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Both the Sundance and the Slamdance Film Festivals begin in Park City, Utah this week. While I previously posted up the full Slamdance lineup and some underground highlights at Sundance, I thought I’d round them up again for those attending the festivals who might be reading this and looking for the quirkier, out-of-the-hype screenings.

Sundance:

The first movie you don’t want to miss at is After You Left, directed by Jef Taylor, which was recently reviewed on Bad Lit. This easygoing, but emotionally complicated tale about a semi-immature dude in his mid-thirties dealing with a serious broken heart has a minimalist charm to it that makes it instantly likable. It’s the kind of film that at first it may not seem like much is going on, but actually has a lot to say. Lead actor Michael Tisdale is really good in it, too. Exact screening info is on this page.

We’ve all been there. Stuck listening to some self-absorbed acquaintance babble on about his own personal obsessions while our heart aches after having it stomped on, squished, mangled, and manipulated after a sorrowful loss. All we want is someone to help lift us out of our misery. All they want is to download their nonsense.

That’s exactly how Jef Taylor‘s melancholy short film After You Left opens. Mat (Michael Tisdale) has just been dumped by Sara (Joanne Tucker). Hoping to get his mind off of his broken heart, Mat is stuck listening to the boring ramblings of his friend Dylan (Dylan McCullough).

To us, the audience, Dylan’s whiny ramblings over whether or not he should go see the new Twilight movie just because Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has a song on the soundtrack is a riot, especially because he’s so sincere about his dilemma. But,...

Back in the early 90s, Jef Taylor and Michael Tisdale, a couple of college kids who had been friends since early childhood, hit the road for a music festival in southern Ohio. Shortly after pitching an old canvas tent that Jef had borrowed from his father, the two realized that their shelter was no match for the elements. Despite the pouring rain that found its way into the humble quarters, the two made the best of the situation. Using Jef’s tape recorder, the two spent the evening singing and improvising little sketches that they later entitled: “Leaky Tent”. From these soggy, yet joyous beginnings came Leaky Tent Collective, the small film, theater, and video production company that the two created that has just been granted the distinct honor of producing a short film accepted by the Sundance Film Festival.

Last fall the long time friends found themselves in yet...

Out of 6,467 short film submissions — a record for the fest — the Sundance Film Festival has selected to screen 81 of them during its 2011 edition, which will run on Jan. 20-30. Out of those 81 short films, a handful have ties to the underground film world.

First, I want to offer special Bad Lit congratulations to filmmaker Jef Taylor, whose film After You Left — written by Taylor and Michael Tisdale — was one of those short films chosen.

Earlier this year, I reviewed Taylor’s phenomenal, award-winning short film Coverage, so I was thrilled to hear another one of his more recent films got into Sundance. (I also hope to have a review of After You Left up around the time of the fest.)

Some other recognizable names from the underground film world include:

Martha Colburn: Legendary underground animator Martha Colburn is no stranger to Sundance and she has another film in the...

The Sundance Film Festival 2011 has a great line-up of movies this year, and I'm really excited about what we are going to get to see this year. The festival has just released their short film line-up, which is always cool to check out. Some of these movies are underated, but I've seen some pretty incredible live-action and animated short films at the festival.

Here's the official press release and list of films for you to check out:

Park City, Ut— Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. This year the Festival's Short Film Program comprises 81 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,467 submissions up 6% over 2010. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs January 20-30 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival. ”It’s a...

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival is shaping up quite nicely. The films in competition [1], and out of competition [2], have already been announced and each has some incredibly exciting entries. Monday brought the announcement of the 81 short films, chosen out of 6,467 entries, that will play in Park City, Utah this January. And while the majority of them are by currently unknown filmmakers, there are a few that jump out featuring names like Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Jack Black. Actually, those guys are all in the same short. Other notables include Neil Labute, Tim & Eric and Isabella Rossellini. After the jump, we'll highlight those films and show you the full list. Scanning the list, here are the films that stick out as particularly exciting. Fight For Your Right Revisited (Director and Screenwriter: Adam Yauch) - After the boys leave the party... Cast: Elijah Wood, Danny McBride,...

HollywoodNews.com: Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. This year the Festival’s Short Film Program comprises 81 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,467 submissions up 6% over 2010. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs January 20-30 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.

