"Validation" is a fable about the magic of free parking.
Composer turned filmmaker Kurt Kuenne calls it "a fable about the magic of free parking." A short film about one parking attendant named Hugh Newman is really the story of small acts of goodness and everyday smiles that is sure to bring every viewer into spirit of holiday cheer.

CREDITS:
Starring TJ Thyne & Vicki Davis.
Writer/Director/Composer - Kurt Kuenne.

FESTIVALS & AWARDS:
Winner - Best Narrative Short, Cleveland Int'l Film Festival, Winner - Jury Award, Gen Art Chicago Film Festival, Winner - Audience Award, Hawaii Int'l Film Festival, Winner - Best Short Comedy, Breckenridge Festival of Film, Winner - Crystal Heart Award, Best Short Film & Audience Award, Heartland Film Festival, Winner - Christopher & Dana Reeve Audience Award, Williamstown Film Festival, Winner - Best Comedy, Dam Short Film Festival, Winner - Best Short Film, Sedona Int'l Film Festival.

On the outskirts of a small town, a bus driver and her passengers encounter highway robbers. BUS 44 carries a universal theme that travels across all boundaries and societies, trespassing the dark side and bright side of human behaviour.

DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS:
I have always been interested in social psychology and wanted to do a film about how people react under certain stressful circumstances. The story attracts me not only because it has an interesting plot with a twist, but mostly because the underlying theme is even more haunting than the events that take place. I intentionally made this film with a certain ambiguity of time and place -- this story could have taken place anywhere in the world. Making films about people and human nature attracts me because I feel that people around the world have much more in common than they do differences. "Bus 44" carries a universal theme that travels across all boundaries and societies, trespassing the dark side and bright side of human behavior.

CREDITS:
Writer, Producer, Director: Dayyan ENG
Cinematographer: Sam KOA
Dhabih ENG
GONG Beibi
FU Dong
Bill YIP
Executive Producers: Dale ENG & Nahid ENG
Film Editor: Dayyan ENG
Sound, Music: ZHANG Yang
Production Designer: Xiao HSU

FESTIVALS & AWARDS:
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL (Italy) [World Premiere] - (AWARD WINNER)
PUSAN INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (Korea) [Asian Premiere] - (Official Selection out-of-competition)
GIJON INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (Spain) - (Official Selection in-competition)
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL [US Premiere] - (AWARD WINNER)
CLERMONT-FERRAND INT'L SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (France)- (Official Selection in-competition)
HONG KONG INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (Hong Kong) - (Official Selection out-of-competition)
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (France) - ("DIRECTORS' FORTNIGHT" OFFICIAL SELECTION)
SEATTLE INT'L FILM FESTIVAL (United States) - (Official Selection in-competition)
TORONTO WORLDWIDE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL [Canadian Premiere] - (Official Selection in-competition)
FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL (United States) - (AWARD WINNER)
EDINBURGH INT'L FILM FESTIVAL [UK Premiere] - (Official Selection out-of-competition)
YING E CHI DISTRIBUTORS (Hong Kong) - (THEATRICAL RELEASE)
APOLLO CINEMA DISTRIBUTORS (United States) - (THEATRICAL RELEASE)
NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL (United States) - (Official Selection)