The Dec 2021 to Feb 2022 edition of the Palm Springs Movie Awards is a seasonal international film festival based out of Palm Springs, California. Their mission aims to be North Americaβs leading film festivals for international filmmakers celebrating both short and feature films. Multiple films have been awarded to the talented filmmakers in various categories for the Dec 2021 to Feb 2022 season. Here are some of the recommended winners from this past season that are worth watching.
HOW AM I DOING β Category: Best Comedy Short
Director: Colleen Davie Janes, United States
Created by Ken Perlstein, βHow Am I Doingβ is a dramady about a recovering alcoholic dad named Eli Meyer, a former actor who is now in his 50s living in New York City, trying to find stability in his career, life, and reconnecting with his family.Β Eli is once again pursuing acting, only to have bittersweet encounters of conflicts in his middle-age life with family and addiction. The short film won βBest Comedy Shortβ, in its storytelling and witty humour that borders on absurdly funny yet relatable at the same time.
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EL NIΓO LA MONTAΓA (Eng: THE BOY AND THE MOUNTAIN) β Category: Best Animated Short
Director: Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal, Chile
Winner of the Best Animated Short Film, βEl NiΓ±o La MontaΓ±aβ follows the story of a young boy named HernΓ‘n who struggled in academics while daydreaming of his passions. After receiving failing grades in his classwork, HernΓ‘n is pushed by his father to aim high for success by putting more time on his studies.Β Longing to work tirelessly to achieve his fatherβs expectations, HernΓ‘n realizes he was not achieving something for himself. This powerful story showcases a boyhoodβs decision to make a change in his life and pursue his dream of figuratively and literally accomplish his goal of climbing to the top of the mountain.
EXPLOITED β Category: Best βShortβ Short
Director: Kevin Kent, United States
This βshortβ short film winner focuses on the definition of the filmβs title, which is βthe act of selfishly taking advantage of someone or a group of people in order to profit from them or otherwise benefit oneselfβ.Β The short filmβs premise is about a serious and dark topic of how a young girl was lured by a perpetrator on social media to their location and disappears from the kidnapping.Β This is a silent on camera film with some hard-hitting facts of a very serious issue of kidnapping young girls in the United States.
Note: Trigger warning, viewer discretion is advised.
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DIE EINLADUNG (Eng: THE INVITATION) β Category: Best Horror Short
Director: Thorsten Schade, Germany
Thomas Renner is an aspiring young project developer who was invited by a world-renowned veteran in the industry named Adam Birkenholz AG for an interview. Adam took Thomas under his wing as the Head of Project Development and was invited to a formal dinner party.Β While Thomasβ dreams were beginning to flourish, the glory of his success begins turn into a horrible nightmare at Adamβs dinner party.
Note: This film contains scenes of gore, viewer discretion is advised.
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THE STUCK ONES β Category: Best Experimental Short
Director: Kirk William Murray, United States
βThe Stuck Onesβ is an experimental short film mixed with thriller twists and turns that happen within a bizarre sandwich shop full of life-like mannequins.Β The story involves a father-daughter reunion who visits the sandwich shop for a bit, only to learn the story behind the mannequins.Β It blends thriller and horror in an unorthodox take of concepts that are unique to its story.
ONE OF US β Category: Best Actress (Alexandra EkelΓΆf)
Director: Adrian Burt, SwedenΒ
Alexandra EkelΓΆf portrays a character named Etika Wendt, a 22-year-old German secretary and art student, known to have been working for the German Intelligence Office in neutral Sweden as a spy during the Second World War.Β She was invited to a dinner by her German boss to confront her, setting her up to deliver an incredible 5-minute monologue defending herself from being exposed as a spy.Β This was an untold story based in an actual event that happened to Etika, and Alexandra really delivered on her performance of Etikaβs monologue.
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DANIEL. NOAH. β Category: Best LGBT Short
Director: Daniel Goldberg, United States
Daniel is a psychiatrist and old childhood friend of Noah who moved into Noahβs motherβs house to start his psychiatry practice in their home office.Β Noah is a neurotic writer who spends most of his time in his motherβs house struggling in his own internal conflicts of himself.Β Noah inadvertently assumes the role of Danielβs patient each evening sharing a bathroom while brushing their teeth while finding ways to express himself to Daniel. Daniel patiently listens to Noahβs struggles and realizes Noah needed someone to talk to.
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Β© 2022.Β UniversalCinema Mag.
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