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Shorts A
Fri. Jan. 29,Noon Esquimalt Room, Conference Centre Sun. Jan. 31 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora
	Dawn of Creation Animation Simon Daniel James, BC, 1997, 3 minutes, Canadian Premiere In an interesting integration of native designs and traditional animation styles, Simon tells the story of the struggle of the Raven to get the ultimate treasure from the intimidating Wolf.
Two Coffees Dramatic Howie Woo, BC, 1998, 6 min. World Premiere A short tale for video, which stands as truth that our coffee rituals are the thing that bring us together.
	Spirit Dance Animation Simon Daniel James, BC, 3 minutes, 1998, minutes, Canadian Premiere An impressive film with form, content and intent perfectly matched. The beginning titles, floating toward the viewer in an ethereal environment, establish the spiritual mood of the work. We are led through a portal decorated with native designs to the darkened interior that is to be the stage for the following action. This classical unity of setting defines the ritual: only at a certain time and only in a certain place can the invisible become visible as spiritual and material worlds are joined. Suddenly a fire flashes before our eyes and from its elemental brilliance springs the spirit-mask. Our sense of awe at this apparition is further heightened by the rhythm of drums and reed pipes as the dance begins. The slow, undulating movement of the mask exerts a hypnotic influence on the viewer, all the more so because the details of the spirit-mask are not immediately discernible. Only as the dance reaches its climax do we move in to close-up and observe the animal-bird-human details of the head. Finally the spirit-mask opens its mouth to speak and its utterance goes beyond mere language as an expression of the fatality of human existence. Having spoken, the mask concludes its dance and disappears in a sudden puff of smoke, returning to the spirit world. At the same moment, the fire is extinguished and the scene returns to the shadows of the beginning. Gilbert Taggart
Organ Cranker Animation Jon Foulk, USA, 1998, 6.5 minutes Canadian Premiere Jon Foulk has produced a highly original work of great charm and gentle humour, brilliantly executed in simple black and white. The basic premise draws on the traditional theme of the street vendor who attracts attention to his lot of mechanical toys by playing an instrument such as a hand organ. I think the practice developed during the Depression and was seen as one of the more hopeless ways of eking out an existence in those desperate times.In Foulk's film, the organ grinder has become the organ itself and the toys, humorously baptized Schlomos (a phonetic reference to the ethnicity of organ grinders in general), live within the organ and go out on call to perform their dances as required. Such toys being rather fragile things, the breakage rate is high. However, the Schlomos, as opposed to tin soldiers or spring-wound mice, are endowed with human feelings of respect and compassion. In a touchingly tender final sequence, they methodically and expertly retrieve the remains of their fallen comrade. With the Schlomos safely back within their repository, the film ends with the blink of the remaining eye of the unfortunate victim, leaving some hope for his eventual resurrection. The charter design of the Schlomos is highly original: they consist of loosely joined blocks, cones, spindles, balls and wheels, all of which work together in a delightfully implausible way. The animation is superb, showing a complete mastery of the classical techniques of anticipation, follow-through, squash and stretch, but never in exaggeration. Backgrounds are inexistent, yet the idea of space is perfectly conveyed. The sound track, in addition to the requisite organ music, contains some delightful effects and a succinct, but completely appropriate narration, restricted to the beginning sequence. Gilbert Taggert
	Thief of Hearts Animation John Mayhew, BC, 1998, 2 minutes, Canadian Premiere On the moonlit streets, the thief Flynn is stalked and cornered by his enemy Graymane in this handsomely lit piece with a beautifully appropriate music track.
I Shall Fear Dramatic Istvan Dugalin, ONT., 1998, 14 min., World Premiere Alone and tied up in a basement, two men live out an existentialist drama. This film has nicely used the limitations of VHS to create a gritty visual effect.
	Lucidity Dramatic Chad Faust, Victoria, BC, 1998, 25 min., World Premiere This is a dramatic video with a narrative and acting strength that most shot-on-video productions lack. Through a father and son forced to give up their main home to renters, we realize this is a story not just about dreams and sharing your nightly dreams but of where they come from and where they might lead us to.
