The 2009 Sundance Film Festival announced Wednesday the jury prizes in shorts filmmaking based on outstanding achievement and merit. The Sundance Film Festival runs January 15-25, 2009 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Full awards will be announced the evening of January 24 at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony at the Park City Racquet Club.
Winning the Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking was the animated LIES, directed by Jonas Odell. Honorable Mentions went to U.S. animated shorts I LIVE IN THE WOODS, WESTERN SPAGHETTI and other live-action shorts.
The 2009 Short Film jurors are Gerardo Naranjo (Director/Writer/Producer: VOY A EXPLOTAR, MALACHANCE, PERRO NEGRO); Lou Taylor Pucci (Actor: THUMBSUCKER); and Sharon Swart (Variety).
Jury Prize in Short FilmmakingSHORT TERM 12 (Director: Destin Daniel Cretton) -- A film about kids and the grown-ups who hit them. (Live Action)
Jury Prize in International Short FilmmakingLIES/Sweden (Director: Jonas Odell) -- Three perfectly true stories about lying. In three episodes based on documentary interviews we meet the burglar who, when found out, claims to be a moonlighting accountant, the boy who finds himself lying and confessing to a crime he didn't commit and the woman whose whole life has been a chain of lies. (International Animation)
Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking:
THE ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS FROM NEBULA-5/Spain (Director: Chema Garcia Ibarra) -- "Almost" everybody is going to die very soon. (Live Action)I LIVE IN THE WOODS (Director: Max Winston) -- A Woodsman's fast-paced journey, fueled by happiness, slaughter, and a confrontation with America's God. (U.S. Animation)JERRYCAN/Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Julius Avery)—While attending a party, five bored kids decide to blow something up. A childhood game seals the fate of Nathan, who risks everything after he is bullied, and is forced to make a life and death decision. (Live Action)LOVE YOU MORE/U.K. (Director: Sam Taylor-Wood; Screenwriter: Patrick Marber) -- Two teenagers are drawn together by the Buzzcocks' single "Love You More" during the summer of 1978. (Live Action)OMELETTE/Bulgaria (Director: Nadejda Koseva; Screenwriter: Georgi Gospodinov) -- While a woman makes an omelet we learn how difficult it is to make ends meet. (Live Action)PROTECT YOU + ME (Director: Brady Corbet) -- A reminder of a long-forgotten event, combined with a challenging situation, provokes a man to extreme action. (Live Action)TREEVENGE/Canada (Director: Jason Eisener; Screenwriter: Rob Cotterill) -- Sometimes Christmas is worth crying over. (Live Action)WESTERN SPAGHETTI (Director: PES) -- Everyday objects become delicious ingredients as we learn how to cook spaghetti through stop-motion. (U.S. Animation)
This year the Festival's Short Film Program was comprised of a record 96 short films from 5,632 submissions, from U.S. and international filmmakers. Submissions grew by 10% over last year. Due to the strong submissions this year, the Shorts Program was expanded to accommodate the quality of work submitted. The 2009 award winners and honorable mentions exemplify Sundance's commitment to discovering new talent and accomplished storytelling and filmmaking.
Through January 25, 10 shorts will be on a featured Sundance playlist on iTunes, including I LIVE IN THE WOODS and animated short THIS WAY UP (U.K.), FIELD NOTES FROM DIMENSION X: OASIS (U.S.), FROM BURGER IT CAME (U.S.). Live action shorts ACTING FOR THE CAMERA (U.S.), COUNTERTRANSFERENCE (U.S.), HUG (U.S.), INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA (Sweden), JAMES (Northern Ireland) and MAGNETIC MOVIE (U.K.) round out the playlist, available at www.iTunes.com/sundance.
