This season, we have decided to draw inspiration from iconic film titles in the history of cinema. Each block represents a different theme, and the films that make it up share similarities in either aesthetics, themes, or simply genre. However, they all have something in common, these films will bring originality and creativity to the big screen.
What joy it is to celebrate the best short films of the season in the most representative city of cinema in the world: Hollywood. And to do so at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre, an emblematic venue for independent cinema in the heart of the city.
We invite you to join us to enjoy the best stories together and to discover a new wave of filmmakers that will share the inside of their films. Thank you for being part of this fantastic trip celebrating the best of cinema together.
FRIDAY APRIL 19 | 5.15 PM
This collection of films teaches us that beauty resides in the heart of the beholder. Spanning across documentaries, animated, and experimental genres, these shorts extend an invitation to embrace our mistakes rather than placing blame on others. Embark on a journey to uncover truth and joy through narratives that seamlessly blend powerful aesthetics with captivating music.
An Afghan journalist embarks on a journey to find out who murdered her family 30 years ago, only to uncover hundreds of civilians killed in a secretive American backed program.
An antique musical instrument dealer obsessively plays a magical vinyl record that “reads your mind and plays your lost memories.” Even the forgotten ones.
We carry culture, religion and social status through generations. While all of that leads to a strong responsibility to our children, the experience of a grandmother and her family touches upon those very topics.
This short documentary follows a group of performers whose stage is the Subway and whose family is their fellow dancers. A glimpse into their world shows the excitement, fun and danger of a career underneath New York City. Filmed and directed solo by filmmaker Tim Kellner allowed for intimate access and the ability to keep up with the fast pace of the dancers’ movements in real time. A moving snapshot of the ever changing New York City Subway.
Trapped 42,000 feet in the air. Squashed between two large men. Adam sits with a toddler screaming at him. Yet all he can wonder is… how good that toddler must taste..
Discover Seglvik, a quiet Arctic place where Alfred Larsen, a master chef rooted in Sami culture, seeks refuge. Despite government attempts to eradicate the Sami language, Alfred is very attached to it. Life here is difficult, with limited phone reception, irregular ferries and freezing temperatures. Yet Alfred has created a peaceful and solitary life, honing his skills as a master chef and finding comfort in solitude. Join him on his journey and discover the allure of this enchanting place, where visitors from all over the world flock to experience its magic.
The film follows the Writings of Jacqueline Kahanoff, wherein she, an elderly woman, confronts the revelation of uterine cancer, marking the commencement of a new chapter in her life. The film captures her fears of the treatments, the isolation experienced as a patient in a healthy world, and the peculiar beauty that emerges amidst the agony.
Appetite explores the link between food and sex and the conflict between instinct and social discipline. A woman and a man are quietly advancing their relationship while eating at a restaurant.
The human body becomes a living sculpture in this film that aims to reimagine toxic societal beauty norms.
The word entropy simply means unpredictability or the gradual descent into disorder.
This is the entropy of a relationship in the chaotic retrospect of a colored memory.
When everything is over, are we left alone with the memories of our loved ones or is it that those same memories are what keep us from being alone?
Fitting In is a story about an outsider, a little elephant called Zuri who finds a place in the circus with hard work, determination & a passion to succeed.
R is a chronic over-thinker. R’s head is tired of overworking. So the Head runs away. Until now, R can never escape from the merry-go-round of overthinking.
A mother and son embrace one last time before taking six feet apart and isolating themselves to avoid the risks of a dangerous air-borne pandemic.
“The Last Embrace” is a metaphorical short film reflecting on the sudden 2020 Covid-19 Lockdowns, Social Distancing, and their emotional effects on the Human Soul.
