordeal of an orchestra drummer on having to play Maurice Ravel’s Bolero again.
Duration
8 mins

Title
Jabberwocky
Synopsis
(Czech Republic, 1972). A version of Lewis Carroll’s absurd poem, this is Svankmajer’s first tribute to the author. It uses sometimes disturbing animation to capture the power of the imagination. The action is set in a doll’s house mock-up of a Victorian nursery. Cardboard figurines dance, china dolls consume each other, armies of tin soldiers are pummelled to dust by a porcelain baby whilst a large black cat weaves a pathway of destruction through the surrounding chaos.
Duration
13 mins

Title
Man without a head, The
Synopsis
(France 2003). An ordinary room overlooking a vast industrial landscape. In the distance, the ocean as far as the eye can see. With a nostalgic air, the man without a head dances with lively steps. A bow tie is tied. A photograph, with a dazzling look from the one he loves. He prepares himself for the romantic rendezvous. Tonight, he will declare his love. For such an occasion, he will buy a head.
Duration
18 mins

Title
My wrongs 8245-8249 AND 117
Synopsis
(UK 2003) MY WRONGS 8245-8249 AND 117 is about a man who no longer uses his name because he’s decided he’s ceased to deserve one, and a dog called Rothko.
Duration
12 mins

Title
Nocturne
Synopsis
(Denmark 1980). This is Lars Von Trier’s previously unreleased draduation film, made at the Danish National Film School. About a woman and her fear of day-light.
Duration
8 mins

Title
Election night
Synopsis
(Denmark 1998) On election night Peter, an idealistic young man, suddenly discovers he has forgotten to vote. On his way to the polls he encounters a variety of taxi driver, all racist in their way, and Peter has to decide whether to stand up for his convictions or get to the polls on time.
Duration
11 mins

Production Company

Name

Cinema 16

Web
http://www.cinema16.org External site opens in new window

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