When most people hear “Sundance,” they automatically think of the big name films that will open at the festival, the indie gems already gathering buzz, the features we will be watching for the rest of the year. But beyond the glittering full-length program, Sundance also has one of the largest and most comprehensive shorts programs in the fest world. For 2011, the festival received no less than 6,467 submissions. Of them, the festival picked 81 to show in January. There are interesting known names in these ranks, including Neil LaBute, Isabella Rossellini, even Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. But if you’re looking for real, emerging talent? There’s no better place to start looking than amongst these films.
The giant bevy of shorts includes U.S. Narrative Shorts, U.S. Documentary Shorts, U.S. Animated Shorts, International Narrative Shorts, International Documentary Shorts, International Animated Shorts, New Frontier Shorts, and Indigenous Shorts. There is, quite simply, something here for everyone. After the break, check out the full listing of the just-announced shorts that will be showing at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival! (more…)