On a car trip, a young couple tries to maintain a fragile relationship. Jake Kolton directs “Bruised Fruit Tastes Sweeter,” a quiet drama that unfolds in waves of unresolved feelings and built-up tensions. After speaking with his mother, Miguel feels stressed out about the upcoming Christmas holiday. His partner suggests they host a family party at their place, but the conversation is full of underlying points of contention. After an incident on the road, the argument is sidelined as they deal with more pressing concerns. This is the third short we’ve featured from Kolton — he specializes in building vivid atmosphere and immediacy without divulging full backstories, portraying characters that find themselves near, or at, a breaking point. (See also “Catherine” and “Monster”). -KA. Writer, Director: Jake Kolton. Cast: Christopher Sears, Ricardo Dávila. Director of Photography: Cory Fraiman-Lott. Editor: Carlos Pérez Segarra. Production Designer: Griffin Stoddard. Producers: Casey Bader, Nicole Quintero Ochoa, Eli Raskin. Casting by Duncan Stewart, Benton Whitley, Joey Montenarello. Colorist: Ana Escorse.
Celeste and Aurora have lived together for awhile but sometimes their friendship finds them bickering over mundane issues. “Dye Red,” directed by Vittoria Campaner, is a character study filled with vivid color and atmosphere, presented in vignettes that flow into one another with hidden cuts. The...
When Sandy and Mitra get into trouble, they come to their friend Alyssa for help. “Alyssa Learns to Drive,” written by and starring Sandy Honig, Mitra Jouhari, and Alyssa Stonoha, is an ingeniously silly sketch that cycles through a smorgasbord of random accents, absurd phrasings, botched languag...
A mechanic in a small midwestern town would do anything to leave her boring life but she can’t seem to break free. Tipper Newton directs and stars in “The Dangerous Type,” an entertaining throwback to 80’s (and before) tropes that renders its snappy banter and B-movie characterizations with style...
