I went, I saw, I screened... and another WWSFF comes to a close. I’m not sure if it was the nice weather or the economy, but attendance seemed to be down slightly this year, especially at the usually popular Shorts for Shorties package of films. Most screenings I attended had perhaps two dozen people in the audience at most... sometimes even fewer than that. Then again, I was seeing daytime films and didn’t hit higher-profile prime-time screenings like Celebrity Shorts, which are usually full.

There were two programmes of films where I didn’t really fall for any of the shorts, which was disappointing – but film is subjective, so perhaps others in the audience found stuff in those collections they enjoyed. (I’m opting not to name what I found to be sub-par programmes.) I was also kind of bummed that Accidentally Funny (the programme of now-hilarious educational films from decades gone by) wasn’t on the roster this year.

One of the best additions to this year’s proceedings, though, was the VEHEMENT requests that people not only turn off their cell phones and Blackberries, but that they not text between films, or check the time, or have their tiny LCD screen lit at all during screenings. Kudos to festival programmer Angie Driscoll for being rightfully strident in her pre-show intros by repeatedly using the word “obnoxious” to describe that annoying electronic habit. Amen! And thank you! (At my final fest screening, I even heard a volunteer reprimand a delinquent audience member during a film with a stern, “Turn off your cell phone, please.” YES!)

Once again, life got in the way of me seeing as many programmes as I would have liked, so I’ve decided to re-adopt the wrap-up format I used last year.

Namely, highlighting the 10 films I enjoyed most.

In alphabetical order, they were:

7:57AM-PM (France) dir. Simon Lelouch An interesting pseudo-documentary profiling a renowned violinist as he plays in two very different Paris environments – one where his talents are celebrated, and another where they are completely ignored. Beautiful music to boot.

The Black Hole (UK) dir. Phil + Olly Super-short, but cute and clever, sci-fi comedy about a bored office worker who inadvertently creates a black hole with the photocopy machine... and promptly uses it for his own gain. It’s only about three minutes long, but it’s great.

Born and Raised (Netherlands) dir. Eelko Ferwerda More evidence that all you need to create a fantastic short film – and one with a beginning, middle AND end – is a terrific idea. In this little gem, an expectant father tries to create the perfect “sound painting” to play the instant his baby is born, so that it’s the first sound the child ever hears. Hilarious!

Careful With that Crossbow (New Zealand) dir. Jason Stutter A brief, but no less potent or funny, cautionary tale about a boy, his crossbow and things going awry.

The Henhouse (UK) dir. Elena Pomares Adorable animated story, without dialogue, about a wily fox who gets a job at a café (run and patronized by humans) as a way of getting in from the rain. The sequence where his boss forces him to wear a moustache, so as not to scare customers, was perfect.

Homeland (Czech Republic/Spain) dir. Juan de Dios Marfil My favorite film of the fest. I just loved it. It’s so simple, so beautiful and so moving... I cried through most of it and I’m not even sure I could tell you why. The story is about a girl and the curious creature she befriends and lots of knitting, and I found the themes of friendship, loneliness, sacrifice, love and loss all woven into it. You can watch the entire (6-minute) film here.

The Mouse That Soared (USA) dir. Kyle Bell Sweet little computer-animated tale about a mouse who’s adopted by a pair of birds, and who becomes a side-show sensation.

Overnight Stay (USA) dir. Daniela Sherer Another moving animated story, but this time a documentary. Filmmaker Sherer interviews her grandmother about good vs. bad, and winds up with a recollection of unexpected kindness during WWII.

The Secret Life of Suckers (Spain) dir. Juan Manuel Sánchez Years ago, the WWSFF introduced me to Pib and Pog, Aardman Animation’s mishap-prone globular pals. This year? The Suckers, a collection of rear-window, suction-cupped stuffed creatures, who get up to mischief. There were three Suckers shorts in the Shorts for Shorties programme, and I think the one with the cell phone was my favorite.

The Space You Leave (UK) dir. James Newton Somber and haunting documentary featuring interviews with three parents, each of whom has had a teenaged or adult child disappear. It’s a heartbreaking film to watch, but one that left its mark with me.

The festival also handed out its awards today, and you can find all the details on the winners – including the audience award – at the official website sometime later today or tomorrow.

See you next year!

WWSFF 2010

The 16th edition of North America’s largest short-film festival kicks off today, offering some 281 shorts from 34 countries – among them, 34 world premieres and more than 200 Toronto premieres.

Returning programmes include the always popular Sci-Fi: Out There (self-explanatory), Slap ‘n’ Tickle (the racier R-rated shorts), Shorts For Shorties (kids’ flicks) and Celebrity Shorts, which this year features work starring the likes of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell and Don Cheadle. The annual film-school showcase trains its lens on Mexico this year, with a collection of shorts from the Centro De Capacitación Cinematográfica, and the national spotlight for 2010 is Poland, with two programmes of films on the sked.

Among the new programmes added to the roster this year are Lunafest (showcasing films by and for women), DORIS (offerings from a women-centric Swedish collective) and When All Is Said and Sung (all musicals, all the time).

Festival director Eileen Arandiga says 2010’s fest is an exceptional one, both in terms of its scope and its films. “We have more premieres than ever before, more diverse programming, and an incredible line-up of films directed by women,” she says. “A real treasure trove of the best short films and videos from Canada and around the world.”

Heck there’s even a free iPhone app for anyone who might be interested! So what are you waiting for? Get thee to some shorts!

For more info on the festival, to buy tickets or just browse the schedule, visit the official website.

WWSFF 2010

Much to my chagrin, today was my final day at HotDocs 2010. I have to head out of town at the crack of dawn tomorrow, so I’ll be missing the festival’s final three days. It’s been a wonderful week filled with so many wonderful films, and this festival remains my favourite of them all.

Anyway, on to today’s screenings...

First up was The Canal Street Madam (6/8), a profile of Jeanette Maier, who operated a New Orleans brothel with her mother and daughter for many years before being busted by the FBI. The film examines how Maier ran her business, which catered to as many high-profile clients as average Joes, and how, in present day, she’s trying to reconcile her past while building a new (or somewhat new) future as an advocate for the rights of sex workers. Archival footage and home video punctuates current interviews with Maier and her entire family, all of whom have criminal records, as they reflect on the past – including the made-for-TV movie about their exploits – and their feelings about prostitutes being prosecuted while their johns walk away with unblemished records.

Maier is a terrific subject, gregarious and outspoken most of the time, but nicely shaded with vulnerability and the heart of a lion when it comes to her kids or her work. I suspect, much like the empathic light cast on Joan Rivers as a result her biographical doc, this film will erase certain preconceived notions about a professional madam and, certainly, about Maier herself.

I followed up one documentary about controversy with another, and headed over to 12th & Delaware (6/8), a film about the goings-on at an intersection in Pierce, Florida, where an abortion clinic sits on one corner and a pro-life office is on the other. Co-directors Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp) train their lens on both sides of the issue, first profiling the staff at the “Pregnancy Care Center,” which offers free ultrasounds and counsel to pregnant women considering abortion in a bid to get them to proceed with their pregnancies instead. What unfolds is often surprising or downright shocking, as the pro-life advocates peddle misinformation and, in one chilling sequence, secretly track the whereabouts of the abortion doctor across the street. The staff at the abortion clinic, who describe the perils of their profession and the non-stop harassment of the pro-lifers, get equal time and the fear and disbelief in their voices as they discuss their work is palpable.

While the film is balanced in terms of viewpoints, the pro-life side repeatedly shoots itself in the foot with the behavior and mentality of its zealous members. One biker-like dude, who’s perpetually wearing sunglasses, is especially frightening, and the ignorance they pass on in the name of life preservation is astounding. It’s very difficult not to feel like the confused young women looking for answers at their door are being manipulated, misinformed and completely misled. Being advised to stay with an abusive partner because “having the baby might change him for the better” is not only ridiculous, but irresponsible. And it’s all there onscreen in this compelling film.

Last up for the day, and my experience at this year’s fest, was a moving mid-length doc called I Shot My Love (6/8), a slice-of-life look at the relationship between its director, Tomer Heymann, and his dancer boyfriend, Andreas, as they try to navigate the waters of their romance amid their cultural differences (Heymann is Israeli, Andreas is German) while living together in Tel Aviv. Adding another layer to the love story is Heymann’s spirited mother, a fixture in her son’s life and frequent subject of his perpetually running camera, who keenly probes her son about what he wants out of life, and out of his deepening partnership with the sweet and open-hearted Deutsch man.

Before the screening, I was under the mistaken impression that Heymann’s film was about the dissolution of his relationship, but it’s just the opposite. He and Andreas are still together (it’s been four years since they met), and theirs is a touching love story that unfolds like one of Andreas’ performance pieces – a quiet, nuanced dance between two people working together to create something special.

And, after the film’s Q&A, I packed up my press pass and headed home, feeling more than satisfied with my HotDoc-ing. I saw great films, and wish I could have seen more – every year there are just too many to cram into any given day, and there are a ton I just couldn’t fit in this year. (Among the ones I missed but wanted to see were When I Rise, Ito – Diary of an Urban Priest, Kings of Pastry, Gaea Girls, Dish, Waste Land, Autumn Gold and The Parking Lot Movie, to name but a few.)

HotDocs continues to impress me, year after year, and continues to be one of the most accessible festivals Toronto has to offer. Its staff and volunteers run a tight, professional ship, but are always careful to remember: this is supposed to be fun. The love they have for their work and the films they program is evident, and I’m always sad when it’s over. This year, it’s ending a little earlier than usual for me, but I look forward to doing it all again next April. Until then...

[Note: for the full scoop on the festival’s award winners, click here on Sunday afternoon!]

HotDocs 2010