Fantastic Fest 2022 was one of the very best – it’s certainly tops in my book for all the years we’ve covered and attended. One take away that is more impactful and enduring than seeing some gonzo foreign film, sitting for a secret screening or getting in on the ground floor for the next big genre spectacle is the people.
Whether it’s the fans, the festival staff (including those hard-working volunteers!) or the filmmakers, there is a certain kind of magical haze that only exists on the festival circuit. Moreover, I fondly (and sometimes fuzzily) recall the conversations, chance encounters and unexpected friendships that have emerged from being in the heart of any fest.
So that brings us to today’s show. We wrangled our newest gaggle of friends/acquaintances who survived the festival frenzy and wanted to share some stories with you. Further, this gang of gusto-fueled storytellers have gained vast experience and exposure just by getting themselves out there. We hit record one late afternoon and this was hands-down one of the most fun, all-out, shooting from the hip sessions that we’ve ever had.
This group of writers, directors, and producers go all in on their amazing shorts which are tall in stature and wide in vision. They couldn’t be any more different yet they all share a common language of story, originality and conviction.
Check out the trailers/info on the shorts as well as some background on each of these talented individuals below. But for now, let’s get to the good stuff, shall we???
EVERYBODY GOES TO THE HOSPITAL
Based on her mother’s experience of getting an emergency appendectomy in 1963, Tiffany Kimmel’s EVERYBODY GOES TO THE HOSPITAL is a haunting stop-motion animated incision into childhood trauma, interpreted with a poet’s eye.
About the filmmaker:
Tiffany Kimmel is an award-winning director, writer, and producer whose work explores emotional stories that expose uncomfortable truths, forgotten histories, and family secrets on a ‘need-to-tell’ basis in a visually rich and tactile way.
DRESS A COW
A county fair in rural Ohio is home to the world’s most unusual beauty contest in which cattle enthusiasts try to outdo each other by dressing their bovine companions in outlandish costumes. This documentary explores the deep-seated connection between the participants and their cows and the surprising longevity of a seemingly trivial event. Note: this did not screen at Fantastic Fest, but it was produced by Natalie Metzger (see below).
About the filmmaker:
Dawn Luebbe started her career acting on the stage in off-Broadway productions in New York Book of comedic essays and preteen diary entries, My 1992 Diary was published in 2015. She Co-wrote, co-directed and co-starred with Jocelyn DeBoer in the indie feature, GREENER GRASS, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Dawne is a veteran performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and worked on DRESS A COW with screenwriter Margaret Miller.
THE BLOOD OF THE DINOSAURS
Uncle Bobbo teaches children where oil comes from.
About the filmmaker:
Joe Badon is a filmmaker, illustrator and musician from New Orleans, Louisiana who has written and directed the feature films SISTER TEMPEST and THE GOD INSIDE MY EAR. He’s also a celebrated artist who has done illustrations for the comic books THE MAN WITH TEN THOUSAND EYES and TERRA KAIJU.
SLEEP STUDY
A young mother struggles with night terrors only to learn her trauma might not be confined to her sleeping hours.
About the filmmaker:
Natalie Metzger is an award-winning director, writer, and producer, who explores scientific themes with her visually rich and thoughtful work.
Her directing credits include LGBTQ sports documentary ALONE IN THE GAME (AFI Docs, Outfest), horror short SLEEP STUDY (Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween), sci-fi short IMMORTAL (Best Narrative Short – Eastern Oregon Film Festival), medical documentary SPECIAL BLOOD (Dolores Huerta Award for Best Director), and PSAs which were featured in the Washington Post and Huffington Post and won Telly Awards and Aurora Awards including Platinum Best of Show.
She is also a Spirit Award nominated producer who is best known for WEREWOLVES WITHIN (starring Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub), SXSW Grand Jury Award winner THUNDER ROAD, Sundance darling GREENER GRASS, Jim Cummings’ THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW, Yogi Berra documentary IT AIN’T OVER (Tribeca), IFC’s erotic thriller THE BETA TEST, and horror SPOONFUL OF SUGAR (Fantastic Fest). She is also known for producing shorts, most notably Dawn Luebbe’s DRESS A COW (SXSW), Jim Cummings’ THE ROBBERY (Sundance), and Alden Ehrenreich’s upcoming short SHADOW BROTHER SUNDAY.
