Tarheel Shorties is coming to Wilson’s Whirligig Park and the Edna Boykin Cultural Center on June 8 with a lineup of bold new films from NC filmmakers. From Manteo to Monroe, the lineup touts 19 short films and represents artists from 12 different counties across the state. Arts leaders kick off the action with a panel on the Creative Economy, examining how arts impact economic development.
“Shorts for Everyone” features a host of family-friendly films, incorporating talented child-actors and youthful storytelling adventures, as well as engaging documentaries about the state. The block closes with University of North Carolina School of the Arts alum Beth Fletcher’s, Strange Kid, a quirky documentary about North Carolina artist Ethan Gingerich who creates craft sound amplifiers out of antique film projectors. Ethan’s band “Victoria Victoria” headlines the outdoor portion of the festival with their melodically entrancing sounds.
“Outdoor Shorts” begin just after sunset at the beguiling Whirligig Park. This mix of comedy and tragedy includes Love, intergalactic – a human-alien romantic comedy, The Future is Bright – an electric recreation of a dark moment in Greensboro history, Cherie Berry – and a raucous musical ode to NC’s beloved elevator matriarch.
“Late Night Shorts” showcases NC’s finest genre films, a bloody block of unexpected cinema for adults only. Night of the Fluffet, by powerhouse director Raymond Wallace, delivers a fist full of flurry laughs along with some slash chasing. Voyager Pen-15, directed by UNCSA Alum Katia Czartorysky, is a crafty and eccentric tale about the misadventures of two space janitors. Wilmington-based Joe Day’s dark, emotional drama Fragment joins Demon Pills about a demon who spices things up for a lesbian couple, and Justicide by Raleigh filmmaker Fred Anthony Houston.
Tarheel Shorties is a part of the Whirligig Park’s Kaleidoscope Series and is made possible by GigEast, Wilson Tourism Authority, Comfort Inn & Suites, Greenlight, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. After a nomadic first two festivals, Cucalorus is excited to plant Tarheel Shorties in Wilson for many years to come. This event is free and open to the public. Beer, wine and popcorn will be for sale at the Edna Boykin Cultural Center. The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park will feature food trucks, beer and wine throughout the event.
Full Schedule below:
