Listed: Top 3 of 2023

50+ Programmers, Filmmakers and Critics Pick Last Year’s Most Remarkable Short Films

Last year, we started a new tradition at Talking Shorts. Inspired by countless ‘year-end’ lists that tended to ignore the short film format, this long read is an attempt to redress the balance whilst also giving those in the short film industry a chance to ruminate on the films that resonated with them on a personal basis. We would like to express our gratitude to all who responded.

This list is not an intent to deliver a definitive ‘best of’ the year—short films have always resisted the ranking and five star ratings that are often associated with the world of mainstream features. But with shorts still being hugely un(der)represented, it does present an opportunity to celebrate and shine a light on those films that deserve to be lauded.

Each respondent was given a choice of three films. No ranking was required, so each list is not necessarily in order. Since release dates are especially fluid in the short film world, respondents were asked to choose films that “came to prominence in 2023”. Exactly what that meant remained under each individual’s purview. Each list, therefore, also remains the choice of the individuals who responded, and it (and the motivations therein) do not necessarily reflect that of the organisation(s) they work for.

Jason Anderson, programmer TIFF, Aspen Shortsfest
Canada

— Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays (La herida luminosa) by Christian Avilés (Spain – 2023, 24’): Strange, gorgeous, poignant, and consistently surprising—a very singular achievement!

— Nocturnal Burger by Reema Sengupta (US, India – 2023, 28’): So original and affecting—meets its high ambitions to become something as strong in dramatic terms as it is for its gorgeous visuals.

— Electra by Daria Kashcheeva (Czechia, France, Slovakia – 2023, 27’): The most arresting and startling short I saw this year—boasts a wild energy and sharp intelligence alongside its technical virtuosity.

Rita Barbosa, filmmaker 2nd Person
Portugal

— Bear (Ours) by Morgane Frund (Switzerland – 2022, 44’): The courage to confront structural sexism, eye to eye, like a prey facing a wild bear.

— Lake of Fire by Neozoon (Germany – 2022, 11’): We need more punks. Abolish authorship! ^_^

— Neighbour Abdi by Douwe Dijkstra (The Netherlands – 2022, 29’): To talk about neocolonialism with so much humor, you need what Bresson called “grace”.

Simone Bardoni, festival director Concorto Film Festival
Italy

— Night Shift by Kayije Kagame & Hugo Radi (Switzerland – 2023, 23’): Beyond time and space, places and narration—the suggestion of a journey into the mystery of cinema.

— Midnight Skin by Manolis Mavris (France, Greece – 2023, 40’): A dream and a nightmare at the same time, in search of the existential meaning of new transformations.

— Jill, Uncredited by Anthony Ing (Canada, United Kingdom – 2022, 18’): Monumental work of filmographic research, which reflects on the rarity of memory and the passage of time when the traces we leave can be forgotten.

Amarsanaa Battulga, film critic
China

— Liminal Space: Diving Within by Anahita Safarnejad (Germany – 2023, 23’): Perfectly balancing the experimental and the emotional, this heartfelt documentary powerfully unpacks loss and grief in a rich juxtaposition of beautiful DV home movie footage and reenactments that hark back to Sir John Everett Millais’s painting, ‘Ophelia’.

— Well Wishes My Love, Your Love by Gabriel Gabriel Garble (Sweden – 2022, 9’): An animation with a truly unique visual style that evoked thangka paintings and a mythic story that is as meditative as mysterious. A day in a dream and a helping hand across ripply waves.

— Shut Up & Fish by Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez (USA – 2023, 13’): Focusing on Latino youth culture in Los Angeles, the directing duo Cliqua crafts a stylistic take on the becoming of an individual amongst and against a community. Peer pressure and toxic masculinity be damned.

Eddie Bertozzi, programmer
Italy

— 27 by Flóra Anna Buda (France, Hungary – 2023, 11’): A daring, uncompromising portrait of a young woman lost in a psychosexual vortex of erotic desires, drugs, and social frustrations. An outstanding animated triumph that is both deeply existential and profoundly political.

— If the Sun Drowned Into an Ocean of Clouds (Et si le soleil plongeait dans l’océan de nues) by Wissam Charaf (Lebanon – 2023, 20’): Comic and sad, absurdist and socially-grounded, a bitterly dreamy human comedy that speaks volumes on the spiritual condition of Lebanon today, its frustrations and injustices.

