The 2010 Live Action Shorts

Best short film (live action)

“The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn (Russian, 17 min.)
“Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström (Swedish, 22 min.)
“Kavi” Gregg Helvey (Hindi, 19 min.)
“Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey (English, 17 min.)
“The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson (English, 20 min.)

THE DOOR IRELAND/17 MINS
Director/Writer: Juanita Wilson
Producers: Louise Curran, James Flynn
Cast: Igor Sigov, Juliette Gering, Liliya Grechk
DOP: Tim Fleming
Production Designer: Susie Cullen
Editor: Nathan Nugent

A father attempts to come to terms with the devastating affects of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.


INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA SWEDEN/22 MINS
Director/Writer: Patrik Eklund
Producer: Mathias Fjellstrom
Cast: Simon J. Berger, Jacob Nordenson, Anki Larsson, Saga Gärde, Göran Forsmark

Tomas is a bit too old for still living at home with his parents, but his failure to become a magician leaves him with no other choice. His father Bengt wants him to get a proper job. On Bengt’s 60th birthday party Tomas gives him, and all his guests, an quite bizarre show.


KAVI USA|INDIA/19 MINS
Director/Writer/Producer: Gregg Helvey
Cast: Sagar Salunke, Ulhas Tayade, Rajesh Kumar, Madhavi Juvekar

Kavi is a boy in India who wants to play cricket and go to school, but instead he is forced to work in a brick kiln as a modern-day slave. Unsatisfied with his fate, Kavi must either accept what he’s always been told, or fight for a different life even if he’s unsure of the ultimate outcome.


MIRACLE FISH AUSTRALIA/17 MINS
Director/Writer: Luke Doolan
Producer: Drew Bailey
Cast: Karl Beattie, Brendan Donoghue

Eight-year-old Joe has a Birthday he will never forget. After friends tease him, he sneaks off to the sick bay, wishing everyone in the world would go away. He wakes up to find his dream may have become a reality.


THE NEW TENANTS DENMARK|USA /20 MINS
Director: Joachim Back
Writer: Anders Thomas Jensen Adaptation: David Rakoff
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Tivi Magnusson, Erika Hampson, Christian Potalivo, Johanne Stryhn Hoerby
Cast: Kevin Corrigan, David Rakoff, Vincent D’Onofrio, Liane Balaban, Helen Hanft, Jamie Harrold

A prying neighbor, a glassy-eyed drug dealer, and a husband brandishing both a weapon and a vendetta make up the welcome wagon. Set amidst the as-yet-unopened boxes and the hopes for a fresh start of two men on what might just be the worst moving day ever. Their new apartment reveals its terrifying history in a film that is by turns funny, frightening, and unexpectedly romantic.

Cast your predictions for this year’s Oscar® nominated short film winners at www.shortshd.com/theoscarshorts.

In the Live Action category The New Tenants starring Law & Order: Criminal Intent star Vincent D’Onofrio is currently in the lead, closely followed by the Swedish entry Instead of Abracadabra in second place and slave drama Kavi in third.

The Animation race is even tighter. Nick Park’s A Matter of Loaf & Death is being chased by the double whammy of Logorama and Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty in second and third place respectively.

With the programme entering its second weekend in cinemas across the US, the voting is set to continue all the way up to the Academy Awards ceremony on March 7th.

To cast your predictions, visit www.shortshd.com/theoscarshorts.