Latest Short Film Reviews

Hierophany follows Samuel (Andrew Grayson), an introverted man in his thirties, obsessed with extraterrestrial life. Each night, he is tormented by a mysterious presence that leaves him desperate for answers. Samuel seeks therapy with a counsellor, Matthew (Craig Andrew Mooney), who offers a unique and insightful perspective on what may be causing these nightly visitations.

One of the most impressive aspects of the piece is its engaging material; although most of the runtime is condensed into a single therapy session, the dialogue is consistently enthralling thanks to many of the technical aspects and the two central performances. Firstly, Luis Maurizzio serves as the film's cinematographer, primarily framing the two characters from either fixed camera shots or extreme close-ups to convey the protagonist's inner turmoil. During dialogue that appears evasive as the central character opens up about his trauma, an understated and melancholic musical score accompanies these scenes, effectively conveying the emotional resonance. It's a deeply haunting showcase of how different people cope with grief and how opening up to another can heal your wounds through acceptance of yourself.

The piece tackles thought-provoking themes and ideas such as guilt and trauma, feelings that have haunted Samuel most of his life. This is showcased through steady editing as he recounts his childhood experiences. Despite the film's incredibly brisk runtime, the pacing flows exceptionally well due to the provocative dialogue and deliberate formal choices. Sadly, the film doesn't really explore Samuel's current lifestyle, and a deeper characterisation could have fleshed out more recent events that have led to his nightly visitations. While the film does explore Samuel's childhood experiences through his opening up about his neglect, particularly from his father, a more nuanced dive into why he is so closed off from the world would have been more memorable.

The central performance from Andrew Grayson in his portrayal of Samuel is deeply moving, as he conveys the haunted nature and introverted side of his personality with astounding accuracy. Samuel is more closed off as he tries to understand if what is happening to him is real or not, and his expression of grief and guilt is deeply moving. Craig Andrew Mooney, on the other hand, in his portrayal of Matthew, is a calm and collected presence who tries to offer insightful methods on how to express his feelings to move on. He doesn't judge Samuel’s actions and chooses to be patient and understanding of what may have caused the force that is haunting him. Both performances play off one another profoundly, and they are ultimately the heart and soul of the film's central ideas.

While the overall conclusion to the narrative is fairly minor and somewhat open-ended, it still manages to connect on a deeper level due to the moving ideas and themes present. The conclusion doesn't offer any easy resolutions to self-acceptance and grief, simply leaving these ideas open for audiences to discuss after the credits roll.

Hierophany is a thought-provoking exploration of guilt and trauma that leaves room for interpretation of how each person deals with grief. Anchored by director Tom Alner’s formalism and two terrific performances from Andrew Grayson and Craig Andrew Mooney, Hierophany is a deeply engaging experience.

Directed by Parker Croft, The Liars of Black Mountain Road is a short film that begs the question: “why do we lie, and what is the cost of telling the truth?” Starring Nolan Gould and Millie Gibbons as couple Ethan and Abbie, the film explores relationship dynamics in the wake of an unfortunate accident. It’s a masterclass in tension, and is sure to have audiences on the edge of their seats.

Driving along the titular road, Ethan stops the car when he realises that he has hit and unfortunately killed a dog. He calls the owner to inform him of the accident, but trouble begins when Abbie points out that Ethan didn’t explicitly confess to being the driver of the car. Thus begins a heated back and forth, the couple ruminating on Ethan’s phone call and whether or not he was dishonest. Croft does an excellent job of capturing the couples’ silent gazes at each other, making the audience feel the palpable sense of awkwardness in the car. In this way, the audience becomes a party to the incident, free to make up their own moral judgement. The ethical questions are tantalizing, as the film invites us to consider how good of a person Ethan is, and how reliable his interpretation of the preceding events really was. Gould’s performance should be noted as he portrays his character with nuance; upset by the incident with the dog, yet stubbornly defensive over his actions, insisting that it was an accident that couldn’t be helped. Similarly, Gibbons plays the role of Abbie with precision, her eyes casting an accusatory stare in her partner’s direction one moment, and seemingly unable to look in his direction the next. It creates a vivid portrait of the couple’s history – perhaps this is not the first time issues relating to trust and honesty have surfaced. The wedge between Ethan and Abbie drives the tension up, creating a sense of dread as they drive towards the owner’s location. Who is the dog’s owner? Will he catch Ethan in a lie? How dangerous is he? Croft delights in asking these questions, sustaining a real sense of dread for an impressive length of time.

