John Wojowski, Kino Festival’s Director, tells me he’s arranged a tour of short films of outstanding merit to wet filmmakers’ appetites taking a quick turn around the North West.

The programme includes diverse selection of drama, comedy, animation and quirky shorts from all over the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The tour got underway this week at Knutsford, Cheshire this week, but you can still catch it at any of the other 3 venues:

Crosby Plaza Cinema, Crosby, Merseyside - Wed 23rd May @ 8.00 pm
Cine City, Withington, Manchester - Tuesday 29th @ 8. 00 pm
Grand Cinema, Clitheroe, Lancashire - Sunday 3 June @ 7.30 pm

Programme details:

SHOWDOWN (PG)
Dir: Massimo Garlatti-Wales, Prod: Pauline Williams, (35mm) 3m 34s Wales 2000
A comic psychological battle between men in a gym.

JUMP (15)
Dir: Simon Fellows, Prod: Janey de Nordwall, (35mm) 14 mins England 2001
With: john Thomson, Lorraine Ashbourne, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Freddie Davies.
"Jump" is a comedy set upon the city rooftops which plays with theme of
life and the afterlife. As Gavin teeters on the edge of the roof, his
idealised moment is interrupted by the appearance of several characters who
attempt to dissuade him from jumping.

WALKING HOME
Dir / Prod: Oliver Krimpas, (35mm) 7 mins England 2000
With: William Tapley, Joanna Dunn
A man and a woman flirt suddenly on an empty tube late one night. It turns
sinister when he follows her out of a station and along the dark, deserted
streets.

THE ELEVATOR
Dir: Alrick Riley, Prod: Nicola Parrott, Wr: Lemn Sissay (35mm) 4 mins
England 2000
Starring Manchester's own Lemnn Sissay, Gary Lewis and Ahley Waters
Cinema and street poetry fuse, testing the limits to which two artforms can
be pushed. A chance encounter in an elevator between two men is the
beginning of a riveting journey through clubland and into the soul and mind.

SHIFTING UNITS
Dir: Chris Cooke, (35mm) 8 mins England 2000
British realism and the spirit of 'Dogme' combine in this brutal comedy of
sales meetings and alchoholic rehabilitation.Paul is a salesman and his
life revolves around hotel consumables, but th eemptiness of his life is
swiftly exposed in Chris Cooke's portraite of a man on the edge.

RICE PAPER STARS
Dir: Andy Goddard, Prod: Becky Lloyd (35mm) 16 mins Scotland 2000
Trapped inside the handbag-disco from Hell and drunk on Malibu and
heartbreak, jilted bride Kelly-Marie is having the worst day of her life.
But when the ladies' toilet become centre-stage for a life or death drama,
the situation calls for some serious action.

THE LONELY WIDOW
Dir: John Gorman, Prod: Susie Wilson (35m) 5 mins (Animation) Scotland 2000
The "Lonely Widow" is a dark gothic poem that tells the story of a lonely
black widow spider and her need to find suitors.

THE TYRE
Dir: Brian Hill, Prod: Caroline Levy/Aby Bach (35mm) 9m 30s England 2000
Starring Christopher Eccleston, based on a poem by Simon Armitage and set
in Yorkshire. A disillusioned sales representative liberates himself from
his broken-down car and mobile phone through a magical childhood memory.

BLESSED FRUIT
Dir: Orla Walsh, Prod: Paul Donovan (35mm) 16 mins Ireland 1999
Two weeks late and two possible fathers. What's a girl to do? An extremely
humorous and fresh perspective upon the Christmas story.

A HEAP OF TROUBLE
Dir: Steve Sullivan, Prod: Jane Dauncey (35mm) 3m 44s Wales 2000
Shows the seismic effect on a leafy housing estate when nine men come
marching through.