4: Tute§park

One
I found this film on YouTube by searching for Tropfest videos as it is the world's largest short film festival. It asks the question "is life something that happens to everyone else?"

One is a moving short film that features a single dice as the protagonist. The director is able to personify the dice by giving it the most basic of human emotions; loneliness. The dice is shown looking wistfully (well, as wistful as a dice can look) at families, lovers and animals as they all go about their day-to-day lives with their loved ones. At one point we see One shed a single tear. Heartbreaking.

The simple score only adds to the empathy you feel for the dice, that loneliness that we have all felt at one point or another. I am not surprised at all that this film was a Tropfest Finalist in 2010. It is amazing that a short film with no dialogue, based solely on a dice and clocking in at just over 7 minutes can engage with the audience so well.



For The Birds This Oscar-award winning short film by Pixar (Best Short Animated Film) was released in 2000 but its themes are still current a decade later.

This film once again has no dialogue but is able to personify the characters to give them human qualities. 'For The Birds' looks at being the odd one out and the clique mentality that one can face at all points during their life, whether it be in high school or starting a new job.

'For The Birds' is brilliantly animated as any Pixar film is. I think the reason why the film is so popular is partially because everyone likes to see the underdog come out victorious.



Facebook Manners & YouI chose this film as Facebook is one of those new communication technologies that all of us can relate to. Everyone knows someone who has broken one (or all) of the Facebook rules described in the film.

This film is now an Official Webby Award Honoree for Best Writing and Comedy: Individual Short or Episode and I think that is due to the fact that people can relate to the themes that are explored. The Facebook group that Alice makes in the film is actually active on Facebook, with 398 members, allowing people to interact with other fans of the film.