While the performances are excellent across the board, it’s possible that Abbie’s characterisation could have been more interesting. Ethan is depicted as complex, a three dimensional character with a truly questionable sense of self-awareness. Abbie on the other hand came across as too agreeable. Perhaps that’s my own personal bias, but I found her largely too passive for most of the film, and I would have liked to see that character make some more interesting decisions. Gibbons plays the role well, but I would have liked to see her given a little more to do beyond simply admonishing Ethan for the middle chunk of the short. I also think that the last act of the film could have been pushed a little further by adding a new element to complicate the narrative. Something to recontextualise the events that had transpired, or to give the characters a final new challenge. The film makes an interesting choice in how it plays the drama which I do admire, but there’s a risk that it may feel underwhelming to some viewers.

The Liars of Black Mountain Road is a confidently shot and well acted short film that should be lauded for its ability to deliver quality character writing within a tense and dramatic story. While it’s possible that it could have been further expanded in a few places, it’s an admirable film that asks thought provoking questions and invites fervent discussion.

The pilot episode of a TV mini series, a comedy mystery thriller created by Daniel John Peters and starring Milly Mattison-Nottage, Andrew McGillan, Julie Harrop and Irene Peters.

The year is 2015 and something strange is going on in a town in England. A man (McGillan) has been spying on Beth (Nottage), a young woman. Why? Evidently, there is something about her that only he seems to be aware of. He knows her but she appears to be oblivious to his existence. So he follows her and her friend, Sarag (Harrop) around town and at one point they become aware of him. Who exactly is this man and why is he obsessed with Beth?

With a duration on just under twenty minutes, this series' debut episode establishes a sort stalker story that also contains comedic moments. The mystery is primarily what makes this watchable, with the script managing to create enough question marks to make the viewer want to follow the continuation. The mystery deepens by the apparent sudden and brief headaches that are experienced by Beth and the mysterious man. Does this mean that the two of them are related? This will probably be answered in the following episodes. Peters also worked on the music and the result is a tense and electronic score with occasional drum beats that adds to the atmosphere.

A significant amount of time is spent observing the unusual man, the obvious intention being for the audience to get some understanding regarding what he is up to. Nevertheless, less time could be spent watching him ascending staircases or driving.

McGillan's character is a loner. A guy who is determined to discover something and that something involves Beth and this seems to be achievable by analysing cans of pineapple slices, dialing 999 and not actually making the call, observing pictures of Beth and Sarah on his phone and using it to verbally record his clues and thoughts. Meanwhile, Beth (apart from the headaches) and Sarah come across as typical youths, going for walks together, taking selfies and socialising on social media. Just two youngsters having become the center of a stranger's obsession for unknown reasons. Beth's mom (Irene Peters) seems to be just a simple, nice person until it is indicated that she is harbouring secrets.

Mostly, this is a story about spying and secrets and furthermore, it also brings friendship and parenting into the picture.

What is going to happen next? This is the question that will most likely motivate people to pursue the next episodes. Also, regarding the title, it is appropriate because trying to figure out what is happening is puzzling and is it also supposed to sound like ''Amazing Truth''? Just wondering.

Astraea is a short film set in the near future, depicting human's relationship with aliens. Its writer Craige Middleburg also stars as the ‘Rookie’, alongside Peter Inskip and Zak Watson-Smith. Between the three characters, the audience witness one man’s initiation into the interdimensional division of a futuristic job. As part of it, he must convince an alien to use its abilities of drawing memories out of objects.

