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The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.

AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.

World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...

"I'm excited to be forced to get to know you." From filmmaker Michael Mohan comes a charming short film about romance and relationships titled Pink Grapefruit, starring Wendy McColm who goes on a blind date that doesn't go as planned at first. The cast includes Nora Kirkpatrick and Matt Peters, plus Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. It's an interesting twist on the typical idea of a romance or even a blind date, and it works well as a refreshing short film that makes you think about relationships and how everything is supposed to work can be different. Watch out - it is Nsfw so wait until you're home. But it's a great short. A young married couple brings two of their single friends out to Palm Springs for a long weekend. It does not go as planned. The short premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and also played at SXSW.

Straight outta my email inbox...  A short film titled "Pink Grapefruit" by from director Michael Mohan which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January of this year, and went on to win a jury award at South by Southwest in March. The story: A couple (played by Matt Peters and Nora Kirkpatrick) arrange a blind date of sorts in Palm Springs for mutual friends (Wendy McColm and Nathan Stewart Jarrett)... and, well, things happen. Director Mohan and co-screenwriter Chris Levitus' intent here was to freshen up a simple, familiar premise with a slightly disorienting end-product. Did they succeed? Sundance and SXSW certainly think so.  You...

Chicago – As the Chicago Critics Film Festival (Ccff) – a film festival as programmed by the members of the Chicago Film Critics Association – heads into its last four nights, the variety and depth of the films that are being screened continues to astound and entertain. It all takes place at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, May 4 through 7, 2015.

HollywoodChicago.com contributors Nick Allen and Patrick McDonald have been sampling the best of the festival, and offer this preview of the final four nights of films. Each capsule is designated with Na (Nick Allen) or Pm (Patrick McDonald) – to indicate the author – or encapsulates the official synopsis from the festival.

’Quitters’ Screens on Monday, May 4th, at the Chicago Critics Film Festival

Photo credit: Chicago Critics Film Festival

The Ccff Closing Night films are the 2015 Sundance hits “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and “The Overnight,” screening on Thursday, May 7th,...

The winners of this year’s jury and special awards were revealed tonight [March 17] at the ceremony hosted by Vanessa Bayer.

SXSW has announced the winners of this year’s Jury and Special Awards.

Trey Edward Shults’ Krisha, expanded from his award-winning short of the same name, was named the Grand Jury winner of the Narrative Feature Competition, with Special Jury Recognition for Visual Excellence going to Creative Control director Benjamin Dickinson.

Grand Jury winner of the Documentary Feature Competition went to Scott Christopherson & Brad Barber’s Peace Officer, with Special Jury Recognition for Directing going to A Woman Like Me directors Alex Sichel and Elizabeth Giamatti.

Twinsters directors Samantha Futerman and Ryan Miyamoto were awarded Special Jury Recognition for Editing.

Kyle Buchanan, Wesley Morris and Krista Smith made up the Narrative Feature Competition jury, while the Documentary Feature Competition jury consisted of Tabitha Jackson, Jason Spingarn-Koff and Alison Willmore.

Short Film Jury Awards went to the likes...

Following the recent announcement of their full film lineup that includes Trainwreck, Get Hard, and Spy, South by Southwest has revealed their lineup of Midnight movies and short films to screen during the festival. Chief among them is the Sundance 2015 hit Turbo Kid (read our review here) and the Sundance ’15 winner of the Short Film Prize World of Tomorrow. SXSW runs from March 13-21. View the full Midnighters and Shorts lineup below via the SXSW website.

****

Midnighters

The Corpse of Anna Fritz (Spain)

Director: Hèctor Hernández Vicens, Screenwriters: Hèctor Hernándes Vicens, Isaac P. Creus

Anna Fritz, a famous and beautiful actress, has died recently. Three young men sneak into the morgue to see her naked. Fascinated by her beauty, they decide to become the last people to have sex with her. Cast: Alba Ribas, Cristian Valencia, Bernat Saumell, Albert Carbó. (World Premiere)

Deathgasm (New Zealand)

Director/Screenwriter: Jason Lei Howden...

Not unlike the previous year, a whopping eight thousand plus short films were submitted to Sundance this year. Among some of the filmmaker names that we are already familiar with, we find several feature filmmakers moonlighting back to the short form; basically the short is healthier than ever. Topping the 2015 crop, we have Jake Mahaffy (whose feature, Free in Deed appears to be somewhere in post) who contributes to our understanding of 13th century rule with the year specific, A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry. We have Cutie and the Boxer helmer working in the fiction form with Hugh the Hunter and form the same vintage 2013 year, fellow feature film helmer Shaka King (director of Newlyweeds) turns in a short in Mulignans (see pic above). Michael Mohan who has been to Sundance with features One Too Many Dates and Save the Date, returns with Pink Grapefruit.

Crossing into the international shorts,...

Top brass have announced 60 films culled from 8,061 submissions across four categories – Us and international narrative, documentary and animation.

“This year’s short film-makers have broken through their limited timeframe with a high level of artistry and story that will resonate with audiences long after each film has ended,” said senior programmer Mike Plante.

The Short Film programme is presented by YouTube.

Sundance 2015 is set to run in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah, from January 22 to February 1.

All synopses provided by the festival.

Us Narrative Short Films

Actresses

Jeremy Hersh

The film follows the relationship between a young, aspiring actress and an established off-Broadway star.

A.D. 1363, The End Of Chivalry (USA-New Zealand)

Jake Mahaffy

A little-known historical catastrophe leads to the definitive end of the era of chivalry and questing.

Color Neutral

Jennifer Reeves

A color explosion sparkles, bubbles, and fractures in this handcrafted 16mm film. Jennifer Reeves utilises...

There will be some Eloise and Lena Dunham, protests from Hong Kong, self-declared pop-ups from Canada, and unbelievable animated images of the final moments of a World War II hero. Those are just a few of the offerings among the 60 short films revealed today by the Sundance Film Festival. In the last of its four official announcements, the 31st annual Park City shindig rolled out an eclectic mix culled from the 8,061 submissions in the category that perhaps shows the true scope of Sundance most acutely.

The fest runs January 22-February 1. (As in past years, Deadline co-Editor-in-Chief, Film Mike Fleming Jr. and myself will be in Park City.)

Here is the full short films list:

U.S. Narrative Short Films

Actresses / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Hersh) — The film follows the relationship between a young, aspiring actress and an established off-Broadway star.

A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry / U.