Nickel Independent Film Festival – Saturday, June 18 at 9:30pm

Presented by Quidi Vidi Brewery

Buy Tickets

The majority of the Nickels’ festival screenings will be available to watch both in person at the LSPU Hall or online on demand. Both methods will follow the same schedule. For example, the Horror Night screening will take place in person at the LSPU Hall on Thursday at 9:30pm, and that screening will also become available to watch on demand online at that time.

IN PERSON:

All in-person screenings will take place on the main stage at the LSPU Hall at 3 Victoria Street, St. John’s. Because space is limited we recommend booking your seats in advance, and you can do that by phone at 709-753-4531 or online. Tickets are pay-what-you-can. Any amount is appreciated to help us with filmmaker screening fees and other festival expenses. If you purchase tickets online for in-person shows, there are designated Pay-What-You-Can-Amounts in increments of $5. If you call in or come in person to buy tickets, you can indicate how much you wish to pay regardless of the online increments. 

Film Descriptions for Saturday at 9:30pm

The Shadows of Magellan
The connection between digitalisation, globalisation, and changing climate is explored using footage of a performative dance art installation in Hamburg, Germany, itself based on the discovery of the Strait of Magellan. Its five segments: Preparation of the Expedition, Transatlantic Caravel Voyage, Romantic Interlude on the Rio Bravo, Increasing Aggression, and Triumph of the Explorers. Director: Per Pegelow • Germany • 5 mins

Identibye
Our protagonist faces the dilemma of choosing between sense and sensibility regarding their innermost feelings. From the very beginning, fear brought on by the judgements of the ones closest to them, fuels persistent doubt and indecision. They must work against the clock, knowing that one’s true identity is what matters most. Director: Sajjad Shahhatami • Iran • 15 mins

The Missus Downstairs: The Long Road Home
Episode one of this comedy series by local comedy greats Mary Walsh and Dave Sullivan! John, down on his luck, finds his dream home. However, he quickly learns that the house comes with strings attached. An oddball friendship hatched between one man and his nosy, yet loveable, neighbour. Director: Mary Walsh • Writers: Dave Sullivan and Mary Walsh • Producers: Mary Walsh and Ruth Lawrence • Newfoundland and Labrador • 8 mins

Close to the Bone
A woman looks back on her life as a series of rooms. A gorgeous visual album from St. John’s singer-songwriter Ian Foster and starring Alison Moira Kelly, Bridget Wareham, Darryl Hopkins, and Des Walsh. Director: Ian Foster • Producers: Justin Simms, Michael Ciuffini • Newfoundland and Labrador • 22 mins

Unnecessary Things
Could a robot adopt a pet in the near future? Could this pet be a human? Could they become friends? …And what would become of the robot afterwards? Ukranian animator Dmytro Lisenbart expertly crafts an adaptation of Robert Sheckley’s short story “The Old Curiosity Shop” in a film noir style that also recalls mid-20th Century science fiction. This clever homage extends as far as depicting the central figure as a version of the author in his younger days. Director: Dmytro Lisenbart • Ukraine • 14 mins

House, Car & Cottage
Suspecting that her husband has been unfaithful, Abbie meets him at a restaurant, where she launches a plan to take him for what he’s worth. Director: Jeff Lewis • Newfoundland and Labrador • 6 mins

Lydia Emily’s Last Mural
Lydia Emily, a mural artist living with progressive multiple sclerosis, paints her last mural in downtown LA. Director: Christoph Johannes Superstar Green • USA • 21 mins

Shelter
During the height of the COVID-19 lock-downs, performance artists from around the world were invited to express the emotion of isolation through dance. Originally planned as an “armchair project”, featuring a dozen or so participants, it grew into something much more. We’re extremely fortunate that it did. Director: Martin Ponferrada • Australia • 6 mins