A little-told chapter in the story of black holes begins in 1930 Madras, India. 19-year-old Indian physics prodigy, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (Chandra), is awarded a scholarship to go to England to study with Sir Arthur Eddington, the world’s most famous astronomer. While on his sea voyage, young Chandra makes a major discovery that goes against everything his new advisor believes: that sufficiently massive stars, when they use the last of their fuel, must be crushed by gravity and collapse to something far more dense and mysterious than any object anyone has known. After years of work to refine this result under his mentor’s watchful eye, at the most public of forums, Eddington denounces his protégé and his work, shattering him, driving Chandra from England to the United States. Despite his humiliation, Chandra perseveres, but pursues a more conservative path in physics, never again braving the limelight. Nearly a half-century later in 1983, Chandrasekhar is awarded the Nobel Prize for the work begun on board that ship to England. “Shattering Stars” tells the story of ambition and betrayal, of loss and perseverance at the pinnacle of scientific research. Making use of original audio recordings of Chandrasekhar, the film alternates its limited-motion animation between a representational-documentary and imaginative-subjective style.
Abstinence is refraining from satisfying a craving. Teetotalism is the total, definitive abstinence from alcohol. In other words, a life sentence! 4801 nights documents an introspection and a wandering, a fall and a rise, during a trip to the polar circle. Legend has it that the polar night can drive those who venture there to sanity or madness.
FRIDAY APRIL 19 | 8.15 PM
These short films raise awareness among the audience that there are no boundaries. The characters within affirm that they are as good as it gets, prompting us to learn not to judge people hastily. Regardless of who others may be or how irritating, frightening, or mysterious someone might seem, these films reveal that anyone can demonstrate a readiness to love.
Deborah is a rather tough piano teacher. She lives in Calais, France. Mansour is a Syrian refugee with a continual big smile on his lips. He wants to cross the Channel to England. By accident, Deborah welcomes Mansour into her home. An improbable meeting, which awaken a buried and tragic past.
During Halloween, a cow destined for slaughter escapes and the hunt for her is broadcast live on television as holiday entertainment. Meanwhile, Yusef, a young man working at a waste recycling plant, finishes another dreary workday. After experiencing a series of setbacks, he is overwhelmed by frustration and despair. While wandering through a cemetery, Yusef stumbles upon a freshly dug grave and lies down in it. The moment of serenity is shattered by the appearance of Boq, a strangely talkative man who approaches the grave and extends his hand towards Yusef.
Emile is a contract killer. A hired killer who travels by bicycle and who kills in exchange for a few tickets left in a small mailbox lost in the middle of the fields. This time, the man to be slaughtered is named Gaston Pouget and lives at 7 rue des Peupliers: a shed on the edge of a highway. Only here, when arriving on the scene: – SURPRIIISE!!! Emile is surprised by a birthday in honor of Gaston which should, a priori, arrive soon. Emile was not invited.
After two years in a coma, Jean-Pierre finally wakes up. All would be fine if he was not now persuaded to be the American actor Matthew McConaughey. His doctor is formal and convinces everyone: they have to play along to avoid causing any trauma.
Danny’s (played by BAFTA-winner Ben Whishaw) attempt to rob a bank with his overbearing mum (played by SAG-awardee Marion Bailey) is scuppered by the appearance of their family doctor. With his mum in the back of his van, and a dead pigeon on the passenger seat, Danny has a growing sense of desperation. But as more and more figures arrive to disrupt his day, we begin to sense that everything is not as it seems…
Years after a fateful car accident, a recluse remains uncomfortable in his skin and unable to shake off the feeling that a familiar stranger is watching him from just beyond the trees.
Jack La’mar, a renowned psychotherapist from Greenwich, Connecticut, moves into the Kimberly Hotel in Midtown Manhattan to take on an unconventional form of therapy to keep the memory of his wife alive and, along his journey, discovers the strength to accept grief into his life so he may heal.
SATURDAY APRIL 20 | 2.15 PM
In this curated selection of short films, we delve into narratives portraying abuses, violence, and pain, illustrating the protagonist’s journey to survive the inhumane brutality of the world. Through their battles, these characters serve as poignant reminders, emphasizing the significance of freedom and urging us never to take it for granted.
