GOODBYE, CRUEL WORLD - SYNOPSIS
Charming black comedy about a shy young boy who is forced to deal with the death of his best friend. By using his fertile imagination and passion for electronics, the boy temporarily resurrects his friend. However things start to change when the dead friend begins to take on a life of his own.
GOODBYE, CRUEL WORLD - DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I wanted to make a picture dealing with the traditional short film theme of a relationship between child and older person. I wanted to subvert the genre by adding the surreal element of re-animation through technology. The result is lack - the buildings, the landscape, the people all lack love. That is, until the end…
-Vito Rocco
'GOODBYE, CRUEL WORLD' - FILM INFORMATION
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Vito Rocco
PRODUCERS: Iain Thomson, Tanaya Higgins
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Georges Bermann, Madeleine Sanderson, Stella Nwimo
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Partizan Ltd.
7 Brunswick Studios
Westbourne Grove Mews
London W11 2RU
T: +44 (0)20 7792 8483
F: +44 (0)20 7792 8870
Email:
MAIN CAST: Lewis Hunt - 'Justin'
Donald Pelmear - 'Mr Carter'
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Simon Chaudoir
EDITOR: Neil Smith
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS: David Munns and Julian Nagel
COSTUME DESIGNER: Kate Forbes
MAKE-UP ARTIST: Louise Young
SOUND DESIGNER: Rob Butler Biggs
COMPOSER: Claire Freeman
SOUND RECORDIST: Mario Mooney
CASTING DIRECTOR (LONDON): Amanda Tabak
CASTING DIRECTOR (NORFOLK): Marie Frazer
CHOREOGRAPHER: Claire Missingham
TECHNICAL SPECS
Filmed on Super 16mm Kodak.
35mm print, Digibeta (PAL), and Beta SP (PAL) viewing formats.
1.185 aspect ratio.
Optical track Dolby SR sound.
Running Time 12 minutes.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2004 Palm Springs Film Festival, USA - Best Live Action Film Under 15 minutes
2004 Cracow Film Festival, Poland - Silver Dragon Award, Best Fiction Feature
2004 Kodak/BAFTA Showcase, UK - Winner
2004 Pifan Film Festival, Korea - Grand Prix
2004 Emden Film Festival, Germany - Short Film Award
2004 Capalbio Film Festival, Italy - Best Direction Award
2004 Creativity No Spot Film Festival, USA - Best Direction Award and Best Film Award
2004 Odense Film Festival, Denmark - Special Prize
2004 Alpinale, Austrra - Honourable Mention
2005 Bermuda International Film Festival, Bermuda – Bermuda Short Film Award
2005 Aspen International Film Festival, USA – The Ellen Short Film Award
2004 Tribeca Film Festival, NY, USA – In Competition
2004 Berlinale, Germany – In Competition
2004 Atlantic Film Festival, Canada - In Competition
2004 Sydney Film Festival, Australia - Official Selection
2004 Hamburg Film Festival, Germany – In Competition
2004 Rencontres, Paris, France - Official Selection
2004 Dinard Film Festival, France - In Competition
2004 Triana Film Festival, Albania - In Competition
2004 Brest Film Festival, France - In Competition
2004 18th Braushweig Film Festival, Germany - In Competition
2004 Delta Film Festival, USA - In Competition
2004 Anchorage Film Festival, USA - In Competition
2004 Vendome Film Festival, France - In Competition
2005 Slamdance Film Festival, USA - In Competition
2005 Flickerfest, Australia - In Competition
2005 Halloween Short Film Festival, London - In Competition
CO-PRODUCERS/FUNDS Riverchild Films, Film London, Screen East.
VITO ROCCO - BIOGRAPHY/FILMOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
Originally trained as an actor, writer and director Vito Rocco's darkly comic short films have won several awards, including Best Live Action Film at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Best Fiction Feature at the Cracow Film Festival and Winner of the BAFTA/Kodak Short Film Showcase. He has recently completed a two part, one hour comedy drama, 'The Last Chancers', for Channel 4, for broadcast in December 2004.