Shorts B	Back to Top of Page
Fri. Jan. 29, 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora Sat. Jan. 30, Noon Esquimalt Room, Conference Centre
	Object Lesson Animation Dylan Marshall, U.S.A., 1998, 3 minutes, World Premiere Flotsam wanders through a world of boxes until he stumbles upon a rather curious object in this jaunty and convincing character animation. Flotsam doesn't deserve the fate that awaits, but then perhaps that's the point.
Child Play Dramatic Michelle Mohabeer, ONT., 1997, 15 min., What was most notable about this film was how it worked as an allegory for colonialism and for relations involving power and domination. Complex structure.
	Electric Baby Cleaner Dramatic Vincent Pappalardo, SWITZERLAND, 1998, 20 min., Canadian Premiere Crime drama from Switzerland, yes, Switzerland! Don't let the title fool you either. It's a good basic crime story about accountants both sane and seriously business mal-adjusted. The title is just that odd habit many foreign films seem to have developed for having an obscure title that gets no explanation until the end of the flick. But then again that's just part of the fun.
Sabutis Dramatic Leanne Lenizen, Ben Krakowsky,Kevin Scromeda, BC, 1998, 6.5 min. When a film and television school submits an apparently anti-TV video, you know the gag can't go on for too long without losing itself. Sometimes cheesy, often silly but enjoyable.
	Fish Out of Water Dramatic Rachel Fortier,Hollie Wickham, Amy Schwartz, Josh McEwen BC, 1998, 4 min. A simple premise using visuals to convey a girl's psychological state about herself and her family situation.
Patton Pending Dramatic Rick Palidwor, ONT., 1998, 3 min. . Humour that points out the contradictions of the Canadian military. What was once a tool of war and self-defense enters a new and 'enlightened' era. Proves you don't need a lot to make a short funny movie if your parlay is right.
Back to Top of Page	Shorts C
	Sat. Jan 30, 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora Sun. Jan 31, Noon Esquimalt Room, Conference Centre, 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora
Without You Animation Ryan McCulloch, USA., 1997, 5 minutes, Canadian Premiere Winning awards wherever it goes, Without You has one of the strongest emotional impacts of any animation viewed. Using $7 worth of clay, a garage sale doll house and a low tech video camera, Ryan evokes a simple and touching story about missing a loved one.
	Hallucination Animation Pedro Aran, SPAIN, 1998, 3 minutes, Canadian Premiere An interesting film on drug addiction, treated symbolically, has a weak character seeking some kind of mushroom which will allow him to hallucinate.
Tomato Animation Jan Little, BC, 1998, 6 minutes An elegant charmer, this animated work is an ode to the life that thrives all around us. Watching Tomato reminds us that a quiet room is not necessarily a still room.
	Bug Potted Plant Animation Dylan Marshall Scission, USA, 1997, 2 1/2 minutes, This black and white animated short observes the gardening practices of a lady bug.
Out of the Blue Animation Soigné Kim, BC, 1998, 2 minutes, Canadian Premiere An artistic Caveman is bothered by a fly in his studio. There is a lovely contrast between the luminosity of the fly and the background.
	Byte of the Century Animation Ryan River, BC, 1998, 2 minutes, Canadian Premiere Straight out of the headlines this humourous short features a great 'ear' and a surprisingly familiar boxer.
You Can Never Tell Dramatic Suzanne Cross, BC, 1998, 17 min. A tale from small town BC. Interesting in its play between the mundane world of the everyday: union strikes, familiar stomping grounds, and static family life; against Hollywood-type characters bent on high action.
	Sea Vitamins Documentary Kun Chang, UK/CANADA, 1998, 9.5 min. About the 'nutrition' that living close to the water can give people's peace of mind. Perhaps this is no great revelation to many Victorians but it's still well worth a peek.
Chain Mail Documentary Dennis McCrossan, BC, 1998, 10 min., World Premiere This short doc is about the life of Vancouver's many downtown bike couriers looking at what they do, how they think and what it takes.
Back to Top of Page	Shorts D
	Mon. Feb. 1, 6 p.m. & Wed. Feb. 3, 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora
The City Animation Claire Gandola, Mae Lingren, Daniel Nesseler, Jeff Pelletier, BC, 1998, 2 minutes Depiction of two people's extremely contrasting points of view of the city using clay animation.
	Untitled Experimental Andrew Power, BC 1998, 5 minutes Unique visuals and voice-over using a computer generated voice that evokes such crippling sadness while reflecting on 'consciousness'.
