Kids. When you are one, you wish you were and adult. When you're an adult, you wish you were a kid. In the Anything but the Ordinary category, the kids have the spotlight and they want you to know it, or at least their adult directors do.
The film which had the audience on the edge of their seat with looks of fear frozen between each gunshot was Ana's Playground. Directed by Eric D, Howell and shot, believe it or not, in Minneapolis, this short started with a group of kids playing soccer in front of a tall fence made of rusted scrap metal. When the ball goes over the fence, the kids draw straws to see who has to get it. The main character, a brave young girls goes to get it, but finds herself the target of a sniper in the war going on around the children's game. There was no dialogue, but there didn't need to be. Ana's Playground told the story of children caught in the middle of war with brilliant shots, a terrifying soundtrack and a mysterious, unidentified gunman.
Above: the team for Ana's Playground in front of their movie poster, left to right: Jillian Nodland, Eric Howell, Mary Jo Howell, Jean Johnson, Bruce Johnson and Marsha Trainer.
All of the shorts for this category were phenomenal. Three explored the secrets of little boys: Norway's Cairn, Canada's Armoire and the U.K.'s James. Armoire was an art direction masterpiece with the story of a boy who played hide and seek with a friend who never returned. Cairn featured a boy who betrayed a friend to win other friends instead. James was a touching tale of a confused young man desperate for someone to confide in.
The film that had me laughing out loud repeatedly was Norway's Oh, My God(sorry, i couldn't find the English subtitles, but you can get it without them). Three middle school aged girls try to figure out how to have an orgasm since it is the most important thing in their virginal little worlds. A must see!
