Film festivals featuring unknown directors generally translate into an eclectic gumbo that features a handful of intriguing films and a whole lot of mush--especially when screening shorts. Not even prestigious festivals like Sundance and Cannes are free from banal pap when it comes to introducing neophyte directors with their first short film. In fact, you can almost be sure that there will be clunkers there since they are often concerned with exposing fare from different countries and cultures or automatically select politically charged material.

Thus, when initially contacted to check out the 9th Annual Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (held September 6-13, 2005), I wasn't sure I wanted to subject myself to the usual experience. It's not exactly Toronto or Venice, which are taking place at the same time. But the Los Angeles festival is a different breed. Establishing itself as the largest showcase of short films and new film making talent in its relatively brief history, this festival is ideally situated for screening quality shorts.

With so many aspiring filmmakers in the area, struggling actors, and film schools and resources, the competition is incredibly rugged. Over 600 screenings were scheduled over the eight day period, but films that stand out here often go on to Oscar glory. 19 films from the first eight festivals have been nominated while five walked away with the golden statuette.

I'd never been to Arclight Cinemas before; the well lighted and clean facility certainly is impressive looking. Located at Sunset Blvd. and Vine, it's highlighted by a giant geodesic dome right next to its seven level parking garage (charging $2.50 for four validated hours of movie watching). Widely acclaimed as Los Angeles' finest theater, with continual queues purchasing reserved seats, the Arclight's projection system leaves a lot to be desired when screening festival shorts. It became laughable when the projectionist attempted to adjust the lighting and contrast while the films were running, and Yuki Saito's unfortunate film was shown almost entirely on a ?black? screen.

I only saw one section of shorts, but if it exemplifies the festival as a whole, I'd certainly rank the Los Angeles venue as the premiere festival for shorts. No other festival remotely approaches the quality of the shorts!

Running a taut 90 minutes, the Living in Sin City section contained seven films that ranged from suspense to drama to comedy, and all contained commendable production value. The official screening list:

Siren (USA) Director: Andrew Mandapat; Suspense; 20 min.

Intoxicated Demons (USA) Director: Donlee Brussel; Drama; 15 min.

The Commission (USA) Director: Josh Greene; Comedy; 9 min.

American Deal (USA) Director: Yuki Saito; Drama; 10 min.

One for the Road (USA) Director: Stephen Wenman; Drama; 15 min.

Just Stay Home (USA) Director: Marcus Wagner; Suspense; 8 min.

Blue Aspic (USA) Director: Timothy Gassen; Suspense; 13 min.

Amazingly written, shot, and edited over the period of one week, Josh Greene's contest film The Commission is thoroughly enjoyable, as it incorporates spoofs of Bogie and Bacall along with one of Shaft for Christian advertising. The satire parallels some of the better skits you'll see from Saturday Night Live, with much more sophisticated production design and cinematography but without relying on contemporary pop culture or current events.

Combining touches of humor and film noir, Stephen Wenman's tightly scripted two-man drama One for the Road takes place inside a bar at closing time. Despite the simple plot that relies heavily on dialog, the two actors demonstrate subtle emotional range while Wenman varies his shots seamlessly to craft a clever scenario. The high quality of the cinematography would indicate a much more costly production than it really is.

Throwing more money into a production doesn't always guarantee a superior film; often directors are forced to stretch their creative muscles when challenged to get a shot on a limited budget. But in this section, money did make a significant difference. At $15,000 the most elaborate short in this section was Donlee Brussel's Intoxicated Demons, and he invested his money well?the acting talent, the production design, and cinematography all stand out, and Brussel's considerable collaborative skills are clearly evidenced in this short. First conceived in 2002, it was shot over three days in January 2005 before going to post-production.

Forgoing a typical sequential structure, Brussel begins with a series of rhythmic visuals choreographed to a lively soundtrack that center on Johnny (Luke Pennington), who hits a liquor store and a strip club, gets drunk, and may (or may not) take a ride with a mysterious stranger (John Gilbert). The former girlfriend is sketched in during inebriated flashbacks, one strikingly photographed like Dario Argento's best work, as Cami (Kellydawn Malloy) is bathed in soft blue while the rest of the darkened set contains deep red tones. And that is only one of many striking night scenes. Another remarkably steady shot takes place inside a moving vehicle cruising down Santa Monica Blvd--a staple of Abbas Kiarostami but not the kind of shot you'd expect in a short.

Most memorable, however, is the relative complexity of Intoxicated Demons and how it leaves plenty of room for ambiguity, especially with its open ended final scene. One lady asked the director for an interpretation immediately after its debut screening, and I'm sure that Brussel will be approached by a number of people who have seen his first film and say something along the lines of “Hey, I saw your film. What was it about?”

Whether this film wins any awards or not, it does offer promise. Brussel is well versed in cinematic language without the usual pretentiousness of many film school students, and he's demonstrated in this first project that he can put together a professional team of filmmakers to produce a well made and provocative film.