Short and sweet

Good things come in short packages — at least that’s D.C. Shorts Film Festival founder Jon Gann’s view.

“Sometimes, you don’t need 90 minutes to tell a story — you just need 10,” Gann said.
For the next week, audiences in Washington will get a chance to check out an array of short pieces from a variety of genres.

The 100 films chosen for the festival will be featured in 10 showcases at Landmark’s E Street Cinema and the U.S. Navy Memorial’s Burke Theater during the film competition weekend, which runs from today through Saturday.

Beginning Sunday, the films will be shown again, and the grand finale, “Best of D.C. Shorts,” will be held Sept. 17, when short film enthusiasts can see the winning pictures. 
As a filmmaker, Gann knows firsthand what festivals can be like for those who come to screen their movies.

“In 2003, I traveled around the world with a film I had created … and while I was traveling, I realized that most film festivals were not about filmmakers at all,” Gann said. “They — especially the big ones — were about money and parties. Sometimes they were about films, and they were really never about filmmakers. And if you had created a short film, it was even worse.”

So, Gann set out to give short filmmakers a better opportunity to present their work. But the process wasn’t without some uncertainty.

“I basically paid for the entire thing out of my checkbook and prayed that people would show up, because I was so afraid I would just be losing my shirt,” Gann said. “And we ended up selling out all three shows. And it’s grown exponentially ever since.”

It’s easy to see just how far the festival has come by the increase in applicants. Thirty-three films were chosen from 72 entries in the first year of the festival, Gann said. This time around, judges selected the 100 films from a pool of 720.

“My goal is basically to expose Washington to some of the finest short films in the world,” Gann said. “There’s a reason that people make these. It’s not just because it’s easier than a feature film. That’s not it. People make them because they’re entertaining, and they’re fun.”

One of those people is College Park filmmaker Kristin Holodak, whose documentary, Doggie Drill Team, will be screened at the festival.

Holodak’s film, which she said took about six months to complete, centers on a group of dogs owners who do “precision drill marching in parades” with their pets.

As for her film’s message, Holodak said there are two important points being made, one of which is the idea that with some dedication owners can successfully train their dogs. The other relates to Holodak’s view that films can be uplifting.

“I want to tell a story that reminds people that, whatever else is going on in the world, if they open their eyes, they are surrounded by their neighbors who are just regular people doing things that will make you smile,” Holodak said.

Although this will be the first time Holodak has had a film in the competition, she has previously served as a judge and is very eager to return to the festival.

“What I’m most looking forward to is being around all of the people who are like me, who have such a passion for this,” she said. “Because [with] short films especially, you’re not in it for the money. There’s no money in shorts. You’re in it because you love to do it. And so it’s just great to spend a weekend with all the other people who love it as much as you do.”

And when it comes to what Holodak hopes to achieve, she has a very clear and simple idea of what will satisfy her.

“I’m not sure exactly how big the screening room is, but I’m gonna say probably a couple hundred people will see this film,” she said. “And if I can make a couple hundred people happy for 10 minutes, then I will have considered myself a success.”

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