SHORTS features the best in short-film compilation

A scene from "Silver Creek," a short film about a band of outsiders. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The Rochester Museum of Fine Arts recently announced program selections for the third edition of SHORTS, an evening composed entirely of award-winning short films from around the world. The event will take place at the Rochester Opera House on June 18 with a cocktail hour starting at 7 p.m. This celebration of movie-making excellence brings together film enthusiasts, filmmakers, and artists, to discover the best in contemporary cinema. Some of the evenings highlights will include:

Wasteland -- Escapism at its best comes in the form of Wasteland Weekend: an annual four-day post-apocalyptic festival held in the Southern California desert that attracts thousands of people from around the country. It's basically a giant celebration of end-of-the-world culture, where "people can do whatever they want." This includes everything from hand-to-hand combat to burlesque to bonfires that set the night sky ablaze. But most of all, people come to Wasteland for the cars -- DIY war machines that look as though they've rolled right out of Fury Road.

Silver Creek -- Silver Creek tells the tale of a young band of outsiders, isolated and teased in their community, who one day discover the magic of their own creativity and imagination. The kids find solace and support in their celebration, though the moment is short-lived, and others try to break them apart.

Twins Days -- Twins Days is a festival for biological twins that has taken place every summer since 1976, in Twinsburg, Ohio. It's the largest annual gathering of twins in the world. In this film, twins discuss what it's like to have an identical other half, and the joy of being surrounded by thousands of other twins, if only for a few days.

Bus Stop -- He just lost his job. She just got dumped. These two strangers meet at a bus stop right when they needed each other the most. In an impromptu attempt to cheer each other up they go on a tour of his home town however before the tour is over reality bumps into them. "I absolutely loved this. Top notes on everything. Loved the characters, great acting, lovely writing, very well paced, great ending!" - Ryan Connolly, Film Riot/Triune Films.

The evening will feature many more short films such as: A Tale of Momentum & Inertia, Tabula Rasa, Wilbert, Dandekar Makes a Sandwich, Ma'agalim, Bad Day at the Office, Oma, The Magician, Cycle, and Carol has Never Been Kissed.

The museum will host a repeat event on August 6 at the Rochester Opera House. The evening will feature audience favorites from past screenings.

The RMFA film series, at the Rochester Opera House, is supported in part by Rochester Main Street. Purchase tickets at the box office, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 10am to 5pm, and two hours before the event. Cash bar. Age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Call (603) 335-1992 or visit RochesterOperaHouse.com for more information. The Rochester Opera House is located in City Hall, 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester NH. Visit www.rochestermfa.org for more information.