Ladies and gentlemen - please welcome the films and the filmmakers of LIFT's 12th Annual National Salon des Refuses!

PROGRAM 1
Liquid Lunch by Jaimz Asmundson (Winnipeg)
Arc Light by Jason Britski (Regina)
Salome's Gift by Jaymez (Winnipeg)
On A Sunday by Bevan Klassen (Winnipeg)
Dreams of Mourning by Warren Nightingale (Winnipeg)
Passive Voice by Lina Rodriguez (Toronto)

PROGRAM 2
Tortured by Sidewalks by Jason Britski (Regina)
Dragoon Street by David Zellis (Winnipeg)
Beige, Egg Shell, Off-White by Bryce Hallett (Toronto)
The Keys by Shannon Ottarson (Winnipeg)
Rugburn by Trevor Anderson (Edmonton)

PROGRAM 1

LIQUID LUNCH
3.5 minutes
2004

A surrealist, nightmarish view on a capitalist fast-food society that focuses on instant gratification of animals instincts. Our hero, Frank the business man, peruses the Adult Classifieds in search of a lunch hour 'quickie.' He and his co-worker get more than they bargained for when they encounter a 'real' dominatrix.

JAIMZ BARTON has been experimenting with film and video since the age of 15 where he created his first video, ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT CHIHUAHUA, through an apprenticeship at Video Pool Inc. Since then he has continued to produce a body of work that has been screened internationally. His films have become known for their subversive content and he has been called "Winnipeg's enfant terrible of transgressive cinema."

ARC LIGHT
3:30 minutes
2005

ARC LIGHT is a film essentially about travel. It is the second part in a series of North American landscape films that I have been shooting for the past few years. The central aim of the film is to formally examine two of the most photographed landscapes on earth. Simple formal devices are utilized in creating this simple portrait of Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon.

JASON BRITSKI is an independent film and video-maker. His films and videos have been screened around the world in such cities as Tokyo, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Rotterdam, Dresden, and Toronto. In the past 15 years he has made 11 films in 16mm and 06 videos. Jason also co-produced, co-directed, and edited LANSCAPE AS MUSE (TV Series – 13 X 24 min.), which was broadcast on Bravo!, SCN, and Knowledge Network in Canada. In 2005, Jason completed his most recent installment in a series of landscape films DOWN PAYMENT ON A DEAD HORSE, and also DEAD HORSE POINT. He is a member of The Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative, SMPIA, and the Canadian Filmmakers' Distribution Centre.

SALOME'S GIFT
7 minutes
2004

A one man war epic. A look into the mind of a soldier... one man's army.

Inspired by arctic flesh freezing prairie winters and the dementia that results from them, JAYMEZ explores the boundaries of technology, both old and new, digital and analogue, and the ways in which people and society react with and to them. His experimentations with various forms of electronic music and harsh noise have landed him several appearances on compilations around the world. Always searching for new media and technology he began incorporating videos and digital editing into his repertoire, completing several short pieces, including a collage, a documentary and visual poem with Winnipeg electronic musician FANNY.

ON A SUNDAY
16 minutes
2004

In a 1950s Canadian prairie town, a son's long-time desire to attend a church camping retreat with his father unearths a long-standing grudge held by a controlling church leader.

BEVAN KLASSEN is an independent filmmaker, and lives with his wife and three children in Winnipeg, Canada. Bevan's films address the themes of alienation, religious faith, and masculinity. His first film, WILDLANDS, won a Manitoba Blizzard Award for Best Amateur in 2003, was purchased by the Canadian Comedy Network, and is now being distributed through the Winnipeg Film Group and California-based Big Films Shorts. He is also currently working on his first feature-length film that will be shot in 2006.

DREAMS OF MOURNING
5 minutes
2004

A man wakes, only to find himself inside a painted landscape – a moving Monet. The dreamscape is in constant flux, nature reshapes and reforms around him, in conflict, like his desire to free himself of his surreal confinement. Will he be lost forever in this never ending fancy of disappear like a faded memory?

WARREN NIGHTINGALE is a Canadian independent filmmaker / educator. Warren's zeal for directing ignited while taking a filmmaking class instructed by Guy Maddin. The course work required each student to complete two shorts films on 16mm. Warren's student films WRITER'S BLOCK and SURF'N received very positive responses in various screenings, including as a vignette at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. Warren, who received perfect marks in the class, received heavy praise from his instructor in the form of a simple comment, "You should be in the industry."

