vulture picture palace

A Pair of Short Shorts From Filmmakers Ounouri Damien and Eckhard Kruse

We’re kind of excited by this idea: The Art by Chance Film Festival celebrates “ultra-short films” by presenting them to us in unexpected, non-theatrical venues: Movies might pop up in subways, buses, airports, cafes, malls, etc. on digital screens scattered throughout the city. And not just our city: The festival will present its films in fourteen countries and 64 cities between May 22 and June 3, 2009. Plus, the films, predicated on the theme of “journeys” and under a minute long, are fascinating little works. Two of our favorites, which we’re presenting here, are Ounouri Damien’s Away From Nedjma, from France, and Eckhard Kruse’s Fastest Way, from Germany. Both films effectively limn the breakneck, fragmented nature of our lives, albeit in their own distinct ways. Hey, it beats a Dr. Z ad.

A Pair of Short Shorts From Filmmakers Ounouri Damien and Eckhard Kruse