— La perra by Carla Melo Gampert (Colombia – 2023, 14’): A bird girl, her bully mother, her faithful dog: a woman in the making. The complexities of womanhood in a swirling journey, unforgettable in its extremely violent sexual contents, and yet so touching, incredibly heartbreaking.

27 (Flóra Anna Buda, 2023)

Laurence Boyce, head of programme PÖFF Shorts, programmer Leeds International Film Festival, chairperson Short Film Conference), journalist
Estonia

— Cross My Heart and Hope To Die by Sam Manacsa (Philippines – 2023, 18’): Flitting between domestic drama and tense thriller, Manasca’s film is a brilliantly executed piece of work that builds up the atmosphere towards a breathtaking conclusion.

— Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays (La herida luminosa) by Christian Avilés (Spain – 2023, 24’): Eschewing the social realism which the film would seem to demand, Avilés creates a film that is an elegiac exploration of teen hedonism with more than a hint of the eerily spiritual. A towering achievement that is playful, visually stunning, and emotionally satisfying.

— Grill by Jade Aksnes (Norway – 2023, 18’): A brilliant encapsulation of modern life, from the poverty faced by many—even those thought of as “well to do”—and the lengths people are forced to go to to avoid it. With a streak of dark humour, it’s a timely and amazing film.

Jorge Cadena, filmmaker Flores del otro patio
Switzerland

— Bear (Ours) by Morgane Frund (Switzerland – 2022, 14’): From the first time I saw it at Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, I was impressed by the strength and at the same time the calmness with which the filmmaker Morgane Frund confronts her protagonist. She reverses his male gaze to deconstruct it and question the naturalisation of patriarchal gestures. A subtle editing that shows all the filmmaker’s cinematographic sensibilities.

— Mulika by Maisha Maene (Democratic Republic of Congo – 2022, 14’): I am interested in cinematographic spaces that explore local narratives. Maisha Maene finds in Afrofuturism a way to talk about ancestral knowledge in the face of the current reality of the Democratic Republic of Congo and thus to be able to imagine a decolonised future. A short film with few resources that achieves strong cinematographic moments.

— Neighbour Abdi (Buurman Abdi) by Douwe Dijkstra (The Netherlands – 2022, 29’): A fresh, dynamic work that is a pleasure to find in a movie theatre. Douwe Dijkstra immerses us in Abdi’s world through overflowing creativity and a wide range of technical skills. The organic relationship between filmmaker and protagonist puts us in a real, documentary plane that contrasts with all the cinematic languages and techniques the short film explores to reconstruct its complex narratives of war.

John Canciani, artistic director Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur
Switzerland

— Vitanuova by Niles Atallah (Chile, Spain, Mexico – 2023, 12’): This film is immersive, and I love the mix of animation techniques that lie in the tradition of clay but also 3D animation. I was mesmerised and was moved seeing it on a big screen. For me, one of the most interesting audiovisual experiences of 2023.

— Oyu by Atsushi Hirai (Japan, France – 2023, 21’): A simple story in a simple setting but still creating a whole microcosmos, making us part of a community and a collective feeling. The spectacular lies in the unspectacular.

— Blinded by Centuries by Parinda Mai (USA, Thailand – 2023, 13’): This work felt bold, energetic and mystical the first time I saw it and it got stronger every time I rewatched it. The idea routes an ancient Buddhist tale to question modern times with great thoughts.

Chris Childs, filmmaker Bus Film
United Kingdom

— by Flóra Anna Buda (France, Hungary – 2023, 11’): Anna Buda’s film captures the malaise of a generation excluded from owning a home and finding independence. 27 deserves the same attention given to its fellow Cannes prize-winners.

— Sweet Like Lemons by Jenny Jokela (Finland, UK – 2023, 6’): Jokela’s latest is an affecting portrait of a harmful relationship and its lingering effects, presented using a bold explosion of colour and movement.

— Running Out Of Saturday Nights by Vince Collins (USA – 2023, 2’): Now in his late-seventies, Collins uses his signature animated surrealism to reflect on ageing and death. He makes work at such a pace that it’s easy to fall behind on his expanding filmography, yet this is a late-career masterpiece that deserves to be seen.

Miguel Dias, programmer Curtas Vila do Conde
Portugal

— 2720 by Basil da Cunha (Portugal – 2023, 24’)

— Hardly Working by Total Refusal (Austria, France – 2022, 20’)

— Aqueronte by Manuel Muñoz Rivas (Spain – 2023, 26’)

Jaime E. Manrique, founder and festival director BOGOSHORTS – Bogotá Short Film Festival
Colombia

— A Crab In The Pool by Alexandra Myotte & Jean Sébastien Hamel (Canada – 2023, 11’): The best place to escape from the fear that the world produces in us is the terrifying and fantastic universes that our own head invents. It doesn’t matter that reality is cruel, that our loved ones are collapsing, going crazy, and dying; what really matters is to be able to find a safe place in the middle of our imagination, to take refuge from everything, even from ourselves.

— Matta and Matto by Bianca Caderas & Kerstin Zemp (Switzerland – 2023, 10’): The monstrosity of our desires is the normality on the screen. Furs, fingers, tongues, everything intertwines to make us lose our fear of feeling, of living immersed in the hedonism of those who are rejected and, therefore, must think only of themselves and their own pleasure. We cannot live without being touched, no matter how or who touches us.

— La perra by Carla Melo Gampert (France, Colombia – 2023, 14’): From the first second, this film displays an infinite sadness, that of the profound abandonment of a childish soul that must grow up seeing what it does not want. The ink that incessantly trembles on the screen keeps us attentive, but above all, it transmits the anguish of raw reality and immerses us in the anxiety of the characters. A short film that clearly put Colombia on the map of world animation in 2023.

Florian Fernandez, Industry Coordinator SFC | Rendez-vous Industry, selection committee Encounters Film Festival, Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) and SXSW Doc Shorts
France

— Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays (La herida luminosa) by Christian Avilés (Spain – 2023, 24’): A visually mesmerising film filled with oneiric and poetic vibes, where the filmmaker’s accurate vision stands out. In contrast to the warm and light tones of summer, this intriguing journey brings us closer to the hazy thoughts of the main character. Meanwhile, the overflow of feelings is always softened by the delicacy of the score and a light touch of humor. Allowing the viewer to navigate between physical wandering and introspection, between hopes and doubts, between what stays and what vanishes, the film is a call for sensitivity and care. Far from being a simple postcard, this daydream lived as in a paradoxical sleep, takes the counterpoint of the tourist trip and turns it into a mythological one.

— Ardent Other (Le mal des ardents) by Alice Brygo (France – 2023, 16’): Through the intertwining of personal thoughts—sometimes controversial, sometimes sensitive, sometimes problematic, sometimes genuine—the film manages to capture the inner feelings of the protagonists at a given moment in the form of a moving photograph. Political and human, plastic, and with a particularly memorable visual approach, the film, rooted in an unsettled everyday life, offers an overview of a moment where everything can shift—as capable of shaping the future as vanishing in an instant.

— 8 by Anaïs-Tohé Commaret (France – 2023, 22’): Wandering, boredom, and laziness coexist in a hypnotic and poetic urban space, locked in a loop where time seems frozen, where change and ambition seem to be forbidden. Little by little, each character seizes the language and creates their own in a world where it is usually held by the same class in order to find a way out—a sharp and tender look at youth, the suburbs, and the right to dream.

Ardent Other (Alice Brygo, 2023)

Oana Ghera, artistic director Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival
Romania

— Mast-del by Maryam Tafakory (Iran, United Kingdom – 2023, 17’): A moving and visually striking piece that uses silence in a subversive manner to tell a story with the force and eloquence of a manifesto about the oppression of women, one of the many that cannot be voiced in today’s Iran. Using poetic captions and a hypnotic montage of fragile traces of furtive touches and glances shown in grainy reverse negative images, it’s a film that conveys both fear and desire at an epidermal level.

— Flores del Otro Patio by Jorge Cadena (Colombia, Switzerland – 2023, 15’): A filmic exploration of the connection between queerness and nature, ‘Flores del otro Patio’ makes for a beautiful and flamboyant manifesto that celebrates the power of reclaiming alterity as a means of resistance in the face of systemic exploitation.

— Wild Flowers by Karla Crnčević (Croatia, Spain – 2022, 11’): A moving and surprising exploration of the ephemeral nature of memory and film inspired by the rediscovery of a decades-old video cassette shot by the director’s father at the beginning of the Yugoslav wars. An understated yet powerful piece that gave one of the most delicate and awe-inspiring cinematic images of the year—the fleeting glimpse of a flower in bloom transcending time, unwilting in the face of violence and destruction.

