EXCLUSIVE: James Franco, Spike Jonze Lead Sundance Shorts Lineup

As the final pieces of the Sundance 2010 puzzle fall into place, the fest is preparing to announce the short film lineup today in just a few hours. However, why wait that long? Movieline's got the exclusive scoop on who's in, and it includes big names like James Franco and Spike Jonze.

Franco will already be at the fest for his feature-length movie Howl, but he'll also be screening Herbert White, a Michael Shannon-starring student film that Franco shot earlier this year for NYU. No, this isn't the homoerotic short that Franco submitted to Cinevegas (that would be The Feast of Stephen), but it is based on a work by gay poet Frank Bidart.

Other notable shorts include Spike Jonze's robot love film I'm Here, starring Andrew Garfield, Rory Kennedy's examination of the U.S./Mexico border entitled The Fence, and short films from Nicholas Jasenovec, Ira Sachs, and Patrik Eklund. Keep reading for the full lineup.

U.S. DRAMATIC SHORTS

Charlie and the Rabbit (Directors: Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian)--Charlie, a four year-old who loves Bugs Bunny, decides to hunt a rabbit of his own.

Family Jewels (Director and Screenwriter: Martin Stitt)-- Carol, a mother and a US soldier ready for deployment, finds that the most painful part of leaving is spending the last night with her family.

Fiddlestixx (Directors/Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner)--Fiddlestixx is about a monkey. A very special monkey.

Gone to the Dogs (Director and Screenwriter: Liz Tuccillo)--A dinner party turns ugly when one of the guests brings her dog along.

Herbert White (Director and Screenwriter: James Franco)--Based on the poem by the same name, a man struggles with his inner demons while trying to live a normal family life.

I'm Here (Director and Screenwriter: Spike Jonze)

Laredo, Texas (Director and Screenwriter: Topaz Adizes)--Sam trains Juan for his first day at his new job, fixing pay phones in the border town of Laredo, Texas. However, tensions boil as Sam suspects that Juan is an undocumented worker.

Little Accidents (Director and Screenwriter: Sara Colangelo)--A desperate young factory worker recruits a mentally disabled ex-boyfriend to steal a pregnancy test for her.

Mary Last Seen (Director and Screenwriter: Sean Durkin)--A young woman embarks on a road trip with her boyfriend to a place he promises to be beautiful and peaceful. But after a series of strange events occur on their journey, it becomes clear that their relationship is not what she thinks, and their destination is not what was promised.

My Mom Smokes Weed (Director and Screenwriter: Clay Liford)--After a loyal son comes home to visit his aging mother, she assigns him some chores -- one of which involves a road trip to help satiate her desire for a certain special herb.

New Media (Director and Screenwriter: J.J. Adler)--Living in the lap of luxury through no achievement of his own, an out of touch, middle-aged poseur tries to make good by getting in on the 'viral video' craze.

Patrol (Director and Screenwriter: John Patton Ford)--A man pretends to be a policeman to impress his six-year-old son.

Renegades (Director and Screenwriter: Jim Hosking)--Oh, them renegades.

Rob and Valentyna in Scotland/USA/United Kingdom (Director: Eric Lynne; Screenwriters: Eric Lynne and Rob Chester Smith)--An American abroad travels with his long-lost Ukrainian cousin to the Highlands of Scotland.

Shimásání (Director and Screenwriter: Blackhorse Lowe)--When Mary Jane finds a World Geography book that shows her an entirely new world, she must decide whether to maintain her traditional Navajo reservation lifestyle with her grandmother, or go out into the larger world.

Successful Alcoholics (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts; Screenwriter: T.J. Miller)--Drake and Lindsay are successful alcoholics who may need to redefine their definition of "success."

The Visitors (Director and Screenwriter: Samina Akbari)--A young woman that makes up one part of a interracial relationship copes with the arrival of her family while trapped in a rat-infested apartment.

TUB (Director and Screenwriter: Bobby Miller)--It's just your typical story about a guy who can't commit to his girlfriend...who then jerks off in the shower...and accidentally impregnates his tub.

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