Mike Mills Thumbsucker is festival highlight
From small beginnings in a San Francisco basement, Resfest has enjoyed a rapid rise of popularity. Founded to showcase a new breed of filmmakers who were embracing the digital age, it has gone from strength to strength, developing into a global tour, the British seven-city arm of which kicked off in London on September 29.
Innovative from the start, it thrust the likes of Spike Jonze and Mike Mills into the spotlight. Now, almost a decade on, the digital revolution it pushed so hard for has arrived, with many of its early proteges now established names and many more on the road to mainstream success.
Far from resting on its laurels, however, Resfest has refocussed on creativity, which initially sparked its inspiration, aiming to show the "most innovative films and videos, no matter what medium they are made in."
They're certainly onto a winner with this year's selection, both in terms of their shot and feature length programming.
In the shorts department there is a wealth of excellent films to choose from across four programmes. Highlights include the wonderfully atmospheric animated tribute to Jim Henson (Over Time) and Charlie Creed-Mills's portrayal of a raft of characters in a mini rap musical (What Goes Up Must Come Down). This fusion of funk and fantasy seems sure to put pop video director Adam Smith on the road to bigger projects. Some of his earlier collaborations with The Chemical Brothers and The Streets can be seen as part of the Cinema Electronica segment.
Meanwhile, if it's a big screen fix you're after, look no further than Sundance hit Thumbsucker, which won actor Lou Pucci a gong at the Berlin Film Festival. Directed by Mike Mills, this deliciously dark comic tale of a suburban student who can't stop sucking his thumb also features fantastic performances from Vincent D'Onofrio, Tilda Swinton and Keannu Reeves. Plus Resfest's Special Programmes offer you the chance to see where Mills started out.
For the directors of tomorrow and films that push the boundaries, this is the festival to watch.
Read our Resfest reviews.
