Humzaad (The Other Self)
PAKISTAN / 2005 / 12 MIN / URDU

Cast: Badi Uzzamand, Ayeshah Alam, Hammad Khan, Mehreen Malik
Cinematography: Najaf Bilgrami
Editing: Imran Niazi
Sound: Mujeeb Syed
Music: Sarmad Ghafoor
Written, Produced and Directed by: Hammad Khan

SYNOPSIS
In Karachi a bereaved actress mourns her lost child. In the Northern Hills of Chattar an old man goes through a crisis of faith. Before the day is out, their worlds will connect.

THE FILMMAKER
Hammad Khan, a UK-based Pakistani filmmaker, made his first short film "Samovar" in 2004, which received an award at the 4th KaraFilm Festival for the Best Emerging International Talent. The film was also nominated for Best Short at the Raindance Film Festival 2005 and was selected for several other festivals. It also found online distribution with Raindance and UK ISP Tiscali's short film website. Hammad completed his first UK-based short film "Explosions" in collaboration with the UK Film Council. Hammad continues to work as a film examiner with the British Board of Film Classification. He plans to direct his debut feature film in 2007.

Idaiveli (Distance)
INDIA / 2005 / 26 MIN / TAMIL

Cast: Anand Sami, Selva Kumar, Lakshmi Rebecca
Cinematography: Mahesh Muthuswami
Editing: Balaji, S.P
Sound: Prabhu
Music: Chezhian
Producers: Jafarulla Hanifa, Sivakumar
Written and Directed by: Mamallan

SYNOPSIS
Three people undergo a transitional phase in their personal lives. They are distanced from each other knowingly or unknowingly. Each one’s aspirations and perceptions are different, yet they all co-exist. This film observes the depression surrounding today’s youth in a globalised world.

THE FILMMAKER
Mamallan wanted to convey the states of mind of two individuals who experience stagnation in their lives. Thus came the concept for “Distance”, which was first screened at the 9th Dhaka International Short Film Festival.

Intimos (Intimates)
SPAIN / 2005 / 14 MIN / SPANISH

Cast: Juan Carlos Vellido, Edu Del Prado, Patricia Vico, Paula Vazquez
Cinematography: Nicolas Pinzon
Editing: Teresa Sotoca
Sound: Jose Aguirre, Jose Blanco Fernandez
Music: Carlos Marquez, Lorenzo Solano
Producers: Estrella Diaz, Vanesa Santiago
Written and Directed by: Frank Spano

SYNOPSIS
Two places, two women, two men, two secrets…too close. During a job interview, Valentin perceives Vilma’s seductive attitude towards him. She is his prospective boss and also Elsa’s childhood friend. Meanwhile, Elsa, Valentin’s girlfriend, is taking a ride in Vilma’s car with Ernesto, her charming personal assistant.

THE FILMMAKER
Spano is an actor, writer and director based in Spain who has worked extensively in film and television. Spano also sometimes makes appearances as a stand-up comedian.

Invasion
UK / 2005 / 3 MIN / ENGLISH

Voices of: Jonathan Nettleton, Michael Medwin, Jane Whittenshaw
Animation: Matt Abbiss
Sound: Barnaby Templer, Jake Roberts
Producer: Nicola Black
Written and Directed by: Matt Abbiss

SYNOPSIS
A dark comedy, featuring a lone man’s seemingly futile attack on a small and rainy island with just one inhabitant.

THE FILMMAKER
Matthew Abbiss was born in 1971 and grew up in Hertfordshire. On graduating from the Edinburgh College of Art with a degree in animation, Matt was employed as an animator at Red Kite Productions on “The Many Deaths of Norman Spittle” and “The Green Man of Knowledge.” Since 2004 he has directed three commercials for Wrigley’s Orbit and a corporate video for a German pharmaceuticals company. He was picked to be one of four directors participating in the Channel 4 MESH scheme in 2005. Matt teaches animation skills at the London College of Communication. He also teaches the short cartooning and comic strips class at Central Saint Martins, and self-publishes his own comic books.

Is Basti Mein Koi Chor Nahin (There Are No Thieves In This Neighbourhood)
PAKISTAN / 2006 / 52 MIN / URDU

Cast: Sharjil Baloch, Mahvash Faruqi, Karim Bilal
Cinematography: Naveed Buzdar, Majid Mumtaz, Feroz Yusuf
Editing: Baqir Rind
Sound: Umair, Farhan
Screenplay: Rafaqat Hayat
Produced and Directed by: Khalid Ahmad

SYNOPSIS
Based on a short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, this film is set in a Makrani coastal village. Frustrated by poverty, Abu, a simple minded young man embarks upon his new career as a thief. In his first attempt he manages to break into a local billiards club where the community gets together. Since he cannot find anything better to steal, he picks up the billiard balls lying on the table. This brings the cultural life of the village to a halt. A sense of gloom and boredom now prevails. This causes pangs of extreme guilt that increase when an outsider visiting the village is blamed and arrested.

THE FILMMAKER
Khalid Ahmad has a degree in theatre from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and is currently teaching at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA). Khalid has been involved in theatre and television production, writing, acting and direction for several years.

Italia 2006
ITALY / 2006 / 3 MIN

Cast: Daniele Carrer
Cinematography: Daniele Carrer
Editing and Sound: Daniel Carrer
Written, Produced and Directed by: Daniele Carrer

SYNOPSIS
The loss of a pair of shoes marks the beginning of an awful day for one paranoid man.

THE FILMMAKER
Daniele Carrer was born in 1977 in Conegliano in northeastern Italy. He began his career as a video maker in 1996. His work has been selected by major national festivals and he has entered numerous competitions outside his country, finding distribution in the USA for his last short film “Italia 2006”, which also won an award in a festival in Rome, Italy.

JAO5 TBO
UK-FRANCE / 2006 / 3 MIN / FRENCH

Cast: Simon Mullen
Cinematography: Tony Clarke
Editing: Colin Dewar
Sound: Christophe Rudel
Music: Francois Doreau
Written and Directed by: Thierry Bonnaud

SYNOPSIS
A man trapped in his car is travelling through time and space. “JAO5 TBO” is an experimental road movie shot in Kodachrome Super 8 at ‘24 cars per second.’

THE FILMMAKER
As a student, Thierry Bonnaud was an active member of the Clermont-Ferrand University Cinema Club in France. He moved to England in 1999. He works on experimental films using mostly Super 8. “JAO5 TBO” is Thierry’s first film.

Jang Hargez (No War)
IRAN / 2005 / 2 MIN 55 SEC / PERSIAN

Screenplay: Ravanbakhsh Sadeghi
Producer: Saba Center
Directed by: Ravanbakhsh Sadeghi

SYNOPSIS
Let’s protect all the children of the world from war…

THE FILMMAKER
Born in 1970 in Iran , Ravanbakhsh Sadeghi graduated from TV University in 1995 as an animation director. His works include "Watch Out!", "Child and Spider", " Al Hasin Place ", "Did You Know?", "Atash Neshan (Fireman)", "Old Tales", "No War", "Old Life", "The Life Cycle", "The Raven1", "Kereshmeh" (Miracles) and "Love." He has made more than 150 TV promos, commercials, fillers and titles and has received various awards for his work. He has been a member of the jury and selection committees of a number of Iranian festivals and is also a member of the board of the Irani animation association, Asifa.

Just Like The Movies
AUSTRIA / 2005 / 21 MIN

Animation: Rafal Kosakowski
Editing: Michal Kosakowski
Sound and Music: Paolo Marzocchi
Written, Produced
and Directed by: Michal Kosakowski

SYNOPSIS
“It’s just like the movies!” That was usually the first reaction of those watching the events of 9/11 in New York unfolding on their TV screens, no doubt recalling the endless number of catastrophes that Hollywood has proposed over the years. Now confronted with the reality of such a scenario, one of unprecedented destructive and symbolic resonance, a feeling of déjà vu arises while looking at these images.

This paradoxical déjà vu presents a great challenge to our realism. If documentary images are graphic testimony of real events, the footage of 9/11 is evidence of the realisation of the existing fiction. “Just Like The Movies” is an attempt to reconstruct the events of 9/11 by highlighting the parallels between fictive worlds and images of real events.

THE FILMMAKER
Michal Kosakowski has written, directed and edited numerous shorts, experimental and documentary films. His work comprises over 100 films that have been shown at international film festivals and exhibitions, earning him numerous awards. From 1997 to 1999, he worked as an independent filmmaker and artist in Fabrica, the international centre for research in arts of modern communication in Italy, founded by Oliviero Toscani. In 2003, Michal co-founded the Nosugar Added film production house with Evelyn Eberhardt.

Kaassh… (If Only…)
INDIA / 2006 / 10 MIN / HINDI

Cast: Vineet Kumar, Kapil Sharma, Shwetaa Kawatraa
Cinematography: Ramani Ranjan Das
Editing: Hemanti Sarkar, Sujeet Das
Sound: Parikshit Lalvani
Music: Manik Satya
Screenplay: Smita Kapoor, Surrinder Bhatia
Producers: Dr Lalit Kapoor, Dr Prabha Kapoor
Directed by: Smita Kapoor

SYNOPSIS
People often wonder what their lives would have been like had they chosen a different path from the one they’re currently on. Often people choose a certain path, and then later wish they had just stayed where they were. As the saying goes, ‘the grass always seems greener on the other side.’ But is that really the case? “Kaassh…” explores this restless human quality using marriage as a setting. It is the eve of Karvachauth, a time when Indian women pray for the long lives of their husbands. But all Esha can think of is getting one more chance at the perfect life.

THE FILMMAKER
Smita Kapoor is a post-graduate in film and television production from Xavier’s Institute of Communication and also holds a diploma in journalism from the Bombay College of Journalism. She has been working in the Indian television industry for the last five years in the capacity of director and executive producer. She is currently writing dialogues for two Bollywood films. “Kaassh…” is Smita’s first short film.

Khuld (Heaven)
PAKISTAN / 2006 / 6 MIN 22 SEC / URDU

Cast: Tabish Taufiq, Jibran Alam
Cinematography: Emad Taufiq
Editing and Sound: Emad Taufiq
Art Direction: Sattar
Producer: Rumina Ahmed
Written and Directed by: Emad Taufiq

SYNOPSIS
“Khuld” depicts jihad in a new light, portraying its positive aspects and clarifying the preconceived notions people have about it. It conveys the straggling mental and emotional turmoil a suicide bomber goes through. The idea is derived from the peaceful route one can take to heaven instead of following the destructive path that supposedly leads to ‘eternal bliss.’

THE FILMMAKER
Emad Taufiq is a 6th semester student of Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in Karachi. He is majoring in graphic design with a minor in filmmaking. “Khuld” is his third short film.

Kindabesa Serisarana (Transference)
SRI LANKA / 2005 / 30 MIN / SINHALA

Cast: Aruna Priyantha, Anurudhika Padukkage
Cinematography: Chinthaka Somakeerthi
Editing: Harsha Disanayaka
Music: Nowan Vithanage
Written, Produced and Directed by: Malaka Dewapriya

SYNOPSIS
“Kindabesa Serisarana” examines the predestined conflict between constructed meaning and practical world in a man and woman’s life.

THE FILMMAKER
Malaka Dewapriya is a student of film direction in Sri Lanka. He is an actor, photographer and journalist. He also makes experimental shorts, and writes and directs for theatre, documentaries, radio and television. His work includes “Penetrate” (2001), “Exchange” (2002), “Life Circle” (2003) and “Transference” (2005).

Kooniklaster
POLAND / 2006 / 17 MIN / POLISH

Cast: Pawel Tomaszewski, Aleksander Bednarz, Anna Sarna
Cinematography: Michal Tywoniuk
Editing: Tymoteusz Wiskirski
Sound: Jarek Wojcik, Ania Zarnecka
Music: Michal Lorenc
Producers: Edyta Sek, Krzysztof Domain
Written and Directed by: Mariko Saga

SYNOPSIS
A boy wanting to be magician experiences great magic, not through any trick but through the power of introversion of his grandfather and his ancestors. "Kooniklaster" is a road movie on the horse wagon.

THE FILMMAKER
Mariko Saga was born in Japan in 1983. He graduated from the Art College in Cambridge, UK , and subsequently enrolled in the Polish National Film School in film directing courses. "Kooniklaster" is his first film.

L’Homme Quin’aimat Pas Les Animaux (The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals)
UK / 2005 / 12 MIN 40 SEC / FRENCH

Cast: Stephane Cornicard, Laurie Hagen
Cinematography: Franz Pagot Aic
Editing: Luke Deverill
Music: Sid Merrett
Producers: Tom Bainton, Thomas Benski, Marisa Clifford
Written and Directed by: Tom Bainton

SYNOPSIS
Jean is a writer, only not a very good one. With the rejection letters piling up, he finds himself experiencing writer’s block, while his girlfriend keeps asking if they can get a pet.

THE FILMMAKER
Tom Bainton has been making films for the past six years, and is a two-time award winner at the Cannes Film Festival. He currently has several feature film projects in development.

Lahori Shehzade (The Princes of Lahore)
PAKISTAN / 2006 / 1 MIN 46 SEC / LANGUAGE

Editing and Sound: Haider Ali Jaan, Muzzumil Ruheel
Music: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Produced and Directed by: Haider Ali Jaan and Muzzumil Ruheel

SYNOPSIS
“Lahori Shehzade” is based on an incident that took place on 14th February 2006, in reaction to the Danish cartoon controversy. This film aims to show that whatever happened that day was an extreme reaction.

THE FILMMAKERs
Haider Ali Jaan and Muzzumil Ruheel are students of visual arts at the Beaconhouse National University in Lahore.

Laid Off
UK / 2006 / 10 MIN 30 SEC / ENGLISH

Cast: John Paul Hurley, Claire Knight, Steven Ritchie, Vicky Allan
Cinematography: Ray Tallan
Editing: Zam Salim
Sound: John Cobban
Music: Chris Waitt, Pang Paddfon
Art Direction: Ann Marie Mckewna
Written, Produced and Directed by: Zam Salim

SYNOPSIS
If you thought life was rubbish, wait until you get a load of death. “Laid Off” follows the recently deceased Martin as he comes to this conclusion.

THE FILMMAKER
Zam Salim is a writer, producer and director based in Scotland, UK. He has made a number of award-winning short films including “Cold Light of Day” and “Original Bob”, which won the award for Best Film at the 4th KaraFilm Festival in 2004.

Love This Time
AUSTRALIA / 2005 / 18 MIN / ENGLISH

Cast: Titania Quaresma, Keanu Quaresma, Joey Coley-Sowry
Cinematography: Greig Fraser
Editing: Paul Willams
Sound: Ned Dawson
Music: Patrick Robertson
Producer: Toby Patten
Written and Directed by: Rhys Graham

SYNOPSIS
For twelve-year-old Nouria, love is all there is. But if love is all there is, then why can’t her brother stop wetting his pants, why are the flowers that fill her house rotting, why does her boyfriend’s dog die and why won’t her dad get out of bed?

THE FILMMAKER
Rhys Graham, born in 1974 in Penang, Malaysia, is a filmmaker and a writer based in Melbourne. His films include “Charm” (which premiered at the Hamburg International Film Festival 2000), “Firestorm” (which premiered at the Real: Life on Film Festival 2004) and a feature documentary “Words from the City.” Recently, his music video “Another Day” won Best Music Video at the 2005 Kilda Short Film Festival. Rhys has been involved as a director/mentor with the award winning youth arts organisation Big Heart, and their most recent project “Knot at Home” will be screened as an 8-part TV series on Australian TV network SBS in 2006. Rhys is also the co-editor of the book “Short Site: Recent Australian Short Film” and a contributor to several publications and cinema journals.

Main Sawa Paanch Bujay Aai Thi (I Came By At A Quarter Past Five)
PAKISTAN / 2006 / 40 MIN / URDU

Cast: Khalid Ahmed, Maria Wasti, Sharjil Baloch,
Saife Hasan, Razi ul Hassan
Cinematography: Majid Mumtaz
Editing: Baqar Rind
Producer: Khalid Ahmed
Directed by: Ehteshamuddin

SYNOPSIS
Sarah walks into a small cafeteria at 6:00pm sharp for her daily rendezvous with Wil, the cafeteria owner. She’s nervous and determined to quit her job. When Wil asks her why, she says she is tired. Maybe that’s the truth…or maybe …

THE FILMMAKER
Ehteshamuddin graduated with a degree in commerce from Karachi University. His interest in performing arts led him to various theatre groups, including Tehrik-e-Niswan, Katha and Theatre Circle. In an acting career spanning over 13 years, he has acted in some of the most successful theatre plays of the 1990s in Pakistan. In 1998, he was one of the few selected by UNDP for a course in television production at the Pakistan Television Academy, Islamabad. Ehteshamuddin’s film “Shahrukh Khan Ki Maut” was critically acclaimed at last year’s KaraFilm Festival.

Mela (Fair)
UK / 2005 / 3 MIN 7 SEC / PUNJABI

Cast: Rajveer Singh Sandhu, Raj Mahey,
Jeet Kalsi, Jeeto Kumari Jakkhu,
Devi Banger, Resham Kalsi
Animation: Kevin Grady, James Merry,
Maki Yoshikura, Simon Goodchild
Editing: Tony Fish
Sound: Barnaby Templer, Jake Roberts
Producer: Jayne Bevitt
Written and Directed by: Reena Kalsi

SYNOPSIS
At a train station in Punjab, India, an anxious mother bids her two sons farewell as they speed away from the platform, heading for the fair. She hands her older boy Sonu responsibility for his little brother Jitu, who has never been to such an event. In a place full of such excitement and thrilling distractions, her concern is understandable. Arriving in high spirits, Sonu and Jitu head inside, not quite prepared for what sort of day the fair has in store for them.

THE FILMMAKER
Reena Kalsi was born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, in 1980. Graduating from the University of Wolverhampton with a BA (Hons) in animation in 2003, Reena promptly sent forth her idea for a short film to the Channel 4 AIR scheme. The proposal was successful and she became one of the four winners of AIR 2003, and was the first to enter the new animator’s booth in Bradford’s National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. “Mela” is adapted from a personal account of Reena’s father, of going to a funfair when he was a boy.

My First Taste of Death
UK / 2006 / 9 MIN 30 SEC / ENGLISH

Voice of: Ian W. Gouldstone
Animation: Laurie Hill, Martin Ruyant,
Michael Zauner, Ian Gouldstone
Cinematography: Ian Gouldstone
Sound: Laurie Hill, Andrew Lomatschinsky
Music: Andrew Lomatschinsky
Producer: RCA Animation
Written and Directed by: Laurie Hill

SYNOPSIS
“My First Taste of Death” is a story written by the director at the age of 12, now 35 – about events when aged 21. It’s a tormented take on Hollywood actioners: an adventure that can only end in tears.

THE FILMMAKER
Laurie Hill was born in Norfolk, and now lives in London. He did his BA in English at RHBNC, his masters in English at Kings College, London, and his BA in art at Chelsea College of Art and Design. Laurie has worked for nine years as an information designer for a mainframe computer firm. He graduated in 2006 in animation at the Royal College of Art, London.