What’s up, good people?! The summer is almost done, but the short film and movie news You Need is heating up.

The most prolific yet enigmatic actor of our generation has returned. Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live’s most famous alum, is coming back to the big screen after a five-year absence. No, he’s not playing a bumbling dad is some mediocre kid’s movie. The 55-year-old comedic actor is returning in a dramatic role that critics are already deeming Oscar worthy. Seriously.

Murphy will play the title role in Mr. Church, a film about a black man who helps to raise a white child whose mother suffers from cancer.

The Hollywood Reporter, which recently interviewed Murphy, stated that Mr. Church is his “best shot at winning the Academy’s attention since The Nutty Professor…”

Said Murphy about the role, which is based on a true story,

I never did anything like this. It was something I could do where there was no pressure at all because there was no expectation because this isn’t a funny thing. The engine of this thing isn’t my sense of humor or what I do or my performance.”

Murphy was nominated but lost out on a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls.

Mr. Church is set to hit theaters September 16. From the looks of it, this will be an Eddie Murphy we have not quite seen before. And that, my friends, is a good thing.

 

Short of the Week

Our short film selection of the week is a Sci-Fi entry about a 10-year-old boy who faces execution. The question is who will save him.

 

“The Art of Human Salvage” is a riveting short set in a netherworld and inspired by classic films like Blade Runner and Children of Men.

Directed by Dempsey Tillman, this short film stars Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos. In fact, “The Art of Human Salvage” was so popular that the trailer alone garnered over 257K views on Vimeo.

And with good reason: This is a brisk, high energy short film that hits like a shot of expresso.

That’s our way of saying we think you’ll like it.

To see “The Art of Human Salvage,” hit this link.

 

 

Vote For Your Favorite Short Film

Big things are happening around here, folks.

As we announced last week, itsashort.com and Collected Voices have partnered up to introduce the Collected Voices Online Film Contest.

Here’s how it works: Visit our site to watch and vote among eight unique short films that have been nominated for entry. These short film nominees either focus on history, culture or  real life experiences. You can watch all eight films for free and cast your vote, once a day. Winners will be announced on October 29.

Again, you can vote and even encourage your friends to participate by visiting this page on our website.

There are no “hanging chads” here, just cool short film entries for your voting and viewing pleasure.

 

From Around the Web

Variety, one of Hollywood’s leading publications, just announced its “Actors to Watch” list for 2016.

The list includes Oscar award-winning singer-songwriter John Legend, “House of Cards” actors Mahershala Ali and Rachel Brosnahan and the lead actor from HBO’s “The Night Of,” Riz Ahmed.

What’s great about the list is that its showcases diverse and rising talents in the industry. To see the list for yourself, go here.

And…

Don’t forget! The Toronto International Film Festival is  just two weeks away. The film lineup is staggering, loads of premieres are happening. You can get “the deets” on the feature and short film entries by going here.

One more thing…

The San Diego International Film Festival is over a month away. It will run from September 28 to October 2. For more information on this important event, go to this link.

 

Our Mission

Itsashort.com is a platform for filmmakers and creators the world over. We love the short film genre. Plus, we at itsashort.com want to introduce audiences to award-winning and award-nominated artists who create movies, web series and videos. Check out itsashort.com and subscribe for $2 a month to see the wonderful work of these creatives.