A Couchfest Hyped Weekend in Washington

If you are in or near the state of Washington, there will be 100 short films for you to watch this upcoming weekend. These films are made available courtesy of Couchfest 2008. I recently found out about this short film festival and am glad to bring the following news to you. If you have a date this weekend, or are bored and looking for something to do, or just want an excuse that you "have plans" to get out of another commitment, I have a list of different venues available to check out some cool (or not so cool.....you can let me know your reviews next week by leaving a comment) movies this weekend at Couchfest.

Here is a brief synopsis on this film festival:
Couchfest will begin it's first annual event on Saturday, September 27, 2008. Rather than traveling to a movie theater, you can check out nearly one dozen short films in the comfort of one of the 10 homes that have been screened, given the green light and listed as a venue for Couchfest. This short film festival is all about people enjoying movies at home while they are sitting on the couch. Or course, you won't be sitting on your own couch or maybe not even as couch at all, but the aforementioned mission is generally how Couchfest operates. Why listen to me though? The founder of Couchfest sums it up really simple: "Couch Fest Films is a cozy shorts film fest hosted in people's houses".

So, there you go. This is one of the most fun Film Festival Wednesdays event that I have posted on this year! Here is a list of the venues and films that will be playing on Saturday 27, 2008 at Couchfest:

Mixed
605 5th Ave N Apt#420
Capacity: 15
Pets: Small dog
Total Program Length: 31 minutes
Parking: Limited Street Parking
Movies playing at this venue:
Make Bank
Seattle, 2008, 4 minutes, Austin Dickson
Christopher and Louisa are a couple on their last leg. They have no money and their love is dwindling. All they have is an idea.

This True Story of Dad Club
Seattle, 2007, 5 minutes, Craig Downing
A family narrative.

Die Demon Die
Seattle, 2008, 3 minutes, Devin Cochran
Five lads in the woods discover that monsters exist the hard way.

The Best One
Seattle, 2008, 3 minutes, Domenica Lovaglia
Everyone says their dog is the best one. I was no exception to this rule. When he left us the grief was so profound I thought I was crazy. Meet Oso. He was rad. Everyone thought so, not just me.

Gold Chubbies
USA , 2007, 4 minutes, Jeremiah Jones
Grunts, applause and produce.

Blue Shoe
Sweden , 2008, 5 minutes, Kakan Rudenhill
An oppressed poet, a shoe and a Polish love interest.

Animation 2
3969 Evanston Ave N, 98103
Capacity: 20
Pets:Dog upstairs and a hedgehog
Parking: Some street parking available
Movies playing at this venue:
Champions
USA , 2008, 5 minutes
Animation mash up of soccer and world order.

Payaso
Portugal , 2008, 4 minutes, Joao Pedro Gomes
Small music video homage to Javier Solis and to all time heroes of lucha libre.

The Tourists Canada , 2008, 3 minutes, Malcolm Sutherland
Another transient day at the beach.

The Inquisitive Snail Canada , 2008, 1 minute, Flemish Beauty
An inquisitive snail digs up the dirt on the inhabitants of a small town only to discover that a shell full of secrets is a heavy load indeed.

Dirty Girl
USA , 2008, 6 minutes, Jennifer Clary
A story of surgery.

Chalk
Netherlands , 2008, 7 minutes, Klaas Lageveen
A souvenir of a crime goes looking for what it once lost.

Comedy 1
2617 NW 64th Street, #3
Capacity: 15
Pet: Cat will be kept in bedroom.
Total Program Length: 28 minutes
Parking: Available street parking
Movies playing at this venue:
Turbo Heather
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Christian Simmons
Radio controlled Southern Belles are loose, and the RC world will never be the same!

Sniper #1
Portugal , 2007, 2 minutes, Paulo Abrue
A Portuguese sniper receives orders from his captain.

ABIMBOWE
Spain , 2008, 3 minutes, Alex Montoya
Agustina can't see. Maria, the woman that takes care of her, will open her eyes.

You think this just a game?
Seattle, 2008, 3 minutes, Nik Perleros
Two gentlemen go head to head for glory.

Cookies for Sale
Seattle, 2007, 4 minutes, Wes Kim
A little girl selling cookies door-to-door engages in
A battle of wills with a very grumpy neighbor.

UNITE!
UK , 2007, 1 minute, Nick Howard
A birthday party goes wrong for life size children's character.

Let's Count Dogs
USA , 2008, 1 minute, Joey Mansfield
Dogs and math!

Caffeinated Hopes
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Chasen Partsch
A geeky coffee drinker hopes for the best with a girl from class.

Evan Meets a Leprechaun
USA , 2008, 5 minutes, Scott Balzer
What would you wish for?

Music
There wasn't a photo for this one, but finding this movie screening should not be to difficult on Saturday. If it is, then may I suggest Mapquest or that Map in your local Phone book, OR go to your Visitor's Bureau and buy a map.
1170 harrison street apt #203
Capacity: 20 people
Pets: Cat
Total Program Length: 30 minutes
Parking: Some street parking available
Movies playing at this venue:
Skate With Me
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, DGENERATE NATION

Shit Disco – OK
USA , 2008, 4 minutes, Jo Apps

Knorke Südfrucht – Mindbomb
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Eike Braselmann

Slow Motion Water Balloon Throwing.
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Nick Campbell
Count Backwards To Black by Black Moth Super Rainbow.

