VIRGINAL YOUNG BLONDES - Director Mark L. Feinsod - 16 mins (US)

An enigmatic and disturbing film, telling the story of a beautiful ice-queen prostitute who picks up an unemployed slacker in a New York bar, mistaking him for a wealthy trust-fund brat. During the course of their conversation, she offers him a private striptease session and confesses that she used to live with a drug dealer - until he was murdered.

'A wise story of people who are not what they seem that achieves more than most features could ever dream of...' - Phil Hall, 'Ten Best Unseen Films of 2004'

UNCLE JACK'S WONDERFUL WORLD OF NATURE - Director Matthew Walters - 2 mins (Wales)

This is the sort of film you make when you don't have many, or indeed, any friends living in the area - or anywhere else, for that matter. The director requests that you play close attention to the squirrels who were, he states, 'conscientious and good natured at all times'. Apparently, the healthier ones worked for nuts and the fatter ones for pieces of Aero chocolate, but you wouldn't know just by looking.

'Journey into a wonderful world of nature with Uncle Jack'. Quietly hilarious.

IN LOVE WITH PATTY CHANG - Director Nicolas Jenkins - 6 mins (US)

Typically left-field documentary from cult NY director, Nicolas Jenkins, who's unique ability to be in the right place at the right time has produced some memorable films about the icons and identities of the NY arts and entertainment sub-culture. Nic has given Final Cut exclusive permission to screen this film about video and performance artist, Patty Chang. This is the first time 'In Love' has been seen outside America and reveals Patty's work as characterised, amongst other things, by a brazen confrontation of female stereotypes and an overtly erotic presentation of food.

THE DEVIL & MANNY SCHMECKSTEIN - Jim Goodman - 6 mins (US)

Multi-award winning and very funny claymation telling the story of stand-up comic, Manny Schmeckstein. After an untimely on-stage death, he discovers that a lifetime of telling bad jokes has consigned him to eternal damnation, but the agent of all agents, Beelzebub, comes to his rescue with an offer of redemption - provided he can get one good laugh.

'Best Clay Animation' - Garden State Film Festival
'Runner-up' - Philadelphia Film Festival
'Best Animation' - New Jersey International Film Festival
'Best Animation' - Boston International Film festival

LATE NIGHT SNACK - Director Shane Sheils - 2 mins (Ireland)

Three eggs confront their greatest fear: the late night snack.

IN THE BROOK WHERE I BELONG - Director Nikolai Fox - 5 mins (US)

This fascinating music documentary tells the story of 57 year-old Nafiz Baycu who emigrated to the US from Turkey with his parents at the age of seven. In his early 20s Ahmet fell in love with old-time American fiddle music and moved to Vermont to pursue the harsh rural lifestyle that embodies its spirit. To this day, he still plays fiddle in the Bogstompers string band while living the stripped-down existence of extreme self-sufficiency that he believes is necessary for the right musical 'attitude' - all the time honing his amazing skills on the fiddle.

"Hear the kickin' sounds of strong, loud, genuine 100% pure old-time mountain fiddle music as played by those who live the authentic life of the mountain musician." - DVD cover

CHARLIE & HIS ORCHESTRA

Tonight's musical 'theme' was based around the bizarre 'Charlie & His Orchestra', a failed Nazis propoganda weapon and the subject of a recent Radio 4 documentary. Available as a free download from an obscure US website, we compiled a special 'Right Charlie' mix containing the best (i.e. worst) of his output. What did Goebbels think he was doing?

'Goebbels at the mic' - click image for MP3 sample (You will enjoy)

DENTIST - Director Signe Baumane -10 mins (Canada)

Clever and well-executed animation about an enthusiastic dentist, a reluctant patient and a strange picture on the wall.

LIPSTICK - Director Harriet Perry - 10 mins (England)

Poignant, well-made drama from one of last year's One Minute Wonder film-makers. Starring TV actor, Jack Shepherd, it tells the story of how a middle-aged man discovers an unusual way to rebuild his identity after a marital breakdown.

Click here for the One Minute Wonder section of our '24/7' freeview streaming service to view Harriet's film plus the other ultra-shorts completed by course participants.

THE SUICIDE NOTE - Director Matthew Walters - 1 min (Wales)

Horror has never been more horrific than this. Truly horrible.

FAST - Director Zoran Dragelj - 1 min (Canada)

Imaginative ultra-short from this prolific Canadian film-maker originally filmed on 16mm . His previous film, Moving Plates, was screened during last year's Brighton Festival.

WHATEVER YOU WANT - Director James Browning - 10 mins (England)

'Enabled' by Screen South and developed by Oxford Film & Video Makers, this moving film tells the story of a terminally ill man who looks to his family and friends for support, but finds only fear and disinterest, discovering in the process that it is possible to die before your time in more ways than one.

GRANDAD - Director Colin Spencer - 9 mins (England)

A powerful and moving study of grief and how different people cope with loss, told from the perspective of 16 year-old Vincent who attends his beloved grandfather's funeral on the same day he receives his examination results.

THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM - Director Matt Watt - 3 mins (England)

It's those crazy Germans, again! This amusing short explores their predilection for getting up before everybody else and reserving the best sunbeds on the beach with those huge damn towels.

ANIMUSIC - Director John Holloway - 3 mins (England)

Unusual and imaginatively edited music video in which every sound in the tune is represented by a moving image on screen. A successful experiment in creating an original music-image combination, described by the director as 'music with illustrations'. The music is good, too.

The film has done well on the festival circuit and will be showing at the Manchester Film Festival next month. It also has TV broadcast credits.