Far Reaches Experimental Shawn Chappelle, BC 1998, 8 minutes Throws the viewer into the inner reaches of the body, through a particle beam accelerator gun, ending at the far reaches of the known universe. Hypnotic & abstract.
	Time Passes Experimental Nelson Henricks, BC 1998, 6 1/2 minutes Time. Our fears and anxieties are explored in a strong interplay between image, sound and text. The filmmaker uses writing as a metaphor and sounds of pen against paper are heard scrambling in a race against time.
Angel Experimental Wayne Yung, BC 1998, 5 minutes Interesting use of abstraction in a social and cultural context in this poetic exploration of one man's fall from grace as he becomes disillusioned with gay ideals of beauty.
	Ship of Fools Experimental Tony Allard, BC 1998, 18 minutes An excellent example of experimental film exploring narrative form with some humour and a good pay off at the end. Ship of Fools examines the 15th century practice in northern Europe of placing the insane on ships and banishing them from 'normal' societies.
Ratman - The Dark Rodent Animation Roland de la Cuesta, BC, 1998, 2 minutes, Canadian Premiere In this clever satire of 40Õs style radio and comics, Ratman confronts Mr. Cheese after the Swiss Bank has been robbed. Very impressive backgrounds, angles and good rhythm.
	Ticked Off Animation Derek Waters, Gary Hughes, Christina Rodenberg & Jay White, BC, 1998, 2 minutes An excerpt from the story of Noah's Arc, retold from the perspective of a warthog couple has well - staged action and some clever dialogue.
Jurassic Lark Animation Chris Buckley, BC, 1997, 2 1/2 minutes Two prehistoric men out wit a dinosaur bent on their destruction. Unusual characters and some rampaging bunnies add to the mix.
	Gangsters Animation Sharon Idit, BC, 1998, 3 1/2 minutes Using the strange qualities of computer animation as a comic element in their own right, this short story about an encounter between stereotypical mob characters on a dark and wacky street is very entertaining.
Bee See Hear Now Documentary Rachel Johnston, BC, 1998, 5 1/4 min. In order to make a point about environmentalism, this short documentary focuses on bees and the very bee-like activity of humans. For a doc only 5 minutes in length, there's a nice if small set of visuals which keeps this interesting
	From the Outside Documentary Richard Fulop, BC, 1998, 25 min., Canadian Premiere Okay, you're a first timer, inexperienced, an independent filmmaker, and (last but never least) a Canadian. So why not run off to the Cannes Film Festival, crash every party and have a great time along the way? The local film co-op was salivating over this one.
Shorts E	Back to Top of Page
Tues. Feb. 2, 6 p.m. & Thurs. Feb. 4, 6 p.m. Recital Hall at 907 Pandora
And now for something completely different. Filmmakers who push the medium to different levels are included in Program E. Often focusing on the unusual or visual, many in this year's program have a sly sense of humour that will delight those who take a chance and catch this selection .
	The Phonebook Experimental Christine Stewart, BC, 1998, 10 minutes A woman's teasing voice over sly visuals slips between the pages of the phone book to provide a cunning directory to the loss of women's names. Stewart adds several layers to her work by combining social commentary with a visually exquisite range of images, proving you (well, at least Stewart) can shoot a phone book and make it interesting. Using various experimental film techniques, Stewart masterfully combines a nearly traditional narrative voice-over with non narrative images to take her work beyond experimentation. The politic of womens' names in society is analyzed through the rote listings found in the phone book, which could have been a daunting experience, had it not been for Stewart's virtuosity. Furthermore, she exercises a subtle sense of humour throughout. Make sure you put The Phone book in your 'must see' category. Ed Letain
Pictures in Ireland Experimental Dave Johnston, IRELAND, 1998, 6 minutes, Canadian Premiere Using excellent time lapse cinematography juxtaposed with live action, the words of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (who spent time in a cottage on the West coast of Ireland), underscore images of everyday Ireland.
	Cul en l'air Experimental Pierre Yves Clouin, FRANCE, 1997, 3 1/2 minutes In the true spirit of the avant garde, this cheeky short, by the director of Front Room (VIFVF Ô98) offers interesting commentary on cinematic illusion.
Daily Growth Experimental Brent Barrow, USA,1998, 3 minutes, Canadian Premiere Using excellent juxtaposition and pacing, everyday rituals of domestic life oscillate in a rhythmic flow that leads to daily growth.
