Directed by Elahe Esmaili, against the backdrop of the Women, Life, Freedom protest movement in Iran, Elahe Esmaili is helping her parents to pack up the family home. As the boxes stack up, discussions flare between the generations: Elahe does not wear the hijab, embodying the courage of her generation’s struggles. But can changing a society be as simple as moving house? The conversation about women’s freedoms and rights in parts of the world like Iran, where today’s generations are still continuing the fight for a better future, is an inherently political and complex topic but Elahe Esmaili c ..read more

Written and directed by Matthew Kyle Levine, a young couple decides to live out of their car for the foreseeable future. Starring: Dianna Glasheen, Shea Glasheen and Bradford Hoyt. Caleb & Sarah follows very much in the same vein of Matthew Kyle Levine’s last short film Some Time Soon, in that it’s about reading between the lines and not handing the audience everything. In that sense, it can be viewed in two different perspectives, the first being a commentary on the new generation of drifters. Young people who can’t seem to figure out their place, wanting independence but not quite aware ..read more

Directed by Patrick Rea and written by leading actress Whitney Wegman-Wood, after a collection of environmental disasters lead society to the brink of collapse a young mother must find ways to survive with her small child as they navigate the near-future apocalypse. Also starring: Cooper Andrews, Merrick McCartha, Adam Boyer, Amber Grayson and Ivy Hickman. Patrick Rea and Whitney Wegman-Wood aren’t pulling their punches in the opening of The Last Butterflies, going for an intense atmosphere to kick things off with a bang. It dives right into familiar territory with its themes of environmental ..read more

Directed by leading actress ZhuZha Akova and written by Kat Cee and Corey Chavers, when a down on her luck and grieving young woman receives a business opportunity from a family friend, she has no idea that it will lead her to uncovering the mystery behind her father’s recent murder. Also starring: Adam Fried and Igor Grbesic. The foundation to Klara’s Box is a solid one, to explore the idea of what mysteries the death of a loved one can unlock, the secrets and shocking truths. Then using that to open up a curious and potentially dangerous path for Klara (ZhuZha Akova), especially when she’s i ..read more

Written and directed by leading actress Scarlet Moreno, in the late 1960’s a woman finds herself on an endless search for a man who will love her for who she is. Also starring: Zach Tinker. There is quickly a great point to be found in Velma about social pressures and judgement that are placed upon women, from decades ago continuing up to today, although thankfully some progress has been made along the way. It delves into women’s relationships with sex and how it can so easily translate into internalised shame, and then be compacted by loneliness, which then unlocks a whole world of damaged se ..read more

Written and directed by Will Pruitt, co-directed by Jackson Pruitt, an ancient, decrepit man (Lamonte Goode) wakes up from a prolonged period of stagnation. He rises, worn and weary, and sets to the task of reclaiming his vigour and vitality. Sometimes a film will pluck at your curiosity and immediately pull you into its world, and Stiff is one of those films. As soon as it opens the level of detail and the richness to its aesthetic make you want more. Its quality is exceptional and a joy to watch unfold, then as it moves it builds a wonderfully strong, artistic atmosphere. It has a haunting e ..read more

Written and directed by Keegan Duncan, co-written by lead actor Jack Norris, when past debt threatens the family boat, a brother and sister must look past their differences to save their father’s pride and joy. Also starring: Eric Larson, Pamela Portnoy and Alisha Seaton. The first impression that Harbor makes is how director Keegan Duncan and cinematographer Samuel Ott have truly ingrained its by the water setting into their aesthetic. It has this absolutely wonderful, blue-tinged palette, which gives it a grounded yet stylish feel. Which when paired with Daniele Truocchio’s nicely understate ..read more

Written and directed by Sofie Somoroff, after an unbearably creepy negotiation with some skeevy car guys, a mechanic has to fight off a demonic monster inhabiting her dream 1978 Camaro. Starring: Celina Bernstein, Anthony Richard Pagliaro and Sam H. Clauder II. Kicking things off with a very action-styled super close-up of an engine, Sofie Somoroff leaves her audience unsure where she’s going with this, in a great way. That peaking of your curiosity then leads nicely into its tensely evolving atmosphere. Somoroff creates a fascinating mix of tones, it moves through discomfort and danger but it ..read more

Written and directed by John Monahan, Gerry is a widower trying to get back out there when his younger friend, Sam, invites him for a charity speed date, he’ll find out that meeting new people may not be as easy as he remembered. Starring: Trevor Gill, Larry Cowan, Matthew Sharpe, Michael Smyth, Ryan Pendleton, Stephen Don, Sean Boyle and Stephen Healy. As Owner of a Lonely Heart opens there’s a palpable nervousness, capturing that internal struggle of deciding whether or not you’re ready to put yourself out there. As the film moves forward, it has a very wholesome feel, there’s a simple natur ..read more

Written and directed by Danny Gibbons, in what seems like just another late night taxi fare, this particular journey and passenger will ultimately change the course of Rene’s life forever. Starring: India Brown and Jay Simpson. A hugely impactful choice that any short film can make is for filmmakers to predict the first impressions their audience will have and use it against them. Danny Gibbons gives us a fantastic example of that with Sherbet, it plays with your perception of these characters in such a thoughtfully deceptive way. It’s a great lesson on not making quick assumptions, then as it ..read more