Carmen Gray, programmer Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and film critic
Germany

— Dipped in Black (Marungka tjalatjunu) by Matthew Thorne & Derik Lynch (Australia – 2022, 23’)

— Zima by Tomek Popakul & Kasumi Ozeki (Poland – 2023, 26’)

— Ascension by Giorgi Tavartkiladze (Georgia – 2023, 20’)

Daniel Hadenius-Ebner, festival director Vienna Shorts
Austria

— NYC RGB by Viktoria Schmid (Austria, USA – 2023, 7’): A film like a composition, delicate and dreamy, shot in fixed frames, each exposed three times through red, green, and blue filters, the view from high above always directed at the architecture of New York. The city as a space of ideas, filmed a thousand times before and yet new and exciting—and so beautiful that it takes your breath away.

— 45th Parallel by Lawrence Abu Hamdan (United Kingdom – 2022, 15’): A place that lies directly on the border and yet where borders seem to have no meaning, undisturbed by the noisy media migration debate, detached as a space for theater and literature. This place is not only shown in documentary form, but literally brought to life; and its history is not only passed on orally, but staged as a critical performance in the form of an essayistic monologue. A controversial piece of art.

— A Study of Empathy (En undersøgelse af empati) by Hilke Rönnfeldt (Denmark, Germany – 2023, 15’): A film that both makes you laugh out loud and sticks in your throat, that tests the empathy of the terrific leading actresses as well as that of the audience, expressive in its form, smart in its realisation and extremely precise as a satirical mirror (of parts) of our society—a fantastic piece of filmmaking that I could watch over and over again.

Sigrid Hadenius-Ebner, festival producer and programmer Uppsala Short Film Festival
Sweden

— Madden by Malin Ingrid Johansson (Sweden – 2023, 13’): When I saw Malin Ingrid Johansson’s ‘Madden’, I saw my childhood friends, my family, and myself. Through unobtrusive storytelling and stunning cinematography, we get a glimpse into the everyday life of a young girl. The idyllic country and farm life can come with responsibilities at a young age, where home is also work and one’s identity and dreams, big and small, must be put on hold.

— I Think of Silences When I Think of You by Jonelle Twum (Sweden – 2023, 9’): Silence is much more than just a lack of words. This is what Jonelle Twum makes us feel in her visual poem, in which she reflects on the stories that silence tells through archive footage of a woman from Ghana in Europe. For me, this was one of the most intense cinematic experiences of 2023, when a packed movie theater met the woman’s gaze and her silence.

— Re-membering: Meditation on a Triptych by Amra Hećo (Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 2022, 10’): Searching for memories in images from pre-war Bosnia, Amra Hećo finds a portal to her own family history. Through an excited yet calm narration, we learn when she sees familiar faces in the archive footage. Both the images and the story are enchanting, as is the meditative state we enter during this encounter between the director, cameraperson, and grandfather.

Jasper Hokken, programmer IDFA
The Netherlands

— A Movement Against the Transparency of the Stars of the Seas by Esy Casey (USA, Philippines – 2023, 31’): The best use of split-screen filmmaking I’ve seen in a while. It’s a very creative, artistic, and cinematic short film that invites the audience to make connections between places, times, and cultures and encourages them to reflect on modern slavery and asymmetrical globalisation. Really impressive work.

— Echo by Ross McClean (Ireland – 2023, 13’): A beautifully captured and very well-crafted film about the human need for connection and community. The protagonist’s captivating story is impressively told through cinematic means. The director’s skillful precision and artistic focus really make this excellent film stand out.

— Loving in Between by Jyoti Mistry (Austria, South Africa – 2023, 19’): Such a vibrant, bold, and exciting short film that combines archival fragments with spoken word and digital animation. It’s a joyous celebration of queer love and sexuality. An impressive final installment of the director’s outstanding archival trilogy on race, sex, and gender.

Wild Flowers (Karla Crnčević, 2022)

Mariana Hristova, programmer and film critic
Bulgaria & Spain

— Metabolism by Misho Antadze (The Netherlands – 2023, 12’): In times of heated debates about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the integrity of the human mind, ‘Metabolism’ meticulously yet humorously observes how machines and robots physically interfere with spaces and human trajectories while already occupying key positions in the daily routine of living beings. Backed by a smooth sense of irony and elegant visual rhythm, this witty short film comes up with a peculiar choreography born out of seemingly absurd interactions that may soon turn out to be the norm.

