More space to spread your directorial wings, but all the time in the world to fall flat on your face, Rushes Soho Shorts’ Long Form Award is the place for live action, fictional work up to 30 minutes in length and it’s where we found a film about saying goodbye, a failing father and a man who just can’t stop himself no matter the cost.
Peter at the End – Russ Lamoureux
Some trips home come charged with a stack of emotional baggage; things unsaid, family left behind, exes and friends fondly remembered but not active parts of your present all wait for you there. The stakes of Peter’s trip home are as high as can be when he heads back to say a final goodbye to those he loves. In the wrong hands Peter at the End could easily have headed into mawkish territory but Russ Lamoureux expertly delivers Jon Heder’s performance as Peter wrapped in a hug I wished could last just a little longer.
https://vimeo.com/136178375
The Father – David Easteal
When I met Australian director David Easteal at the London Film Festival, he handed me a copy of The Father with the encouraging words “You might like it if you don’t mind a shaky about camera kinda style“. I don’t know if he was attempting to lower my expectations, but he needn’t of worried as his tale of dereliction of duty laced with a shot at redemption was Impressive enough for him to join the DN interview alumni.
Cowboys – James Alexandrou
James Alexandrou jumped into his debut short Cowboys feet first and more than a little green about certain aspects of filmmaking; “I had ideas, that’s a start but how do you actually write a script? How do you structure it? Once you’ve done that how do you get from there to filming it, then how do you edit the thing?” I’d say he passed his trail by fire with flying colours and has delivered a semi-autobiographical short on the destructive nature of gambling addiction laced with true emotion and creative flair.
