Curated by Zach Donovan, Carolann Lepe, Ryan Tam and Anthony Themoleas
A film worth remembering does not always have to be lengthy. It is some of the short films that can really surprise us and leave an impression that makes us wonder how these filmmakers solidify such creativity, expressionism, and style all within a brief window to showcase. We have picked out a few student shorts that vary in genre, but all deliver a memorable experience in just under 10 minutes. This program hopes to motivate aspiring filmmakers in the generations to come to create and bring to life any idea that comes to mind, no matter how small because we believe it deserves recognition.
Fish (2018)
Set in modern-day San Francisco, Fish follows the short journey of a young couple whose broken relationship is repaired and brought together through tragedy. The couple has their own individual ways of dealing with their problems, which leads to them failing to confront the issues head on. With an original track provided by the director Allan Graham Law, that takes the place of dialogue in the film, we are able to experience the lowest points of the young couple with them. This short student film encapsulates what it means to tell a coherent story in under ten minutes, with a runtime coming in at just over three minutes.
Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 2018
Running time: 3 minutes 4 seconds
Director: Allan Graham Law
Writer: Allan Graham Law
Cinematographer: Lucas Xavier
Special FX: Thomas Szeliga
Starring: Tyler Park, Emma Car, Colin Horan, Joe Merlo
Shadows in the Dark (1989)
Shadows in the Dark is a suspenseful short film directed by Dana Mulligan. It was a part of the East/West Coast Short Film program of the 1989 Mill Valley International Film Festival. Shadows in the Dark is an attention-grabbing short thriller of a man aware of the possibility that he may not be alone in his home in the midst of the night. The inspiration for this film came from the interest she had in Hitchcock and his thrillers. As a result, Dana explored that style of filmmaking by creating and composing a story of her own.
Director(s): Dana Mulligan
Producer(s): Dana Mulligan, Robert Martin
Writer(s): Dana Mulligan
Actor(s): Alec Lambie
Cinematographer(s): Frank Crosby, Michael Anders, Joe Perl, Dan Olmsted and Diane Randolph
Editor(s): Dana Mulligan
Running Time: 3 minutes and 58 seconds
Year: 1989
Language(s): English
Country(ies): USA
Walk the Dog (1989)
“Sometimes, usually very late on weeknights, I would watch my roommates preparing to go out for an evening at the Stud, a dance club not far from where we lived in San Francisco. There were many cigarettes and it was always very late. Someone would light a cigarette, put it down, forget about it, light another. They would prepare to walk the dog, the dog would become ecstatic, but they would soon forget about her and light another cigarette. Water would run into the bath, they would try on coats and hats, turning before the mirror to see if the look was right. Eventually they would walk the dog.” – Tom Dailey
Follow the mysterious routine of a dog walker accompanied with music equally mysterious to this alluring tale. Showcased in festivals all around the world from the years 1989-1992 including New York, San Francisco and Melbourne.
Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 1989
Running time: 5 minutes
Director: Tom Dailey
Behind the Camera: Cydney Eisner, Dominic McBride, Anette Marweld, Lisa Myers, Jasmin Tacal, Charles Wagner
Flanging by: Scott Davey, Mark Edwards
With: Laurie Anderson
Starring: Carlos Lacerda, Luis Machado, William Strain
Into the Night (2018)
Amidst economic distress, a father risks everything on a single night that will change his daughter’s life forever.
Chris Camacho is a director and audio engineer who completed his Bachelor of Arts in Cinema with a minor in Education from San Francisco State University in 2018. Since graduating, he has been working both as a production sound mixer and sound designer in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as helping foster film education within youth at SFFILM, the presenter of the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 2018
Running Time: 7 minutes 35 seconds
Director: Chris Camacho
Producers: Jacob Olhausen, Michael Chan, Justin Vong, Jerlynn Mangaspar
Writer: Chris Camacho
Cinematographer: Stephen Vincent Nguyen