	Observer/Observed Experimental Takahiko Iimura, JAPAN/CANADA, 1998, 22 minutes, North American Premiere Based on a seemingly simple concept, Observer/Observed, evolves into a visually and intellectually complex piece. Employing a formalistic, sometimes overly rigid approach, director Iimura takes apart and examines the implications of observing the observed in detail. Ultimately the observer here is the video camera - which is shooting what we see on a monitor, which in turn is displaying the image of the camera or what the camera is shooting. (I think I see this, but am I really seeing the monitor showing the camera which shoots me!?!) While viewing Observer/Observed I was struck with the thought that Iimura achieves a visual equivalent of Steven ReichÕs natural drumming and percussion loops, a remarkable undertaking for a visual artist. Ed Letain
Brown Experimental Michael Wilson, USA, 1998, 16 1/2 minutes, World Premiere Using a pastiche of genres and mainstream imagery, this film depicts the break up of a couple pressured by racism and the politics of the time.
	Afterimage Experimental Mitsunori Akimoto, USA./JAPAN, 1998, 11 minutes, North American Premiere When childhood memories are triggered by the death of a boyhood friend, unspoken desires speak in a new language of dreams. Very haunting.
Diary of a Mid Life Crisis Experimental Judy Fiskin, USA, 1998, 16 minutes, Canadian Premiere A serio-comic video diary of a middle-aged woman photographer who is learning to use a video camera while meditating on art, aging, creativity and having fun. This piece uses a contemplative voice over to thoughtful effect.
	Timepiece Experimental Daniel Warner & Brian Hoey, USA, 1998, 10 minutes, World Premiere Collecting many sounds and images as one might make a sketchbook, these two well known filmmakers assemble their collections into a brief, non-linear 'story'. A tone poem of visuals with effective editing and soundtrack.
Parallel Lines Experimental Annika Gustafson, QUEBEC, 1997, 9 minutes The very first meeting between two strangers draws the viewer into their world of secrets even though they are physically absent from the screen. Road and Nation, two common Canadian themes are explored in an revelatory mix of sound and image.
Back to Top of Page	Shorts F
	Sat. Jan. 30, 6 p.m. & Mon. Feb. 1, 9:30 p.m. Conference Centre Theatre
The Much Talked About... Dramatic Rick Hohn, BC, 1998, 14.5 min., Canadian Premiere A small town mockumentary about what's really important in life. When Bill passes away, he doesn't let death or his frightened neighbours get in the way of catching the one that got away.
	Planet X Dramatic Kenshin Nawa, JAPAN/USA, 1998, 45 min., Canadian Premiere A Japanese salary man finds himself on the brunt end of an unfair corporate bumrush that leaves him adrift in North America. Meanwhile back in Japan an amateur astronomer has discovered the 10th planet of the solar system. The many layers to this story and their interconnectedness keep this film quiet but engaging. It resists the clichés of most "east meets west" stories thankfully.
Shorts G	Back to Top of Page
Sun. Jan. 31, 6 p.m. & Mon. Feb. 1, 9:30 p.m. Conference Centre Theatre
	Superhero Dramatic Jonathan Middleton, BC, 1997, 7 min. Have you ever wondered what being a superhero is really like? To find out, a camera crew ventures to a seedy Vancouver rooftop to interview Brekel-Man, a member of the Superhero Guild of Canada. Attired in goggles and rubber gloves, our low-budget hero takes us beneath the glamour and the gloss to expose the hidden trials of superheroism. In a candid interview, Brekel-Man discusses the personal costs of choosing an inappropriate name, coming by your superpowers through irradiation, and enduring the public pressure to fly. Being a superhero today is a lot tougher than it used to be. Flying can require lots of expensive equipment, explains Brekel-Man, and the government doesn't give grants like in the old days.Shot in grainy black and white, Jonathan Middleton's film cleverly takes on the appearance of an interview with a cigarette-puffing French intellectual from the '60Õs. The voice of the English translator dubbed-over the French-speaking Brekel-Man heightens the cinema-verite feel of the film and adds to its humour. Indeed, Superhero works as well as it does because of the absurd contrast between the serious style and the ridiculous subject. This unlikely combination makes for a very funny and intelligent short film that is based on a simple enough premise but becomes something more because of its smart execution. In just over six minutes, Superhero demonstrates the art and the craft of the really good short film. --Patsy Kotsopoulos
Keeper Dramatic Carole O'Brien, Ontario, 1998, 17 min. Crime drama, with a twist in the twist. (Hint, it's not where you think it'll be). Three small time hustlers pull a late night heist that goes from tight to unraveled in one fluid motion.
