Georges Méliès : first wizard of cinema Volume five. Georges Méliès built the world's first movie studio in 1896 near Paris; from it cascaded fantastic magic films, dream films, historical reconstructions, imaginary journeys, melodramas, slapstick comedies -- even erotic films. A genuine virtuoso, Méliès produced and directed his films while also devising the narratives; designing the sets, costumes and props; and frequently performing the leading...

Georges Méliès built the world's first movie studio in 1896 near Paris; from it cascaded fantastic magic films, dream films, historical reconstructions, imaginary journeys, melodramas, slapstick comedies -- even erotic films. A genuine virtuoso, Méliès produced and directed his films while also devising the narratives; designing the sets, costumes and props; and frequently performing the leading parts. Arranged in chronological order, this comprehensive...

This Oscar-nominated film opens with an absurd act: stealing a door. Then, what had seemed an absurd act turns into a simple statement of human dignity, of people making sense of loss through ritual. THE DOOR reflects on the fact that it is based on someone's testimony. Images are impressionistic, haunting, like fragments of memories which the viewer must piece together. Although the main character, Nikolai, gives us the facts, he himself is trying...

Eleanor's catch is a delightful short, directed by and starring Cleo Madison. A successful actress, Madison was one of many women who directed films at Universal, particularly in the mid 1910s. In this two-reeler, she stars as a young city girl dragged into a life of crime by a ne'er-do-well suitor. A terrific surprise ending gives Eleanor and Cleo an early claim to promoting women's equality in the workforce. Rousing Melodrama.

Documentary Red top snuff (shot 1975, edited 1999) (8:43) (co-produced with Barbara Ayres; Noah Bishop editor) Ben Pearson's family has been milling on the Parker River in Massachusetts since colonial times and began grinding snuff when the industrial revolution brought textile mills to the Merrimack Valley. The Byfield Snuff Company continued making snuff until 1990 and its most popular product was called Red top. Yoyo man (1978) (12:03) (co-produced...

At the beginning of the dream, Nadine is handed a picture of herself playing the violin. Stanley, a man in clunky glasses who accompanies Nadine through her dream, demands a performance, and a chorus of suited men on the other side of a wall of windows stare at her expectantly. Throughout the dream, Stanley repeatedly nags Nadine about not cheating. Nadine finds herself in a kitchen, mixing flour and other ingredients in a bowl. She stops before dumping...

Good Night Yoga tells the story of the world retiring for the evening, and helps calm active children into a peaceful and soothing bedtime routine.

This atmospheric short drama was made on film in 1998 and serves as a showcase for some of the outstanding talent nurtured by CAAMA at that time, supported by filmmaking talent from elsewhere including Safina Uberoi and Jackie McKimmie. In a sequence of simple, emotionally charged scenes, MY COLOUR, YOUR KIND gives a powerful impressionistic insight into the feelings of alienation experienced by a teenaged albino Aboriginal girl. In a convent boarding...

Director Noah Harris seamlessly fuses 3D-printed stop-motion elements and 2D animation into a vibrant and ingenious music video.

Proving just how engaging and versatile short films can be, seven young filmmakers tackle diverse themes in a variety of styles to ignite emotional and often rousing reactions.