One of my favorite things about film festivals is their short film programming, usually delivered in different blocks that contain a multitude of different shorts all in one package. The one that I was able to check out from Fantastic Fest this year contains more twenty individual shorts, a couple of which I've already covered here in more detail. In this installment, we're going to be covering the other twenty one shorts, with a little blurb about each one containing a brief description of the film and our thoughts about them. So without further ado, let's jump right in!
A Fermenting Woman
Dir. Priscilla Galvez
Probably the grossest short in the bunch, A Fermenting Woman is about a chef who is trying to design the perfect fine dining experience by fermenting a bunch of different ingredients and combining them to make the best dish possible. When she discovers a creature growing within her dish that responds positively to her menstrual blood, she thinks that she might be on track to creating the best dish ever. And yes, it's as disgusting as it sounds. Part body horror, part dark comedy, A Fermenting Woman is excellent acting and direction combined to create a fantastic little short. This one is like if David Cronenberg directed The Bear.
Atom & Void
Dir. Gonçalo Almeida
Atom & Void is a fantastic short about a spider's-eye view of the end of the world. It is an absolutely breathtaking short, phenomenally well done with some gorgeously creative cinematography. There's not a whole lot to it, as it's all effects and artistic creativity, but it is an outstanding (and short) short film. This one is a must see if you ever come across it.
Be Right Back
Dir. Lucas Paulino & Gabe Ibañez
Be Right Back is a chilling tale of a little girl left all alone by her mother, who has gone to get groceries. When someone (or something) knocks on the door claiming to be her mother, she finds herself in a fight for survival against whatever is trying to get in. It's very well done, a creepy-as-hell take on a subject that has certainly been explored before with a great performance from Anastasia Russo, who plays the little girl.
A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers
Dir. Birdy Wei-Ting Hung
A young girl finds herself in the midst of a sexual awakening during a hot summer day in a theater, though perhaps something else is awakening as well. This one is gorgeous, beautifully told and with some fantastic cinematography. There's very little plot here, and what exists doesn't have enough background to be completely understood, but its a beautiful short with some giallo-inspired shots.
Bunnyhood
Dir. Mansi Maheshwari
The first animated short in the list, Bunnyhood is about a young boy who is surprised by an emergency trip to the hospital. It's a fantastic representation of those childhood moments where you didn't completely know what was going on, where an adult was promising you things were okay but they certainly didn't feel okay at the time. It's a bizarre and excellently illustrated coming-of-age film with some horror elements throughout.
Check Please
Dir. Shane Chung
Check Please was one of my favorite shorts of the bunch, a hilarious short with some amazing references to kung-fu movies and other genre films as well. Outstanding performances from the two actors involved, and some excellent choreography that makes the whole thing work. Super entertaining short film.
Compost
Dir. Hermanos Sinay
Compost is a beautiful short about a woman who uses her recently deceased husband's body for compost in growing her plants. It's done in a oil painting style, and it's wonderfully artistic, though the plot itself is a little slow moving at times. It's definitely worth checking out.
Considering Cats
Dir. Matt Newby
A low-fi documentary about a cat show is an interesting watch, though it's more of a film short than it is a horror short for sure. It's still funny, charming, and worth checking out, especially if you're a cat lover.
Do Bangladroids Dream of Electric Tagore?
Dir. Aleem Hossain
Fantastic robotic design highlights this short about an alternate past, in which robots have been left behind in the exclusion zone in New Jersey. It's touching, much more than you'd think a short like this would be, and very well done.
Don't Talk to Strangers
Dir. Imanol Ortiz López
A horrifying short that is shocking and incredibly poignant as well. Reminds us that while we drill into our children's heads not to talk to strangers, they're much more likely to find trouble from the people they know the best.
Down is the New Up
Dir. Camille Cabbabe
This one was really interesting to me. A camera crew follows a man who is going to kill himself in order to capture his last day. It's about mental illness and the expectations of others. No one understands, and no one can unless you've lived it (or lived with it). It's a brilliant short for those who have either been through this or have lived with someone experiencing these feelings.
Duck
Dir. Rachel Maclean
A deepfake short that finds James Bond on the run from Marilyn Monroe, who is also an alien, who is also a duck. Incredibly strange and Uncanny Valley, this is definitely one of the weirder ones of the bunch.
Empty Jars
Dir. Guillermo Ribbeck
A touching and sad story about a lonely woman looking for someone to love her. Everybody is looking for something, and the short teaches us that we can almost never trust the living, but we certainly can't trust the dead.
Godfart
Dir. Michael Langan
A comical take on the Big Bang, this one was funny and extremely weird. Sometimes, you just gotta have a cheeseburger, even if you're God. A surrealist explanation of the beginning of the world.
How My Grandmother Became a Chair
Dir. Nicolas Fattouh
An animated folktale in children's book style, this one was wonderfully done but also not even slightly horror or genre. It's a deep exploration of Qatari and Lebanese folklore and tradition.
Huntsville, July 1982
Dir. Sol Friedman
Four characters react to the attacks of a beast in the woods. An animated film, this one has some great characterization despite there being no dialogue at all. It's a super fun short, and it's a great watch.
J'ai le Cafard
Dir. Maysaa Almumin
Social pressure at work leaves a woman caring for a giant roach. This is probably the first Kuwaiti film I've seen, and I really dug it. Very Kafkaesque, a great psychological take.
Last Days of the Man of Tomorrow
Dir. Fadi Baki (FDZ)
A science fiction short about a robot man dealing with old age in Lebanon. These faux historical films are fascinating, and it's a really cool perspective on the country from colonization to the modern age. Surprisingly heartfelt, the robot might make you cry.
Yummo Spot
Dir. Ashley Brandon
This one was fucking nuts. A young couple move to a house in the woods and set up a trail camera, feeding the deer with cans of corn. Once the corn runs out, there will be hell to pay. It's an excellent blend of found footage and surrealist home invasion. Incredibly impactful and oddly terrifying, so weird and yet so fun. I dug this one.
Two of Hearts
Dir. Mashie Alam
Two siblings play a game of chicken over whose turn it is to do something. Strange and disconnected performances from the actors in an incredibly odd short really work well. It's melodramatic and interesting, sharing the eternal struggle of two people trying to decide which of them gets to decide.
Skeeter
Dir. Chris McInroy
A funny and disgusting short about a boy who was raised by mosquitos. This one is gory and amazing, very Troma and the most fun short in the series. It's dumb and hilarious.
