• Film & Video

    BookmarkEmailSuggest Changes

    Cinequest Film Festival

    Cinequest Film Festival

    Cinequest - San Jose Film Festival

    March 8, 2009

    Be the first to submit a review/comment!
    Add Review/Comment

    Shorts Program 8 Student Shorts - Always one to surprise and entertain, the Student Shorts program provides a window into the minds of young filmmakers. It features films from schools around the world looking at topics as diverse—and interrelated—as war (Thanksgiving, Operation Falcon), race (In Our Neighborhood, Interception), self-discovery (Red Wednesday, In Search for I, Traveling in Circles), strained family relationships (Ida y Vuelta, The Workout), and the struggle for redemption (Dockweiler). But it's not all grim: a sprinkle of humor (Laundry), a dose of inspiration (Mr. Mack's Kitchen), and uniquely touching stories of love (Seeking You, Let Go) and friendship (George & Karl) round out this outstanding selection of short films. - Nathan Zanon. The Shorts Program 8 includes the following films: Dockweiler - dir. Nick Palmer (American Film Institute), George & Karl - dir. Grainger David (New York University), Ida and Vuelta (Ida y Vuelta) - dir. David Martin-Porras (University of California – Los Angeles), In Search for I - dir. Gustav Asplund (De Anza College), Interception - dir. Steven Wasserman (University of Southern California), Laundry - dir. Samuel Cheung (De Anza College), Let Go - dir. Kathie Truong (San Jose State University), Mr. Mack's Kitchen - dir. Michael Attie (Stanford University), Operation Falcon - dir. Tim O'Hara (Stanford University), Our Neighborhood - dir. Mason Williams (San Jose State University), Red Wednesday - dir. Nazanin Shirazi (University of Texas - Austin), Seeking You - dir. Jean-Julien Pous (Vancouver Film School), Thanksgiving - dir. Anja Marquardt (New York University), Traveling in Circles - dir. Katie Hetland (School of Visual Arts), and The Workout - dir. Sami Khan (Columbia University).

    The Beautiful Blue Danube - All aboard the Kriemhild--a floating sin city where the booze is cheaper than anywhere else. The beauty and cruelty of humanity becomes unabashedly on display through the wonders of sexual prowess and intensity.

    Raging Grannies - Just because you’re a member of the AARP doesn’t mean you have to stop fighting. In the tune of nursery rhymes and musicals, veteran director Pam Walton (Liberty: 3 Stories About Life and Death, Call to Witness) presents Raging Grannies, a group who uses quirky street theater to protest causes dear to them. From women’s rights to anti-military recruiting, the antics of these grannies will surely pique your curiosity. Preceded by: The Response; 20min; Director: Adam Rodgers. In the vein of 12 Angry Men, a courtroom drama based on the actual transcripts of the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals; starring Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager), and Peter Riegert (Animal House, The Sopranos). 

    First Person Singular - Without a story to unite us together, we have nothing. Struggling with the recent suicide of his wife, writer Seth Farber is haunted by the pervasive, unwarranted guilt of provoking his wife to her self-murder. Leaving him grappling to find his passion and his voice once again. Tormented by his unfinished, long-overdue first novel and approaching deadlines, Seth begins a coincidental relationship with a woman who attempts to help him regain his ambition in life. 

    The Last Lullaby - What kind of hit will it take to put this assassin to rest? An insomniac ex-hit man, Price (Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan), restless and bored with his retired life, re-enters the fast-paced world of assassination in this thrilling and captivating mystery-love story, co-written by popular crime novelist Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition) and based on his short story.

    Gotta Dance - Hip-hop and senior citizens aren't words usually associated together, but in director Dori Berinstein's exuberant and affectionate documentary, they form a combination sure to change your preconceptions about age. When the New Jersey Nets hold auditions for members of a new dance team called "The Metsationals," thirteen hopefuls, ranging in age from 60 to 82, come to put on a show.

    Crude Independence - Is an oil boom a windfall or the downfall of a prototypical American small town? The discovery of oil has made the town of Stanley, North Dakota the focal point for a new kind of Gold Rush. With breathtaking and evocative images, we meet the people of Stanley, as well as the interlopers who are coming into town to either harvest the mother load or rape the land, depending on one's point of view.

    Euforia - Stuck in a dream state of the 1960s, Pat struggles to see life outside the limelight that once blanketed him. When a beautiful young woman named Ana saves his life, Pat agrees to drive them to her ancestral home, in hopes that she can save him from his past. Unpaved roads treat the pair to a dusty adventure full of anger management, baseball bats, lust, and God as the road trip becomes a journey full of lessons and revelations.

    Camila JAM - Winner of Best Film and Best Actress (Leandra Leal from The Man Who Copied, Cinequest 2004) at the Gramado Film Festival, director Murillo Salles’ Camila JAM is an arresting and provocative look at identity, redemption, and obsession.

    Rock Paper Scissors - Rock crushes scissors. Paper covers rock. Scissors cuts paper. Can purity beat commerce? The Walker brothers wanted to turn a child’s game into a good-natured competitive sport, but when the RPS fanatics converge on the world championships, they’re caught between big business, talk show pundits, Playmate mascots, and a battle of good versus evil.

    • Ticket Info

      Tickets: General $7-10
      Student $5
      Festival passes also available

      Info Phone: 408-295-FEST (3378)

      Buy tickets

    • Dates & Times

      Dates:
      March 8, 2009

      Times:
      10am: Shorts Program 8 Student Shorts
      11am: The Beautiful Blue Danube
      12pm: Raging Grannies
      1pm: First Person Singular
      1:30pm: The Last Lullaby
      2:30pm: Gotta Dance
      3:30pm: Crude Independence
      4pm: Euforia
      5pm: Camila JAM
      5:15pm: Rock Paper Scissors

    • Venue Info

      Camera 12

      201 S. 2nd Street San Jose, CA 95113

      Full map and directions

    • Parking Info

      Parking validation is offered for theater patrons.

    • Accessibility Info
      • Wheelchair Access

    • NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate, however it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

  • Featured Sections

  • Featured Video

     

    In short...Awesome!

     

    Watch all the videos in Video Central