The film sets up its story well using just three characters - not only because of their naturalistic performances, but because they each offer contrasting perspectives. The cliche dynamic of the rookie (Craige Middleburg) and the Veteran (Peter Inskip) is immediately powerful in foregrounding the story. What may be seen as an over-used stereotype works well, as it is cleverly established through miniscule details in the mise-en-scene and their conversation, rather than dramatic or plain dialogue. For instance the Veteran ignores the Rookie's handshake and takes advantage of his superior knowledge, misleading him in the interaction with the alien (referred to as a mimic) to poke fun. The Rookie, as expected in the inexperience of his character, receives this belittling and obediently follows instructions. He endeavours to impress and perform well in his assessment job interview, providing the character with a strong, engaging incentive for the piece. The science-fiction element is drawn from the final character - an alien. There is an added exciting dynamic of an outsider, which also works in strengthening the united front of the Rookie and the Veteran against him. All of them possess starkly different characters, charging the film’s action and dialogue.

There is an intriguing exploration of status within the interaction. The alien is naturally something to be wary of, but in this circumstance it is simultaneously inferior. Seemingly kept captive, it is used for the benefit of humans in determining their suitability to a job. Not only this, but the job is implied to provide humans with a superior status to the aliens. This iniquity is partly shrouded by the fact the alien presents as human-like through ‘mimicking’, but with certain unnatural features and behaviours.

The choice to make the aliens visually present as humans is a clever decision that both saves the film from an insincere element, and provides some eeriness. It suggests a possibility that they are not always identifiable, instead able to pass through life and humanity undetected. Not only this, but it reveals their unnerving ability to take over the physicality of humans, adopting their appearances while remaining alien.

The clever writing and directing spares the film from feeling performative or elementary. It establishes its futuristic setting, science fiction genre and the nature of the aliens majoritively through showing rather than telling, demanding that the audience infer for themselves. Incongruently, the sequence presenting the alien’s power utilises warbled, shaky camera movements and sound effects. This may be an ironic call back to the outdated film effects seen in early cinema, an attempt at comedy, but it comes off as insincere and not complimentary of the storytelling talent made evident from the rest of the film.

Breaking and Entering and Humping is a new short, written and directed by Jeremy Sless. Now, you might not think that a film with such a crude (though not uninteresting) title would hold the kind of quality I’m about to suggest, but this 25-minute absurdist burglar comedy is about as tightly constructed as any other humour-based movie of its kind. It tells an amusing, twisty narrative centered around two burglars who are stuck in a cupboard while the two inhabitants have sex in the bedroom. As a setup, this concept is relatively standard. And yet, it’s the way in which the scenario is established, and then the subsequent diversions of expectations that makes Breaking and Entering and Humping a successful and highly entertaining work.

Where better to begin than with the outstanding opening shot; the technical peak of the film. What begins as a slow pan around this picturesque cabin suddenly becomes erratic and handheld when the two lovers enter through the doorway. In most dynamic and formally inventive fashion, the camera follows them into the bedroom via the hallway. The shot concludes as the shot moves away from the main subjects and serendipitously lands on the cupboard. It’s quite Hitchcockian for its slick use of visual language to establish a conceit; or you could maybe argue it’s slightly more De Palma for its focus on the lurid and self-reflexive whilst implementing the semiotics of Hitchcock. I mean it as no backhanded compliment to say that this introduction is the highlight of the picture; the rest of the film is well put-together and funny as hell – but this shot demonstrates a level of cinematic ability far above even that.

There’s a lot to love about the gags in this film. As a storyteller, Sless clearly has a strong ability and crafting an overall setup and payoff – and then additional, mini setup and payoffs within the space of a scene. A strong rhythm can be found in the joke-making, and each laugh is cleverly built into the development of the plot. This is a movie which understands that a plot-twist can be inherently funny and thus has a great deal of fun throwing its audience for a loop. It should also be said that, whilst 25 minutes is an uncommon runtime for a short vying for festival success, the runtime couldn’t be more perfect in this instance. This is a flawlessly paced piece.

