The Goodbye

In this delightfully eccentric dramedy, a strange world of characters exists within a screenwriter's mind including, to his amazement, his lost love. She's bent on creating a story of her own, even if it means breaking up his epic ninja fight—all within a script, yet in real life. Things get even more weird from there, but amidst all this mayhem and with events spinning out of the writer's control, there is hope for peace, if only his peace of mind.

Directed by Mike P. Nelson and produced by Brett Andres, Colin Markowitz and Lynn Blumenthal, The Goodbye is a clever flight of fancy that jars the structure of things in a completely askew but relatable way. After watching this film, you might wonder what else an imaginative screenwriter could concoct, and you might even see your own story take shape.

You can watch the trailer here: The Goodbye Trailer

Figs for Italo

In this magnific drama, award-winning director Bob Celli draws from his own family's stories to paint a delicate portrait of Dora, a woman who's present-day memories of 1943 Italy remain barely suppressed. As American bombers pound the hills around a picturesque Italian village, one can feel the tremors rumbling today through the elderly survivor, whose fear is immediate and shared.

Celli achieves this effect through masterful art direction and cinematography, most notably in the flashback sequences, and through the intimacy he employs in his modern-day scenes. Although the emphasis is on what is felt as opposed to the spoken word, little is left unsaid in this highly touted, award-winning piece.

You can watch the trailer here: Figs for Italo Trailer

The Ballad of the Dreadnought

Rosanne Cash

Founded by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin Sr. in 1833, when Andrew Jackson was President of the United States, C. F. Martin & Co. enjoys a fine reputation for making handcrafted acoustic instruments and strings. The legendary list of Martin players includes such luminaries as Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and John Mayer, and some such artists are present in this richly historic documentary. 

The genesis for The Ballad of the Dreadnought was the 100th anniversary of the Martin Dreadnought, a revolutionary instrument that sold in small numbers for 20 years before exploding onto the music scene. David Crosby, Rosanne Cash and Jason Isbell join other artists in singing the Dreadnought's praises in this film, and sixth-generation company chairman Christian Frederick Martin IV adds his own insights, fusing a fresh blend of celebrity and history with the good, old-fashioned American plug.

Here in America, we love our artists and entrepreneurs, and we appreciate a great pitch—especially when it's so involving you hardly notice it. You can watch the trailer here: The Ballad of the Dreadnought Trailer

Simon

In this fine, thought-provoking short by writer and director Camille de Galbert, an actor prepares for the biggest stage of his life. Played by actor Simon Courchel, the eponymous lead brings contrasts both imaginary and real to the fore as he battles himself and the natural world around him.

White makeup that he applies in the dressing room transmorphs into a bizarre pillow mask onstage, hiding his face and smothering him as he languidly dances. His canine companion is white, as is the snow-covered ground, the pillow feathers and cover, contrasting with his black hat, coat and dark room. With so many opposites in the air, metaphorically captured by feathers that defy gravity in massless transcendence, one imagines a battle is taking shape. Is he doomed to join the cold ground, and is that why he wears this cushion? Or will black death actually save him? The ground is covered in white as he falls, defeated, while a dirge plays, suggesting that mortality is indeed a paradox.

The filmmakers describe Simon's passing as a transition from childhood to adulthood, adding that no one is more alone than an actor who enters the stage or a child in the midst of becoming an adult. But much more is hinted in this film, hidden between the notes and surreal images.

You can watch the trailer here: Simon Trailer