ONLY THE BEST SHORT FILMS
Film Of The Week: Wild Love
Wild Love by Paul Autric et al (2019) (France) (7m)
Wild Love is a comedy horror that showcases their animation skills to great effect. After her trekking pole accidentally impales an unsuspecting marmot at the bottom of a cliff, a woman and her boyfriend find themselves being hunted by a vengeful posse of the woodland mammals. Can they escape with their lives? It does become reasonably gory so is not suitable for young children, though it does perhaps teach them that it is important to not randomly kill animals.
8 by Acim Vasic (2010) (Serbia/ Swiss) (9m) *
A winter classic, 8 was the winner of the fourth FILMSshort competition some years ago and is a masterful example of how to create a film with no dialogue. Written and directed by Acim Vasic, it follows two soldiers from opposing armies (the naughts and the crosses), who find themselves alone in a snowy forest. A game of cat and mouse ensues as the pendulum swings between them - but there are ultimately few winners in the game of war!
Argentine Tangos by Guy Thys (2006) (Belgium) (14m)
It's that time of the year when I post probably the best Christmas short film in Argentine Tangos (Tanghi Argentini). Nominated for an Oscar in 2008, Argentine Tangos is a beautiful comedy drama full of Christmas spirit. In the film, we follow a middle-aged office-worker trying to fulflil his Christmas passion and conceal a snowy-white lie. I promise you will thank me for showing it to you. It is in Dutch with English subtitles.
Reflections by Adam Randall (2014) (UK) (7m)
A couple in a dissolving relationship are out for what was meant to be a romantic meal, but find themselves trapped in the restaurant after eating. They venture into the basement looking for escape and find a large mirror. It is reminiscent of a Harry Potter scene but what they see is not wish-fulfillment. It's not too hard to foresee what is going to happen, and the character decision-making is somewhat hard to understand, but it remains a very nicely made short film.
I'll End Up In Jail by Alexandre Dostie (2019) (UK) (23m)
I'll End Up In Jail (Je Finirai En Prison) was nominated at Sundance and won several other festival awards. It tells the story of Maureen, a downtrodden mother and housewife who is involved in a fatal car accident while escaping her life. Fearing that she may end up in a real prison, she persuades the other survivor, a stoner called Jelly, that they should try to cover-up the death. It is undoubtedly very fine filmmaking with great performances.
Black Sheep by Ed Perkins (2018) (UK) (26m)
The Oscar-nominated Black Sheep is a distressing short doc about the teenage years of Cornelius Walker, whose family was prompted by the killing of Damilola Taylor to move to an Essex council estate in an effort to escape the dangers of London. Unfortunately, the council estate is a hotbed of racist thuggery and Cornelius sees only one way to survive the racists: become one of them. A feature film based on this part of Cornelius's life has been mooted for many years.
Fuck You by Anette Sidor (2018) (Sweden) (15m) 
Fuck You was nominated at Sundance in 2019 and took awards at several other international film festivals. The short drama follows a day in the life of Stockholm teenager Alice, who shoplifts a strap-on from a sex shop and then uses it to belittle her overbearing boyfriend (but not in an explicit way) in front of his friends. It is a very nicely made short (though the hand-held, focus-losing feel may not appeal to all) with a strong structure and great acting.
Mouse X by Justin Tagg (2015) (15m) (UK)
Mouse X is a dialogue-free, mind-binding sci-fi short film inspired by the infinity-exploring works of Dutch painter M.C. Escher. A man wakes up in a room, with nothing but a book, a mouse and a large mouse hole. He tries to make his escape but soon discovers he is part of something weird and, ultimately, infinite. Although very different, it calls to mind the Oscar-winning short animation Tango.
The Tunnel by Andre Ovredal (2016) (Norway) (14m)
A Norwegian family have spent the afternoon at the beach - where they were allowed one hour in the water - and are now returning to their overpopulated city in their self-driving car via one of the tunnels, the only way in and out of the metropolis. However, the tunnels are also used for population control. It is an extremely well-made and tense film with amazing VFX and disturbing Nazi connotations - but the premise is, of course, quite ridiculous.
Sides Of A Horn by Toby Crossbow (2018) (South Africa) (17m)
Sides Of A Horn was long-listed for the short film Oscar. Shot on location and based on actual events, this drama short film tells the story of South Africa's rhino poaching war from both sides of the fence. It follows two men, Dumi and Sello, who are brothers-in-law but fighting on different sides of the conflict. With a rhino horn worth a year's wages in the poverty stricken slums, it is easy to understand why a desperate man would kill a wild animal.
Hudson Geese by Bernardo Britto (2020) (USA) (5m)
Written and directed by Bernardo Britto, who had previously made the Sundance-winning Yearbook, the short animation Hudson Geese really spoke to me as its premise was something that had actually crossed my mind (our speciesism is pretty disgusting). It tells the story of a male goose who visits the Hudson River on his way north to Canada. On his way out he meets with disaster, but who will remember him and his friends in the aftermath? Will Clint Eastwood make a film about them?
Tales From The Multiverse by Moller, Tange & Smith (2020) (Denmark) (7m)
Tales from the Multiverse is an amusing mishmash of different ideas (some original), and calls to mind works as varied as 2001: A Space Odyssey and multiverse episodes of Family Guy and The Simpsons. In Tales from the Multiverse, God is a single parent and amateur programmer struggling with 1990s world-building software. He perhaps does not put as much thought into his new project as he should before simulating it.
Paag by Nardeep Khurmi (2018) (USA) (17m)
Paag won Best Drama at the 2018 LA Shorts Fest. It is a subtle short film and a bit of a slow-burner, but it is very nicely made and worth sticking with. It centres on Mandeep, an American with a wife and young son. It is July 4th and a racist shooting of a member of his community has left Mandeep contemplating how he is treated in his homeland - from people avoiding him on the subway to outright racist abuse. How will Mandeep react to a day full of racism?
A Place To Bowl by Gabe Jacobs (2020) (USA) (7m)
Proving that I do watch the short films that are sent in to me, here is a nicely made short documentary about an ageing group of ten-pin bowlers and their Queens bowling alley. It is the debut short film from American director Gabe Jacobs, who sent it to me. American bowling alleys have been slowly dying out since their heyday but this one remains a vital refuge. It reminds me a little of our competition winning short documentary Conrad and the Steamplant, which is of course a wonderful film.