FILMOGRAPHY
2004 The Last Chancers (2 x 60 mins)
2003 Goodbye, Cruel World (12 mins)
2002 Full Frontal (10 mins)
2001 Venkel’s Syndrome (11 mins)
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2004 Palm Springs Film Festival, USA - Best Live Action Film Under 15 minutes
2004 Cracow Film Festival, Poland - Silver Dragon Award, Best Fiction Feature
2004 Kodak/BAFTA Showcase, UK - Winner
2004 Pifan Film Festival, Korea - Grand Prix
2004 Emden Film Festival, Germany - Short Film Award
2004 Capalbio Film Festival, Italy - Best Direction Award
2004 Creativity No Spot Film Festival, USA - Best Direction Award and Best Film Award
2004 Odense Film Festival, Denmark - Special Prize
2004 Alpinale, Austrra - Honourable Mention
2004 Tribeca Film Festival, NY, USA – In Competition
2004 Berlinale, Germany – In Competition
2004 Atlantic Film Festival, Canada - In Competition
2004 Sydney Film Festival, Australia - Official Selection
2004 Hamburg Film Festival, Germany – In Competition
2004 Rencontres, Paris, France - Official Selection
2004 Dinard Film Festival, France - In Competition
2003 London Film Festival, UK - Official Selection
2001 BAFTA - Short-listed, Best Short Film
2001 Valladolid Film Festival - Silver Spike, Best Short Film
2001 Motovun Film Festival - Propeller Award, Best Short Film
2001 Berlin Film Festival - In Competition
GOODBYE, CRUEL WORLD - DIALOGUE SCRIPT
1st Scene
Justin in Science class.
2nd Scene
Justin pays Mr Carter a Visit
Justin: "Only me Mr Carter. Happy Birthday Mr Carter. Mr Carter! Mr Carter! Mr Carter!"
Justin: "I made you a card Mr Carter."
Card Reads: Happy 80TH Birthday from Justin.
3rd Scene
Justin in Mr Carter's Bedroom
Doll: "Lets play a game shall we."
Scene 4
Justin goes home.
Note reads "Ciao Justino gone to Italiano Classes. Ciao Mamma. P.S The pizza is in the oven.
Television with weather forecast reporting.
Justin: "I think Mr Carter died today."
John Bland: "About time the poor old fart!"
Justin: "Only joking he didn't really die."
John Bland: "Idiot!"
Scene 5
Justin's Second visit to Mr Carter
Justin: "Only me Mr Cater."
"Hello Terry"
Justin: "Happy day after your birthday Mr Carter."
Scene 6
Justin takes Mr Carter out
Elderly Lady 1: "I keep the same things I had on in the day and the night and then the next morning I change them."
Elderly Lady 2: "There's Mr Carter!"
Elderly Lady 3: "Your looking very smart Mr Carter have you been to a funeral."
Mr Carter: (In dolls voice) " I've wet myself, please change my nappy."
Mr Carter: (In dolls voice to Scooter Lady) "Please brush my hair."
Scooter Lady: "What's that you said?'
Mr Carter: (In dolls voice) "I've got a pretty dress."
Scooter Lady: "Ooh I'd love too."
DJ: "Everybody stay calm please!"
Just stay calm"
DJ: "Will Mr Carter please leave the dance floor! Mr Carter please leave the dance floor!"
Scene 7
Justin takes Mr Carter to the beach
Justin: "And thirty million, six hundred and twenty two thousand four hundred in a leap year. Which makes you two billion five hundred and twenty four million two hundred and eight thousand seconds old. It's probably about the same number of grains of sand on the beach."
Justin: "Don't be sad Mr Carter."
Mr Carter: (In Dolls voice) "I love you."
Justin: "I love you too."
Music: "How deep is the ocean."