G-Short
Short Film Festival
G-Short is a short film festival held as part of the George Town Festival 2021 to celebrate the endless imagination and possibilities a 90-second short film can bring about. It is set to be held in George Town, Penang in July 2021.
Themed “Reimagine: A New Way of Seeing”, with the tagline “Short Yet Powerful”, G-Short was conceived to encourage the local and international film communities to create short-form and original films, unleashing their creativity and innovation to tell stories in new ways. It as well serves as an easily accessible platform for the up-and-coming filmmaking talents to get noticed and to refine their styles.
We believe that good stories come in all lengths. You might find one best told in 90 seconds, and a moment that speaks to your heart shall be shared with the world. No matter if you are a filmmaker, film lover, or layperson, you are welcomed to step up to “film” your thoughts, conveying short yet impactful, strong messages to the audiences in 90 seconds. A host of sharing sessions and public screenings will be held alongside the film festival. Stay tuned!
Film Screenings: Finalists 2021
The “G-Short” Short Film Festival, embracing the theme “Reimagine: A New Way of Seeing”, was conceived to encourage the local and international film communities to unleash their creativity, originality and innovation to tell stories in new ways by creating short-form and original films – all while strengthening the branding of the George Town Festival. The film screenings feature the works of 30 finalists from different countries.
Dates: 14 -16 July 2021
Time: 8.00pm
Screening Platform: CloudTheatre
The Theme of Reimagine: Storytelling in Motion
Join us for a virtual talk with filmmakers Tunku Mona Riza, Indrani Kopal, and Dennis Lai in “The Theme of Reimagine: Storytelling in Motion”. They will discuss the impact of reimagination on their filmmaking journeys and how the pandemic has affected the industry. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds in filmmaking, the speakers will also excavate the power of short films and what is needed to tell a good story. Make sure to stay till the end of the talk, where the speakers will share their experiences in judging close to 700 submissions for the “G-Short” Short Film Festival and impart useful advice for aspiring filmmakers. The talk will be moderated by Penang-based media artist Goh Choon Ean.
Date: 17 July 2021
Time: 2.00pm
Platform: Zoom
The Tools to Reimagine: Lights, Sound, Action
Join us for a conversation with Joe Loy and Sam Koay in “The Tools to Reimagine: Lights, Sound, Action” as they share their journeys in their respective careers, the importance of their fields of work, and how each is used in enhancing and reimagining scenes and storytelling in films. Drawing from their experiences, they are also set to discuss the importance of synergy among the different production team members. The talk will be moderated by Penang-based media artist Goh Choon Ean.
Date: 17 July 2021
Time: 4.00pm
Platform: Zoom
About Joe Loy
Joe Loy is a music producer, engineer, educator, singer, songwriter, musician, and voice talent. His experience as a performer with unique songwriting abilities has made him a regular at various open mic sessions, features, and private events. He was involved in various events, including IGMF Festival Ormoc Philippines 2019, IGMF Festival Pattaya 2019, Siti Nurhaliza on Tour 2019, Calum Scott Live in Singapore, and plenty more, in different capacities – as a guitarist to a crew member. Although quiet and usually working behind the scenes, he is no stranger to the local music industry. He is known for his contribution to Anuar Zain’s “Ketulusan Hati”, Aizat’s “Percubaan Pertama”, Bob’s “Cinta Terhalang”, Adibah Noor’s “Kawan”, and more. Currently, Loy serves as an adjunct lecturer at UCSI University and Sunway University, teaching live sound and studio sound courses and live sound and production workshops.
About Sam Koay
Kuala Lumpur-based Sam Koay is a director of photography for commercials, music videos, and films. He graduated from the University of Miami, Florida, with honours in electronic media and theatre arts acting. Having production experiences from the United States to Indonesia, Sam Koay possesses a unique and fresh perspective on the art of cinematography which he brings to his commercial works. He has worked on renowned brands such as KFC, Samsung, and Coca-Cola.
Announcement of Winners
The long-awaited event is here as we announce the winners for the “G-Short” Short Film Festival! Out of 697 submissions received from 37 countries worldwide, 11 winners will be selected and a total of four awards with prizes worth RM20,000 in total will be rewarded. Join us to be part of the exciting moment!