— The Song of Flying Leaves (Trchox terevneri ergy) by Armine Anda (Armenia – 2023, 12’): Exquisite and irresistibly tender, this heart-warming animated film gives one a contemplative break from the noisy, full of silly distractions world out there, by redirecting the gaze towards intimate inner realms. A twelve-year-old wide-eyed girl who loves to sleep under the autumn leaves and a 200-year-old wise man walk through the forest and jiggle with words while time seems to have stopped as if there is no tomorrow. Visually appealing in its enchanting graphic simplicity and emotional complexity, it is a film to be sensed rather than rationally interpreted and to be remembered with the sweet, melancholic mood it evokes.

— Silent in the Snow (Тихо в снега) by Stephan Ganoff (Bulgaria, Germany – 2023, 18’): A magic-realist short story about the process of saying goodbye to a loved one. It delicately captures this profound human experience amidst a dormant volcano of contradictory feelings—anger, fear, sorrow, melancholy—and takes the viewer through the winding emotional spectrum of the vague premonition of impending inevitability. Inspired by personal experiences, ‘Silent in the Snow’ is like a humble chapel built by a believer who has embedded pieces of his soul and longs to welcome visitors prone to cathartic confessions.

Philip Ilson, co-director London Short Film Festival
United Kingdom

— Les Chenilles by Michelle Keserwany & Noel Keserwany (France – 2022, 29’): Fiction, romance, documentary, music video, and dance: all intertwine perfectly in an original and surprising piece of filmmaking, weaving together the connection between two young Lebanese women working as waitresses in Lyon, and a connection to the silk trade back in their home country.

— Apostles of Cinema (Tenzi za Sinema) by Darragh Amelia, Gertrude Malizana, Jesse Gerard Mpango & Cece Mlay (Tanzania – 2022, 17’): A joyous documentary celebrating cinema itself, as we learn about the film workers of Tanzania, bringing cinema to the villages and towns with vibrant screenings of classic Hollywood and African films, accompanied by the enthusiastic and charismatic DJs who give the film’s context and agency to an excited and engaged audience.

— The River and the Labyrinth by Ian Capillé (Portugal – 2023, 24’): A fractured story that plays with time set among the lives and loves of young Brazilians in Lisbon. A simple story that engages with its natural acting and the universal stories of relationships, friendships, and break-ups.

Jorge Jácome, filmmaker Past Perfect
Portugal

— Light, Noise, Smoke, and Light, Noise, Smoke by Tomonari Nishikawa (Japan – 2023, 6’): It’s unbelievable how such a formal film can be so emotional. Six minutes of pure delight. Six minutes of fireworks exploding in front of us. Six minutes in which I had the feeling that time had stopped. Maybe we should replace the use of fireworks with the projection of this film forever.

— Dildotectonics (Dildotectónica) by Tomás Paula Marques (Portugal – 2023, 15’): Ok, this choice may be a little bit awkward… Because I edited this film… Cough, cough. After that, I had the chance to see it during several festivals as an audience member. It’s always a pleasure to see this film echoing two different eras through ceramic dildos. It’s a double penetration.

— LET’S TALK by Simon Liu (Hong Kong – 2023, 11’): A new film by Simon Liu is always exciting. There are not a lot of filmmakers editing images and sound like him. ‘Let’s Talk’ is a continuation of the political view of Hong Kong that he has been working on. Waiting for the new feature.

Mathieu Janssen, artistic coordinator Go Short
The Netherlands

— 8 by Anaïs-Tohé Commaret (France – 2023, 22’): Hard to write about this film—it’s as elusive as the dreams and hopes of its characters. I guess that’s what makes it so great.

— Nafura by Paul Heintz (France – 2023, 29’): Perfectly balanced take on power structures in Saudi Arabia. All discussed authoritarian symbols in the film are at the same time being countered or dismantled. In the end, amidst all the censorship, it mostly shows three young people standing in their power. The film also has a killer soundtrack.

— Lost Children (Les Enfants perdus) by Lola Cambourieu & Yann Berlier (France – 2022, 29’): It’s not easy to switch from main character halfway a film, especially not in a thirty-minute short. Lost Children pulls it off, and I still quite often find myself thinking about both characters. I love how the film shows just how messy life can be without leaning into the drama.

Noel Keserwany, filmmaker Les Chenilles
France & Lebanon

— Jill, Uncredited by Anthony Ing (Canada, United Kingdom – 2022, 18’): Jill, uncredited centers around Jill Goldston, a background actress with a half-century-long career in films. The film expands its focus to illuminate the often overlooked individuals undertaking important jobs in our societies without always craving visibility; those who don’t necessarily seek fame. Personally, I found the film’s philosophy to be extremely beautiful and important, and it is conveyed through a very smoothly knit edit, beautiful music, and subtle storytelling marked by simplicity and wit. Let alone that Jill Goldston is an extremely charismatic and captivating actress.

