The Manhattan Short Film Festival Returns to New Bedford
September 16, 2021
The 24th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival comes to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on September 30, 2021
NEW BEDFORD, Mass.—Film lovers in southern New England will join over 100,000 film enthusiasts around the world to view and vote on the 10 finalists’ films when the 24th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival screens at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on September 30, 2021, at 6:00 p.m.
The screening will be held in the Cook Memorial Theater in the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Tickets are limited for this in-person event and can be reserved online.
The Final Ten MANHATTAN SHORT finalists hail from the U.K., Afghanistan, Norway, Italy, Northern Ireland, Canada, France and the United States. These Final Ten selections represent the best short films from among 970 submissions from 70 countries received by MANHATTAN SHORT for 2021–testimony to the enduring vibrancy and creativity of short films worldwide.
MANHATTAN SHORT continues to be a showcase for new voices and perspectives. “Death By Handshake” director Hudson Flynn, for example, was just 16 years old when he created his wry nod to life in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic. Humor also pervades films like “Rough” from Northern Ireland, France’s “Archibald’s Syndrome” and “Monsieur Cashemire” of Canada. “Out of Time” and the animated “Aurora” are close studies of life at different stages of our existence from French and American perspectives by a pair of woman directors.
Short films tackling big topics include Norway’s “The Kicksled Choir”, which offers a refreshing look at conflict resolution, while “Bad Omen” examines how a woman copes with stark circumstances in Afghanistan. “Closed To The Light” reaches back in time to focus on a riveting moment in Italy during World War II, while the British film “Ganef” examines the effect of war on subsequent generations.
“Trauma is like a virus, resilient and adaptive, capable of living well beyond the moment it’s inflicted,” notes Ganef director Mark Rosenblatt, demonstrating once more how short films can give a subject full treatment.
All Final Ten short films become Oscar-qualified, meaning they will be automatically eligible for an Academy Award nomination by screening for a week at the Arena CineLounge in Hollywood in the county of Los Angeles from September 24 to September 30.
Which of these Final Ten short films is the best? That’s up to a worldwide audience to decide. Cinema-goers across the United States and around the globe will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. MANHATTAN SHORT is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it.
Masks are required for this in-person event and social distancing measures will be in effect. The theater and all Whaling Museum galleries have UVC air purification systems in place. Protocols for this event are subject to change based on Covid-19 community transmission data from the CDC. Please check the Whaling Museum website for current information.
Reserve tickets to the in-person screening on September 30 by visiting: https://bit.ly/NBWMshortfilm21
About the 2021 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival
Learn more about the finalists.
IMAGES: Download images for the films.
VIDEO: Watch the trailer.
Contact
Evan England
Managing Director, NAIL[PR]
eengland@nailpr.cc
(401) 753-5588
About the New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum ignites learning through explorations of art, history, science and culture rooted in the stories of people, the region and an international seaport. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. The Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for Whaling Museum members and children ages three and under; adults $19, seniors (65+) $17, students (19+) $12, child and youth $9. For more information visit www.whalingmuseum.org.
