VFF 2018 — The Films
With hundreds of films submitted from all over the world for the 3rd Vertical Film Festival, the selection panel had a tough job narrowing it down to the films below.
This list is separated into two parts - competition finalists followed by out-of-competition films.
To see the program order please refer to this PDF. We're very grateful to the filmmakers who've allowed us to showcase some of their films online, where circumstances & rights clearances permit.
UPDATE: The results of the competition are in! CongratulaTions to Wenceslao Lopez Meza for “Amapola”.
DETAILS IN our blog.
⇧ THIS WAY UP ⇧ (Films in Competition)
Golden Delicious
A fantastic journey about discovery of inner strength and the power to persevere when faced with the impossible.
Director (Czech Republic) Duration 2’58" Equipment Sony as7ii
Zebra Life
Sophia relives a message that will change her life. She will have to walk in a journey between black and white lines, what they call the Zebra Life in order to found the correct path in life
Director Octavio Maya Rocha (Mexico) Key Cast Sandra Arcos Duration 2’55” Equipment iPhone SE Website
Isle of Capri
Lina’s grandmother is in a severe state of Alzheimer’s disease. In order to make her remember again, Lina abducts her from the hospital and takes her to her abandoned childhood home.
Directors Måns Berthas (Sweden) Duration 3’00” Key Cast Lina Hallberg, Britt-Mari Eriksson Cinematographer Johan Lehman Sound Jerker Häggström Production Manager Petra Berggren First AC, Grip Joakim Nyström Equipment Red Dragon
The Jacaranda
Jacaranda, the woman who every spring appears to send letters to people from all over the world, that are accompanied by a beautiful violet blue flower. Generating a positive impact on the community in the integration and equality.
Director Ane Rodríguez (Mexico) Duration 3’00” Equipment Sony A7s II Website
Double (World Premiere)
Dayna Grant grew up struggling with the perimeters of schooling and found herself lost with life and her career until she found the perfect profession for her. Stunts. Dayna is award winning stunt woman, who has worked as a double for A-list actors including Charlize Theron and Tilda Swinton. Although she is hugely successful in her industry her main passion is helping others around her achieve their goals.
Director Laura Sargisson (New Zealand) Duration 2’59” Key Cast Dayna Grant Cinematographer Olly Harris Gaffer Drew Wright Editor Alastair Tye Samson Post Production The Finishing Suite Equipment Sony F5, DaVinci Resolve
Website http://www.laurasargisson.com/
Rectangle (World Premiere)
'Rectangle' is a tongue-in-cheek insight into the way we capture home movies in the 21st century.
Director/Producer Ben Kumanovski (Australia) Duration 1’33” Key Cast Emma Bellamy, Josh Megarrity Cinematographer Sidat de Silva Art Director Melissa Kumanovski Equipment Red Helium Website
Maia
When we take our first steps in to art, we need a guide, a muse, a source of inspiration. Maya Plisetskaya served that role for dancers of many generations. Her portrait, ever-present in rehearsing rooms and her smile inspire young dancers to overcome their difficulties.
Director Inna Ouvaroff (France) Duration 3’00” Equipment RED
Circle
Follow your heart.
Director Kai Stänicke (Germany) Duration 3’00” Cinematographer Thomas Schneider Editor Susanne Ocklitz Equipment Sony FS7
Website http://www.kaistaenicke.com/
Lina
A vertical documentary to portray a different point of view in life. A point of view that challenges prejudice and preconceptions. Lina's point of view.
Director Pablo Santiago Apiolazza (Italy) Duration 3’00” Script Federica Raffin
Music Ian Post Special thanks to Oltre Quella sedia NGO Equipment Sony a7sI Website http://www.apzmedia.com/
Wings
In a society where men control the purse strings as a way of holding power over the family, a woman breaks free from the domestic prison her husband has created to continue her job as a street cleaner.
Director Kiran Pokharel (Nepal) Cast Nisha Karki, Kiran Pokharel Producer Kamal Risal, Sanjeev Acharya Duration 3’00” Equipment Blackmagic Pocket Camera Website
Standpoint (World Premiere)
Two strangers meet at their balconies. She is tired of her life. He will invite her to pursuit the life she wants.
Director Juan Francisco Pérez Villalba (Colombia) Duration 3’00” Website http://juanfranciscoperezvillalba.com/
Beat Again
After a bad injury from a basketball match, a player loses her 'inner rhythm', but thanks to the her willpower she will find a way to 'Beat Again’.