	Shirtsleeves Dramatic Bruce Bennett, USA, 1998, 11 min., Canadian Premiere A slow moving but intriguing film that marks out an incident of violence cycling itself through time. White middle-class adolescent despair in Britain is also commented upon.

	Grunt Dramatic Suzanne Brown, AUSTRALIA, 1998, 8 min., Canadian Premiere Although this tale is from Australia, Victorians will be able to relate. It starts with a incident that escalates into a battle of nerves. However, the real issue is simple human neighbourliness.
Schmooze Dramatic Rick Palidwor, ONT., 1998, 4 min. A visual pun-gag. Usually these one-joke films are a dime-a-dozen as festival entries and most can't live up to the force of their original premise so few if any ever make it in to VIFVF. But good cinematography, solid direction and sound design as well as fluid cinema make this early morning wake-up call a treat.
Back to Top of Page	Shorts H
	Tues. Feb. 2, 7:15 pm & Wed. Feb. 3, 9:30 pm Conference Centre Theatre
Middle Experimental Sean Garrity, MANITOBA, 1998, 6 minutes With a subtle use of sound effects this short explores what it's like to be in the middle of everything while being the centre of nothing. Using framing (all the 'important' characters are dead centre) as a means to get his point across we get a unique perspective that could only come from a filmmaker in Winnipeg with a sense of humour.
	Bicycliyis Animation Chad Gottfried, ALBERTA, 1998, 21 minutes Using a pixillation technique in a live action animation, Bicyclitis is a story of how a passion for something can turn into an obsession that literally takes over one's life. The humour and characters are well developed and even the bicycle has personality.
Keys to Kingdoms Dramatic Nathaniel Geary, BC, 1998, 22 min. Moody but not dark. This film is a tone poem about life on the east side of downtown Vancouver. Although the film is much more tonal than narrative in its style, it is a joy to watch despite its bleakness because it is not without structure. Events and encounters are all overshadowed by one aggressive bully taunting and badgering the main character though cheap hotels and alleys alike. Charles Bukowski fans will love this.
	Sway Dramatic Paul Carriere, ONT., 1998, 17 min. Beautiful film about a woman having to cope with being placed in a rest home by her daughter. The grandson helps in more ways than you can imagine as she negotiates her lost youth, old memories, and the present.
Rosa's Time Dramatic Daniel Hawkes, ONT., 1998, 17 min. A travelling salesman plays witch doctor to a divided mother and daughter. The mother overwhelmed and rundown is unable to see the 'puppy-dog eyed' daughter she loves. This film has an unusual but intentional play upon the apprehension of the audience regarding the motives of this amiable but enigmatic salesman-magician. Stars Gary Farmer of Dead Man, Forever Knight, and last year's VIFVF hit Smoke Signals.
	Bad Thoughts Dramatic Jacqueline Levitin, BC, 1997, 20 min. Needs to be seen to be believed! The stream of consciousness voice-over of a rural academic-farmwoman (how many of those do you meet in a day?) draws you into the world of her sexual desires, understanding, perceptions, and (perhaps demented but entirely believable) reality.
Shorts I	Back to Top of Page
Tues. Feb. 2, 9:30 p.m. & Thurs. Feb 4, 7:15 p.m. Conference Centre Theatre
	Badger's Paw Dramatic Tracey Izatt, ONTARIO, 1998, 23 min. Women, take your men to see this film. Never before and never again may you see a film that will so well make them question their sexual perceptions of women as saint and slut. A needy boyfriend tries to warm up his supposedly 'frigid' girlfriend by casting a grizzly spell. Spells, as most witches know and fairy tales have told you, must be given the greatest forethought for what they will really give you. The intricate question of the how real the 'magic' in the film is keeps this from being a boring morality tale.
Women Are Not Little Men Experimental Lisa Hayes, ONT., 1998, 15 minutes, World Premiere Using contemporary and found footage, Lisa conveys a pointed political message in this piece that takes 1950Õs industrial safety and training films then exposes and critiques the widespread belief in the existence of a weaker sex. This is sharp social commentary with a humourous, piercing sting.
