
Then Comes the Body, directed by Jacob Krupnick, is a poignant short documentary that tells the story of Leap of Dance Academy in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded by Daniel Owoseni Ajala, a self-taught ballet instructor who learned the craft through YouTube, the academy provides ballet training to underprivileged children, many of whom have gone on to…
In Where Rabbits Come From, director Colin Ludvic Racicot crafts a deeply emotional narrative without his characters uttering a single word. This Oscar®-qualifying animated short proves that sometimes, the most powerful stories are told in silence. With no dialogue to guide us, the film relies entirely on its stunning animation and evocative classical score to convey…

Evelyn Lorena’s Gabriela is a poignant, visually striking coming-of-age short that explores the intersection of identity, self-worth, and resilience. Set in the American South, the film follows Gabriela, an undocumented Guatemalan woman, as she dreams of joining a prestigious country club swim team. Confronted by her overprotective mother, legal limitations, and her own self-doubt, Gabriela embarks on…

A Good Day Will Come directed by Amir Zargara impressed me. Not just as a story, but as a visual experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. The first thing that grabbed me was the cinematography – Jelan Maxwell has done a brilliant job. Every shot, every composition feels meticulously crafted to…

Tomorrow, the Oscar®-qualifying animated short by Aryasb Feiz, is a striking and emotional exploration of survival, hope, and friendship—set against the backdrop of 1970s Iran. Through the story of a young street boy and his bond with a stray dog, Feiz weaves a tale not only of personal growth and connection but also of the…

CALF, directed by Jamie O’Rourke, is a haunting short film that unfolds in the stark beauty of the Irish countryside, where the silence masks deep-seated issues. The story centers around young Cáit, who finds herself grappling with a devastating decision following a sinister accident on the family farm. The film delicately addresses its central theme…

Sister Wives, a short film directed by Louisa Connolly-Burnham, hits hard with its quiet exploration of polygamy, isolation, and identity. The plot centers around two young women, played by Connolly-Burnham and Mia McKenna Bruce, in a strict polygamous community in Utah, who develop a bond that transgresses beyond the confines of their repressive society imposed…

Kelly Pike’s Picture Day is a poignant exploration of identity and belonging, set against the backdrop of military life. This Academy Award-qualified short centers on a young Asian-American tomboy navigating the complexities of fitting in at a new school on an Army base. With a subtle yet powerful narrative, Pike sheds light on the often-overlooked…

In Corpse Fishing, Jean Liu plunges us into a haunting world where life and death intertwine with unsettling realism. The film follows twenty-year-old Yan (Harmonie He) as she enters a grim alliance with the enigmatic Old Bo (Jizhong Zhang) to search the Yellow River for her missing father. This stark narrative draws inspiration from the…

Sunflower (2023), directed by Mateusz Balcerek, is a breathtaking and deeply emotional short film that captures the resilience of a family caught in the horrors of war. Set in 1944, during the turmoil of WWII, the film follows young Danuta, who, amidst the chaos of conflict, finds solace and hope in a sunflower – a…