American Cinematheque Short Film Spotlight

ABOUT THE FILMS: 

“Relighting Candles: The Timothy Sullivan Story,” 2023, Dir. Zeberiah Newman & Michiel Thomas, 21 Min, USA 

Tim has been sober since 1981. Throughout his lifetime, he’s lost many loved ones as a result of substance abuse. Yet, he’s never lost the spark to serve his community. Ever since opening the candle shop in West Hollywood 25 years ago, Tim employs homeless and newly sober people each holiday season to help pour thousands of candles ordered by the rich and famous in Tinseltown. The workplace becomes a safe place to heal and offers new perspectives on life. As homelessness and drug addiction are currently surging throughout West Hollywood and LA, this inspiring, hopeful story is more important than ever before.

FORMAT: DCP

“The Anne Frank Gift Shop”, 2023, Dir. Mickey Rapkin, 15 Min, USA

When a high-end design firm presents its plans to reimagine the gift shop at The Anne Frank House, the company’s overt appeals to Generation Z sparks a darkly comic debate about collective trauma, the Holocaust and tote bags. This dark comedy grew out of a disturbing academic study that showed a majority of young people didn’t know basic facts about the Holocaust. The film has unfortunately become extremely timely. “The Anne Frank Gift Shop” aims to disarm viewers with comedy before making its emotional appeal: We have to keep telling this story or it will happen again.

FORMAT: DCP

“Last Song From Kabul,” 2023, Dir. Kevin Macdonald, 34 Min, UK, Qatar

The music stopped when the Taliban took over Afghanistan – it was forbidden, the penalty was death. Young girls who belonged to a music school went into hiding – fearing for themselves and their families – eventually escaping to Portugal where they tried to rebuild their lives and play music again.

FORMAT: DCP

“Matthew,” 2021, Dir. Matt Servitto, 21 Min, USA 

A drama about a father’s struggle to integrate his son back into the family and society after being released from the state psychiatric hospital for a thwarted school shooting.

FORMAT: DCP