When the 2024 Florida Film Festival drew to a close, I was
satisfied that I had seen as many films as humanly possible in the space of 10
days. Though I did not have time to see some
of the films which were awarded prizes from the Jury and/or attendees, the vast
majority of the ones I saw were well-made, entertaining, informative and worth my
time. The filmmakers themselves who
attended were appreciative, gracious, and deserving of being part of the
festival. I hope they all continue to
find success with their current projects and in the future. We’ll be keeping our eyes on you.
Here is a smattering of additional films not previously reviewed
here, both long-form and short, that I enjoyed immensely. As you'll see below, some of them garnered prizes here at the Enzian. I hope they all get the attention and support they deserve in future festivals.
Short films:
A Body Called Life – A strikingly beautiful and
wondrous 15-minute doc of life as seen through the lens of a microscope. Astounding. Directed
by Spencer MacDonald.
Heat Spell – Directed by Marie-Pier Dupuis, this 13-minute
Canadian short made me very anxious, and for good reason. Real-life sisters
Agathe and Simone Ledoux star in the cautionary tale of a tragedy unfolding.
Complications – A sex worker and her video client
bond in a way neither one ever expected. Written with humor by Erik Ivar Saether, the
viewer comes to care about these characters in a quick 14 minutes.
Diving In – Nitzan Mager’s short film about a woman’s
vaginal museum. Yes, you read that
correctly. Very funny.
I’m On Fire – You’ll see more from Director Michael
Spiccia, I guarantee it. This 24-minute
short is loud, disturbing, and angry, revealing the constant turmoil of a very dysfunctional
family, where no one is safe.
Baggage – One of my favorite shorts, Director Tim
Hendrix skewers on-line dating, with a mix of live action, animation and
special effects. It’s an overstuffed
suitcase of visual gags and clever writing.
The Sacrifice – How far will you go to please your
mate? A couple find out when they push the
boundaries of taste and tolerance to fit in with their new neighbors. Sounds
heavy? It’s actually a comedy, starring
Josh Radnor and Aya Cash.
You’re Invited to Tuscan’s 5th Birthday Party!
– How does one poke fun at absolute chaos?
First-time filmmaker Lee Eddy finds a way. She also stars in this absolutely absurd 14-minute
comedy gem.
Deep in My Heart is a Song – You’ll wanted to know
more about Johnny Bencomo, a cowboy singer, who plays himself in this moving
short film. His onstage presence is captivating.
Union de Reyes (Union of Kings) – Imagine learning on
your father’s deathbed that he, and other family members, concealed a secret
that will upend your life. About family
and forgiveness, this engrossing film from writer/director Danny Pino was the
highlight of the Florida Shorts block.
Long form films:
Secret Mall Apartment – Director Jeremy Workman bring
another well-crafted documentary to the screen.
Did you hang out at the mall when you were growing up? Workman brings this true story about eight
creative Rhode Island young people who had a particular vision and followed
their dreams. I loved the telling of the main story AND the
side trips it takes you on. My only
criticism has to do with the lack of visual steadiness of the archival video,
shot on a bad camera. Nothing that
Workman could have repaired, just my personal problem with watching extremely
unsteady video.
The Herricanes – I adored this documentary. You might think I’m making this up – women’s
full-tackle football? And there were multiple teams across the country? The passion of the filmmaker, Olivia Kuan,
the intensity of the women, and the pure joy they had for the sport comes blazing
out at you. No money, few fans, little
coaching staff, yet the women incentivized themselves. This film was personal to Kuan – her mom was
one of the players.
Hellbent on Boogie – Let’s all hope we see more of Alyx
Ruibal. This was her first-time performance and her craft will blow you
away. Ruibal portrays Quinn, a young
woman on the autism spectrum, whose brother Alan (Shiloh Fernandez) comes back
into town after a long absence. The two
of them hatch a plan to make Quinn’s dreams of landing a spot on a dance troupe
come to fruition. Director Vito Trupiano
told the audience that he was searching for an actress for the role. He found Ruibal online, learned that she also
lives with autism, and knew immediately he found his Quinn.
Thelma – Here’s the cast: June Squibb, Richard
Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell. If those names are not enough to pique your
interest, I don’t know what would do it.
As Grandma Thelma, Squibb is scammed out of $10K. Her adoring grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger)
and her long-time friend Ben (Roundtree) conspire to strike out on what should
be an Impossible Mission to get it back.
It’s even more fun than it sounds.
Queen of My Dreams - Sometimes when your mom gives
you advice, it’s because they’ve ‘been there – done that’. Yet they’ve also pushed the t-shirt that came
with it to the back of the closet, so you didn’t know anything about it. Director Fawzia Mirza lets the actors in new
film breathe and explore their conflicts in this captivating story of Mariam, a
Pakistani Muslim woman, and Azra, her Canadian-born queer daughter. The
description of the film is ‘heartfelt’, and that hits it right on the nose.
Two other films I really enjoyed were Tuesday and Ezra. I guarantee you’ll be hearing more about these
Spotlight Films, which, I believe, were standing-room-only at the Fest.
Finally, here’s the list of all the award winners for
2024. Congratulations to all the winners!
Jury Awards
• Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature: All I’ve Got & Then Some – Directed
by Tehben Dean and Rasheed Stephens
• Special Jury Award for Screenwriting: Narrative Feature:
Bonnie Gross – Writer/Producer of Lady Parts, directed by Nancy Boyd
• Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature: Mediha
– Directed by Hasan Oswald
• Special Jury Award for Excellence in Personal
Filmmaking: Documentary Feature - Olivia Kuan – Director of The
Herricanes
• Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short: Symbiotic
- Directed by Arianna Ahrabinejad
• Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short: Something
Blue- Directed by Jinsui Song
• Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short: Incident
– Directed by Bill Morrison
• Special Jury Award for Excellence in Narrative Short
Filmmaking: You’re Invited to Tuscan’s 5th Birthday Party! -
Directed by Lee Eddy
Audience Awards
• Best Narrative Feature: Lady Parts -
Directed by Nancy Boyd
• Best Documentary Feature: The Donn of Tiki -
Directed by Alex Lamb and Max Well
• Matthew Curtis Audience Award for Best Short Film: LUKi
and the Lights - Directed by Toby Cochran
• Best Midnight Short: Bug Diner - Directed by
Phoebe Jane Hart
• Best International Short: VHS Tape Replaced
- Directed by Maha Al-Saati
• Best International Feature: Revival69: The
Concert that Rocked the World - Directed by Ron Chapman
• Best Florida Short: Unión de Reyes
- Directed by Danny Pino
• Best Florida Feature: Mountains - Directed
by Monica Sorelle
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