Over the last few years I have not only learned an appreciation for short films, but I have come to love them. I am now a fan of Vimeo, a short film presentation venue (look it up!). I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity, creativity and risk involved in being able to tell a story in 10-20 minutes. Some great things come in very small packages.

The Manhattan Short Film Festival is something folks have come to expect and anticipate at the Liberty Theater each year. This is an artistic showcase of new films that not only creates a break from the first-release film runs, but helps us “hear” from some of the newest filmmakers coming up in the world.

The MSFF was started by one man, Nicholas Mason, in New York in 1998. On 9/11, the people insisted the festival continue, as it provided a gathering place and a way to survive the horrors of that day. Since then it has become truly a global festival. This year ten films have been selected as finalists from thousands of entries representing every continent. This year the films come from USA, UK, Finland, France, Iran, Germany, and Canada. By virtue of its selection, every film is eligible for Oscar nomination.

Added value in viewing MSFF is that audience members get to vote on their choice of Best Actor and Best Film. Patrons will receive voting cards as they come in, and will leave them on the way out. They will be compiled and the winners announced online October 4, 2019.

A synopsis of each film has been going out on our Facebook page, and we have flyers showing each of the ten movies, with a total run time of just over two hours. We will play all ten films at each regular show time of our movie week. With titles like, “Driving Lessons,” “Tipped,” and “At the End of the World,” I guarantee you, too, will be amazed and inspired by what you see.

For mature audiences, MSFF plays Sept. 27 to Oct. 1 at the Liberty. Visit http://www.libertytheater.org for show times and admission prices, or call 382-1380 for more information.