25th Annual Videofest

   Last Saturday, I went to check out what was going on at the videofest to see what kind of shorts they were going to show having no idea what I was going to see. The first and only thing I saw were the animated shorts ranging from artistic experimentation to a charming study of human appearances. The shorts that really stood were "flawed", "puberty in a minute", and a French short film that I can't find the title to. "Flawed" was about acceptance of your appearance and ultimately yourself, it was animated charmingly like a children's watercolor painting covering the life of a couple in Canada where the woman is in a relationship with a plastic surgeon but wonders if he is actually the kind of person to fix peoples "flaws" for what makes them unique, or make these people's lives change for the better. "Puberty in a minute" was probably the most uncomfortable to watch but that is why I liked it. It was an animation of a completely nude guy going through several phases which include many "bodily" functions and experimentation with sex, drugs, and rock'n roll. Painted quite an honest picture of a teenage guy's main focus in life which lies somewhere in his pants. The french film was the most interesting yet disturbing. It was animated like Tim Burton's Nightmare before christmas or Corpse Bride. About a woman with a half-scarred face living secluded in a home with a watch dog out front so she can't escape and a man who comes home to sexually take advantage of her. Until one day when he brings another woman home to live with them whom he has the same intentions for except these two women plot to kill him. The women end up succeeding and live together as lovers. I had a short but interesting experience at the videofest and I definitely look forward to seeing more artists next year.