A birthday ceremony preparation gets upside down as something horrible takes place.
A photojournalist is threatened by extremist groups in her Serbian home, and flees to Germany with her daughter. But then she also experiences increasingly strong threats and attacks in her new home.
In 1992, as Colombia faces an era of drug violence, car bombs, and daily power outages, a young mother in Bogotá receives an internship opportunity in the US and eventually must decide between her dreams and her family.
At a Mexican training camp in the middle of the desert, we witness the evolution of a young boy, transformed and turned into a cold blooded killer. This coming-of-age nightmare shows that even in the darkest of evils, there was once innocence.
Vitaly Ivanov – a miner on the Ukraine/Russian border who discovers a ringing phone – and tragically so much more – in his backyard. “Mother” is based on the true-life story of the miners of Rozsypne, Ukraine who combed the fields in Donetsk to retrieve the bodies of the victims of the MH17 disaster.
Klodi and Mira, a young Albanian couple, decide to marry Mira to a Frenchman for 5 years in exchange for money, in order to obtain French nationality. They will then have to choose the right husband for her, and learn to detach themselves from each other.
Dr. Joyce Hendricks is a professor of psychiatry at the Harvard school of medicine. She specializes in the study of violent individuals, specifically serial killers. She and her colleague have been documenting their work. This is their first day in Huntsville, Texas where they meet…
The animated short film “Mariupol. A Hundred Nights” tells the story of a little girl who wakes up from explosions and tries to survive in a burning city in the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. To escape, she has to go through the destroyed streets, facing the unknown and trusting destiny. Later, as an elderly woman, that once-young girl will return to Mariupol and remember everything.
SATURDAY APRIL 20 | 5.15 PM
This compilation of fantastic comedies, ranging from humorously light to darkly satirical, invites us not only to laugh like crazy but also to contemplate our identities and roles in this wild world. Characters, portrayed with irony, skillfully mirror a reality that we can easily identify with. Get ready to laugh, especially at ourselves, in this All-American Selection of shorts.
A young fly gets trapped in the fly trap in the stop-motion studio only to have the existential realization that it spent its entire life chasing after the wrong thing.
After losing his wife, a failing gallery artist returns home to his small town, looking for support from the very people he’s fought so hard to escape.
A woman driven to the edge by her annoying new roommate finds solace in their adorable cat.
After a young wannabe actor driving in from Utah loses his way to Hollywood Blvd he decides to ask directions from a peculiar man, things quickly take a turn for the worst as the mans intentions become murkier.
A lonely, depressed old man finds hope in a holy piece of wood.
Naveen, a timid family man yearning to find his voice, stumbles upon a mysterious support group that employs unconventional preschool activities to boost his confidence. Realizing that he is being manipulated, he decides to confront the group’s leader and finally speak up for himself.
A victim of a crime quickly becomes the suspect in this gender adaptation of a satirical play about reporting a crime.
Janie May, an aspiring country singer stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck grind, gets big news that she’s a radio contest finalist while finishing her overnight shift at a local diner in Waco, TX. She must race to the station to sing for hometown country music hero Harlan Thompson in hopes of winning the opening act spot on his upcoming tour. In a chaotic dash to the studio, she collides her car into Jesús, an undocumented worker who refuses medical care or police assistance out of fear of being discovered and deported. The two engage in a struggle, each in pursuit of their own American dreams. In the end, they do the only thing they know how to do: fend for themselves.
Following the death of his parents, a pliant seventeen-year-old living in a kitschy future where happiness is sold as a commodified drug trepidatiously takes on his first job in order to make ends meet for him and his ailing younger brother– in the form of finally affording “true” bliss
SATURDAY APRIL 20 | 8.15 PM
Terrifying tales that seamlessly blend suspense, horror, and humor will keep us on the edge of our seats. They serve as a reminder of the enchantment of experiencing the magic of the seventh art collectively in a completely dark room: the cinema theater. Brace yourself for a spine-chilling experience with the most extreme shorts of the season.
As Erin packs her old life into boxes, she overhears a violent attack in the apartment above that derails her night.
Sometimes, the scariest knock at the door is the one that comes from within.
During a raging thunderstorm, a correctional officer must face the horrors that haunt the maximum security prison where he works.
With a hurricane raging outside their hospital, two nurses have one last job before evacuating: stow the “dead-on- arrival” corpse of a young girl in the downstairs morgue before the building floods. But the corpse quickly reveals itself to be more than it seems.
When a grief-stricken man with strange abilities opens up to his bereavement group about the death of his sister, he discovers that his curse becomes a gift to his fellow mourners.
It follows a story of a man who come to terms with the loss of his friend through a not so normal friendship.
Upside is a modern fairytale that showcases a dystopian world ruled by women who hunt men for pleasure and force them to fight & perform against each other for their survival. The film is a commentary on consumerism, ownership, and lusting after one’s desires.
SUNDAY APRIL 21 | 2.15 PM
The remarkable aspect of these films lies in their portrayal of both sides of family bonds through a mix of comedy and drama, encapsulating moments of both happiness and sadness. These powerful short films present, in a memorable and remarkable manner, the intricate complexity of relationships within hyper-realistic settings, offering a balance of both humorous and painful moments.
A suicide survivor working at a psychiatric ward tries to protect a patient’s manufactured family when the doctors decide to destroy them as a form of healing. The worker needs this job to support his mother, but when he sees the patient lovingly care for her paper babies, he starts to contemplate the co-dependent relationship with his own parent.
Peter is a young priest. His mother, Mary is slowly succumbing to dementia in a Sanatorium.
Mary does not want to live a life where she will not recognize her children and she will not know who she is. She knows that her condition is irreversible. She wants to end things, but she cannot do it alone.
Can Peter grant his mother’s last wish? A wish that goes against everything he believes in?
“Monday Mourning” delves into the enigmatic journey of Daniel, a man returning home after a long absence under mysterious circumstances. The story begins with a sense of intrigue, as Daniel prepares for a significant day, the nature of which is unknown. This deliberate ambiguity creates a compelling tapestry of unspoken emotions and complex family dynamics.
Throughout the film, the narrative invites exploration into the puzzle of Daniel’s life. His interactions with his sister are laden with tension, nostalgia, and unspoken truths. The film captures the essence of a family reuniting, leaving viewers to ponder the reasons behind Daniel’s prolonged absence and the nature of the gathering that has brought them together.
After receiving a mysterious letter, a wayward son returns to his childhood home to wrestle with a dark family secret.
With a go-getter outlook, high ambition, and a valiant attitude to face his fears, Lien (Abey Lin), a young and cautious man can surely succeed. However after failing interview after interview and falling down both literally and figuratively, he comes to the realization that his strange and long standing family rules continue to set him back. Though it’s all he’s ever known, for the first time in his life Lien must face his past and uncover the mystery behind his family’s extreme fear of heights.
Dimitri needs to find a decent apartment for his daughter Juliette, who suffers from asthma if he doesn’t want to lose joint custody of her. With his back against the wall, he decides to go and ask his father’s help, with whom relations are strained. When he refuses, Dimitri employs a stratagem that will backfire.
Inspired by the unwavering courage of those who endure, “The Displaced” is a testament to the triumph of the human will in even the darkest of times. Set against the backdrop of Borodyanka, Ukraine – a town ravaged by the cruel machinations of war – our film chronicles the journey of Sasha, a young boy thrust into the throes of chaos and upheaval.
