MTFF SHORTS BLOCK 2 - GROWN-UP PROBLEMS

Okay, you've made it to adulthood. Too bad your problems have just begun. Here are seven short roadmaps to help you find your way.


Flail

Director: Ben Gauthier
Producer: Jack Forbes
Los Angeles, CA

An addled farce for the attention economy, Flail follows a distracted personal assistant as she frantically prepares for her boss’s birthday party. With her sullen brother David in tow, Allie careens through a blur of gridlocked parking garages and fast-casual salad chains, all part of her desperate quest to achieve a single thing that she initially set out to do.


8 Minutes 20 Seconds 

Director: Harris Doran
Producers: Carl Moellenberg, Harris Doran, Trent Anderson
New York, NY

The sun goes out, leaving only 8 minutes and 20 seconds of sunlight on Earth. Max must race against time to reconcile with his ex-boyfriend in order for them to be together in the last moments of sun. Written and directed by Harris Doran, whose short F^¢k 'Em R!ght B@¢k was an audience favorite at the 2022 Montana Film Festival.


Video Funeral

Director: Linh Tran
Producer: Hannah Schierbeek
Chicago, IL

Lam, a Vietnamese international student, welcomes her younger sister, Phuong, to her Chicago apartment. Phuong brings a DVD of their father’s funeral, which Lam could not attend.


Gary

Director: Irina Arnaut
Producers: Aaron Murtagh, Jeri Rafter
New York, NY

Helen and John are artists. They're also contract killers. And they hate the name Gary. This offbeat road film, which has won numerous awards at film festivals across the country, was made in Montana and produced by long-time friend of MTFF Jeri Rafter.


Bust

Director: Angalis Field
New York, NY

A trans cop with the New York City Police Department goes undercover to make a drug bust. Written and directed by Angalis Field, whose short The Dalles played at the 2023 Montana Film Festival.


Water Dog

Director: Christina Kelly Holmes
Producer: Roxanne Griffith
New York, NY

Guy, a disillusioned millennial, bumps into Dan, an old classmate, and meets his new wife. But there's something off about her. However, no one, including Guy’s girlfriend, says anything. Sucked into an awkward dinner, Guy wonders how Dan has gotten further in life than he has.


To Build a Fire

Director: Jennings Barmore
Producer: Jeri Rafter
Quake Lake, MT

Miles from shelter, with the sun and the temperature dropping swiftly, a man attempts to build a fire, desperate to save his own life and that of his dog. Based on the renowned short story by Jack London, To Build A Fire was filmed during the brutal winter of 2022 - 2023 in the Quake Lake region of Montana.

Q&A to follow the 10/5 screening with the following guests:

Irina Arnaut, director of Gary
Jennings Barmore, director of To Build a Fire

Sponsored by Aligned MT Massage Therapy, Bitterroot Floral, Boyle Deveny & Meyer, Missoula Wine Merchants, Plonk, and Topo Real Estate!