Short films often allow a filmmaker to show their skills and test the narrative waters before committing to a larger feature. And while director Marco Kalantari already has a feature under his belt with 2005’s "Ainoa," his next effort is the short "The Shaman." But don’t let the format fool you. This has all the scope and scale of a big budget blockbuster, and today we have the exclusive trailer for the film that’s premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Indeed, there is plenty of ambition behind this one. With an international crew of artists pitching in from places like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Ukraine, France, Serbia, Malaysia, UK, Iceland, Germany and Austria (where it was shot), the story is set in the war-riddled future of 2204. Here’s the full synopsis:
The dark year 2204, in a world that has seen 73 years of continuous war.
The face of conflict has changed. People kill people but they now rely on giant, intelligent battle machines to fight. Meanwhile, mankind has re-discovered the arts of magic and Shamanism and the Generals on both sides use well-trained spiritual warriors to face the threat of machines. Shamans have special senses; they are experts in all aspects of the "unseen" and the "beyond". They believe that every person, animal, plant and object has a soul. When crossing the border to the Netherworld, the Shaman can find this soul and interact with it. That is what makes him such a deadly, highly effective weapon. They track and convert the souls of their enemies’ giant battle machines in a psychological soul-to-soul confrontation. But Shamans are not invulnerable. They are just people and can be killed like anyone else.
Shaman Joshua Van Kern and his squire Lene embark on a mission to convert a giant battle colossus and succeed where troops have failed.
Watch the epic trailer below, and it would seem Kalantari is one worth keeping an eye on.