Fiona Sally Miller--I'm Gonna Miss You Smiling at Me Like That
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, Mat Flemo

Swing
Seattle , 2008, 3 minutes, Noel Paul
A girl on a swing.

THE FASHION "Solo Impala"
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, Jakob Printzlau

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Sophisticated Side Ponytail
Seattle , 2008, 2 minutes, That Go (Noel Paul & Stefan Moore)
Sparkling eye-rape.

Thunderheist - Jerk It
Seattle , 2008, 3 minutes, That Go (Noel Paul & Stefan Moore)
Strobing animal prints, quivering flesh, a girl and a large rooster.

Animation 1
718 23rd Ave. #1, Seattle, WA 98122
Capacity: 20
Pets: Dog and cat will be away with a friend
Parking: Some street parking available
Total Program Length: 24 Minutes
Movies playing at this venue:
Stick Together
UK , 2008, 43 seconds, Ryan Braund
A stop motion tale of two friends who are, quite literally, torn apart.

Hot Dog
USA , 2008, 5minutes, Bill Plympton
Our hero pluck joins the fire company to save the world from house fires and gain the affection he so richly deserves. Typically, the results never turn out as planned.

Little Dinosaurs
UK , 2008, 1 minute, Dana Dorian
A five year old Scottish boy discusses the best way for a group of small dinosaurs to stop a big dinosaur from picking on them.

PK-Granny
USA, 2007, 2 minutes, Jo Meuris
Old lady gets mugged by a man on bicycle. When she realizes that there is no one around to help her, she decides to take matters into her own hands. It's a good thing Granny knows Parkour!

Papiroflexia
USA , 2007, 3 minutes
Papiroflexia (Spanish for origami) is the animated tale of Fred, a skillful paper folder who could shape the world with his hands.

Bon Voyage
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Allyssa Kaiser
Movie inspired by the thought of going overseas.

"Guess Who"
USA , 2008, 1 minute, Kirsten Lepore
Me foolin' around with some stop-motion fun. I totally love this game.

Sebastian's Voodoo
USA , 2008, 4 minutes, Joaquin Baldwin
A dark story about taking it for a friend.

Experimental 3
Sherwood House
4746 18th ave. NE, 98105
Capacity: 25 People
Pets: No
Parking: Almost no car parking available
Total Program Length: 34 minutes
Movies playing at this venue:
Frame
USA , 2008, 1 minute, John Larsen
A film inspired by a minimalist painting concept of addressing only outside the picture frame.

LUNA LANAY
Seattle , 2008, 5minutes, MATT BROWN
The last page of a person’s life.

Displace
USA , 2008, 4 minutes, Abram Pineda-Fischer, Carson Berczyk
An experimental narrative that uses a sound montage. The video uses dramatic lighting to emphasize the story. The main portion of the video revolves around the two balloons, one standing for love/life, the other for hate/drugs.

Drosophila
Mexico, 2008, 5 minutes, Photinus
Drosophila is a genus of flies that are about three millimeters long. They have been used as a model organism in genetic research for almost a hundred years. Their life cycle lasts approximately two weeks and it contains four pares of chromosomes. One of them is very small and it’s rarely mentioned.

A Relationship with Gravity
Seattle, 2008, 4 minutes, Matthew Witschonke
Man with unusual style shares his philosophy with a fine female who flips for him.

This in Only an Impression
Italy , 2007, 5 minutes, Vinz Mancuso
Found footage from Amsterdam.

Be Your (Most Attractive) Self
Seattle,2008, 5 minutes, Ricki Mason
Jealousy, menstruation, and performing rats are the themes of this dance film. Five girls in vintage swim suits do calisthenics in a partially demolished sauna and hot tub, scurry like rodents through a deep blue hallway, and perform Esther Williams inspired canons amongst Christmas lights.

Experimental 2
152 NE 53rd St.
Capacity: 20
Pets: Turtle
Total Program Length: 34minutes
Parking: Some street parking available
Movies playing at this venue:
Seattle Symphony Seattle, 2008, 3 minutes, Ryan Davis
This short film is homage to some of Seattle's remaining historic landmarks and architecture.

Whirr
Germany , 2007, 3 minutes, Timo Katz
Lots of houses.

Elevator
USA , 2007, 3 minutes, Nicholas White
Man in Elevator.

WORDS
Seattle, 2008, 5 minutes, Matt Brown
A look into the mind of a man with writer’s block as he battles himself through the use of verbs and nouns.

Eine Stadt Italy , 2007, 4 minutes, Vinz Mancuso
Found footage from Amsterdam.

Over Spilt Milk
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, John Larsen
Channeled energy into a performance project that was sent as an apology letter.

Eddie, Pam, Gary, Sue
Seattle , 2007, 4 minutes, Malic Amalya
Filmic study in semiotics and family relationships.

