Cautionary Note: The film features nudity. Viewer discretion is advised but should not deter audiences from enjoying a wonderful piece of creativity.
1. Sigur Rós – Fjögur píanó by Alma Har’el in the Sigur Rós Series
Filled with unique elements that tease the imagination, this short is one of a kind. Directed by Alma Har’el as part of the third installment in the Sigur Rós Mystery Film Experiment, it’s an 8-minute piece featuring hints of interpretive dance and yes, Shia LaBeouf.
2. Night Light by Qing Han
Lasting a short, sweet 60 seconds, this film portrays a little girl with a magic brush that brings drawings to life. As you’d expect, there is basically no plot, but the adorable animations and warm colors possess a charm reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s films.
3. Johnny Express by Kyungmin Woo for Alfred Imageworks
This lighthearted film follows the story of a lazy deliveryman-astronaut attempting to bring a microscopic package to a planet of microscopic people. The masterfully-polished short rivals Pixar-level quality in comedic timing and overall aesthetic.
Cautionary Note: This film features sexual content.
4. No Deal by Joe Burke
A romantic evening goes poorly after a roommate keeps butting in. This comedic short is made great by its actors, who expertly portray the awkward characters in this bizarre yet relatable story.
5. Crater Face by Skyler Page
This delightful short tells a love story with a twist – the lovers are hills on the moon and cannot move. An astronaut tries to bring the two together after befriending one of the hills. Its animation style is barebones, but that it works well with this lighthearted comedy.
Cautionary Note: This film features violence and gore.
6. Dirty Laundry by Phil Joanou
Thomas Jane, the actor who starred in the vigilante anti-hero film The Punisher (2004), returns in this fan film more true to the character than ever. The 10-minute short plays into hearts of fans as they watch bad guys suffer.
7. Blessing in Disguise by Eric Kissack
This romantic comedy doesn’t follow the traditional or cliche. It’s a 10-minute piece centered around a sensitive condition shared between two people. The dialogue and sequence of events run similar to common romantic comedies on the silver screen – except better.
8. Tell it to the Fishes by William Sinclair
In this dark comedy, a man with his feet set in concrete awaits his death on a beach as the tide rolls in. The otherwise horrific situation is depicted humorously through goofy and often nonsensical interactions with other characters.
Cautionary Note: This film features sexual content.
9. Sweet by James Pilkington
This British comedy tells the story of a man’s relationship with an imaginary girl. It features an absurd kind of humor as characters seem to find nothing strange with having a fictional lover. The film stars leads from British comedy troupe the Mighty Boosh.
10. Six Dollar Fifty Man by Louis Sutherland and Mark Albiston
This one’s a gem. Young Andy harbors a fantasy world where he possesses the abilities of a superhero. In this Canne-recognized film running at 15 minutes, fantasy and reality collide.
