With more than 200 entries from all over the country, the 13th annual Utah Short Film and Video Festival competition has grown substantially. Last year there were 75 entries - and that was considered a large number, according to Mary Cranney, director of the Utah Film & Video Center.
Though much of the nation is represented in the competition, Cranney says a good number of this year's films and videos are still from local artists. "There's a good strong showing of local stuff - I'd say from 35 to 50 are local, Utah-made films. It's wonderful that we're all so plugged in to what's setting trends in film and video arts across the country."A brief sampling of some of the entries demonstrates how diverse they are, both in style and subject:
- "Do the White Thing!" an entry from West Valley City, is a goofy spoof of reverse discrimination, more akin to Martin Mull's old cable show "A History of White People in America" than Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing."
- "Door to Door," a sort of "Twilight Zone" fiction about a salesman who hits a little girl with his car, then can't find her.
- "She's Just Growing Up, Dear," a jarring series of diary readings from a woman who comes to realize she was the victim of sexual abuse as a child, set to augmented visuals taken from a '50s high school film on sexual mores.
- "The Twins," a documentary about the owners of a gay nightclub, whose outrageous costumes have led them to be labeled "Art on the move."
- "Without Regret " a pseudo-documentary about marriage, with what appear to be staged interviews.
- "Return to La Malinche," a more traditional documentary about a humanitarian service project in Mexico.
- "Kill the Director," a mock documentary about student filmmaking, with a glossier, more professional look than many of the entries.
- "Fast Food Matador," an abstract animated music video.
- "The Little House That I Live," a bizarre piece of video art.
- "Like/Dislike," a narrative story, a sort of domestic, comic "Rashomon," with a little girl writing an essay for school about a family vacation, and an incident that is remembered quite differently by each family member.
- "The Udder-Buddies," a very broad farce about warring dairies in a small town.
This year's festival will be a weeklong event, beginning Monday, June 15, with free matinee screenings daily. Short films and videos will be shown at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., through Friday, in the Salt Lake Art Center auditorium, 20 S. West Temple.
Wednesday through Friday, screenings of judge's selections will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the evening screenings is $5, with discounts for students, seniors and members.
Awards will be handed out at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, along with screenings of the winners. A party will follow, with live music supplied by the Tully Cathey Band. Admission is $15.
Festival passes are also available, which include all screenings and the Saturday awards ceremonies, for $20. Tickets may be purchased in advance, as well as posters, T-shirts, etc.
For further information phone 534-1158. - Chris Hicks