Eclectic Shorts by Eric Leiser

Jesus Christ Saviour(de)

Klaus Kinski has perhaps the most ferocious reputation of all screen actors: his volatility was documented to electrifying effect in Werner Herzog’s 1999 portrait My Best Fiend. This documentary provides further fascinating insight into the talent and the tantrums of the great man. Beset by hecklers, Kinski tries to deliver an epic monologue about the life of Christ (with whom he perhaps identifies a little too closely). The performance becomes a stand-off, as Kinski fights for control of the crowd and alters the words to bait his tormentors. Indispensable for Kinski fans, and a riveting introduction for newcomers, this is a unique document, which Variety called ‘a time capsule of societal ideals and personal demons.’

Tous Les Jours(en)

In rocky Newfoundland, renowned French artist Jean Claude Roy gathers his paints and sets off to face the day. Whether it be freezing snow, violent wind, or pouring rain, he commits vibrant colors to canvas and conquers the day by weaving crooked beauty out of difficulties.

Angel's Friends - Between Dream and Reality(it)

A television movie based on the animated series and settled between the first and the second season aired, in Italy, on 23 April 2011. The movie focuses on the Angels attending the Summer School at the Sunny College in Alpinville, where Raf hopes she will not meet Sulfus. The Devils show up at the school and Raf tells Sulfus she has fallen in love with someone else. Meanwhile, the Earthly ones receive the task of refurbishing the Theatre of Princes (Italian: Teatro dei Principi) and organising a play, Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. However, they are attacked by a mysterious hooded man who wants them to leave the theatre. The Angels and the Devils decide to investigate and find out the truth about Tyco and Sai's fate. At last, Raf and Sulfus conclude that they'll decide what to do about their future together once returned to the Golden School for the new term.

Who Said Meow?(ru)

After hearing someone's "meow" for the first time in his life, baby puppy goes in search of the unknown beast and meets various inhabitants of the house and yard. On children's curiosity and the first acquaintance with the world.

Iwájú: A Day Ahead(en)

Filmed across three continents, this documentary shares the story of the founders of the Pan-African comic book company, Kugali, who made their dream a reality creating an original animation series with Walt Disney Animation Studios.

The King and the Goblin(cs)

Wealthy but alone, a king spends his days obsessively polishing shiny objects throughout his opulent castle. After a visit from a puckish forest wizard, the king earns a blessing – or curse – that turns anything he touches to gold.

The Rifle's Spiral(en)

A young magician must save her rabbit from the hands of three evil men.

Steph Jane - A Portrait Story(en)

Through an intimate conversation, Steph Jane, age 28, shares the struggles and lessons her second diagnosis of stage-4 cancer has taught her. From being genuinely present and savouring simple moments to thoughts of the future and what really matters, Steph reveals beauty and wisdom which transcend appearance and years.

En ny og sørgelig vise(da)

Constable: A Country Rebel(en)

The Haywain by John Constable is such a comfortingly familiar image of rural Britain that it is difficult to believe it was ever regarded as a revolutionary painting, but in this film, made in conjunction with a landmark exhibition at the V&A, Alastair Sooke discovers that Constable was painting in a way that was completely new and groundbreaking at the time. Through experimentation and innovation, he managed to make a sublime art from humble things and, though he struggled in his own country during his lifetime, his genius was surprisingly widely admired in France.

The Beautiful Leukanida(ru)

Two insects fight over the hand of a beautiful lady.

Meat Love(cs)

Two pieces of meat fall in love.

Alice(cs)

A quiet young English girl named Alice finds herself in an alternate version of her own reality after chasing a white rabbit. She becomes surrounded by living inanimate objects and stuffed dead animals, and must find a way out of this nightmare - no matter how twisted or odd that way must be. A memorably bizarre screen version of Lewis Carroll’s novel "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland".

Faust(cs)

A very free adaptation of Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus", Goethe's "Faust" and various other treatments of the old legend of the man who sold his soul to the devil. A nondescript man is lured by a strange map into a sinister puppet theatre, where he finds himself immersed in an indescribably weird version of the play, blending live actors, clay animation and giant puppets.

A Game with Stones(de)

A device consisting of a clock, a pendulum, a faucet and a bucket enacts a series of events whenever the clock chimes.

The Flat(cs)

A man is trapped in a sinister flat, where nothing seems to obey the laws of nature.

Picnic with Weismann(de)

Various objects are having a sunny outing together in the nature.

The Little Drummer Boy(en)

After being kidnapped and escaping, young drummer boy Aaron searches for his camel and finds him in the Nativity of the Baby Jesus. Aaron gives Baby Jesus the only gift he has, a song on his drum.

Impossible Journey(en)

The journey of two storks on an ordinary workday reveals the urgent crisis in maternal health care in the United States. One stork has a relatively safe trip to deliver her baby, while the other faces significant dangers, risking her life; each obstacle serves as a metaphor for various forms of violence or obstetric complications. Throughout her journey, the protagonist visually deconstructs herself, just as she does the idealization of motherhood. A layer of reality begins to take over the screen through experimental manual painting. Upon reaching the maternity ward, the stark difference between the two storks becomes clear: the one who barely survived is the one delivering a Black baby.

3-D(en)

3-D is a hand-painted experimental short film by Riley Hogan. Acrylic paint, ink and scratching were used to animate on clear Super 8mm film leader.