Sean Robert Kelly’s I Know There’s Something Here for You is a heartfelt drama (with undertones of comedy) about a man’s attempts to die or disappear—anything to lighten the weight of existence. And there’s the extraterrestrial life too. The film features a heavily contrasted pair of siblings—the sister responsible and grounded, the brother ambitious and anguished—that are brought together once again in adulthood so that one may keep the other from zooming out of the Earth. It opens on Bryn (Jackie Kelly), finding Marcus’ farewell letter in the mail. A few degrees short of the worst, it is ju ..read more

A morbidly comical drama about two young women with dreams in the time of plague and war, Dimitri Nasennik’s The Purpose lets its heroines be two sides of the same coin of ambition held up in limbo. Its star is Kristel (Natalia Shevchenko), a less lethal take on Killing Eve’s Villanelle. The sociopathy is casual, the preoccupation music, and the pockets much lighter—though her habit of pinching pennies is more likely just part of the unsettling/entertaining package. On the other hand, Nika (Daria Khvostenko) is soft, happy to be passive if needed, and full of feeling. Two unlikely friends, the ..read more

In a recent candid interview with Indie Shorts Mag, writer-director Dhwani Shah, based out of Mumbai and New York City, delves deep into the complexities of her filmmaking journey. Having created waves with her short films like ’44’, ‘Sapling’, and ‘Happy F*ing Birthday’, Shah’s passion for exploring a rich tapestry of genres shines through. From the eerie loops of psychological horror to satirical birthday disasters, and the contemplative drama of societal divides, her work is as diverse as it is thought-provoking. Currently gearing towards her upcoming horror feature ‘Tasveer’, Shah shares i ..read more

Stefan Fairlamb and Ashley Tabatabai’s Hamdardi, a retrospective look at Trump’s Muslim ban seven years ago, splits the narrative between an immigration officer and two stranded Iranian siblings in the eye of the storm—a US airport. At twenty-seven minutes, the film takes its time to map out its similarities to and differences from 2004’s The Terminal.  The mood and tone are entirely different. There is no loveable protagonist to root for, no romantic yearning to sigh over. Instead, Officer Ethan Reynolds (Tabatabai, also the screenwriter) forms a dyad with siblings Reza (Arian Nik) and P ..read more

Tamas Levardi’s Foretoken – Omen of the Outsiders, a 22-minute Roman-era costume drama, is the origin story of its protagonist, the warrior Enna. Introduced at her most desperate, the film follows the character through a matter of hours as she repeatedly loses kin at the behest of the Roman empire.  Narrated in voiceover by the older Enna (Clare Nunn), the plot is a broad account of her triumphant last stand against the Romans as a young woman (Maya Katherine) who, in her own words, is not a warrior. Roman invaders—referred to as outsiders—have reduced her tribe to destitution with nothin ..read more

Sarab Sahni’s My Miracle Boy (writing credits shared between Caroline Gordon Elliott, Alam Virk, and Sahni) contains the sparks of something better than itself, its elusive glint catching the eye as if only to give chase. The story of a woman terrified to lose her only child, and so, like Rapunzel and every predecessor before and after, the film sees Jason kept sheltered from the outside world on the premise that it is both dangerous and dead.  Jason (Micah Juman) is in his teens, and a party means just him, his mother (Mary Paige Snell), and the framed photos of his dead siblings. They l ..read more

In a realm where cultures intersect and personal stories unfold into cinematic masterpieces, Jiwon Lee stands as a beacon of storytelling finesse. With a life journey that meanders through Korea, Malaysia, China, and now Los Angeles, Lee embodies the essence of a transnational storyteller. Her unique perspective on multiculturalism and the Asian female experience has not only enriched her screenwriting but has also captivated audiences worldwide. In our exclusive Indie Shorts Mag interview, Jiwon Lee offers a glimpse into the riveting world of her creations, from the award-winning “Call for Ca ..read more

The path of Daniel Jamal Judson’s Sheltered is predetermined, perhaps with the addendum, under constant conditions. The conditions do remain unchanged as its protagonist hurtles towards his unintended destination like an unstoppable force. There is no immovable object here to provide conflict.  Sheltered is the story of and by Caleb (Tim Johnson), a homeschooled teen who volunteers at the local homeless shelter and keeps a gun in his drawer (right underneath his Jesus mousepad). His delusions are the star of the story, delivered in a mumbling monotone that establishes character as well as ..read more

Harvey Kadijk’s 10-minute Lost delves into long-term love and grief through its characters Dalo and Sarah, introducing them on the brink of a whole new life. In retrospect, it is surprisingly more exuberant than you would expect.  This is due entirely to a single shot but the abruptness and sheer unbounded joy in it leave their impact on the film as a whole. Sarah (Jihane el Fahidi) announces her pregnancy to Dalo (Aristo Mijnals) when he is barely awake—grogginess is the sum of his characterisation until then. The news, when he finally comprehends the concreteness of it, wakes him up pro ..read more

Dhwani Shah’s 44, a psychological horror, follows a young woman through her (mis)adventure into an unfinished skyscraper in the middle of the night. That line does not give it away yet but 44 is entertainingly meta. Watching it, you cannot help but think that this is a film you have seen before, and yet it keeps you in its grips for its 18-minute runtime (you struggle, of course).  Stu (Sarah Hashmi) is out with her cohort to sell a batch of drugs. Tense errand, and yet, she is transfixed by a trivial  light high up in an otherwise uninhabited building. When the job goes belly up and ..read more