Filminute 2014: One minute shorts reviewed in 80 Characters or Less

If you’re the type who doesn’t like watching long films as it might probably bore you, worry no more because Filminute is here for you.

Filminute is an international film festival that showcase a batch of well crafted films from various parts of the globe. The catch? The film should only be 60 seconds -no more, no less.

The festival, now on its 9th year, is available ONLINE for the audience to view during the whole month of September. And it’s for free! Aside from free viewing, audience can also rate and vote for their favorite film.

Unfortunately though, Philippines has no record of joining the said festival yet but hopefully we’ll see one next year!

Awards will be announced on October 7 so make sure to place your votes on or before Sept. 30.

Now on to the reviews: since these are shorter-than-short shorts, I intended to watch all 25 films in a day. And as a challenge I placed upon myself, I will write my reviews in 80 characters or less.

Here are my short reviews of the Filminute entries this year. Ranked according to its effect on me:

SKY IS MINE
Fatema Hasani
Afghanistan
The sky welcomes peace and nothing else. Quiet, simple, disturbingly beautiful. 9/10

CONFINED
Tim Mattson
USA
I cannot breathe! Intense situation and film execution. 8.5/10

HOW TO RECALL WHAT I ALREADY KNEW
Terence Nance
USA
There is beauty in the unknown and then there is the struggle. 8.5/10

EARLY
Alon Gelnik
USA / Israel
Schadenfreude! Feminists might go wild on this! 8.5/10

CONTRE PLONGEE
Mohamed Hmimsa
Morocco
Perspectives can make a BIG difference. 8/10

ENVOL
Yvonnick Muller
France
Oh, the pains and beauty of love. I just hope it’s not yet too late. 8/10

TUCK ME IN
Ignacio F. Rodó
Spain
I think I need someone to tuck me in later… 7.5/10

NOT TODAY
Charles Yeager
USA
Such a kickass tease. Would love to see a full length film of this. 7.5/10

WORKERS DO NOT CRY
Ali Reza Salmanpour
Iran
There’s a bigger hand behind all these. 7/10

GRANDPA
André Marques
Portugal
An interesting and nostalgic piece. It lingers… 7/10

THE TRAIL
Bauke Brouwer
South Africa
A decisive moment. Good cinematography and editing. 7/10

SUBSTORY
Nicolai Darre
Norway
Trains are a beautiful backdrop for love stories. 6/10

BUSKER
Trevor Hardy
UK
A careful stop motion on the universal lesson: sharing is caring. 6/10

BILLY CRYSTAL FILLS THE SILENCE
Brianne Nord-Stewart
Canada
It tells, not shows. And it somehow works. 6/10

ONE NIGHT IN FLORIDA
Tess Martin
Netherlands
To be understood (and misunderstood) is necessary. 6/10

TALK TO HIM
Jan Rouiller
France
Original concept; conveyed a lot in 60 secs. 6/10

OPEN THE BOX
Sergio Cano
Spain
I chuckled. It’s as if a friend told a corny joke. But it’s packed with tension. 5/10

THE FIGHTING
Gopi Krishnan
India
Fight is a part of life, at times even a priority. Subtitles would be great. 5/10

EARTH’S LAST HOPE
Riccardo Servini
UK
The search for Ender begins here. Fast-paced, comic, squeezed in too much. 4/10

PAPOUILLES
Yvonnick Muller
France
Ooooh, machismo. Expected twist. 4/10

THE INTENT
Zoran Ćatić
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Qatar
Kids really ask the hardest questions. 4/10

I’M SCARED
Frank Benitez
Colombia
Revenge begets revenge. And it’s a pill not too easy to swallow. 4/10

INTRODUCTION VIDEO OF JANNE ANTTILA
Joonas Makkonen
Finland
Reality is blurred and so is the execution. 3/10

THIS JOB’S A BLAST
Mark Bellusci
USA
The joke’s a blast, literally but the film is not. 2/10

CARACOL
Román Reyes
Spain
Ummm, what does the fox say? 1/10

What’s your favorite entry this year?