Beyond the Beaten Path Film Festival 2014
Live Events May 8th-10th
Short Films
The Beyond the Beaten Path Film Festival 2014 will screen nearly 30 shorts from all over the world, from the likes of Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Netherlands, Singapore, the U.K., Australia and the United States. There will be a beautiful spectrum of Horror, Sci-Fi, Suspense mixed with comedy & drama; a feature and a documentary. It may be Beyond the Beaten Path, but there is something for everyone. There’s a number of great short films worth discussing here, so be sure to check them out! Everyone is made welcome and you can visit this great event in-person or online. The following short films, including my ‘Honorable Mentions’ have each been given a Score: 9.5/10 and are in no particular order.
OperHator (11 min. USA)
A witty take on the horror spoof. This film has just enough Hitchcock references (directly and indirectly) to not grow old. There is a brief moment the film itself could have become a joke. It redeems itself by keeping to the story and not relying on the rules of spoof. A girl is being stalked or is she? In 11 minutes the director was as effective as someone given 20 minutes.
Sturm (30 min. Switzerland)
A unique and spellbinding look at a man and woman on the road. Their lives intertwine for an interesting adventure. The film does play out slowly as it moves from a drama to suspense to horror to paranormal and ends with no real definition of “genre.” The films best quality was its ability to keep you on edge. In the world of short films, 30-minutes is a long time to hold an audience. Sturm worked on all levels from superb performances to beautiful images of Switzerland.
A Christmas Walk (4 min. )
A really funny, economic and well thought-out take on a man walking home and being chased by a Snowman. It manages to conger emotions more complex than the execution of the film, and after all, that’s what movies are all about.
The Conversation (8 min. USA)
It is rare that a story can serve as a feature film or a short. This eight-minute gem could have expanded into a decent 90-minute film full of subplots and flashbacks. It managed to be dramatic and scary and did not pamper to the fact it had a child as one of the leads. The premise is simple: A mother is faced with the awful truth that she may not be a good mom anymore. As the film unfolds, we realize she has good reason to question herself. The film never cheapened itself, although, it easily could have.
All the Marbles (13 min. USA)
This movie was fun. It will appeal to Horror and Paranormal fans where it had a great comic twist. It’s a film that manages to be very suspenseful in the last three-minutes, even though it runs for only 13-minutes. A young boy’s room is haunted, but can the babysitter help? The ending can’t be spoiled, as sometimes short films need the same protection we give feature films for their shock value.
Sins of the Father (10 min. USA)
Always good to see movies with a social message. In a film that stands out for its simplicity while really diving into a tough subject matter, Sins of the Father makes you think. This film was a nice surprise because it separated itself by being all about the character. It was not about editing, lighting or Visual FX. This was a human story about a man and his mistakes. How can any of us not relate?
*****
This list has nothing to do with nominations or festival awards. It is my Honorable Mentions for this article.
Rose Mary and Time (38 min. United Kingdom)
Sitter (19 min. USA)
The Moment (2 min. United Kingdom)
A Case of the Reincarnation Type (8 min. USA)
For a full schedule of films and more information, visit www.beyondfilmfest.com
Article by Entertainment Writer, Paul Booth
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