Still Standing is a short short and slightly experimental film delving into the pysche of a man who is determined to win no matter what the obstacles and the personal cost. In this non-narrative short film starring Warren Sollars a series of well-crafted visuals presents us with a boxer preparing for a fight while a voiceover informs us of the mental fortitude needed to overcome his opponent. It is a glimpse into the spirit of courage and bravery.
Post-it Love, written and directed by British duo Simon Atkinson & Adam Townley (thus Si & Ad) is just about as close to perfection as you can get in a romantic short film. Like the similarly fantastic Signs, Post-it Love shows us two shy office workers looking for love but unable to say so overtly. There is some suspension of disbelief needed but these are romance shorts made for the silver screen!
Written and directed by Iranian filmmaker Saman Hosseinpuor, Autumn Leaves was voted Best Short Short in the 10th FILMSshort competition. It tells the story of a little girl who wants to stay at home and play with a fallen leaf but must go to school instead. We follow her as she makes her way through the streets until she arrives at school, where leaves are no longer a source of amusement. It is a subtle, dialogue-free film full of beautiful shots and showing a side of Iran not normally seen by Westerners.
The short comedy Fred, a fantastic computer animation, is a finalist in the current competition. Fred is a short short that tells the story of two ingenious mice, a wedge of cheese and a feline called Fred. The highly-skilled mice come up with a cunning plan to get past the sleeping Fred but they unfortunately wake him. Fred mistakes their attempts to bypass him as an invitation to dance. And Fred has some moves!