“It’s a marvel to discover the creativity in this year’s shorts program. These filmmakers are charged with telling compelling stories, nurturing breakout performances and engaging the audience, all in a fraction of the time allocated to features, and each one delivers,” said Trevor Groth, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “For 2011, we are pleased to be able to shine a light on indigenous filmmakers working around the world in the short-form medium, and to provide festival goers with a window into native storytelling.”

“These directors have once again raised the...

After announcing their feature film line-up (here and here), the Sundance Film Institute just sent us over their short film selections. Most initially appealing is Fight For Your Right Revisited, directed by Beastie Boy‘s Adam Yauch. The short features Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, and Jack Black. I’ll definitely be checking it out.

Neil Labute is also directing a short starring Julia Stiles, and Jonathan Caouette‘s short starring Chloë Sevigny will show, from the trailer we previously featured. There is also a short co-written by Cloverfield and Unstoppable‘s T.J. Miller. Check them all out below and look for our coverage in January.

U.S. Narrative Shorts

After You Left (Director: Jef Taylor; Screenwriters: Jef Taylor and Michael Tisdale) — A man in his mid-thirties searches for meaning in the aftermath of a relationship.

Andy and Zach (Director and Screenwriter: Nick Paley...

Short films by some Sundance alumni in Moon Molson, Michael Mohan, Oscilloscope founder Adam Yauch (see above), Lance Weiler, Zellner Bros., Neil Labute, Lake Bell, Isabella Rossellini, Daniel Mulloy, and as we mentioned before Carter Smith will be attending the festival with Yearbook with the logline being: "Something strange is going on at Rockdale high school…" And always worth the detour, Ruben Östlund brings Incident by a Bank whose plot is pretty much revealed in the title. The short films selected for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival are: U.S. Narrative Shorts This year's 44 U.S. short films were selected from a record 3,453 submissions. After You Left (Director: Jef Taylor; Screenwriters: Jef Taylor and Michael Tisdale) – A man in his mid-thirties searches for meaning in the aftermath of a relationship. Andy and Zach (Director and Screenwriter: Nick Paley) – When Zach decides to move out, his roommate Andy tries to set up...

The Sundance Institute has announced the short films that will be screening at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The full list of titles are below.

See the complete list of competition titles here and out-of-competition titles here.

The festival will take place Jan. 20-30, 2011 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.

U.S. Narrative Shorts

After You Left (Director: Jef Taylor; Screenwriters: Jef Taylor and Michael Tisdale) – A man in his mid-thirties searches for meaning in the aftermath of a relationship.

Andy and Zach (Director and Screenwriter: Nick Paley) – When Zach decides to move out, his roommate Andy tries to set up a new life without his best friend.

Awol (Director and Screenwriter: Deb Shoval) – Days before her deployment to Afghanistan, Joey, 19, comes home to rural Pennsylvania for Christmas, with big dreams of running away to… Read the rest...

Well, we’ve see the list of feature-length films that are in the 2011 lineup of the Sundance Film Festival. Just moments ago, the festival revealed the full list of short films that will accompany those features – 44 in total, from a record 3,453 submissions! Wow! Glad I’m not on that judging committee.

But of note in the below list are 2 filmmakers who are followers of this blog, both I’ve communicated with in the past – one actually was mentioned on Black Filmmakers To Watch thread, so we may as well add the other.

I’m referring to Moon Molson and Tahir Jetter.

Moon’s short film is titled Crazy Beats Strong Every Time. Some may recall that, in September, I posted an entry for Moon, to help raise money to complete the short film. He was trying to raise $8,000, and actually ended up raising $10,250! So, congrats to Moon! The synopsis for...

There’s no way to write a description of Jef Taylor‘s provocative and daring Coverage without making it sound like one of the most insensitive films imaginable. Yet, by dealing with such scandalous material, Taylor is able to touch upon a whole host of issues, on both a personal and a grand social scale with remarkable depth and insight.

The film opens with David (Michael Tisdale), a twenty-something male who has been stricken impotent by the loss of his job. Clearly, his relationship with his live-in girlfriend Lynn (Laura Heisler) is beginning to crack from their lack of intimacy. David stays home, sending out resumes and watching the news while Lynn continues to be the household’s sole breadwinner.

But their situation is significantly altered one day when, while watching the news alone, David witnesses the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 unfold live on TV. When Lynn returns home from work,...