PASSIVE VOICE
15 minutes
2005

A couple lives in the same house but constantly miss each other to communicate both their frustration and love. A visual dance of missed opportunities.

LINA RODRIGUEZ was born in Bogotá, Colombia twenty-five years ago. In 1999, she moved to the UK, working as a volunteer at St. Paul's hostel for the homeless. Lina marks this as a turning point in her life as she was deeply affected by her experiences with chronic alcoholics and heroin addicts. In 2000, Lina moved to Toronto, Canada to study film at York University and she will be graduating this coming June. Recently, she interned as a Marketing & Promotions Assistant for Toronto-based distributor Mongrel Media and she is currently part of the Publicity team for aluCine Toronto Latino Film and Video Festival 2005. She has directed the short films, CYCLE (2003) and IN MEMORIAM (2004), quietly exploring emotional experiences that lie below the surface. PASSIVE VOICE (2005) continues Lina's search to find the subtle details that lie in between human relationships.

PROGRAM 2

TORTURED BY SIDEWALKS
2 minutes
2005

TORTURED BY SIDEWALKS is a very simple film about portraiture. It is the first part in a series of North American landscape films that I have been shooting for the past few years. The central aim of the film is to make a filmic "sketch" of one of the most photographed landscapes on earth – Peggy's Cove. The film was shot on Super 8 and Pxlvision in order to convey my reaction to this striking landscape.

JASON ASMUNDSON is an independent film and video-maker. His films and videos have been screened around the world in such cities as Tokyo, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Rotterdam, Dresden, and Toronto. In the past 15 years he has made 11 films in 16mm and 06 videos. Jason also co-produced, co-directed, and edited LANSCAPE AS MUSE (TV Series – 13 X 24 min.), which was broadcast on Bravo!, SCN, and Knowledge Network in Canada. In 2005, Jason completed his most recent installment in a series of landscape films DOWN PAYMENT ON A DEAD HORSE, and also DEAD HORSE POINT. He is a member of The Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative, SMPIA, and the Canadian Filmmakers' Distribution Centre.

DRAGOON STREET
4 minutes
2004

A couple of closet cases play video games while fantasizing of better eight bit days.

DAVID ZELLIS likes video games and can't deny most other brothers will deny!

BEIGE, EGG SHELL, OFF-WHITE
4.5 minutes
2004

A man attempts to paint a room to impress his wife and runs out of paint. . .but what colour is it? A comedy/parody of artsy films and/or perfume commercials.

BRYCE HALLETT has been an independent animator since 1999. He is a graduate of the Graphic Communications Progam at Canadore College in North Bay and the Classical Animation Program at Sheridan College in Oakville . He also studied Film and television production for a year at Humber College and studied acting, writing, and improv at various institutions such as the Second City Toronto, Theatresports Toronto, The Gateway Theatre Guild and the Poor Alex Theatre. He enjoys his work and as a very self sufficient animator creates most of his cartoons by himself in a cold dark basement. He almost never talks to himself.

THE KEYS
7 minutes
2005

Running late for work, Joe Monday rushes downstairs, still pulling himself together. No time for a proper breakfast, he grabs a pop tart, his briefcase (but not his keys) and is out the door. Upon hearing the click of the door he realizes his error and panics. Knowing he can't be late, he assaults the door, in a desperate attempt to open it. After failing miserably he has the bright idea to break in through the window... and the fun begins.

Born in Winnipeg, SHANNON OTTARSON has been telling stories in one form or another her entire life, and is elated to have finally completed her first short film.

RUGBURN
13 minutes
2005

A young painter contacts the collections agency that has been hounding him and finds himself embroiled in a much more personal confrontation than he bargained for. A romantic comedy without the romance; a cross between Annie Hall and those Capital One commercials starring David Spade. Rugburn: some things hurt worse than they should.

TREVOR ANDERSON is a rock and roll drummer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He tours Western Canada regularly with his two bands, The Vertical Struts and The Wet Secrets, both of which released albums this year. He writes, produces and directs theatre. Recently, he and composer Bryce Kulak wrote a new musical for children, called NAMI NAMERSSON, THE VIKING WHO LIKED TO NAME THINGS. Trevor recently confessed to a desire to make movies: RUBURN is his first short film.