Date: 18 July 2021
Time: 8.00pm
Streaming Platforms: George Town Festival Facebook Page & YouTube Channel
Open Call for Entries
We believe that sometimes, less is more. Whether you are a filmmaker, film lover, or layperson, it’s time to flex your creative muscles and transform your big ideas into a short yet powerful 90-second short film! A total amount of Ringgit Malaysia Twenty Thousand (RM 20,000) cash and prizes will be awarded to the winner(s). We look forward to receiving your entries by 16 May 2021.
Finalists 2021
Finalists (1 – 10)
| Title | Country |
|---|---|
| A New Chapter | Malaysia |
| Adjustments: It’s my way of seeing things | Malaysia |
| Arasi | Malaysia |
| Benda Paling Cuak | Malaysia |
| BLOCKS | Malaysia |
| Bloody Jackboots | Iran |
| Captive | Iran |
| CHASE | Iran |
| Come Home | Malaysia |
| Dear Alison | Malaysia |
Finalists (11 – 20)
| Title | Country |
|---|---|
| Do I know you? | Spain |
| Exaggerated | Indonesia |
| GOSTAN | Malaysia |
| I Got Covid | Malaysia |
| If I can’t see the sun, maybe I should go | Malaysia |
| Letter from Fukushima | United States |
| Operation: Eraser | Malaysia |
| ORGÁQUINA | Brazil |
| Project Sundari | Malaysia |
| SENYAP SENYAP HARIMAU | Malaysia |
Finalists (21 – 30)
| Title | Country |
|---|---|
| The Chess Players | Iran |
| The Cover | Iran |
| The Noise | France |
| The Old Woman | Poland |
| The small red, big blue | Iran |
| THEORY OF THEORIES | Malaysia |
| Thudarcha | India |
| Usted dirá | Spain |
| 我是谁 Who Am I | Malaysia |
| 早安（Morning ASMR） | Singapore |
Judges
Indrani Kopal
Indrani Kopal is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, a Fulbright scholar and a former video journalist at Malaysiakini.com. Her documentary, “The Game Changer” was screened at 17 international festivals and won multiple awards, including the Best Short Documentary award at the 2014 Harlem International Film Festival and at the 2015 Cannes American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase. In 2018, she was awarded the Mira Nair Award for Rising Female Filmmaker at the Harlem International Film Festival for her feature-length documentary, “Incarcerated Rhythm”. Indrani Kopal is the founder of Far East Documentary Centre and currently a senior lecturer at Taylor’s University in Malaysia.
Tunku Mona Riza
Tunku Mona Riza is a woman of expression! After graduating from New York Film Academy, the then television commercial director decided to pursue the path of producing and directing feature films. Tunku Mona’s asset is her passion for storytelling. With her strong sense of creativity and technical knowledge, she immediately earned her success with her second television film “Parit Jawa”, widening the window of creativity for the Malaysian film industry. Tunku Mona’s works are always based on detailed research materials and insights of true stories. With every story she tells, she does not only create it through the lens of film directing but also with her soul as though she is bringing life itself into her film. This can be seen through her debut feature film “Redha” which earned 17 coveted local and international awards, making it hold a record of the most awarded Malaysian film in the country. The internationally renowned film director shows that she has the cutting edge of making a simple story extraordinary.
Dennis Lai Chaing Ming
Dennis Lai Chaing Ming is a highly acclaimed film producer and screenwriter. He currently holds the position of president for the Chinese Film Association of Malaysia. He has been getting involved in film and television production as well as screenwriting on a full-time basis since 1989. He was a television assistant director and production manager up until 1996. Some of his most popular films include “The Iron Lady” (2009), “Ice Kacang Puppy Love” (2010), “King of Mahjong” (2015), “Let’s Eat!” (2016) and more.
Film Screenings: Finalists 2021
Dates:
14 - 16 July 2021
Time:
8.00pm
Screening Platform:
CloudTheatre
The Theme of Reimagine: Storytelling in Motion
Date:
17 July 2021
Time:
2.00pm
Platform:
Zoom
The Tools to Reimagine: Lights, Sound, Action
Date:
17 July 2021
Time:
4.00pm
Platform:
Zoom
Announcement of Winners
Date:
18 July 2021
Time:
8.00pm
Streaming Platforms:
George Town Festival Facebook Page & YouTube Channel
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