for immediate release:
DRIFF and Cinechats join forces to bring The Best of DRIFF Shorts to the Biltmore Theatre for a Sunday matinee
Whitby, ON - The best films are best watched with friends and a beverage, followed by an engaging discussion about the shared experience. It is in that vein that the Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) has collaborated with Cinechats founder John Arkelian for an incredible showcase of the best short films submitted to DRIFF. The films will be screened at the atmospheric Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa on Sunday December 11.
Escape the holiday madness for an afternoon with nine films that have been specially curated for their creativity and discussion value. You'll want to talk about these films afterward, and Arkelain is just the right person to encourage relaxed and thoughtful exchanges of perspective. Over the 97 minutes of screenings, you'll giggle, gasp, ponder, and maybe even cheer. Then, have the satisfaction of a great conversation over a refreshment as you savour leaving ordinary life – and your holiday shopping worries – behind for an afternoon.
"What is a short film but an entire world contained and cradled in a few brief minutes?” says Arkelian. “Here you will find a microcosm of life, peopled by characters we come to know, and a story that unfolds in a fleetingly brief span. There's an elegance to such storytelling in miniature -- and it is a true testament to the art of filmmaking that laughter, tears, astonishment, and meaning can be so powerfully evoked by such artful brevity."
Included in the program is NEFTA FOOTBALL CLUB by Yves Piat (France) which screened at DRIFF in 2019 and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film in 2020. It’s a story about two young brothers who come across a donkey with headphones on its ears and bags full of a white powder on its back. The boys ultimately decide to bring the bags back to their small Tunisian village.
Another film that’s been turning heads on the film festival circuit since 2019, and that you’ll be happy to dwell on, is GILTRUDE’S DWELLING by Jeremy Lutter (Canada). This live action short features Giltrude, an inter-dimensional shut-in who lives in a supernatural house that changes locations daily. When a life or death dilemma comes knocking at her door, she must learn to face the outside universe.
There will be plenty to discuss after viewing the single-shot #metoo horror LILI by Yfke van Berckelaer (Netherlands). An uncomfortable cat-and-mouse game ensues when Lili knows she has to nail an audition and The Man she is auditioning for knows it too. It’s a chilling film about power, the misuse of power, and female empowerment.
Tickets for the program can be purchased for $8 from the Biltmore Theatre box office at https://tickets.biltmoretheatre.com/driff. To see the full film lineup and trailers, visit https://www.driff.ca/best-of-driff-shorts.
About DRIFF:
DRIFF is a not-for-profit film festival rooted in the communities of Durham. DRIFF will engage a diverse network of audiences, filmmakers, and collaborators to promote film as a form of creative expression and a catalyst for community building. Find out more at driff.ca.
About Cinechats:
The Cinechats Film Program is a series of the best motion pictures from around the world. A Cinechats experience lets you muse out loud about what you've seen on screen, share reactions, and hear what fellow filmgoers made of the joint experience. Entertainment and learning are a perfect pairing: after all, we learn best when we learn from the experiences of others, and we see most clearly when we see through the eyes of others. Learn more at: https://artsforum.ca/film/cinechats
Media contact:
Laurie Turner, laurie@driff.ca
Durham Region International Film Festival
www.driff.ca | @catchthedriff
DRIFF gratefully acknowledges the support of Central Counties Tourism.
