Sardinia is a 2024 satirical drama short film written and directed by Paul Kowalski, about a serious man who tries to avoid catching a deadly laughing plague in a growingly polarized and dystopian society.[1]
| Sardinia | |
|---|---|
 Official Poster | |
| Directed by | Paul Kowalski |
| Written by | Paul Kowalski |
| Produced by | Paul Kowalski Patton Oswalt Stephanie Furtun Daniel Leighton |
| Starring | Philip Ettinger Martha Plimpton Olek Krupa Breeda Wool |
Production company | PKino Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 19 minutes |
| Countries | United States, Poland |
| Languages | English, Polish |
The film is Executive Produced by Patton Oswalt, who called the film "an effortlessly original piece of work" and "beyond timely”,[2] and stars Philip Ettinger, Emmy-winner Martha Plimpton, Olek Krupa and Breeda Wool.[3]
Sardinia won Grand Prize Best Director at the 42nd Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival, after world premiering at the 2024 Indy Shorts film festival.[4] In November 2024, Deadline named the film an Oscar contender for 2025 Best Live Action Short.[5]
Plot
editAfter an exotic bird arrives from Sardinia to a US port, a serious Polish-American man called Ryszard Przybyszewski notices his work colleagues stricken with uncontrollable laughter – despite finding himself immune. With news arising that a contagion disrupting nerve signaling and causing fatal laughter is spreading around the globe, Ryszard tries his best to protect his unruly Polish immigrant father and jovial wife, all the while trying to survive in an increasingly dystopian and glum society.
Cast
edit- Philip Ettinger as Ryszard Przybyszewski
- Olek Krupa as Grzegorz Przybyszewski
- Martha Plimpton as Judith
- Breeda Wool as Hilary
References
edit- ^ "Indy Shorts 2024 Lineup". MovieMaker. 26 June 2024.
- ^ "Patton Oswalt Instagram Post". Instagram.
- ^ "Sardinia IMDb Entry". IMDb.
- ^ "42nd Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival Winners" (PDF). Flickers Rhode Island.
- ^ "EP Patton Oswalt Boards Oscar Contender Short 'Sardinia', Starring Martha Plimpton, Philip Ettinger". Deadline.