Research

Academic research on short films is very limited, so we collect the best papers and academic publications in open access.

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Brevity – Format – Program. The Short Film and Its Exhibition

PhD thesis by Laura Walde

Laura Walde’s doctoral dissertation explores the short film as a distinct cinematic form through the conceptual triad of brevity, format, and programme. Rather than defining short film by duration alone, Walde argues for a nuanced...

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The Parrot-Person in Koki, Ciao

Student paper by Saulė Augustinaitė

In Koki, Ciao, Quenton Miller depicts the autobiography of an immortal parrot, a loyal comrade of Marshal Tito, leader of Yugoslavia for 35 years. Saulė Augustinaitė explores how the cockatoo’s status correlates with Mary Midgley’s notes on “person” as a concept.

A Trans With A Movie Camera (Frances Arpaia, 2018)

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Contrasting Double Features

Student paper by Yuna Hoch

In this paper, Yuna Hoch argues that the combination and customisation of contrast programming and double features can elevate the queer short film experience, and can result in an approachable way into complex topics.

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The Powerful Queer Space

Student paper by Jesper Rusterholz

Through an in-depth analysis of Naïla Guiguet’s titular trans character in Dustin, Jesper Rusterholz argues that the short film format actively subverts the public’s lack of understanding of the transgender community by potently deflating transphobia and discrimination by representing the ordinary.

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A Short Glimmer of Hope

Student paper by Laura Carluccio

In this paper, Laura Carluccio discusses how short films, within their brevity, can showcase the mental health aspects of queer people’s lives while holding a positive note for the future at the same time.