Frankie (Luke Walford) is content to spend his summer vacation listening to his record player and/or playing with his best friends, but in writer/director Leo McGuigan's entertaining short film The Invention Frankie is instead drawn into the family drama when his father (Adam Dougal) gets into a wee spot of trouble with a local gangster (Frankie McCafferty). 

In order to help his father and preserve his family, Frankie has to master high-stakes poker, bamboo sticks, and a whole lot of bacon.

Seriously, a lot of bacon.

This nearly 20-minute short film out of Northern Ireland is screening as a finalist at the inaugural Indy Shorts Film Festival in Indianapolis where the film will screen as part of the Finalist Shorts 1 Collection. The film will have two screenings:

• Friday, July 27th @ 7pm inside DeBoest Lecture Hall at Newfields
• Saturday, July 28th @ 12:45pm inside The Toby, also at Newfields

The screenings are part of Indy Shorts, a new festival put forth by the fine folks at Heartland Film in an effort to shine a spotlight on some of the year's very best in short film. An Academy Award-qualifying festival, Indy Shorts has definitely snagged some major winners this year including this film, which features spot-on performances by young Luke Walford and a sly, rather endearing turn by Frankie McCafferty as the aforementioned gangster. 

Alasdair McBroom's lensing is top notch throughout, while Sarah McKnight's production design nicely captures the film's authentic locales. The story unfolds creatively, McGuigan's tale not quite playing out as expected and adding an emotional resonance that feels rich and natural.

For more information on Indy Shorts, visit the Indy Shorts website. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic