Director - Abbie Lucas

United Kingdom

11 minutes

When moving into their new home, Tara and Drew are alarmed when they overhear their neighbours arguing. As the voices get louder and more violent, they must decide if it’s their responsibility to act.

Director - Juliette Strangio, Ellie Hall

Chicago

6 minutes

Taken straight from the journal of a declining twenty six year old, THE EXAM [Essays on 25] is a dark comedy about aging and the American healthcare system.

Director - Larry Ziegelman, Terry Ziegelman

Illinois

20 minutes

While fighting a deadly blood cancer, Jane contends with the effects of “chemo-brain”, attempting to discern reality from fantasy, as she summons up her newfound strength to face-off with an abusive husband.

Director - Thomas John Thorspecken

Florida

5 minutes

Artistic commentary on COVID, politics, and both the global and local impacts of this devastating and unprecedented time in history.

Director - Pat Cavanaugh

Chicago

9 minutes

A woman becomes obsessed with a man staring at the park. When others join him, she begins to wonder why she can't see what they see.

Director Biography - James L. Hussey

Uganda / United States

12 minutes

The story of an extraordinary individual who overcame a life of poverty as a child in Africa, found success in a foreign land, then returned to his homeland to help thousands of children born into the same circumstances.

Director - Josh D. Stanton

Illinois

3 minutes

A mixed media short retelling of a dream about love and commitment, with beautiful animations powered by AI tools.

Director - BIGACHE Clara, CHAVALLE Laurent, CHENE Julie, CHOPINET Thibault, GAUCHERON Armand, LHEUREUX Alexis, PRONE Maxime

France

6 minutes

A birthday party escalate when an toad who perceives life in a cute and colorful way meets a paranoiac fly.

Director - Bob Blinn

Illinois

5 minutes

Santa Claus is shot. Just another act of gun violence. Nobody believes in Santa anyway.

Director - Alessandro Farrattini Pojani

United Kingdom

13 minutes

A drug-dealing, Italian delivery rider resorts to robbing a South London burrito joint after his bike and drugs are stolen, little knowing he might be the one taken for a ride all along.

Director Biography - Kory Orban

Canada

13 minutes

In the mind of every filmmaker, there are two wolves locked in an epic, eternal, and fierce battle for control and influence.

The combatants? The analytical left brain and the whimsical right. [INSERT SHORT FILM TITLE] personifies these cerebral hemispheres in the monumentally (or at least marginally) comedic performances of Chrissy Mozylisky and Matthew MacCaull, evoking the cinematic manifestation of that cerebrum arm wrestle in the form of a meta-troll of the short film genre.

Delicately straddling the line between homage and parody, ISFT stands on the shoulders of giants, taking filmic inspiration from sources as varied as classical German Expressionism, adrenaline fueled American action movies, the daring Danish Dogme95 independent movement, literal internet memes, and many, many more.

ISFT accomplishes all of this while constraining itself to a tight 12-ish minute run time and while taking on the herculean, virtually-impossible task of getting an audience to be genuinely excited to watch other people’s short films.

Box office smash? Maybe. Oscar-bait? Cha-duh. Good enough to be accepted into semi-reputable film festivals? Oh God, please, God.

Director - Sean Wisbey

Illinois

10 minutes

A friendship comes to blows prior to a pairs' weekly basketball game at the gym.

Director - Sarah MAC--MOAL / Camille VASSEUR / Lea GALLOT DUVERGER / Julie HUGONNARD-COTTON / Romain PIGEON / Leila ROSAZ / Apolline GOUILLIER / Elodie SIMONI

France

7 minutes

Fleeing the village, Milo, an orphan meets Monsieur Flower, a peculiar being growing flowers. The creature accepts him and teach him to take care of plants. A friendship grows between them as they learn to know each other. One day, Monsieur Flower plucks the flowers for his weekly distribution, including Milo's flower. This puts the boy in a mad rage, leading him to destroy the life flower of his friend, turning him into a pile of mud. Milo, regretting his mistake, has to take over the mission of his mentor.

Director Biography - Marc Marashi

Chicago

17 minutes

An Air BnB guest stumbles upon a hidden piece of art that, once hung up, has an unexpected and unsettling effect on the home.

Director - Catalina Rodriguez

Canada

5 minutes

When Lola meets with her drug dealer, Axel, she just wants to get her fix, not talk about what happened between them last time. They might have had sex, but that doesn’t mean they need to talk about it. There’s nothing real between them. Or is there? When Axel insists that he wants to go on a date with Lola, she is forced to confront her complicated feelings. Part of her is flattered, even tempted. But is it really such a good idea to date a drug dealer?

