BEST FILM ~ SMALL SHORTS
BRIQUET PISTOLET
Orso Sean Miyakawa, Peter Miyakawa, Benjamin Miyakawa (Italy)
A man wants to smoke a cigarette. His lighter doesn't work. He has induction cookers. Today, alone, an average man in his home, how does he make fire?
BEST FILM ~ MICRO SHORTS
PURE ANIMATION FOR NOW PEOPLE
Mark Neeley (Cincinnati, OH)
One minute animated short film with soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh
PEOPLE'S CHOICE ~ SMALL SHORTS
The true story about a young production assistant’s confusing day on set.
Weston Auburn, Myles Hi (Flossmoor, IL)
YOU DON'T MESS WITH JAMES
PEOPLE'S CHOICE ~ MICRO SHORTS
Joan cant light her cigarette so her friend Damien helps light it for her
Jillian Smith (United States)
NEED A LIGHT
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS ~ WINTER 2025
(in order of appearance at the screening)
1
VHX
Alisa Stern, Scott Ampleford
United States
A collection of home movies languish on a shelf, longing to be watched again. Little do they know, there's a fate far worse than being forgotten.
4
Guests
Adam Benjamin Mikkelsen
Niels Justesen
Copenhagen, DK
With dinner on the verge of chaos and guests about to arrive, Alex juggles last-minute preparations, while Clara wants to discuss life-changing news.
7
Stay
Dylan Kaufmann
Chicago, IL
On a special day, a young man reflects on his lonely life with only his pet bird for company, leading to an unexpected revelation about their bond.
10
@payphonesoflosangeles Micro-Doc No. 7 - @screwyblooms
Ryan Steven Green
United States
An obscure Los Angeles street artist known as screwyblooms adorns the the city’s ruined payphones with whimsical arrangements of found objects and fake flowers.
13
Midnight Snack
Sandra Foisy
Montreal, QC CAN
Hunger always strikes in the dead of night.
16
Habitat
Elise Jaffe
Chicago, IL
The best place for inspiration and creative thought is not one you’d often expect and yet it serves as the breeding ground for some of the best works of art. NOTE: This film was not eligible for awards.
19
Choked Up
Kate McMorran
United States
Things go horribly awry when a woman asks her boyfriend to choke her during sex
22
Under My Skin
Ross Ozarka
Auckland, NZ
A lonely gamer gets a mysterious phone call that may be coming from inside...
25
Ouroborosofa
Joseph Curle
Saffron Walden, UK
A short guide to scavenging for sofas in Geneva
28
Cakewalk
Lauren Best
Tallahassee, FL
In an unapologetically pink world, an exceptional bakery delivery girl does whatever it takes to deliver a perfectly punctual cake.
31
American Baguette
Teresa Martinez Moore
Chicago, IL
French New Wave Cinema as it was intended: a comedy set in Chicago in 2024.
34
Love in '60
Joseph Thomas
Tampa, FL
A surrealist depiction of love in the atomic age.
37
Permanent
Kate Lyn Whitaker
American Fork, UT
A man gets a second chance at love.
2
Donut Lover
Arlen Parsa
Oak Park, IL
On her way home from work, Karla makes a sweet discovery... Or is it?
5
Pure Animation for Now People
Mark Neeley
Cincinnati, OH
One minute animated short film with soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh
8
Traditional games
Mauricio Delgado
Cartago, CR
This fun video features the most popular traditional Costa Rican toys
11
why did you invite me to your wedding
Gus Black, Kevin Atwater
United States
When Kevin Atwater gets a bizarre invitation out of the blue from an old friend, he’s met with tumultuous feelings of past love, heartbreak, and grief
14
Lupe Q and the Galactic Corn Cake
Javier Badillo
Vancouver, BC CAN
Aliens. Punk Rock. Corn Cakes. In space, only abuela's cooking lessons will save you.
17
You Don't Mess with James
Weston Auburn, Myles Hi
Flossmoor, IL
The true story about a young production assistant’s confusing day on set.
20
INTERMISSION
Anna Liakos
Alex Liakos
United States
Things take a turn for the worse for the Preview Time Quartet.
23
1 in 30 Thousand
Ali Nickshoar
Iran
A couple see each other in the gallery, but they have problems
26
point of return
Nicholas Kallincos
Australia
Watching the movie of your own thoughts can lead you back to a point of return.
29
Pauline
Annie Gallup
United States
If you believed no one would ever know, what would you be capable of?
32
Picturesque
Kansas McWhirter
Tallahassee, FL
Ruby's self-obsession triggers chaos when she alters her portrait, setting off a chain of events that threatens her existence.
35
Jolf
Will Hammond
United States
An Average Joe golfer anxiously watches his golf balls unusual journey.
38
Briquet Pistolet
Orso Sean Miyakawa, Peter Miyakawa, Benjamin Miyakawa
Italy
A man wants to smoke a cigarette. His lighter doesn't work. He has induction cookers. Today, alone, an average man in his home, how does he make fire?
3
Need A Light
Jillian Smith
United States
Joan cant light her cigarette so her friend Damien helps light it for her
6
The Last Piece
Coco Tolentino
Woodside, NY
Two friends battle over the last piece of Lumpia at the dinner table
9
Trapped
Owen Boardman
Chicago, IL
A maliciously boring partygoer seeks his next victim.
12
Klunk in the Night
Tom Eaton
United States
A ghost runs into a problem while out haunting with friends.
15
KEMI
Tanicha Toro-Oloto
Whitstable, Kent, UK
A young Black Christian woman dealing with borderline personality disorder and surviving an abusive past. Through her poetry and faith, the film highlights her journey of healing, resilience, and self-expression.
18
Someone other than yourself
Noel Patiño Arroyo
Morelia, Mich, MX
There are personal things that, no matter how much power we have, we must do ourselves.
21
Boys Like Me Ain't Lucky
Carlos Lerma
Chicago, IL
After a young man goes on a quest to find who's on the other end of his magic red string, he wears his broken heart not on his sleeve but somewhere else.
24
Audition
Glenn Maxwell
Austin, TX
A man auditions for a role in a commercial, it doesn't go as he planned.
27
Handy Ketchup
Theodore R. Herold
Fayetteville, AR
A short spoof commercial that offers a solution to the problem with pesky ketchup packets.
30
soul·less
Jack Hannon
United States
While exploring a forest, two robots are hunted for a battery vital to their survival.
33
Apology
Sam Hyatt
San Jose, CA
Richard lays his heart on the table in an attempt to get Amanda to forgive him.
36
Cereal
Chaplin Boyd
Santa Monica, CA
A young boy, captivated by an intense commercial for a mysterious new brand of cereal called Coo Coo Crunch, falls prey to an insidious entity intent on devouring his soul.
39
Bloody Marian
Sommar Boulware
United States
A bartender with a bit of an attitude comes face to face with a ghastly challenge, a customer whose thirst cannot seem to be quenched.