Sydney and Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival 2023 - Network Round Shorts

Saturday 23rd December - Tuesday 2nd January

1.

Hello, Muscles
Dir. Marnie Baxter
UK
Logline: A young girl develops muscles, but finds a different kind of strength.

2.

Red Velvet
Dir. Rodrigo A. Rodríguez
Mexico
Logline:Karina, a violinist, is a talented woman who dates Matias, a chef specialized in making cakes and cookies. He makes her addicted to his recipes using his special ingredient.

3.

Don't Wait: The Men's Mental Health Project
Dir. Elliott Sauvage, Matt Kirby
Australia
Logline: This project explores the mindset of 4 athletes whose battles with mental health have inspired them to create opportunity for change in others.

4.

Paper Route
Dir. Harrison Mitchell
Australia
Logline: Paperboys, Matt and Dewey race the clock to beat a delivery record, but their joyride ends in a problem that tests their friendship.

5.

Beyond The Cut
Dir. Daniel Guerrero
Australia
Logline: It was 1968 when a 14-year-old Italian, Paul De Luca, walked into a barber shop to ask for an apprenticeship. In 1973, he took over the shop and 54 years later he’s still in charge.
Despite the changes and challenges that come with time, Paul’s dedication, craftsmanship, and devotion remain unwavering.
This is the story of Brisbane's Most Iconic Barber.

6.

Prawn
Dir. Ella Maree Carey
Australia
Logline: During her first term back at high school, Eliza is on the delirious brink of her first kiss. But a brazen boy crushes her innocence.

7.

Remembrance
Dir. Shane Joseph Willis
Australia
Logline: A thief who downloads memories and information to sell to the highest bidder is cornered by a mysterious woman who wants information of her own; but the woman is not all that she appears.

8.

Gnomes
Dir. Raphael Cosme
USA
Logline: When Terry turns to garden gnomes to cope with a tragic accident, things start to go south when a pet fish is introduced.

9.

Sandro Cavazza - The Days
Dir. Paul Jerndal
Sweden
Logline: In this emotional music video Sandro Cavazza says goodbye to his career as an artist. Affected by his friend Avicii’s (Tim Bergling) passing and after years of doubts Sandro Cavazza made the decision to end his career as an artist before it was too late.

10.

Lucid
Dir. Chase Bowman
Australia
Logline: When a restless young woman finally gets to sleep, she’s met with
confronting and alluring imagery, but will she be able to wake up before it’s too late?

11.

Agent: Billy the commando
Dir. Teyva Yannick Alex Yannick Alex Ndong Ndong Mba
Australia
Logline: Agent is about a trained agent who is going all around the world in mission to do justice.

12.

Unfinished Business
Dir. Madi Phoenix
Australia
Logline: Unfinished Business is a twelve-minute short film aimed at children set in the magic realism genre. It is about thirteen-year-old Indigo and her best friend Connor. The two help each other to let go of the past and learn to live life to the fullest.

13.

The Naughty List
Dir. Luke Antoun
Australia
Logline: A young girl kidnaps and tortures Santa in an attempt to get off The Naughty List.

14.

Smartphone Users Anonymous
Dir. Madi Phoenix
Australia
Logline: Are you using your phone or is it using you?
My name is Madi and I used to be addicted to my smartphone until 6 months ago when I swapped it for a Nokia brick.
Welcome to Smartphone Uses Anonymous where we discuss our relationship with our phones and whether they are doing more harm than good when it comes to our connection with the world around us. My fellow Gen Z’s take part in a difficult experiment and document their experience. Their challenge: to go for 24 hours without their smartphone

15.

Solitaire
Dir. Tessa Tan
Singapore
Logline: An elderly wife struggling to live with her husband and his deteriorating cognition, finds reprieve in the card game Solitaire.

16.

Garage Sale
Dir. Josiah Mioni
Australia
Logline: As his parent’s marriage disintegrates, Patrick is dragged along to a Saturday morning garage sale by his father, Wayne. The hidden conflict between his parents can’t be avoided when a concerned neighbour enquires after Patrick’s mum, causing tension between father and son. Only then does Patrick seek refuge from his father’s manipulations.

17.

The Little Magician
Dir. Tibet Aslan
Australia
Logline: 1920s style black and white silent film made by 14 year old director and edited and sound production by Tibet Aslan.

18.

Forsworn
Dir. Courtney Wagner
Australia
Logline: Princess Ellora has some reservations about inheriting the throne. Her reservations are often quelled by her guard, Brynn, who promises to support her through even the toughest times. After Ellora's betrothal becomes imminent, the girls must decide if their feelings for one another are to be acted upon before it's too late, or extinguished.