The style of Breaking and Entering and Humping is just so much fun, and there’s no denying that. If there are any complaints to be found, it’s that one or two jokes don’t entirely land (although that’s obviously subjective), and that the title – though provocative as it is – may limit just how much attention the project receives in an arena of fast, unkind critical appraisal. As a counter though, once you’ve seen the movie, the title couldn’t be more apt and thematically succinct. There’s little doubt that audiences looking for genre-based comedy will be pleased by Sless’ latest.

A short romantic drama written and directed by Darius Shu and starring Hiroki Berrecloth and Frank Kauer.

Vinnie (Berrecloth) is a youth who works in a launderette, apparently by himself. One day, another youngster named Ryan (Kauer) begins frequenting the place and gradually, the two of them become friendly and eventually, they proceed to build a romantic relationship. However, due to insecurities, their romantic bond will struggle to advance.

Being more character-driven than story-driven, this slow burner that contains a fair amount of tender moments and an equal amount of painful ones. The main focus is the rapport that develops between the two homosexual young men, with the film slowly and carefully observing how it grows from playful chit-chat into something much more meaningful.

Shu grabs the opportunity to show his filmmaking skills, creating wonderful shots that are supported by his cinematography. The strengths of his creativity are highlighted during a series of sequences that involve dancing inside the laundrette, a camcorder, a character being underwater and what appears to be a fish bowl (containing fish) that is inside a washing machine. This short has the privilege of having the bittersweet and beautiful music by Benjamin Doherty and the addition of the songs A Little Respect by Erasure and Friends by Billy Cullum is a plus.

The story is told primarily through Vinnie's perspective and Berrecloth is dramatic as a quiet, sensitive, reserved and insecure guy, whose issues become evident when he confronts a man (Aldous Ciokajlo-Squire) who takes an interest in Ryan and when he refuses to get intimate with Ryan. Ryan's character differs from Vinnie's. Kauer portrays a confident and sociable person, one who seems to know what he wants.

On the surface, this is a loves story, one that explores the world of homosexual romance, relationship complications and self-reflection. The main drama comes from inner struggles, particularly people's inability to express themselves and connect with others.

A gay romantic story that looks into the commitments involving romance. A dramatic and beautiful viewing.

A story of identity and sexuality opens out into one of depression and substance abuse, as a woman living in assisted accommodation tries to live out every day of her life without knowing who she really is.

Shae (Gemma) tells us right from the start that she doesn’t know who she is. She just wants to be normal, like the rest of us, and not have to deal with the rest of the bulls*** that comes with the daily existence of having to put a face on for the outside world. This mental distress has been piling on Shae since high school, and she has turned to alcohol and drugs to block out the constant thoughts that plague her every waking moment. One afternoon, a drug deal goes wrong, and Shae ends up getting stabbed in a bust up in a tunnel, seeing her spiral into a maelstrom of self-pity and soul-searching from which there may be no salvation.

Throwing a lifeline into this wild and crazy storm, however, is Amber (Stewart), the pretty blonde barmaid with a heart of gold. She sees through Shae’s charade and wants to get to know the person underneath. Now that there’s a chance of understanding and acceptance, Shae must take a look at herself and make some choices about who she wants to be in the future.

Based on the life of Rozelle Gemma, who stars as Shae, Behind The Reflection tries to get as close as possible to the truth of the situation in telling her story. With Gemma on board as co-writer and star, there’s a rawness and power that comes from the performance that completely pulls you into the life that she has lived. Playing two characters convincingly on screen is more than enough for most actors, but when you realise that the real performance was all the time, every day, for years, it adds an extra level to what we get to see on screen.

The production, too, keeps things concrete and real and close to the streets, and not just for budgetary reasons either. It’s obvious that the filmmakers grew up around, and have an understanding of, the places where the film is set. The interiors are grimy, and bare, and real, and really help lend Shae’s story another layer of authenticity, as we experience the pressures of life on welfare, in places and around people that are there to grind you down.

The soundtrack to these desolate spaces is very well chosen to reflect the atmosphere and the feeling of Shae’s experience within them, and with Velton J Lishke’s direction, the whole of Shae’s world is pulled together into frame in a visually seamless narrative. The lighting and the camerawork, however, along with a lot of the sound, are what show up the budgetary restrictions the most, and while capturing these elements naturally can sometimes add to authenticity, here we’re just left wanting more than tinny toilet conversations and sitting under downlights.

