Short Stories
The power of two minutes and twenty seconds
Last week, I saw 50 films in one sitting.
I didn’t even get up to use the bathroom in the middle.
In fact, all 50 films together were shorter than the run time of Wicked.
I saw 50 films that were each 2 minutes and 20 seconds, maximum.
That’s the conceit of the Festival Nikon held in Paris every year. For the past 15 years, the Festival Nikon has celebrated short (very short) films. They announce a theme, and then filmmakers create stories that fit that theme that are no more than 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
I found out about the festival thanks to Gabriel, someone I met through my friend Leslie. His film had been selected as one of 50 finalists among over 2,000 submissions, and he had mentioned. that there was a screening of the finalists the next night. I had nothing to do, so I decided to go. I was blown away.
In the age of movies that are three hours and require an intermission, it seems unthinkable that stories can be told in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. And yet, many of the films I saw last week had better storytelling than internationally lauded films that are 90 times as long.
There’s something to be said about the creativity and ingenuity that goes into telling a story in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. You can’t have anything superfluous, and you have to be so clear about what story you’re telling because you don’t have time to hide behind montages that garner praise because of their technical achievement but don’t further a story. You have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Every second counts.
The theme of this year was “Super Powers,” a broad enough theme that it could be taken in many different ways. You could think that seeing 50 films around the same theme could be repetitive, or at least be all of one genre. That could not be further from the truth.
Among the 50 films, there were supernatural takes on super powers to be sure, but there were also every day super powers, like kindness, taking care of people, or just surviving. There were comedies, dramas, horror shorts, touching family stories, animated stories, and even a musical. Even if not every film was my taste, I had an immense appreciation for the creativity and talent that went into making these films.
In fact, I was so moved by some of them, that I decided I had nothing to lose and emailed the directors of some of my favorites and asked if I could take them to coffee to talk about their films. In reaching out to these filmmakers, I figured I’d start building my circle of creative individuals. I thought maybe one person of the nine would get back to me, so imagine my surprise when six of nine all responded positively.
One of the main reasons I wanted to move to Paris is because it inspires me as an artist. Yes, I lived in LA for 5 years and had Hollywood as my backyard, but there’s something about the atmosphere of Paris that makes me want to create. Talking to filmmakers about how they came up with their concepts and the process they went through to make the film made me want to do it too. Over coffee, we chatted about ideas we have for future projects, our experiences, and what we hope to do as creators. Each person I talked to offered to introduce me to other people or suggested something I should pursue either for a day job or in entertainment. Similarly, one woman I talked to is moving to LA—I didn’t hesitate to make the same offer.
I have been amazed at how quickly I’ve met people in Paris. Before moving here, I had heard it can be hard to build friendships with people from here as they have their friend groups already. However, in the last month, I have had more experiences like these coffee meetings than I can count. And while it is incredible to have people making overtures for potential creative opportunities, it has meant even more to find creative people who could become friends.
Through luck, one of my new connections had an extra ticket to the closing ceremony for the Festival Nikon, held at the Grand Rex cinema, the biggest theatre in Paris. Having spent time getting to know some of the filmmakers, it was so exciting to attend the ceremony and cheer them on and learn more about the festival. Though I was sitting all the way in the balcony this year, I fully intend to be closer to the stage as a filmmaker in the near future.
One month into living in Paris, and I feel incredibly lucky to be here and grateful that I am pursuing my dreams. I didn’t know what to expect in moving here, but I knew in my soul that it was the right call. Now, as I am living it day-to-day, I am more present, creative, and inspired than I ever have been. This is only the beginning.
If you are interested in the Festival Nikon, all of the films can be seen online, including the 50 finalists. Some of my favorites included the following:
That said, so many were fantastic—and you can watch all of them in 2 hours.
Happy film viewing!
À la prochaine,
Melanie
Mel, I am truly loving all of this. BRAVO on following your dreams and your heart. I love Paris so much and I am living vicariously through you!!!! <3