A short inspired by Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Surreal environments take center stage in this visual odyssey.
After a catastrophic global war, a young filmmaker awakens in the carnage and seeks refuge in the only other survivor: an eccentric, ideologically opposed figure of the United States military. Together, they brave the toxic landscape in search of safety... and answers.
A journey through a composite galaxy of artificial light.
Host Scott Forrest presents a curated compilation of eight independent short films in this rapid-fire science-fiction feature. Genres collide, narratives twist, aesthetics clash, and even humor, both campy and dystopian, showcase the vast creative possibilities of each story's individual world, offering the viewer a brief glimpse into the lives of every character's attempt to survive the otherworldly chaos around them. Released in 2001, the selected shorts span original creation dates of 1997 to 2001; most of the featured filmmakers also appear as themselves in short video interviews to talk about their inspirations, creative process and motivations while working on their individual shorts.
The light's in a student's room begin to shut off around him. He must escape the room before he is swallowed by darkness.
The owner of a dangerous music venue discusses and showcases his work in a news report from a culturally dystopian future.
Quinn is a grade school teacher who is exploited by a group of memoryless individuals who reeducate his long-term partner Amy.
A half-hour experimental film that shows Fukui moving towards cyberpunk imagery in a manner similar to Tsukamoto, featuring industrial locations, a malfunctioning cyborg/android and a hulking metallic ‘caterpillar’ that stalks characters.
After his wife Amelia suffers an aneurysm that leaves her bedridden and slowly dying, police officer Carter Summerland searches for a way to revive her. He's approached by Wesley Enterprises pioneering a new program to extend life through robotics, they get caught in a public debate over human’s relationship with technology and her right to exist.
In 2017, a short anime film called Hypersonic Music Club was produced in Japan. It was directed and written by Osamu Kobayashi, a veteran of the industry who passed away in April 2021. For various reasons, this short anime was never released. It was made public on August 1, 2023.
The sun’s energy circulates throughout the earth, feeding the cycle of life. Everything is connected in a natural loop, which repeats, like the circular discs of magical optical toys. This perfectly balanced rhythm is disrupted by human excess, throwing the cycle out of orbit and temporarily stopping the circulation of energy in nature.
Deep in an ocean facility, Aryanna, must face the unknown, as drips from water-tight air vents and scratches from within empty cells drive her to the brink of madness.
A young scientist studies the mechanics of time travel by having a conversation with a group of her future selves.
Fragments of a collective post-human dream construct a world that straddles hyper-technological, ecological, and mythological dimensions.
A young artist is caught in a physical and mental battle against a supernatural entity that forces him to free it from its dark prison, ¿or is it just his imagination?
In the aftermath of an emotional shock, a ruthless high-class manager faces her own abyss, becomes pervaded by a sensory spirit and undertakes a purifying voyage.
A stunning, sweeping technohistory, tracing the human race from birth to obsolescence. Sacred geometry and ominous CGI intertwine with a retelling of the story of Noah to illuminate the illusion of authority and the nature of autonomy in the contemporary digital sphere. Featuring parking meters by master animator Jeremy Fernsler and a breathtaking score by Edward Kurland. The DVD version of Rubicon contains additional interactive material in the audio and subtitle tracks. Selected Screenings: Athens International Film and Video Festival, UFVA 2004 (Honorable Mention), Dallas Video Festival, NewFilmmakers at Anthology Film Archives