From the coronavirus to racial conflicts, it’s been a double gut-punch for America lately.
This week, the DC Shorts Film Festival is hoping to lighten the mood with six days of virtual comic relief during DC Shorts Laughs, streaming Tuesday through Sunday.
“We did debate is this something that we do?” Programming Director Joe Bilancio told WTOP. “The staff and the board came together and thought it really is a good time to bring some levity. We certainly advocate for Black Lives Matter and all the realities that COVID has brought, but it really is just a way to sort of bring people together.”
The films include both never-before-seen features and favorites from the past.
“It’s things that were submitted that didn’t screen; it’s things that were submitted that did screen and just got great audience feedback,” Bilancio said. “What we tried to do was have a little bit of everything. … Some people really like dry humor, some black comedy, some really laugh-out-loud funny things that you at least hope everybody will laugh at.”
The lineup includes “The Age of Bryce” (10 minutes) by Brian Elliot and David Feagan.
“One of those precocious kids with an overprotective mother,” Bilancio said. “You cringe at everything that comes out of her mouth. The boy takes it in stride and listens to all this. He’s too young to understand all of it, but realizes there’s something not quite right with his mother. In the end, he becomes the hero and his mother sees things differently.”
The slate also includes “The Chase” (11 minutes) by filmmaker Mike Doyle.
“The main character is African American,” Bilancio said. “It’s about a new couple who are having a nice dinner with their two best friends. The wife’s cell phone gets stolen and the wife takes off after the perpetrator. Then the husband thinks, ‘Oh, maybe I should do something as well.’ It’s just an interesting take on the chase and who’s chasing who.”
You can also enjoy “Porch Light” (9 minutes) by Julia Bergeron.
“Cowboys in their underwear,” Bilancio said. “It’s just really simple but layered. You can guffaw and really have a good time, but then you think about what’s said, what’s done and what actually happened. … It brings up some points you can think and talk about.”
Another female filmmaker, Carolina Giammetta, brings “Holy Cannelloni” (16 minutes).
“You see lots of food, lots of overprotective Italian grandmothers and John Travolta, enough said,” Bilancio said. “It’s really about a girl coming into age and how the parents have this difficulty talking about sex and … things that are uncomfortable to talk about.”
You will also enjoy “Delivery” (10 minutes) by filmmaker Alex Vaughn.
“This is one that I would call a darker comedy and if people aren’t necessarily ready for it, it may sort of shock, but it really is a very funny story,” Bilancio said. “The thing that’s really highlighted here is the gig economy and how we all have these personal ratings.”
Last but not least is “Tight Spot” by Kevin Haefelin (4 minutes).
“It’s simple, it’s four minutes, but it packs a lot in that four minutes: shoeshines, mafia, mistaken identity,” Bilancio said. “Kevin is a friend of the festival. He’s been here a couple times and he was just nominated for a BAFTA student award, so we’re very excited for that. He was an NYU student who just has been a staple of the festival.”
Audiences can watch all six comedy shorts for a $12 virtual admission fee.
In addition to the films, you can also see the directors in a live Zoom Filmmaker Talkback co-hosted by Bilancio and stand-up comedian Amir Yazdani on June 19 at 7 p.m.
“We’re really excited not only to bring the films but to be able to bring the people who have crafted them to talk about it,” Bilancio said. “We’ll be doing a Zoom call. I think we have nine at the moment. … It’s easier because we don’t have to bring them in. They’re sitting in their living room or their kitchen or I think one person is in their bathroom.”
Will things return to normal in time for the broader D.C. Shorts Film Festival this fall?
“We’re actually planning three festivals,” Bilancio said. “One is this festival that exists where people actually go. … We’re also planning where the whole thing will be online. … Then the third is this hybrid where we have an opening and closing. … We don’t know what things are going to be like in September, so we have to plan for all the possibilities.”
