Some star-packed projects are heading to the 19th annual Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. The just-announced lineup includes films featuring, produced or directed by the likes of Tom Hanks, Eva Longoria, Alden Ehrenreich, Queen Latifah, Tom Holland, Keke Palmer, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, John Travolta and more.
Over 400 short films are programmed in the festival, which runs from August 10-20. It’s a hybrid event, with in-person screenings at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood complemented by a virtual program streaming on the platform Bitpix TV. It’s an Oscar-qualifying festival in four categories: Best Documentary Short (newly added this year), Best Short Film Grand Prize, Best Short Animation and Best Short Live Action. Winners of those prizes automatically become eligible for Academy Award consideration.
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Mindful of the actors and writers strikes, the festival issued a statement along with the lineup announcement. “HollyShorts supports both the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes,” the statement said. “In fact, we support all Labor, including the many people who work so hard behind the scenes to make films, especially independent films which are difficult to get funding for and finish. We owe it to our filmmakers to showcase their wonderful work. HollyShorts 2023 will go forward in this spirit.”
Among the many highlights from the program, Harry Holland directs his older brother Tom Holland in Last Call. Alden Ehrenreich directs and stars in Shadow Brother Sunday, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler of The Sopranos stars in Michael Spiccia’s I’m On Fire.
Additional live-action short film entries include Iain Softley and Disney+’ The Shepherd, produced by Alfonso Cuarón and starring John Travolta; Christopher Patrick Macken’s For the Safety of Theo executive produced by Charlie Day; Jenn Shaw’s Gaps, produced by Queen Latifah; Bella Thorne’s Paint Her Red; Oscar winner Chris Overton’s In Too Deep, Charles Whitcher’s Mundo, executive produced by Eva Longoria; For People in Trouble directed by Alex Lawther and executive produced by Matt Damon alongside Ben Affleck, and Lauren Finerman’s Flower produced by and starring prima ballerina Misty Copeland.
On the nonfiction side, HollyShorts will screen How to Rig an Election: The Racist History of the 1876 Presidential Contest directed by Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler and narrated by Tom Hanks. Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot (The Queen of Basketball) brings his latest to the festival – the short Forgiving Johnny, which centers on an attorney in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. Oscar winner Rayka Zehtabchi (Period. End of Sentence.) returns with They Came From All Over.
The festival will screen a selection of music videos including Keke Palmer’s Big Boss, and Ron Mael, Russell Mael and Richie Starzec’s Sparks starring Cate Blanchett. Animation short film entries feature WB’s Daffy in Wackyland, directed by Max Winston, and Oscar nominee Andrew Pierce Chesworth’s The Brave Locomotive.
The full list of official selections for the festival is available here.
HollyShorts was founded by Theo Dumont and Daniel Sol, who serve as festival co-directors. The event will wrap with an awards gala on August 20.
“HollyShorts is devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panels and forums,” notes a release. “The festival showcases the top short films produced in 40 minutes or less.” The festival website states, “HollyShorts, a regular on the MovieMaker Magazine Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee list, also engages its community and spotlights short films year-round through monthly screenings, panels, and networking events.”
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