	No Problem Dramatic Eva Colmers, ALBERTA, 1998, 18 min. A common situation takes on uncommon significance when Marica, a recent immigrant to Canada, gets a visit from a door-to-door salesman. Taking advantage of Maricas shyness and her difficulties with English, the salesman boldly invades her kitchen to demonstrate his wares -- a set of stainless-steel knives with a forever guarantee available for $199. Ignoring her plaintive cues that he should leave, the salesman continues his insistent pitch, eventually forcing Marica to take dramatic action. Alberta-based filmmaker Eva Colmers skillfully transforms a familiar-enough occurrence into a powerful and compelling allegory for immigrant experience in Canada. As in the best domestic melodramas, the actors play the script for subtext -- the key to this films success. Their facial expressions and body language speak about the power dynamics of their interaction in a way that the dialogue cannot. The acting together with the direction work to gradually and subtly change Maricas otherwise homey and comforting kitchen into a horrifying place of coercion and domination -- a reminder of the situation Marica escaped when she came to Canada. But did she escape? Is she free from violence in Canada? And is violence only physical or can it be psychological as well? No Problem elicits from us challenging questions that get at the contradictions of immigrant experience in Canada -- both the anguished pain of discrimination and the joyful hope for a better future. Patsy Kotsopoulos
The Fires of Joanna Dramatic Penny McCann, ONT., 1998, 42 min. A late adolescent woman's collision of religion-taught sexuality and personal desires yields an interesting by-product: pyrokinesis. Don't expect 'Carrie', this film isn't directed by a man or based on a best selling novel by a man. The outcome is far more expressive and indirect than pure violence would allow.
	Weird Fate Dramatic Sharon Bloedorn, BC, 1998, 10 min. A woman finds herself destined to be Lady MacBeth, however, it's not a dagger with a spot on it; but a large piece of American made chrome. And about that murdered 'good king', -- he's wearing a mack jacket. Consider this film a valuable insight into the acting process, at least for Canadians.
Shorts J	Back to Top of Page
Friday, Jan. 29, 6:00 pm & Saturday, Jan. 30, 6:00 pm Recital Hall at 907 Pandora
	Creampuff Dramatic Jared Seide, USA, 1998, 20 min., World Premiere Extremely well written (though the dialogue consists largely of obscenities) and ultimately quite moving study of two men locked into a relationship of scorn, hatred, despair, and love.
The Fence Dramatic Jake Fry, ONT., 1998, 24 min. After taming a runaway stallion, Jack, a restless farmboy is put to the test when his brother and father challenge him for ownership of the horse. And then there's the fence, a metaphor for their lives.
	35mm Shorts --these shorts are shown in conjunction with feature films at the Capitol 6
	Headdress Animation Sun. Jan. 31, 7:15 pm & Tues. Feb. 2, 9:30 pm Scott Clark, BC, 1998, 3 1/2 minutes, Canadian Premiere Using mixed media and working directly on 35mm film, Scott Clark has created a very impressive work in which the viewer is taken on a flight over streams and forests to a pow wow field where native dances are being performed. Because of the nature of the technique employed, the scenes of flight have a vibrant quality saturated with colour that only working directly on film can provide. Yet the technique is always controlled and the image flows constantly. Coupled with the animation of an eagle in flight, represented both naturalistically and symbolically, the effect gives the film a sweep of grandeur which sets it apart. The music also contributes notably to the feeling of the film, modulating as each of the pow wow scenes is introduced. The latter have been photographed in black and white and integrated into the drawn picture in a manner consistent with the theme of the harmony of man and nature. Headdress is a film I have taken pleasure in seeing over and over again. Technically, the work is creative and admittedly experimental, but the experiment has been masterfully carried out and the result is highly successful. Gilbert Taggart
Everybody's Pregnant Animation Sat. Jan. 30, 3:00 pm & Thurs. Feb. 4, 7:15 pm Debra Solomon, USA, 1997, 6 minutes, Canadian Premiere This wild ride through the rough terrain of modern baby making is a biting satire of medical interventionism with good rhythm and outrageous humour.
