Short Film Competition

Hair! – screening out of Competition

Directed by Sara Jade Alfaro-Dehghani
Starring Parastoo Amanzadeh, Amy Arora, Baharan Baniahmadi, Banafsheh Taherian, Niaz Salimi
15 min. (Canada)

A casual afternoon of ritualistic hair removal between three witchy Iranian matriarchs marks the chaotic coming of age for twelve year old Nora.

 

Stuck – Simcoe County Division

Directed by Dan Abramovici
Starring: Michael Pillarella & Karen Knox
8:27 (Canada)

After life-changing ostomy surgery, Rai retreats from the world, abandoning his rock and roll dreams. However, when a former band mate unexpectedly re-enters his life, Rai is compelled to face his fears, igniting a dramatic journey of self-discovery.

 

Míguel – High School Category

Directed by: Matteo Sánchez
Drama, 4:54 (Canada)
Language: Spanish with English Subtitles

A young teenage boy named Míguel, constantly clashes with his mother as he fails to meet her unrealistic expectations. In a desperate effort to gain her approval, he sets on a wild odyssey through the colourful streets of rural Mexico to buy tortillas on time for breakfast.

 

Escogimos Muerte (We Chose Death) – Open Category

Directed by Verónica Rodríguez
Documentary Short, 10 min. (Spain/Cuba)
Language: Spanish with English Subtitles

In Cuba in the 1990s, some marginalized punks opted to self-inoculate HIV to enter state-run sanatoriums, seeking shelter, food and freedom to live their passion for punk, unaware that these places would be a “luxury prison”.

 

The Stargift – Simcoe County Division

Directed by Sydney de Jong
Animation, 3:15 min. (Canada)

“The Stargift” is a Sheridan College thesis film that follows the tale of Obi, a lovestruck beetle on a mission to capture a star from the sky as a gift for his loved one before their date. Through trial and error, Obi learns that his effort is more valuable than the star he desired.

 

Blood Money – Simcoe County Division

Directed by Maria-Crystal Melo
Produced by Kyle Popovich
Drama, 2:52 min. (Canada)

A gambling addicted entrepreneur faces a financial crisis and must confront her family for help, but her last-ditch effort triggers a fatal confrontation between her own life or her sister’s.

 

The Tip – Simcoe County Division

Directed by Tyler Hodkinson
Comedy, 3:12 min. (Canada)
***Content advisory: coarse language***

Tipping culture has gone too far.

 

Timekeeper: Allan Symons and The Canadian Clock Museum – Open Category

Directed by Jeff Winch
Documentary short, 9:48 min. (Canada)

Canada’s first clocumentary about Canada’s only clock museum. A bright gem of a collection with a quirky curator tucked away in a small town by the Ottawa River.

 

Ya Hanouni – Open Category

Directed by Lyna Tadount, Sofian Chouaib
Drama, 3 min. (France)
Language: Arabic with English Subtitles

While the Mom and the Dad try to put their baby to sleep, a competition arises between them: who will manage to get the baby to say the first word?

 

Moving On – High School Category

Directed by Holly Haines
Documentary Short, 3:44 (Canada)

“Moving On” explores jealousy across seven deeply personal stories, capturing how this complex emotion manifests at different life stages. A path towards understanding, healing, and inner resolution is revealed.

 

Inside Voice – High School Category

Directed by Bruce Li
Comedy/Drama, 5 min. (Canada)

Matthew studies in the Library every day, and every day, his inside voice tells him he should go talk to his crush, Nora, who also studies in the library. He always suppresses it, but one day, he actually does it and it goes horribly wrong.

 

Counting On You – Open Category

Directed by Goran Sola
Comedy/Drama, 4:22 min. (Canada)

Driving through winding forests, a road-tripping young couple continuously butt heads in an attempt to hold each other accountable. Touching the ever-so-important relationship topics of co-pilot responsibilities. The loaded meaning of “I’m not that hungry”, and, the dynamic difference between homeowner and houseowner. When a near collision flips their world upside-down, they’re forced to realize what truly counts.