ROCKLAND—Maine filmmakers are usually a quiet, under-the-radar bunch, but when the Maine and Film Video Association (MFVA) gets some of their best work together, the result is like watching a book of short stories come to life. From satire and parodies to a breathtaking underwater film, the second annual 2016 Maine Short Film Festival’s lineup promises to inspire an emotional response from audiences all over Maine with its premier show kicking off in Rockland at the Strand Theatre on December 11.

“Last year we had 27 entries; this year we had 42,” said filmmaker and Maine and Film Video Association Board Chair Richard Kane. “So, there’s a lot more interest in the festival all across the state. A lot of these filmmakers just do their own thing and they’re not all that concerned about getting their work out. And that’s why we exist— to develop an audience for these filmmakers.”

Three of the strongest films that Kane felt stood out in the festival include:

Fever (17:34 minutes) by Marie Chao and Matthew J. Siegel. Fever is a psychological thriller about a woman's desperate attempt to recapture the affection of her estranged husband.

Heart & Hand (4:26 minutes) by Sharyn Paul Brusie and Kevin Brusie Heart & Hand celebrates the life of a farmer and his animals. Through video, music and poetry, this pure and rich life is revealed.

Bonaire (1:34 minutes) by Mauricio Handler, a legendary underwater cameraman. This commercial spot was produced as part of a Dutch Caribbean National Parks environmental awareness campaign.

“These filmmakers are the most mature of what we’ve seen,” he said, adding that film festivals typically only accept artistic or independent entries, but that the Maine Short Film Festival opened their doors to commercial or sponsored work as well. “I think it’s important that we serve our members and many of our members are making commercial films, spots and PSAs,” Kane said. “That’s the way they make their living.”

Of the 14 films selected, three, including Bonaire, are exceptional pieces of commercial work. The rest of the 100-minute program focuses on original screenplays in all genres: documentary, fiction, experimental, comedy and horror.

According to lead juror, Louise Rosen, director of the Maine Jewish Film Festival, “There is a terrific range of work by Maine filmmakers, from humorous to poetic to sassy to scary.”

Other shorts that will be sure to entice some laughs include: My So-Called Housing Cooperative (10:54 minutes) by Craig Saddlemire, the story of young adults trying to live a life of cooperation and compassion... without losing their minds. This episode from a monthly webisode features a scripted parody based upon real life at the Faire Bande à Part Housing Cooperative (Faire-Op), a three story apartment building in Lewiston, ME. Then there’s I Just Don't Get It - It's My Russian Soul (7:25 minutes) by Walter Ungerer, a dialogue between a young Russian man and his English girlfriend; where he explains his vodka habit. “I just don’t get it? It’s my Russian soul. Why can’t you understand?”

The Festival will premiere Friday, December 11 at 5:30 p.m. and will feature many of the filmmakers and jurors in a Q&A after the program. The Festival will tour ten Maine theaters throughout the winter and spring of 2016. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com