ONLY THE BEST SHORT FILMS
Film Of The Week: Goodbye My World
Goodbye My World by Bonnardel et al (2023) (France) (5m)
As a cataclysm destroys the city, a man stuck in a fish costume races towards a mysterious office tower at its epicentre. Created by students at the Animation Film School in southern France, Goodbye My World (Au Revoir Mon Monde) was short-listed for an Oscar in 2024. It is a beautifully-made and charming 3D animation that imagines one man's journey as the world ends.
Bystander by Rachel Aoun (2022) (Lebanon) (12m)
The Festival finalist is perhaps the best exploration of masculinity ever depicted in a short film (and written by a woman). This short drama follows the basketball coach and new father, Roger, who witnesses a vicious (and ultimately fatal) assault on his way to work but fails to intervene. He is left questioning his manhood and his feelings of emasculation are finally expressed in a wonderful scene where he berates himself through his students.
The Vacation by Jarreau Carrillo (2022) (USA) (13m)
A likeable dark comedy in which an African American barber wanting to take a beach vacation finds his jalopy unwilling to start. He is quickly joined by three friends as equally broke as him. It seems this time in his car with his pals - smoking a joint - will be his vacation before he begrudgingly admits defeat and returns to work. Of course, as he presumably drove the car to the barbershop in the first place, it would not be particularly surprising if its engine did eventually spark.
The Disappearance of Willie Bingham by Matt Richards (2015) (Aus) (12m)
The Disappearance of Willie Bingham is a truly disturbing short film. The eponymous Willie is languishing in prison having killed a wife and mother. Unfortunately, the criminal justice system allows for his victim's family to demand that Willie have a limb amputated as part of his punishment. Willie can then be used as an example to Australian children not to partake in crime. However, the victim's family can demand the removal of another limb. And another.
The F-Word by Alex & Paul Cannon (2022) (USA) (5m)
The F-Word explores a divorced father's awkward attempts to explain how "fuck" can be used in a variety of situations, its meaning changing with the syntax, but being especially useful when it comes to verbalising his anger towards her mother. It is reminiscent of the Irish short film, What's Virgin Mean?, but the comedy is more embedded in the character, and thus more Woody Allen.
Speed Dating by Isaac Feder (2007) (USA) (8m)
It's been a while since I highlighted this comedy. Greg, having broken up with his girlfriend, is confronted with a series of comically incompatible women until he meets a woman who seems different from the rest. She wants to have an honest conversation with him. Is this the girl for whom Greg has been waiting? With a great script and wonderful acting, short films don't come much better than Speed Dating.
Apotemnophilia by Jano Pita (2024) (USA) (16m)
Apotemnophilia is a horror short that explores the eponymous syndrome in which people feel the urge to amputate healthy limbs. Having googled that, it was perhaps not hard to imagine where this dark film was heading. Regardless, it was a success on the festival circuit and is a nicely-made, contained horror short with highly-effective VFX (and possibly SFX) that draws on some classic sci-fi tropes
Simo by Aziz Zoromba (2022) (Canada) (24m)
Simo is the eponymous teenager of Egyptian heritage living in a wintry Canada with his elder brother and father. Struggling to prove himself to his more confident brother, who is embracing the West more fully, Simo takes over his brother's gaming live stream one evening. However, while achieving success within the game, an off-the-cuff joke leads to serious consequences. Simo is a very well-made drama with superb acting and nice touches, like how the video game is mirrored in real life.
Last Call Lenny by Julien Lasseur (2016) (USA) (12m)
A look back at one of my favourite shorts and the Grand Prize winner in the 13th FILMSshort competition, Last Call Lenny. It tells the story of Gabe, who has decided to end his life, but needs a little help. Lenny offers his services for people in such a situation. However, the talkative Lenny does not like to make things too simple, and also has to avoid being the one to actually pull the trigger. It seems that Lenny is a disaster looking for somewhere to happen.
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent by Nebojsa Slijepcevic (2024) (Croatia) (14m)
Nominated for the Best Short Film Oscar in 2025 (losing out to I'm Not A Robot), this drama has a similar plot - though is more horrific - to the impressive Chinese film, Bus 44. Instead of a bus being taken hostage by a couple of rapists, this drama sees a passenger train being taken over by murderous paramilitaries. As they arrest innocent civilians based on ethnicity, only one man dares to stand up to them.
