BEST FILM ~ SMALL SHORTS
H O R S E
AJ Jefferies (Norfolk, UK)
A horse struggles to exist.
BEST FILM ~ MICRO SHORTS
AUBREY GRUMP
Mike Dietz (United States)
Some people are only happy when they're not.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE ~ SMALL SHORTS
GOOD WOODS
Bob Brewster (Atlanta, GA)
Gooder the rabbit sets out to bring some goodness into the world.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE ~ MICRO SHORTS
PARALLEL
Brian Davis (Marion, IA)
City Landscape evokes feelings of being overwhelmed amidst chaos, the same as one feels when having to perform the hardest automotive maneuver known to man.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS ~ FEBRUARY 2024
(in order of appearance at the screening)
1
Give Up The Ghost
Hunter Norris
Chicago, IL
Exhausted by the ghosts of her past, Erika visits a psychic to clean her slate; also, she has a coupon.
4
The Full Spectrum of Nag
Sam Brain
United Kingdom
A couple settle their marital grievances using a surprising method.
7
Counterpart
Clement Jochem
United Kingdom
Two spies attempt to meet up to execute an important trade, but they struggle to navigate the train station.
10
Parallel
Brian Davis
Marion, IA
City Landscape evokes feelings of being overwhelmed amidst chaos, the same as one feels when having to perform the hardest automotive maneuver known to man.
13
The Life of Sophie
Rafael Star
Australia
Sophie is a young woman whose life completely revolves around her smartphone to the extent that she is unaware that she is the subject of a documentary by renowned presenter, Davey Edenborough.
16
Cycle Path
Red Wade
United Kingdom
After receiving an outrageous email from his anti-eco boss, a climate conscious cyclist hijacks an important meeting and teaches his colleagues a lesson they'll never forget.
19
Good Woods
Bob Brewster
Atlanta, GA
Gooder the rabbit sets out to bring some goodness into the world.
22
Catching These Umbrellas!
Aviva Siegel
Los Angeles, CA
A man takes a walk in the park on a cloudy day.
25
Color My World
Georgina Cahill
Chicago, IL
Color My World is a short film about a monster finding his way, and his people, in the world.
28
Rêvezzz Laiteux
Sonic Barometer, Claud Butler, Rennie V
United Kingdom
A girl dreams of bathing in milk, but the dream turns sour when the milk runs dry…
31
Arrow Arrow
John Akre
United States
Which way to go? The arrow knows.
34
Goro Goro
Ryotaro Sawada, Agatha Tiara Christa
United States
Goro Goro follows the story of Daigoro, a baby thunder god, who dreams of being as powerful as his father.
37
Trigonometry's Ultimate Method to Putting the Fun Back in Your Own Funeral
April Aquino
Villa Park, IL
When a cyborg child dies suddenly, he refuses to go to the afterlife until his final wish is fulfilled - to cause chaos at his own funeral.
40
H O R S E
AJ Jefferies
Norwich, Norfolk
A horse struggles to exist.
2
Respawn
Mwansa Phiri
United Kingdom
A desperate woman attempts to navigate an unconventional gauntlet.
5
Inner Child
Ryan Tynan
United States
Inner Child is a visually whimsical cinepoem about how it feels taking one step forward and one step back.
8
It's a Sign!
Jeff Vande Zande
Midland, MI
You shouldn't ignore signs!
11
Terra's Waltz
Logan Dunn
West Hills, CA
A home full of mourners navigates a wake, while a persistent melody reminds them of what they have lost.
14
Aubrey Grump
Mike Dietz
United States
Some people are only happy when they're not.
17
The World's Saddest Friends
Dan Hirshon
South Orange, NJ
Two friends struggle to schedule time for each other due to their calendars being fully booked for misery and self-loathing.
20
Little Hiccups
Fitriani Revanda
Australia
In our everyday lives, some things happen that we cannot really explain...or can we?
23
All @ Once
Herl Joshua Lara
Philippines
What a person addicted to internet experiences after they spent so much time in it.
26
Copenhagen Rendezvous
André Palacios Tingberg
Denmark
“Copenhagen Rendezvous” explores the themes of love, connection, memory, and the choices we make in the pursuit of happiness.
29
Teach Talks School Fights
Ryan Tristram Eakins, Pat Cavanaugh
United States
A drunk teacher outlines his disciplinary approach to fights amongst students.
32
The Good Fight
Julie Mayhew
United Kingdom
A rebellious kid stages a protest and falls too much in love with the fight. in this super 8 parable on the disappointment of getting exactly what you want.
35
Rest and Be Thankful
Kevin Walls
Glasgow, UK
Grant's tranquil day off is interrupted by a peculiar stranger.
38
How to Save a Baby from a Snake Attack
Christopher Bennett
Madison, WI
How best to save the day from certain serpent slaughter.
41
Crushed
Charlene Jones
United Kingdom
Crushed is a comedy short about a woman plucking up the courage to tell her work crush that she fancies him...but it doesn't exactly go to plan.
3
& yet here we are...
Andy Clay Huey
Boulder, CO
A lifetime passes through a couple as they sit on the deck of a ferry, holding each other in the sea breeze.
6
Porcupine
Carlos Lerma
Chicago, IL
A young man deals with being a hopeless romantic by writing a poem.
9
ELPIS
Michael Stavolone
Chicago, IL
A painter struggles to find himself in a world dominated by Artificial Intelligence.
12
Space Oddities
Tee Nabi, Ian Frye, Cyrus Jackson
Charlottesville, VA
A man gets too many balloons for his birthday and floats into space.
15
Develop
Emily James
United Kingdom
When a woman visits her dying mother to be photographed together by the daughter’s new girlfriend, the blossoming relationship helps mother and daughter to bond one last time.
18
Heart's Desire
Loren Alleyne
United Kingdom
A worker is pulling a late shift, feeling the strain of life when his computer surprises him with three wishes.
21
Menace to Maestro
Elise & Gregg Jaffe
Chicago, IL
Based off Carlos Douglas Jr’s award-winning animated short, Kenya’s Symphony, young Kenya comes to life along with a gaggle of classmates on a school trip to the symphony. (Not eligible for awards).
24
Nervous Nathan
Nick Laws
Augusta, GA
For Nathan, every day makes him nervous.
27
Tongue Twister Theater
Danny McCarthy
Los Angeles, CA
The joy of the tongue twister is certainly in its complexity of pronunciation, yes, but the pairing of this with creative imagery and storytelling makes them such joyous little things.
30
IN THE ARENA
James Winegar, Alex Kramer
United States
This film reminds us to dare greatly, to strive valiantly and to push to achieve.
33
What Goes Bump in the Night, Again?
Taylor J Wells & Blake Butler
Romeoville, IL
A man is hearing suspicious noises in his house while he's sleeping. Is that...music?
36
The Unencumbered Life of a French House Fly
Matthieu Brajot
San Francisco, CA
A day in the life of a French house fly.
39
Cart Return
Matt Webb
Maryville, TN
Melanie is oblivious and self-absorbed, but refusing to return her cart this time could be the last straw.