The Fan Carpet’s Marc Jason Ali shares his Reviews for Shorts Block 5 at the 2019 Edition of the London Independent Film Festival

The London Independent Film Festival (LIFF) is the premier event for first and second-time film-makers, micro-budget and no-budget films in the UK. LIFF offers a fantastic opportunity for indie filmmakers to showcase their achievements, with spaces reserved for first and second time filmmakers and for films that have been overlooked by other events.

LIFF presents the best of low-budget filmmaking from around the world, and mixes it up with relevant industry discussions and targeted social networking events. LIFF’s audience is London’s sizeable independent filmmaking community. It’s an indie film festival for indie filmmakers.

Here, The Fan Carpet's Marc Jason Ali shares his Reviews for Shorts Block 5 that showcased the films Thanks for the Memories by Louis Norton Selzer, Unclasped by Aella Jordan-Edge, Olympians by Meghan Sunder & Amit Gupta, Cashpoint by Monique Needham and Mens Sana by Ludovica Musumeci...

Thanks for the Memories

This intriguing short film, clocking in at 11 minutes follows Joel Fink (Will Merrick) into an unusual world where he's offered an even more unusual proposition by a charismatic Travel Agent.

With vibes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Thanks for the Memories is a curious and thought provoking film that is well acted across the board, Written and Directed beautifully.

Unclasped
Written and Directed beautifully by Aella Jordan-Edge, Unclasped stars Charlie May-Clark and Rachel Fowler as a daughter and mother respectively, just trying to get by with the usual trial and tribulations associated with adolescence.

Set to the back drop of the mother seemingly wanting to recapture her youth and the ramifications associated with that.

This coming-of-age Drama is poignant and whilst some may say that it is mundane in the events that transpire over the course of the film, it is a wonderful slice of life that anyone of that age (or that has been that age) can relate to.

Olympians
From the Award winning filmmaking team of Meghan Sunder and Amit Gupta, Olympians is a wonderful film staring Mel Brooks, that is set up like Cribs and other satirical look through the eyes of Aphrodite, as she moves her family to America, for a fresh start.

This short film that clocks in at ten minutes is hilarious, it’s fun to see the Greek Gods reimagined in this way and put in a setting where they are moving to America.

It is what you think it’ll be with the legendary Brooks and you’ll be entertained from start to finish.

Cashpoint
Written and Directed by Monique Needham, Cashpoint is the story of Camille, who decides to go on a date with a guy she met on dating app. Whilst she is cautious at first, she warms to the idea by his looks and charm.

With wine flowing and generally having a good time, the bill arrives and he is unable to pay however what happens next she could never have predicted.

I’m not going to say much more than that because I don’t want to give it away, but you won’t be sorry for giving Cashpoint a watch. It is entertaining, and with it being a slice of life, with something we can all relate to; dating, not what happens after the date, it is relatable and is a cautionary tale.

There has been a lot of buzz surround Monique Needham’s Cashpoint and with the writing, direction and acting across the board it is easy to see why.

Mens Sana
Ludovica Musumeci’s Mens Sana is a stylish and intriguing thriller centred around Joyce (Amelia Eve), a scientist, as she searches for a cure against an android parasite 'Statera' that is able to control human consciousness.

After an unexpected revelation, Joyce is forced to question everything she knows about herself and the world she lives in.

Beautifully written, directed and performed, Mens Sana is a thought provoking and compelling story, that tells a lot of story in its fifteen minute runtime, but ha scope to tell a broader story.