Untitled
Seattle, 2008, 5 minutes, Jarid del Deo
Film Strip Collage.

Comedy 2
5217 Latona NE
Capacity: 15
Pets: 2 dogs
Parking: Some street parking available
Total Program Length: 32 Minutes
House Theme: Fondue Flash Back
Movies playing at this venue:
1st Ping Pong Lesson with Lucha Lib
Czech Republic , 2008, 3 minutes, Martin Kohout
A very short film about wrestlers, ping pong players, fair play and predestinations.

The Sailor and the Fiendish Foot
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, Christian Simmons
A short epic involving a shipwrecked pirate and his foot.

Idiot Boxer
USA , 2008, 5minutes, Scott Balzer
Two TV athletes compete for glory.

Punchline Piracy
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Kirby Ferguson
Comedic theft has been going on beneath our noses for far too long.

Banana Muffin
USA , 2006, 2 minutes, Reuben Maness
Tonight's local news… and tomorrow's too.

Domestic Terror
Seattle, 2008, 6 minutes, Edgar Mata
Strange things happen when a Mexican handyman is called upon to resolve a domestic dispute.

On the Assassination of the President
USA , 2008, 6 minutes, Adam Keker
Only to be viewed on the assassination of the president.

Inappropriatly Awesome
4039 8th ave ne, apt 1
Capacity: 15
Pets: No
Parking: Almost no car parking available
Total Program Length: 37 Minutes
Movies playing at this venue:
This program may contain offensive content.
Fantaisie in Bubblewrap
USA , 2008, 4 minutes, Arthur Metcalf
The final minutes of a society of vocal bubble wrap as it faces its apocalypse.

Welcome to Shady Pines
USA , 2008, 5 minutes, V.K. Shah
‘Welcome to Shady Pines’ is a short video by Estelle Getty, real estate agent for the up and coming neighborhood Shady Pines.

Dirty Laundry
Seattle , 2008, 6 minutes, Starla Stroh, Jeff Ramsey, and Kevin Sheen
A young man's attraction to a female neighbor leads to scandalous fantasies and an awkward interaction that could end badly.

Carol of the Balls
Seattle , 2008, 1 minute, Nik Perleros
Crude carolers.

Crustväska
Seattle, 2007, 4 minutes, Benjamin Kasulke
A crash course in the intricacies of Swedish punk fashion.

‘HO’ THE HUMANITY!
Seattle, 2008, 3 minutes, Al Ray
TRAILER OF SUBVERSIVE HUMAN ACTIVITIES.

Forest Pork
USA , 2008, 2 minutes, Reverend Phil
A balmy day in the West Hills finds pair of strangers going for a ride.

Religion in a Box
Seattle, 2008, 2 minutes, Robert Pearson
If religion was sold on late night TV.

The Interview
Seattle , 2008, 5 minutes, The Beta Society
What happens when you are a temp but you don't check your agencies references?

Experimental 1
There wasn't a photo for this one. After reading the other venues, you should know what the deal is by now.
Apex Belltown Co-op
2225 1st Ave
Capacity: 15 People
Pets: A couple of cats
Total Program Length: 28 minutes
Parking: Almost no car parking available
Movies playing at this venue:
Metaphorosis Interview
USA , 2007, 2 minutes, Katherina Knoll
This is a look into an epidemic, ten years into the future.

Energie!
Germany , 2008, 5 minutes, Thorsten Fleisch
High voltage discharges expose photo paper which is then arranged in time to give birth to an electricity planet.

SUPER NONPAREILS
USA , 2008, 1 minute, JEREMY BIRD
CHAOS, HYPNOSIS, CUPCAKE DECORATIONS GONE WILD.

FaceChasers
USA , 2007, 4 minutes, Gabriel Judet Weinshel
In a post-apocalyptic landscape, a man and woman are chased by faceless creatures and papier-mâché attack dogs. In the pursuit, the man loses his life, but the woman conceives and ingenious and surreal method of escape.

Bank
Spain , 2008, 23 seconds, Xam
About the book “La Domination du Monde."

Charlie Rose
USA , 2008, 3 minutes, Andrew Filippone Jr.
PBS favorite "Charlie Rose" is recast as theater of the absurd in this appropriated footage film.

A Girl Almost
USA , 2007, 3 minutes, Jeremiah Jones
Girl on bike crashes.

Tickets are $10 at the door. Couchfest has not posted any admission information for selected venues, so it is a good chance that the ticket price is the same at all venues on Saturday.

Couchfest 2008
Saturday
September 27, 2008
1st Show Starts at 11 A.M. (at ALL venues)
Last Show Starts at 7 P.M. (at ALL venues)
www.couchfestfilms.com

This is as much information that I could get to help support this film festival and also give you awesome movies goers something to do this weekend. The photos are copyright their respective holders and only to promote the film festival.

Most of the notes written here (including the ones about maps, etc.) with exception to the venue and movie information are suggestions and opinions of my own and are not the opinion of Couchfest.

Enjoy short films this weekend!

Have you seen any short films in festivals OR online recently? Tell me your reviews on them by leaving a comment below!

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