SUNDAY APRIL 21 | 5.15 PM
Regardless of whether these shorts are grounded in real stories or fiction, be they documentaries or works of imagination, they serve as poignant reminders of the importance of seeking goodness. Touching stories that symbolize the significance of listening to our hearts and defying any obstacle.
In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as BANNED, RESTRICTED, or CHALLENGED, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right – LGBT issues, Black history, and Women’s empowerment – impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, the ABC’S OF BOOK BANNING reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.
At the end of the summer, while preparations for an air show are taking place in the sky, a man and a woman go to the water. But the arrival of a legendary aerobatic pilot will not be the event of the day for them..
Alsie rents a dad for one evening.
Alsie is unhappy and alone, but luckily she can order the feeling of security and comfort in the internet nowadays. However, the evening with her rented Daddy does not go as smooth as she envisioned it. To really feel comforted she will have to open up and make herself vulnerable…
Mexico City, 1983. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Arturo, a Lebanese mobster, tries to stay afloat. He decides to record himself on video to preserve each of his memories: The family, his dirty business, the conflicts… and the secrets. Arturo attempts to preserve his image, power, and his status without knowing which memories will fade away.
A young Filipina inmate’s lonely time in solitary confinement takes a turn when she gets an impossible message from a Black man in the same situation half the world away.
When an insecure, Korean American boy meets an International K-Pop Star who looks just like him, they decide to switch identities.
The romantic relationship between two influencers is put into question after one of them deletes their social media.
This is the day. Speed dating in the aquarium. Time to break the routine and find someone for yourself. Sara, in search of love, wants just one thing: a phone number. Well, alright, a shoe size too. And a registration number. Date of birth, body temperature, the number of teeth… Numbers don’t lie.
SUNDAY APRIL 21 | 8.15 PM
In this selection of films, we navigate the intimate journeys of characters navigating the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood, exploring themes of forbidden love or lost dreams. With a blend of humor and drama, these films beautifully portray the essence of innocence, vulnerability, friendship, and love.
An 11-year-old, determined student struggles with being real and authentic in her “How To Cry on Command” class (among others) at dystopian grade school: Celebrity Preparatory for Girls.
Three educated (and bored) twenty-somethings are working a dead-end job in a gas station. Their futures are grim. When a group of bank robbers turn up fresh from a heist and fresh out of fuel, things get a bit more interesting.
Fate vs. Elena is the story of a jaded millennial psychic who doesn’t believe in fate until a premonition turns her life upside down.
Erratic messages from her dad sends JO deep into the California desert to sort through the remains of a frenzied, paranoid manic episode. However, along the way she makes two discoveries: the rest of her family wish to no longer support him, and the trunk of his car is filled with hundreds of slippers…
A forbidden love affair between a rising Black star and a white movie starlet is ruthlessly sabotaged by those who sought to maintain the oppressive status quo in 1950s America.
A teenager “Aljadel” who must come to terms with her grief around the passing of her best friend, when forced to attend a lecture on shrouding the dead at her middle school. While watching her friend being shrouded she gets triggered and this leads her to make a sudden eruption.
It’s summer. Danny’s twelve, drifting into adolescence, just getting interested in girls, with no idea how to talk to them. He spends his days making mixtapes that he trades with his cousin Luca. At home, his parents are in constant conflict. Their almost nightly fights are like background noise. Danny finds himself caught between his parents with no clear path to his own life. Set over the course of a single week, “I’m on Fire” tells the story of a toxic marriage seen through the lens of a twelve-year-old boy, and the critical step he takes in his difficult path toward adulthood.
BLOCK 1 – LOVE
BLOCK 2 – FREEDOM
BLOCK 3 – BEAUTY
BLOCK 4 – TRUTH
BLOCK 5 – FEAR
BLOCK 6 – TRUST
BLOCK 7 – ADRENALINE
BLOCK 1 – LOUDER & LOUDER
BLOCK 2 – RITES OF PASSAGE
BLOCK 3 – LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH
