14​th​ Annual DC Shorts Film Festival

14​th​ Annual DC Shorts Film Festival & Screenplay Competition

More films, bigger parties and new partners bring new energy and diverse perspectives to DC’s “Best Film Festival.”
September 7-17, 2017

This year’s festival received a record breaking 1500+ film submissions and 77 screenplay submissions. It will screen nearly 170 films from over 30 countries and present 6 screenplays in a live reading showcase. The 11-day event will include film screenings of shorts in every conceivable genre and style, filmmaker Q&As, industry workshops, parties, networking events and more.

It seems like the only thing I can say each year is that our local film festival is, once again, bigger than ever. And it’s a great opportunity to participate in a film festival, and see short films with subject matter you aren’t likely to see shared by the viral websites on your Facebook feed. No text at the top and bottom here.

DC Shorts Film Festival & Screenplay Competition — The 17 Unique Showcases are comprised of 123 Official Selections from over 30 countries. Each showcase presents films that vary in subject and genre but all are shorts, 2 to 30 minutes long and are presented in 90-minute programs with filmmaker Q&As to follow. Of the 123 Official Selections, 15 are world, 6 North American, 5 U.S., and 25 are East Coast premieres.

In addition to the Official Selection Showcases are themed showcases:

• African American Showcase
• Animation Domination
• Around the World
• Best of Sunderland
• Family Showcase
• It’s a Family Affair
• LGBT Shorts
• Life Cycles
• Lunchtime Films
• O Canada
• Outdoor Showcase
• The Real Reel
• Ripped from the Headlines
• ROTFLMAO (Comedy)
• Tackling the Issues: Reel Abilities

I’m going to highlight a few films I’ve seen that I enjoyed and hopefully, even if you aren’t able to attend in person, you’ll take advantage of the option to watch them in the online festival.

There isn’t much to say about this short, you just have to see it and feel it. I’m sure many people have the thoughts or feelings of “what can I do?” in the wake of police violence and the loss of black lives and this is one expression of that which exemplifies what art is for.

I’ll admit, I have cried over phone company commercials, but this film near annihilated me–in a good way. Only reason I held it in was because I was surrounded by media professionals. It purposely doesn’t have a language, and uses a made up one to convey a story that doesn’t really need words to tell.

Start with sibling rivalry, add in some Looney Tunes meets Rube Goldberg, and a soupçon of Unfortunate Events and this short has everything.

Another tear-jerker, not because sad, but because I–and I suspect so many people–wish it could have been this way for us. A beautiful story of how a young man fulfilling the requests of his dead mother realizes how much she made a difference, not just in his own life, but to so many others too.

I’m definitely looking forward to this year’s events!

What: DC Shorts Film Festival & Screenplay Competition – Almost 170 films from over 30 countries, 6 screenplays in a live reading showcase, special short film showcases, competitions and parties.  A full list of films, showcases and events are listed online.

Where: The festival’s events open to the public are being hosted throughout the city including the following locations. Check specific event details for location online.

• Landmark E Street Cinema / 555 11th Street, NW
• Miracle Theatre / 535 8th Street, SE
• Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center / 3200 Martin Luther King Ave, SE
• Rooftop @ Carroll Square / 975 F Street, NW
• Dupont Underground / 19 Dupont Circle, NW
• Capitol Hill Arts Workshop / 545 7th Street, SE
• Farragut Park / 1700 K Street, NW

When: September 7-17, website for full schedule.