Anyone in the world of cinema who dedicates their time to getting shorts screened before features has our gratitude.
Shorts shown ahead of the main movie used to happen. All the time. But now, mini movies are scarce, at least in larger houses, though events like the LA Shorts Fest may one day change that. We hope. If we could write a strongly worded letter to the Bring Back Shorts Before Features Committee somewhere, we certainly would.
But LA Shorts Fest has been around for a good long time, fighting the good fight, showing the great films; it'll turn 15 in 2011. And, every year, it consistently rounds up the best quickity-quick works -- think nine minutes, four minutes, two minutes -- for our viewing pleasure.
LA Shorts Fest opens on Thursday, July 22.
One of the opening night films, is, in fact, two minutes. It's "Four Play" with Christina Ricci. Designer Donna Karan wrote it. But there are celebrities throughout the program. If we were a movie star between big gigs, that's all we'd do. Make shorts. Maybe some pruning in the garden, too.
There are several other films on the opening night list, and on the list for the full run of the festival; it'll wrap on Friday, July 30. The location is the Laemmle Sunset, there are parties, there are festival-esque goings-on.