	Flying With the Angels Experimental Thurs. Feb. 4, 7:15 pm Nancye Ferguson & Richard Newton, USA, 1997, 17 minutes A surreal trip through a woman's subconscious draws the viewer in with it's eclectic use of imagery.
The Wager Dramatic Sat. Jan. 30, 7:15 pm & Sun. Jan. 31, 3;00 pm Aaron Woodley, ONT., 1998, 19 min. A simple bet over a complicated game becomes a surreal reality. There are certain bets one should not take or offer, no matter how sure the edge seems. Sharp art direction here.
	Elysian Fields Dramatic Sat. Jan. 30, 10:00 am & Sun. Jan. 31 9:30 pm Leonardo Salvo, QUEBEC, 1998, 23 min. Tells the story of the last few hours of a woman's life. It is a pastiche of film noir, with a femme fatale, who has just killed her gangster lover, trying to escape from a hit-man. The film explores her quest for redemption and need to be punished. At times comic and at other times grotesque, the film attempts to fuse different genre elements into a cohesive whole. Part love story, part horror story, Elysian Fields' meaning rests on the idea that the power of love can be truly redemptive.
Dakvorst - Man on the Roof Dramatic Sun. Jan. 31, 12:30 pm & Tues. Feb. 2, 7:15 pm Mathijs Geysues, HOLLAND, 1997, 25min., Canadian Premiere A peculiar world, indeed. A man lives in a shack on the rooftop of a building. He hunts and eats his enemies - cats. The world below is a jungle where people rob and literally walk over each other. The clash between these two worlds ensues when someone from down below attempts to sunbathe on the roof
	Pictorial Forest Animation Mon. Feb. 1, 7:15 pm & Wed. Feb. 3, 9:30 pm Heath Tait, BC, 1998, 16 min., World Premiere A late entry that wowed the festival selection committee. This Pink Floyd inspired animation is fantastic! A seamless integration of classical 2D/3D and computer graphics to create an eye-pleasing animation that can only be called DANCE.
The Roger's Cable Dramatic Mon. Feb. 1, 9:30 pm Jennifer Kierans, QUEBEC, 1998, 10 min. 'The idea for The Roger's Cable came from two places. One came from when I first moved to Montreal and my roommate and I didn't have cable for several weeks and so we went crazy and I realized how important television is to our society. The second thing that was part of The Roger's Cable was when I was living in a different apartment building. Just at dusk you could see all these flickering blue lights from all the windows across the street. It was really quite beautiful but when you thought about it was really quite sad because there was all those people all watching television but all separated by those walls.' - Jennifer Kierans from The Making of The Roger's Cable Stars Canadian funnyman Mike MacDonald in a semi-serious role.
	Blue City Dramatic Fri. Jan 29, 7:15 pm & Saturday, Jan. 30, 5:30 pm David Birdsell, USA, 1996, 12.5 min. From the man who brought you a VIFVF Ô98 audience favourite, Phil Touches Flo. Blue City is another guaranteed crowd pleaser. Don't let the clever imagery and lack of dialogue fool you though: Blue City is a great character piece. Birdsell has a wonderful way of telling a story that reduces the epic to a very short piece. Definately a filmmaker to watch.
The Tale of Arcite & Palamon Dramatic Fri. Jan. 29, 9:30 pm & Sun. Jan. 31, 5:30 pm Daniel Sadler, ONT., 1998, 10 min. The truth is out! Shakespeare was the real author of Terry Gilliam's Brazil and here is a slightly shorter 'Writer's Cut' of the film. Cleverly conceived, this film is fast moving and still a little funny with excellent choreography in the sword fighting scenes. It gives you a sense of how Shakespeare's visuals could well compliment his lengthy dialogue.
	Bystander from Hell Dramatic Sat. Jan. 30, 12:30 pm & Wed. Feb. 3, 7:15 pm Mathew Harrison, USA, 1997, 3.5 min. Watch this movie and you'll laugh until you cry. If you ever make a movie yourself you'll really meet this guy (he's out there waiting for you) and then you'll only cry yourself into dehydration.
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Low Profile Dramatic Iggy Koss, AUSTRALIA, 1998, 12 min., World Premiere Slick crime drama that's a quick play on identity. Walking down the street, an anonymous man finds himself in the middle of a quick break-and-enter crime. As the speed of events picks up, just exactly who our man is becomes more and more unclear. The surprising ending reminds us that we are only what we tell other people.