MILTON— GEORGE'S BROOK, NL— It was a unique night out at the movies for a group of about 50 who attended the first annual Smith Sound Film Festival at the Milton cultural house on Oct. 13.
Ten short films, ranging from three to twenty minutes in length, were presented. Four directors were present to introduce their films, and engage with audience during a question and answer period following the film.
Lian Morrison's documentary short Flight of the Fisherman won the viewer's choice award.
Filmed on location in China, the documentary focused on the life of a Chinese cormorant fisherman who continues the ancient, traditional method of fishing despite advances in fishing technologies over the years.
Martine Blue, whose feature length film Chasing Pignut, is currently screening in theatres across Canada, screened her very first film, El Evictor, a B- horror film shot on 16mm film in New York City in the late nineties.
The film was a political commentary on the gentrification Blue saw happening in New York at the time, which she likened to gentrification she see's across the province.
In the film, El Evicitor, a masked serial killer, murders the young punks squatting in an old apartment building so that developers can tear down the apartment building and erect a new, expensive, high-rise apartment building.
Stephen Bryant of Clarneville screened his film Her Son, which dealt with the pain of reaching out to someone who is no longer there.
Finally, Stephen Bonnell, who organized the event, screened two of his short films— The Lake, a paranormal horror story about a young woman that haunts the lake where she drowned, and Relinquishment of A Dream, a surreal film about a young man and a tempting seductress. Bonnell, being organizer of the event, did not include his films as candidates on the voter's choice list.
Other films screened included Seconds by Jordan Canning, Keystone by Ian Foster, and Flankers by Justian Oakey, all three award-winning directors from St. John's.
Admission was a $5 donation to the food bank.
Here's a full list of screenings from the Smith Sound Film Festival.
Seconds, directed by Jordan Canning of St. John's. (Drama, five minutes.)
Her Son, directed by Stephen Bryant of Clarenville. (Drama, six minutes.)
Keystone, directed by Ian Foster of St. John's. (Drama, 15 minutes.)
Flankers, directed by Justin Oakey of St. John's. (Drama, 14 minutes.)
Flight of The Fisherman, directed by Lian Morrison of St. John's (Documentary, 10 minutes.)
Relinquishment of A Dream, directed by Stephen Bonnell of Clarenville. (Drama, 11 minutes)
The Lake, directed by Stephen Bonnell of Clarenville. (Horror, seven minutes.)
On Roof Tops, directed by Justin Hall of St. John's (five minutes)
Scream Cream Puff, directed by John Doyle of St. John's. (Experimental, three minutes)
El Evictor, directed by Martine Blue, originally from Toronto but now living in Burin. (Horror, 21 minutes.)