Show Me Shorts have announced their programme for this year’s nationwide short film screenings, with 40 shorts on offer drawn from 800 contenders around the globe – including a good whack of top notch Kiwi content. We asked Festival Director Gina Dellabarca for her thoughts on short films and the festival itself as it enters its eighth year.
Can you remember the first short film you saw?
I remember when I realised short film festivals were a thing. At Paramount in Wellington they used to have ‘Five for Five’. Five short films for $5. A friend took me along and I was enchanted by the journey I was taken on in just over an hour. That feeling has stayed with me.
In your opinion, what is the appeal of seeing a short film as opposed to a feature?
It’s not a competition. I love both short and long films. The best shorts distill the essence of a story without losing any of its heart. They stay with you in the same way that a feature film does, sometimes for days later, or forever becoming part of the way you view the world. That’s a pretty powerful achievement in 2-20 minutes.
What drew you to start working with them and develop Show Me Shorts?
New Zealanders are among the best in the world at making short films. I was lucky enough to work with some pretty inspiring short filmmakers early in my career like Ainsley Gardiner, Grant Lahood, Taika Waititi and Tammy Davis. Someone needed to highlight their resourcefulness and crazy inventive genius, and I’m good at organising.
What was the biggest hurdle you faced getting the festival out there and recognised?
Street cred. No one gives you any respect until you earn it. And that takes time.
What changes have you seen with the festival over the time it has been running?
Every year we add more locations around Aotearoa, we sell more tickets and get slightly better known. Our education programmes are some of the parts I’m most proud of adding to Show Me Shorts. Tell your teacher friends to get in touch with us about bringing a group of school children to the My Generation section.
Do you think any of these reflect a different public attitude towards short films in general?
The rise and rise of YouTube and prevalence of small screen devices means the public are more literate about films than ever before. We’re responding to this by engaging with New Zealanders in more ways these days. It’s not just about the cinema screenings any more. The Screening Room on our website (and at Flicks) has been a huge hit, and allowed us to deliver short films all year around. We post three new short films for people to watch online every month, with an interesting theme or person.
Do you think there is a difference between how short films are perceived in NZ compared to abroad?
The cinematic landscape is changing. And, as usual, New Zealanders are ahead of the curve. Short films are becoming more mainstream, and demand is increasing. I think it’s because of the high standard of our creative output of short films, that New Zealanders ‘get’ shorts. And the two-degrees of separation in our country means most people know someone who has worked on a short film before.
How did the relationship with the Academy Awards come about, and how has that been received here?
Show Me Shorts has always been about showcasing the very highest quality short films. Academy Awards accreditation was a goal of ours for a long time. We see it as a great acknowledgement of the hard work we have put into programming the festival, and the calibre of short films we play. It’s also a useful tool for slipping into conversation when you’re talking to potential sponsors.
What are some of your favourites from the festival over the years?
There are so many great short films in our legacy of seven years’ programming. Our Best Film winners are a great place to start. You can catch these shorts playing for free at the wonderful Art in the Dark festival 7-9 November in Auckland’s Western Park.
Are there any particular directors you’ve been eagerly awaiting a new short from?
I geek out when I hear about established filmmakers returning to making short films. There are some filmmakers whose work we have been able to follow and screen over the years. I’m always looking out for more shorts from people like Michelle Savill, Katie Woolfe, Paul Campion, Grant Lahood, Jackie van Beek, Zia Mandviwalla, Phill Simmonds, Leo Woodhead, Tammy Davis and Aidee Walker.
What are some of the films you’re most looking forward to introducing audiences to this year?
We have some of the most inventive characters I’ve ever seen in our shorts this year. Michael Richards (Seinfeld’s Kramer) plays a guy who works in a ‘walk / don’t walk’ sign box, in Walk the Light. The voices of Cate Blanchett and David Wenham feature in A Cautionary Tail, a story about a girl born with a tail that expresses her emotions. Andy Anderson gives a career highlight performance in Honk If You’re Horny, as a lascivious taxi driver telling a dirty story to a young musician on a ride from hell. And because I can’t go past a good zombie film, Here Be Monsters features a man who has been bitten at the front line, rushing home to spend his last few human hours with his family.
I’m Going to Mum’s by Lauren Jackson is the first film developed in our Short Film Lab for writers (in partnership with Script to Screen). I was lucky to attend its world premiere in Berlin this year, and the audience loved it! I’m particularly looking forward to sharing this with New Zealand children, as it features in our My Generation section.
What role do the official ambassadors have to play in Show Me Shorts?
Our ambassadors are there to fly the flag for Show Me Shorts and help build our street cred. We have selected an ensemble of highly successful creative talents, who we have huge respect for. Including Sir Richard Taylor. That guy has like five Oscars! And Nick Ward, Kate Rodger, Te Radar, Gaylene Preston, Miranda Harcourt and Francesca Rudkin… these guys are legends. Not only are they outstanding in their fields, they are also some of the warmest most generous people I know. That’s the kind of success I aspire to. I’m so proud they want their names next to Show Me Shorts.
Show Me Shorts commences in Auckland on November 6th and is in cinemas around the country throughout the month – as well as Whitianga in early Jan.