For what is a very cheap indie movie, crowdfunded, and built almost as a community project, Behind The Reflection has the benefit of having a f***load of heart and integrity behind it. Rozelle Gemma is a force of nature, who has an important story to tell, and who is able to tell it with all the passion, and desperation, and heartache that she experienced first-hand as she just tried to live her life. For the twenty-four minutes we are invited to share in Shae’s life, we see and hear and feel a lot with her, some of it uncomfortably, but in the sharing of the story we are lifted, almost as a form of therapy, as we benefit from her journey. For anyone suffering alone, looking Behind The Reflection, could be just the perspective they need, to think a little differently from now on.

Jujuman follows a South London gang leader, Mani (Caleb Obediah), as he is forced to rethink his attitudes when a mysterious vigilante witch doctor confronts him. The witch doctor has appeared to have placed a curse on him, intended to put his mother’s life in danger. The narrative is based on a true story and is dedicated to the life of Tobi Animashaun.

Jujuman possesses an intriguing premise that blends a fairly grounded narrative set around South London with a fantasy archetype. While the piece can feel disjointed at times, with the mix of comedic and dramatic beats not entirely landing, the fantasy elements are astounding, despite the film's budget constraints. The film's ideas are thematically rich, with the discussions of power and religion present throughout much of the runtime. In particular, the dialogue involving the discussions of the power of Juju is effective, giving the narrative a deeper subtext. Despite the film exploring these absorbing ideas of religion and the power of Juju, it never truly reaches its full potential by not analysing them beyond their surface level. The screenplay rarely explores Mani’s inner turmoil, and it's a detrimental aspect to the film's central themes of guilt.

The camerawork is mostly engaging, as Mani is framed from an overhead perspective, which is an incredibly unique approach to convey his guilt-ridden personality. The switch to handheld camerawork during sequences of conflict is mostly apt and gritty in its depiction of gang rivalry in South London. During a chase sequence, however, the editing is unfortunately choppy, with a jarring number of cuts, making these moments rather incomprehensible at times. The musical score occasionally feels upbeat, but it doesn't align tonally with the film during moments of conflict. That being said, the film, for the most part, retains its gritty and uncompromising vision of South London.

The performances across the board are incredibly raw and nuanced, particularly Caleb Obediah’s portrayal of Mani. He conveys a great level of empathy and care for his mother, and despite his flaws, he tries his best to protect her. Golda John, in her portrayal of Funmi, is also commendable, as she tries to understand Mani’s lifestyle while feeling at odds with the choices he makes despite her love for him. The chemistry between the gang members is also engaging as it perfectly blends the humour and severity of the situation.

Unfortunately, the pacing of the piece is fairly stagnant throughout and really takes its time to kick into gear. While the film does pick up dramatically once conflict arises, it never quite finds its stride and flows in a rather meandering fashion. Despite its incredibly brisk runtime, the duration feels prolonged due to these pacing issues. If the narrative had delved more into the crime aspects of Mani’s gang, his characterisation could have been more fleshed out as to why he fell into that lifestyle.

Jujuman is a frustrating experience as the ideas presented are incredibly engrossing; however, the piece rarely explores the implications of Mani’s characterisation enough. While it is well-acted and blends a grounded premise with some effective fantasy elements, it never quite explores its themes in depth, given their integral role in the film’s central ideas.

A moving short film written and directed by Anjini Taneja Azhar and starring Jyothi Janath, Kabir Pahwa, Suchitra Pillai, Shaurya Tyagi and Avinash Razdan.

Shot along the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi, India and under challenging circumstances, this short was created thanks to the collaboration between British Airways, Indian businessman Ness Wadia, former Ferrari Formula 1 Racer Jacques Lafitte, Trifilm Studios and Shore Scripts.

Just explaining that ''Nanu'' means Grandfather in Hindi.

The film begins with young girl, Isha (Janath) attending her late grandfather's ceremonial cremation at the Ganges River. A short while later, she encounters a little boy her age (Pahwa) who claims to be a much younger version of her grandpa. The two of them end up going on a journey together, contemplating the past and strengthening their bond.

This project was inspired by the life of the director's grandfather and the result is a film that starts off as a story about loss, before turning into an otherwordly journey about connection. The main emphasis is the rapport that develops between Isha and her grandfather (his spirit apparently) that ends up being a chance for both of them to get to know each other and form a connection that can never be broken.

The mise-en-scene is impressive and interesting, particularly during a sort of dream sequence that involves Isha finding herself on the moon (she is told that when people pass away, they go to the moon), in the middle of ruins and on a large tree, threatened by a snake. Azhar does a great job with the directing, bringing the screenplay to life with well-executed shots and Alex Winkler provides significant contribution with the beautiful music.

As the main protagonist, Isha is a simple girl who wishes she had known her grandfather better and she gets the opportunity to make her wish come true, learning more about him, herself and life in general. Pillai and Tyagi are sympathetic as Isha's loving parents. Pahwa plays the most intriguing character, a child version of a recently deceased elderly man, a boy with the maturity of an adult. Interestingly, Pahwa's character is the only one who speaks in Hindi.

With a story that explores the afterlife, this short is a commentary about grief, self-reflection, reminiscing the past and the significance of connection. The main message appears to be that people who pass away will always be with the ones they love.

This film is about loss, about losing someone and finding them again and being with them forever. It is a journey and a family drama and a very personal project that tells a story that is sad but also uplifting as it indicates that death does not separate people. And it pays tribute to the extraordinary life of the director's grandfather.

Michael Solace is a new dark-comedy about a neurotic screenwriter in Hollywood who fears, more than anything else, that he’s selling out. We’re introduced to the hero of our story in a restaurant, awaiting a meeting with a studio agent of some kind who is about to offer Michael an artistically and ethically conflicting deal for a script of his. What is then expressed is a Kafkaesque journey of guilt and paranoia as he traverses through various locations, encountering externalised expressions of violence, belittlement and self-hatred. A dynamic directorial approach makes this a refreshingly energetic and stylistically concise movie. I’m certain that this film will find an enthusiastic audience with those embarking on a spiritually damaging journey in the entertainment industry – and I mean that as a compliment!

The three obvious inspirations for this film are Adaptation (for clear reasons), Eyes Wide Shut (for one scene) and (the most effective aesthetic parody) Barton Fink. These are strong works to steal from. In the case of the first two examples, their influence can be found in isolated images or lines of dialogue; but the Fink of it all goes even deeper. You could view our protagonist almost as a modern-day reincarnation of the terrified, self-important, eternally desperate Barton Fink persona perfected by John Turturro and the Coens in the 90s – same spectacles, outfit and scenario etc. And because we’re all so familiar with this image of the tortured artist existing in a world which is out of his control, it allows the filmmaker here to explore an experiment with the expectations of that image.

This is a movie about the existential terror that comes with compromising one’s vision; the damage caused to creativity when it collides with corporate interest. It’s also amusing, and prescient, to see Hollywood depicted as a cult of illicit activity, with this script its success contributing to a corrupt system. One criticism a viewer could make is that the film is more than explicit about these things. Michael Solace hits you over the head with allegory and metaphor until it stops becoming those things (by its own choosing). Yet that is the exact kind of maximalist sensibility the filmmakers have consciously opted for. Have all these things been depicted before in movies? Yes. Does it make them any less valuable? No. This is a fresh take from real artists who are lending their perspective on a classic conundrum.

But beyond all of these topics, ideas and iconographic references is something even more valuable: a tone, a style and a sense of humour which is completely formed and completely entertaining. There’s so much to love about the visual flourishes and rapid editorial language of this short. Most every shot feels specific for its composition, and the same can be said of the montage for its purposeful and rhythmic nature. There’s a strong use of whip-panning and cutting on motion which maintains the energy, keeps the story moving and holds us in the mind – in the self-loathing guilt-trip – of our hero. Unlike the situation this unfortunate soul finds himself in, it does not feel like any creative compromises were made in the production of this exceptional film!