BLOCK B: Serious Lees, The Cocktail Party, Food Club

Food Club

CANADA FESTIVAL PREMIERE

Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg  2020  Denmark 1.39.32 

Marie recently found herself abandoned on Christmas Eve by her husband and has been falling apart ever since. Berling has been the eternal “bachelorette” who outwardly denies her age and lives the sweet life, all seems perfect until we find out about her complicated relationship with her daughter. Vanja is still living in the past and has never been able to move on from her late husband. The three life long girlfriends decides to travel to Italy together to attend a cooking course in Puglia and here they each find the opportunity to redefine themselves and acknowledge that the most important thing in life is their friendship and that it’s never too late to live a more fulfilling life.

Specifications 

• Language: Danish
• Release Date: 2020

The Cocktail Party

Jessica Sanders  United States  2021  4:55  

A young waitress unexpectedly turns a cocktail party into a martial arts action film about empowerment.

Director Biography

Jessica Sanders is an Academy Award – nominated, Sundance and Cannes Award – winning director and producer of narrative and documentary films and commercials.

Jessica won the 2020 SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for her pilot “Embrace” about an Iranian-American young woman exploring the world of professional hugging set in Oakland, CA. Jessica’s last VFX heavy short film “End of the Line” starring Brett Gelman (Fleabag) and Simon Helberg (Big Bang Theory) based on a story by Aimee Bender, premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and was part of TNT and Refinery29’s Shatterbox Film Series.

Jessica’s work can be seen at: www.jessicasandersfilm.com

Director Statement

I've always loved martial arts action films, playing with comedy, and I've been interested in connecting with my Chinese heritage, giving inspiration to create "The Cocktail Party" - a martial arts action short film about empowerment. Inspired by the action comedy of Jackie Chan and some of my favorite films like “Kung Fu Hustle,” the film stars black-belt Tae Kwon Do martial artist Charlotte Taschen, Olympic rhythmic gymnast Eugenia Yuan and martial artist Jen Kuo Sung. It was a visual joy to create.

My team was the amazing DP Larkin Seiple who lensed the viral Childish Gambino “This is America” video and the Sundance-winning “Swiss Army Man.” Editor Monica Salazar cut the Sundance-winning “Honey Boy” and is editing Alejandro Inarritu’s latest film. Sound re-recording mixer Aaron Glascock was nominated for an Oscar for “Birdman.”

Specifications

• Project Type: Short
• Genres: Action, Martial Arts, Comedy
• Runtime: 4 minutes 55 seconds
• Completion Date: March 1, 2021
• Country of Origin: United States
• Country of Filming: United States
• Language: No Dialogue
• Shooting  Format: Digital
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Film Color: Color

Serious Lees

Krista Jang  Canada  2019  8:24 

Nothing puts your identity, self-worth and family to the test like going to the Chinese supermarket, but it's a journey one father and daughter are determined to take.

Director Biography

Krista Jang is an actor/filmmaker originally from Vancouver, and an alumna of Capilano University's Film/TV Acting, Cinematography and Motion Picture Production programs. Her first short film, "Project: Icing", was highlighted as one of NSI Online Short Film Festival's 'comedy gems' of the year, while her second, "Misplaced", was a MAMM Award Winner. Krista has appeared in numerous commercials and Film/TV shows including "Star Trek: Short Treks" and "Mary Kills People". She is currently based in Toronto.

Director Statement

"Serious Lees" was conceived after a conversation with a fellow Asian actor; we both noticed that although more Asian family-centric stories are being told, the majority are from the immigrant's point of view. Coming from an ethnic background full of rich culture and strong traditions, there is an assumption that later generations are either fully immersed or have completely lost touch with their roots. Traditional practices are not upheld, language is lost, and culture is rejected. In my personal experience as a 2nd-Generation Chinese-Canadian, I am a representative of a cultured, yet non-traditional generation.

Specifications

• Project Type: Short
• Runtime: 8 minutes 24 seconds
• Completion Date: August 15, 2019
• Production Budget: 1,500 USD
• Country of Origin: Canada
• Country of Filming: Canada
• Language: English
• Shooting Format: Digital
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Film Color: Color
• First-time Filmmaker: No
• Student Project: No