Park City, UT - Sundance Institute announced today its full lineup of 72 short films that will leave a lasting impact on audiences long after the lights go up at their screenings at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Sundance and Ogden, Utah. Among the short films the Festival has shown in recent years are World of Tomorrow, Whiplash, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom and Fishing Without Nets. This year's short film lineup will include both a Midnight and a New Frontier section, tying into the Festival's other programmatic strands.
(L-R) The Send-Off, Credit: Patrick Bresnan; The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere, Credit: Mickey Duzyj; Affections, Credit: Michael Wilson.
In addition to screening short films at the Festival, the Institute packages the award-winning short films to tour arthouse theaters throughout the year as well as hosts regional short film Labs in cities across the United States to help filmmakers hone their craft.
Mike Plante, Senior Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, said, Our longstanding showcase of short films has become a home for audiences who love watching these rowdy, sweet, scary and surprising stories. In recent years shorts have taken on a bigger presence within the film and media industries, helping more and more people feel the power and potential of these short-on-time, big-on-ideas films.
The Short Film program is presented by YouTube.
U.S. NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
Affections / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bridey Elliott) - This comedy about isolation and loneliness follows a young woman who is adrift and seeking intimacy in the most unlikely places.
Catching Up / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bill Crossland) - A physically disabled high school teacher seeks assistance from his cynical friend after falling in love with an able-bodied co-worker. This funny and dramatic examination of disability, sex, and love stars real people with disabilities.
Dirt / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Darius Clark Monroe) - Some things must die to live.
Dogwalker / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kim Sherman) - This dark comedy adventure is the story of a young dog walker after the unexpected death of her favorite client.
Dolfun / U.S.A. (Director: Sebastian Silva, Screenwriters: Sebastian Silva, Trinidad Silva, Carlos Rossi) - What begins as a love story becomes an existential crisis when filmmaker Sebastian Silva flies to Miami to fulfill his lifelong dream of swimming with a dolphin.
Emperor of Time / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Drew Christie) - This is the story of the first motion pictures ever photographed, as told by the son of Eadweard Muybridge.
How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps / U.S.A. (Director: Benjamin Berman, Screenwriter: Aaron Bleyaert) - Losing weight and getting fit has never been easier! Shed those unwanted pounds with these simple tricks your gym doesnt want you to know about. You wont believe what happens next!
Join the Club / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Eva Vives) - A writer's dilemma of whether or not to join a professional networking club takes many interesting turns as it unfolds entirely during one therapy session.
Jungle / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Asantewaa Prempeh) - The lines between trust, betrayal, and forgiveness are intertwined for two Senegalese vendors as they try to make a living on the streets of New York City.
Killer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Kazman) - When Dusty masturbates for the first time, something terrible happens.
PARTNERS / U.S.A. (Director: Joey Ally, Screenwriters: Jen Tullock, Hannah Utt) - Work and life partners Kate and Leigh share everything, from their apartment to the bar they co-own. When a sex life slump forces them to reconsider their relationship, they must confront how intertwined their lives have become, to humorous ends.
A Reasonable Request / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Laurich, Screenwriters: Gabriel Miller, Andrew Laurich) - A desperate son reconnects with his estranged father to ask an unspeakable favor that will change both of their lives forever.
So Good to See You / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Duke Merriman) - In this darkly comic take on the dual realities of friendship, a dinner party goes painfully sour.
Solemates / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bryce Dallas Howard) - Told from the perspective of shoes, this film tells the story of a couples journey through life-the ups, the downs, the passion, and the dedication it takes to share your life with the one you love.
Thunder Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jim Cummings) - Officer Arnaud loved his mom.
Too Legit / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Frankie Shaw) - After becoming pregnant from a sexual assault on campus, a young woman goes on a journey to find out if the rape was legitimate. This film was inspired by the statements of Senator Todd Akin.
Verbatim: The Ferguson Case / U.S.A. (Director: Brett Weiner, Screenwriter: Grand Jury Transcript) - Unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Using court transcripts from the case, this short film juxtaposes the reenacted testimony of two key witnesses: Dorian Johnson and the police officer himself, Darren Wilson.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS
Audition / Sweden (Director: Lovisa Sir n, Screenwriters: Lovisa Sir n, Peter Modestij) - Mika is auditioning male actors for her first feature, and they are all well-established alpha dogs in the film business. The situation turns more sour as their confidence in her reaches new lows.
Belladonna / Croatia (Director and screenwriter: Dubravka Turic) - Three women of different ages and backgrounds meet in an ophthalmologist's waiting room. The mention of a tragedy that left one of them nearly blind suddenly bridges their differen
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Park City, UT - Sundance Institute announced today its full lineup of 72 short films that will leave a lasting impact on audiences long after the lights go up at their screenings at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Sundance and Ogden, Utah. Among the short films the Festival has shown in recent years are World of Tomorrow, Whiplash, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom and Fishing Without Nets. This year's short film lineup will include both a Midnight and a New Frontier section, tying into the Festival's other programmatic strands. 