Director & Producer Duccio Brunetti (Italy) Duration 3’00” Key Cast Maria Cristina Tizi Cinematographer Riccardo Pompili Original Soundtrack Alessandro Elisei Producer Nicolò Marchi Scriptwriters Duccio Brunetti, Jacopo Fioretti Equipment Canon Mark 3, iPhone 7
Website
Like the dream of Laura
Laura Ferretti: the actress and the woman who discovers how to defeat the Minotaur.
Directors Octavio Maya Rocha (Mexico) Duration 3’00” Equipment iPhone 7 Website
To Accept
Stop motion portrait of my husband and the picture of our first meeting. The story about how to be yourself and to find your own way.
Director Daria Kashcheeva (Czech Republic) Key Cast Alexander Kashcheev Duration 2’59” Equipment Canon EOS 650, Dragonframe 3 Website
Heart Therapy
The Nurse of the Poznan Hospital takes care of the newborn babies. From time to time she meets very lonely newborns that are taken away from their parents or are unwanted. All these situations are very sad. The Nurse takes care of these lonely newborns, even staying after work to make their first day better by giving them a heart therapy.
Director Anna Zoll (Poland) Duration 3’00” Key Cast Paulina Tarnowska Music Michal Kowalonek
Music performed/words Paulina Tarnowska
Pictures Piotr Krupa
Equipment Canon C100 mll Website
1st Prize - ‘This way up’ competition & ‘best cinematograpHy’
Amapola
A professional freediver tell us about her vision of the world in a journey through her mind and the water.
Director Wenceslao Lopez Meza (Mexico) Duration 3’00” Cinematographer Rosa Hadit Key Cast
Violeta Amapola Nava Galindo Equipment Canon EOS 7D Website
Bonne Nuit
Lola works for an estate agency. When her boss asks her if she's about to sell an apartment, she tells him about someone who might be interested. But in fact, Lola prefers to keep this place for sale.
Director Dominique Maury-Lasmartres (France) Duration 3’00” Key Cast Ileana Lisa,
Manda Touré, Christophe Davis Cinematographer Olivier Tresson Sound Engineer Matthieu Fraticelli Equipment Sony A7SII Website http://silence-action.com/
Tall Shorts (Films Out of Competition)
VITRUM
VITRUM explores the virtual space of a longterm and long-distance relationship. The digital world influences humans and their relationships. All the positive aspects for example the development of social structures and communities are facing the negative aspects of it like social separation, isolation and sometimes the loss of reality.
Directors Joscha Bongard, Felix Schreiber (Germany) Duration 07’37” Cast: Tanja Lehmann, Wolfram Schorlemmer Equipment Blackmagic Website http://www.joschabongard.com/
Lasting Marks
The story of sixteen men put on trial for sadomasochism in the dying days of Thatcher's Britain was told by the police, the prosecution and the tabloid press — but not by those in the dock.
Director Charlie Lyn (UK) Duration 14’36” As told by Roland Jaggard; Directed and edited Charlie Lyne Producers Catherine Bray, Anthony Ing and Charlie Lyne Original Score Anthony Ing Executive produced by Matt Diegan, Jono Stevens, Laura Poitras and Charlotte Cook.
Palkattomat Pojat
Two men in search of fame and fortune to satisfy their yearning for purpose in their meaningless existence.
Director Aleksi Lappalainen, Matti Sipola (Finland) Duration 6’35” Cast Aleksi Lappalainen, Matti Sipola Equipment Panasonic Lumix GH 2
Il Nome Che Mi Hai Sempre Dato
Inspired by a true story. A tale of an endless love, a trip to the past, a man, prisoner of his human space. Determined to live through memories, for a new and unexplored "vanishing point".
Director Giuseppe Alessio Nuzzo (Italy) Duration 7’25” Website
Comme Toi
A young father who has neglected his son decides to his life back on track after an innocuous discussion with his child.
Director Jérôme Piel-Desruisseaux (France) Duration 3’45” Cinematographer Alexis Porée Cast Anthony Légal, Théo Taggueb, (headmistress voice) Elsa Bougerie Screenwriter Anthony Légal Sound recordist Franck Rabineau Make up Alexandra Lemoine Equipment Canon 5D mark iv
Bicho
Bicho explores the power of relationships and the concept of our own unique power to start over every day of our life.
Director Mariana Azcárate (Mexico) Duration 3’03” Key Cast Daniel Baruc Romero, Socorro Larrauri Website