“Drunk History” Leads Sundance Shorts Winners

A scene from Jeremy Konner's "Drunk History: Douglass & Lincoln." Image courtesy of the Sundance Film Festival.

The 2010 Sundance Film Festival has announced the jury prizes in shorts filmmaking and gave honorable mentions based on outstanding achievement and merit. The awards were presented at a ceremony held in Park City, Utah. These award recipients will also be honored at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony hosted by David Hyde Pierce on Saturday, January 30.

The 2010 Short Film jurors are Sterlin Harjo (director, screenwriter, Four Sheets to the Wind; Barking Water); Brent Hoff (editor and cofounder, Wholphin DVD) and Christine Vachon (producer, Poison, Boys Don’t Cry, Hedwig and the Angry Inch).

The Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking was awarded to “Drunk History: Douglass & Lincoln,” directed by Jeremy Konner, written by Derek Waters, and starring Don Cheadle and Will Ferrell. Its synopsis according to the festival: “On March 22nd, Jen Kirkman drank two bottles of wine and then discussed a historical event.”

The Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking was given to “The Six Dollar Fifty Man,” from New Zealand. Directed and written by Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, the film follows Andy, “a gutsy eight year-old boy, is forced to break out of his make-believe superhero world to deal with playground bullies.”

In addition, The Shorts Jury awarded Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking to, with descriptions provided by the festival:

“Born Sweet” USA (Director: Cynthia Wade)—Arsenic-laced water has poisoned a 15-year-old-boy from a small, rural village in Cambodia, who fashions dreams for karaoke stardom.

“Can We Talk?” United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Jim Owen)—Vince gets way more than he bargains for when he dumps his girlfriend. Again.

“Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No”  USA (Director: James Blagden)—In celebration of the greatest athletic achievement by a man on a psychedelic journey, here’s the animated tale of Dock Ellis’ legendary LSD no-hitter.

“How I Met Your Father”  Spain (Director and screenwriter: Alex Montoya)—Every couple has their story, some more romantic than others.

“Quadrangle” USA (Director: Amy Grappell)—An unconventional look at two “conventional” couples that swapped partners and lived in a group marriage in the early 1970s, hoping to pioneer an alternative to divorce and the way people would live in the future.

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“Rob and Valentyna in Scotland” USA, United Kingdom (Director: Eric Lynne; Screenwriters: Eric Lynne and Rob Chester Smith)—An American abroad travels with his long-lost Ukrainian cousin to the Highlands of Scotland. posted on January 28, 2010 |Share