Slamdance Film Festival 2017 coordinated some amazing shorts into a beautifully insane film festival block called “Anarchy”.  This title definitely suits the shorts I was lucky enough to see at the fest.  Experimental short films, of course!  If you want your brain to feel like a firework imploding check out these short films!  Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.

Mary Russell’s Top Three Films in the “Anarchy” Shorts Block:

1.  HORSESHOE THEORY (USA)
Directed by: Jonathan Daniel Brown
Written by: Jonathan Daniel Brown and Travis Harrington

About: A weapons deal takes place between a white supremacist and a member of the Islamic State.  At first these two characters butt heads but then out of the blue, a beautiful friendship develops into something more.  Much more…

Why you should watch it?  I would have to say, this was my favorite in the block.  Taking stereotypes and flipping them on our faces.  Watch this film, because everyone needs to laugh at themselves sometimes.  And opposites have a lot more in common than we think.

2.  VITAMINS FOR LIFE (USA)
Directed by: Grier Dill
Written by: T.R. Darling

About:  A beautiful infomercial with a fun voice over, teaching us something about vitamins.

Why you should watch it?  Because it is a hilarious parody about the cheesy, bizarre solutions audiences are pitched to by companies through commercials.  It reminds me of when I was a kid and couldn’t sleep.  I would turn on my TV at two in the morning and these type of infomercials would come on.  I am also a huge fan of the “I Love Lucy” sketch, “Vitameatavegamin.”

3.  HELL FOLLOWS (USA/JAPAN)
Directed and Written by: Brian Harrison

About:  A sadistic killer’s soul possesses his identical twin’s body and sets out on a journey to find revenge.

Why you should watch it?  If you love classical 70s Japanese action/horror films, including LADY SNOW BLOOD, you will like the violence and noir style in this film.

The full list of the “Anarchy” Shorts Film Block is as follows:

“Ape Sodom” (Canada)
Directed and Written by: Maxwell McCabe-Lokos

“Hell Follows” (USA/Japan)
Directed and Written by: Brian Harrison

“Horseshoe Theory” (USA)
Directed by: Jonathan Daniel Brown
Written by: Jonathan Daniel Brown and Travis Harrington

“In a World of Bad Breath” (USA)
Directed and Written by: Christopher Graybill

“Lighter Click” (USA)
Directed by: Robbie Ward

“Silverhead” (USA)
Directed and Written by: Lewis Vaughn

“The Box” (USA)
Directed by: Jack Turpin and Davy Walker

“Vitamins for Life” (USA)
Directed by: Grier Dill
Written by: T.R. Darling

“What a Beautiful World This Will Be” (USA)
Directed and Written by: Tyler Walker

For more information about the Slamdance Film Festival and their events, visit http://showcase.slamdance.com/Film-Festival

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Mary Russell

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