Director - Jeffrey Hoge

Chicago

9 minutes

At her father’s wake, a recovering alcoholic tries to mollify the bitter ex-wife of the deceased and must confront an unwelcome guest – a disturbing man from her past.

OPEN CASKET is a short narrative film that takes place during the Age of Corona. It imagines a realm where paying tribute grants a fleeting opportunity to express sentiments left unspoken during the lifetime of the departed.

Director - Ozgur Karakucuk

Massachusetts

3 minutes

Chihuahua Drama is a tale of crime and friendship where not everything is as it seems…

A loving couple rescue a dog, but little do they know of their new dog’s checkered and turbulent past!

In this film we sneak a peek at the memories of Paco, our pointy-eared protagonist and get swept up in the unbelievable journey filled with both sweet and unsavory characters as the wild events unfold leading him to his new loving home.

Director Biography - Michelle Bossy

New York

15 minutes

On a tumultuous wedding day, five women prepare to walk down the aisle while a teenage bridesmaid probes about what really happens on the wedding night. A subversive and political take on the rom-com genre that reveals the disturbing truth behind one bride’s pre-nuptial cold feet.

Director - Jon Gomora, Chris Hager

California

3 minutes

In the Scream universe the killer can be anyone, or can it?

Director - Luke Black

Canada

11 minutes

A man bumps into his childhood hero every single day of his life.

Director Biography - Julie Zammarchi

Massachusetts

11 minutes

Elsa Schiaparelli was a fashion designer who worked in the 1920’s and 30’s in Paris. Her designs from a century ago are still considered modern today. This film is an unreliable account of Elsa’s life as seen through the eyes of her childhood imagination. Did these things actually happen? Or is the life of the artist already present in their early imaginings; turning an imperfect childhood into inspiration for their art?

Director - Sean Branney

California

9 minutes

Being fed up with seeing the elderly as the butt of fart jokes, sex jokes, and taking forever to cross the street jokes in American cinema and television, writing partners Eddie Levi Lee and Rebecca Wackler decided to write their own version of being old in the USA. At the ages of 82 and 73, respectively, they’re more than qualified to explore this topic. The film’s log line, “Being Old in America is Not for the Weak”, sums it up.

Their short comedic film takes The Wheelers, our elderly heroes, through an amazing odyssey of mishaps, while they are simply trying to catch the bus. When all is lost and they’ve given up, they meet a phantasmagoric old woman, who makes them laugh, but more importantly, leads them to empowerment.

Director - Todd Wells

Chicago

6 minutes

Greg didn't expect adulthood to be populated exclusively by misfits and oddballs.

Director Biography - Ryan Thomas

Wisconsin

14 minutes

Egzon, a young man who emulates 80’s action stars, gets an audition he’s been dreaming of. Egzon sets out on a mission to set himself up for success. After failing to get a gym membership, Egzon tries to get steroids from his doctor and asks off of work from his manager - both of which are a bust. Defeated, he ends up at a coffee shop debating to risk it all to fly to Los Angeles and chase his dreams. In the end, Egzon is reminded of his name’s meaning - joy. This reignites Egzon’s drive to pursue what brings him joy.

Director Biography - JT Seaton

California

9 minutes

In this LGBTQ+ Comedy Horror Short Film, Spencer and Cameron move into a new house that just so happens to be haunted by an old baby carriage. As the carriage endeavors to scare the couple, the attempts ultimately fail because the couple just doesn't care... like... you know... at all.

"The Haunted Baby Carriage From Hell" features a hilarious performance by cult actress Kelli Maroney ("Night Of The Comet", "Chopping Mall", "Fast Times At Ridgemont High") and a special appearance by MONEYPENNY as "Princess Peaches".

Director - Corey Benson Powers

Illinois

8 minutes

After meeting on a dating app, Jeffrey and Kira end their first date by going to his place for one last drink. Jeffrey claims that he has to keep his aggressive dog locked up in his office. But as the night goes on, Kira begins to wonder what exactly is on the other side of the door...

Director - AMICONE Jérémie, BLEUSEZ Alexis, BORZAN Iléana, LECOMTE Myriam, LEMASÇON Margot, RIVERA Zoé, TERSIGNI Romain, TRIPONNEY Camille

France

7 minutes

Dimitri, a cookie knight, and his faithful friend Pépite are heading to the cookie King's castle. He gives them a very important mission : bring back the Princess's heart and win her hand. Their adventures across strange, sugary lands will be dangerous and scrumptious.

Director - David A Holcombe

4 minutes

A storm-tossed woman washes up on shore and through primitive dance, sheds the weight of her past and embraces the mystery of hope.

Director - Hailey Bartholomew

Australia

15 minutes

A fearfully religious seven year old comes face to face with her inherited ideology when her parent’s beliefs start to affect her most loved possessions.