On set, Director Mircea Nestor (left) Antonia Micu (middle) and Bogdan Cotleț (right).   We speak to Romanian director Mircea Nestor about his recent submission to ECU’s European Dramatic Short category, “Tarantyno”. Unsuccessful in his attempts to charm an attractive girl and spurned by an irritating and dominant older brother, the eponymous anti-hero decides to take what he wants, with devastating results. Marcea’s answers shed light on hi...

Our favourite superhero takes on a new dimension in this short film from director Hadrien Soulez Lariviere. A Parisian call-girl is summoned to Room 212 of a hotel where she is faced with a rather unusual client, whose sexual fantasy doesn’t quite conform to the norm..... By Mairi Cunningham Q: Firstly, when watching the scene of the escort girl walking the hotel corridors, it immediately made me the think of the iconic shots in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” wh...

  "Mind Dance", a recent submission to the Student Film category, is a moving portrayal of grief and memory loss. By Sophie Nellis (Interview partially edited by Geoffrey Hughes) Q: Could you tell me what inspired you to make this film? While studying abroad at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), I started to explore the concept of loss. I began to realize that in our lives we are constantly forced to deal with many types of losses. ...

Director Leonardo Guerra Seragnoli of recent European Dramatic Short submission "The Center" has a new spin on the old mannequin. By Katie Tillyer Q: What is your film about? Can you summarize what happens within it, briefly? "The Center" is about the violence of our contemporary societies; the violence we passively absorb through images thrown at us any possible instant of our everyday life. It is a provocative tale about men unable to reco...

  "Ça Roule", (European Dramatic Short category) from French directors Antoine Coutou and Jozsef Tari is a five minute blast of ingenious images which link like the fabric of life to show us that serenity and peace can come after fatal tragedy. By Katie Jackson Q: What is your film about? How did you come up with the idea and then develop the storyboard? Antoine Coutou: The film shows hardships we may face in life and overall the...

West Virginia mountaineer short film festival will take place in the historic Warner Theater in downtown Morgantown. Built by the Warner Brothers, H. M., Major Albert, and J.L nearly 80 years ago, this distinguished movie house is reminiscent of the early years of film. It's a perfect venue for screening works that strive to be new, innovative and original, as our festival does. Its historical significance also lends itself to one of the festival's areas of emphasis, exploring regional/Appalac...

  The formatting of this five week series will focus on the aspect of screenwriting including concept, plot, structure, conflict, building your story, compelling characters and dialogue.  Ken Chubb, a story editor/script consultant will give you the much needed essentials and pitching tools to help bring your screenplay/idea to a promotable caliber in order to meet the fierce marketplace.  Part 1 of 5 - The Story Wednesday, March 3rd STORY - Discover what makes a good story and h...

Check out my film "Rage"    RAGE, a raw-nerve, suspense thriller from independent filmmaker Christopher R. Witherspoon  combines a compeling story with nail biting action. The film is heavily influenced by the 1970's movie classic "Duel" by Steven Speilberg and Witherspoon's own personal demons. Set in Portland, Oregon, "Rage", delivers an explosive and contoversial action packed thriller.    The story begins when Dennis Twist, a 30 -something ye...

Scene of Black Berlin: social and racial conflicts in Brazil and Germany.   The seminar "Migration and Cinema" organized by anthropologist Maria Lidola will take place on 4th February up 6:30 pm at the Lateinamerika Institut of the Freie Universität Berlin. Brazilian-German short film Black Berlin by Sabrina Fidalgo will be screened for students and guests and afterwards there will be discussion and Q&A with the the director through Skype directly from ...

  What would you be willing to sacrifice? DEADSIDE, directed by Mark Triller and an ÉCU 2010 Student Film submission is a psychological-thriller short about a couple who have to make an untimely decision. By Lindsay Mayer Q: Explain what your film is about. The film is about the bond parents have to their children, specifically the heartache of loss, and confronting mortality. Losing a child can be unbearably grievous, more so than the loss of a parent or spouse. ...

.   Actress Barbara Wilson and director Reeve Nixon on the set of ‘Entwined.’  ‘Entwined’ is about an elderly lady forced to confront her fears of living and dying with regrets as she spends the night trapped in a Victorian whirligig. We talk to British director Reeve Nixon about old age and gambling with the weather when shooting a film outdoors in Scotland.   By Mairi Cunningham    Q: First off, tell me a bit about your film. Correct me if ...

   British director Tom Browne talks to us about his film ‘Spunkbubble’ recently entered in ÉCU’s European Dramatic Short category. As original as it is violent, the film is shot entirely as surveillance-camera footage, witnessing the events taking place in one individual hotel room. Yet what these events actually are, we can never really be quite sure…….  By Mairi Cunningham Q: Your film is unsettling yet intriguing. Tell me what it is about and where the inspi...