The C Coffee Shorts Film Festival

The opening of the 2009 Adelaide Shorts Film Festival being held at the Queens Theatre seems an unlikely place to sample a hot chocolate, however this festival is being sponsored by C Coffee and on opening night they were offering coffees and hot chocolates for a donation to film makers. The Queens Theatre in Playhouse Lane is a large rustic space and is the oldest theatre on mainland Australia.

Your reviewer has sampled the C Coffee hot chocolate before. While paper cups have never impressed your reviewer, the chocolate is rich and this time the chocolate was not as sweet or watery as the one served in the service station.

C Coffee should be congratulated for sponsoring such a great event. The film festival includes short films from a number of Australian and international film makers and runs until December 12.

After publishing this review I noticed it referenced from some film review sites. So that film buffs are not completely disappointed, I thought I might try my hand at film critique. The films were, in order:

Bombshell
This was a film centred on a Greek Australian family. The subject matter was serious and compelling and the acting was top class, but the dialogue was difficult to follow. Zoe Carides seemed too young and beautiful to be playing her motherly role.

Jackie's Spring Palace
This was an oddball comedy about a fellow in a pirate costume who eats too many spring roles. It was good original slapstick comedy.

Bare
This approached the problem of domestic disputes from the point of view of a young boy. The sound was not particularly good in this film, but it still managed to tug at the heart strings.

Multiple Choice
This was a hilarious episode in the life of three students looking for an excuse for missing their exams. It was an excellent plot. The timing was good and dialogue was clear.

Transit
This was a film from the UK Soho Film festival. It was portrayed from the point of view of a young boy caught up in an intrigue he did not understand. The plot was unusual and raised more questions than it answered but the film technique was excellent.

After Birth
This was a black comedy with a satirical point to make. A grandmother decides to "abort" her grandson 30 years after his birth. This is definitely played for laughs but is acted with straight faces. The concept was brilliant. The execution and editing could have been tighter.

Lapse
This was an interesting look at the importance of identity. More could have been done with the thematic ideas of this film. It failed to grab me at the beginning and did not satisfy my need for a good conclusion or interesting twist at the end. It could have been tighter in the editing and snappier in the dialogue.

Man Makes History
This is quick animated sprint through history and an exploration of the battle of the sexes. It made a few good points in its three minutes.

Being Carl Williams
This was a very funny look at the problem an actor has when he portrays a well-known identity. Gyton Grantly does an excellent job of playing himself as he despairs at being mistaken for the underworld figure he played in the TV series "Underbelly". The script and technical execution are top class.

More short films reviews at Return to C Coffee Shorts Film Festival.