The Incredibly Short Film Festival (ISFF) is a festival of tiny, looping films.
Curated and commissioned from artists around the world, the ISFF showcases and celebrates the wonder of GIFs as (incredibly) short format films. The Incredibly Short Film Festival is curated by Mark Simpson and is co-directed by Steven Ward.
There’s something about short loops that through their inherent simplicity, brevity and particular focus that makes them uniquely beautiful. Not only that, but they’re so quick to watch! Whether they be found footage, tiny extractions from films, clips taken from life or custom built animated artworks, this limited animation format delivers a wide range of awesomeness.
From the LOL to the Sublime.
Despite being around since 1985, “GIF” was nominated as the Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year in 2012. This is definitely a great time to celebrate these focussed and brilliant moments which can go on for ever. But, the ISFF aims to investigate the form, looking to both relish in and then move beyond, the eternal LOL.
Screenings
ISFF has screened with live musical performance at 2 of Sydney’s Vivid Lights. One on the highest floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art and then again in the spectacular setting under the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the North Sydney Olympic Pool. The event features live , collaborative electronic music, composed as hypnotic looping phrases which beautifully compliments the rhythm of the films.
Find out more here.
Since it’s launch in 2013, the festival the ISFF has traveled to Croatia, where it screened as part of the Republika Festival on the deck of Dictator Tito’s decommissioned warship (now a public venue) “The Galeb” and on the enormous screen at Federation Square in Melbourne as part of PauseFest. Most recently it screened in Portland, Oregon.
No need to wait for a movie to finish, it’s already playing again!