— The Red Sea Makes Me Wanna Cry (البحر الأحمر يبكي) by Faris Alrjoob (Jordan – 2023, 21’): I really liked this short film; it has captivating storytelling that is extremely subtle yet contains many small touching details. The rhythm of the whole film is very well-paced in a way that captures you from the beginning till the very end. Its poetic scenes mixed with cold environments create a realistic and balanced atmosphere that brings the beautiful cinematography to another level.

— All Tomorrow’s Parties by Zhang Dalei (China – 2023, 24’): China after the 1990 Asian Games. The receptionist distributes the limited tickets for the movie screening in a factory while a shy poet waits for someone. A gently told, nostalgic portrait from a woman’s perspective—a beautifully directed film that leaves you wanting to watch much more.

All Tomorrow’s Parties (Zhang Dalei, 2023)

Ivana Kvesić, festival director Fantoche – International Animation Film Festival
Switzerland

— Y by Matea Kovač (Croatia – 2023, 7’): A story about love and sex between women. It’s an animated documentary that tells a strong story and uses visually pornographic elements, allowing viewers to immerse themselves. You watch the movie and feel the lust, the love story, and the struggles of the relationship. It’s not easy being queer in the Balkans, and that’s why this film feels brave.

— Cyclepaths by Anton Cla (Belgium – 2023, 12’): This film has a maelstrom effect on the viewer and divides opinion. Some love it, others don’t, and I find this fact alone already quite fascinating. I belong to the first group. The reason is that the way this film is made is beguiling. The images are disturbing and can also seem “masculine” and even threatening. The special aesthetics and the animation technique, together with the excellent sound, support this mesmerising effect.

— Kill Your Darlings by Thirza Ingold (Switzerland – 2023, 6’): Quirky, funny, bitterly evil, and lovingly made. The film starts out cute and ends in slaughter, but the pigs in heaven won’t put up with it—about right and wrong and, above all, about meat consumption. #nojudgement

Vincent Langouche, festival director Kortfilmfestival Leuven
Belgium

— A Study of Empathy (En undersøgelse af empati) by Hilke Rönnfeldt (Denmark, Germany – 2023, 15’): Subtle but very deliberate in its camera movement and editing. Impressive acting, making you feel the tiniest of feelings.

— Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK – 2023, 14’): Amazing on a technical level, but even more impressive in its storytelling. An original concept turned into a perfectly developed script.

— A Kind of Testament (Un genre de testament) by Stephen Vuillemin (France – 2023, 16’): Visually overwhelming; both style and story are equally intriguing. The film turns trippy at times, but with perfect timing, always reconnecting to the narrative.

Dora Leu, filmmaker and film critic
Romania

— Prosinečki by Adrian Duncan (Ireland – 2023, 21’): This film has satisfied a recent dilemma of mine: a personal aversion to football that is mixed with a perverse obsession for images of it. Football is the longshot sport, a weird paradox between profoundly uncinematic and begging to be filmed. Here, images of football deconstruct, smudge, and linger with frailty and poignancy that is incredibly lyrical.

— Jill, Uncredited by Anthony Ing (Canada, United Kingdom – 2022, 18’): Very often the greatest things in life happen in the sidelines. Very often, in the background of a film, there’s another film. ‘Jill, Uncredited’ expands the screen by looking within it, there where we’re not accustomed to look.

— Vision of Paradise (Visão do Paraíso) by Leonardo Pirondi (Brazil, USA – 2022, 16’): Mapping the world: a matter of art, of technology of politics. The New World vs. The New World dynamic in Vision of Paradise is as much a smart historical treatise as an ode to new technologies. Fascinating, the isles, the worlds, the film itself.

Sam Manacsa, filmmaker Cross My Heart and Hope To Die
Philippines

— Oyu by Atsushi Hirai (Japan, France – 2023, 21’): A beautiful journey of just existing in a space that once held a loved one, delivering a delicate portrayal of grief.

— Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK – 2023, 14’): Begins dark and eerie but takes you on an incredibly emotional ride. One of the most beautiful stop-motion animations I have ever watched.

— The Altar (Pha-Yar-Sin) by Moe Myat May Zarchi (Myanmar – 2022, 10’): A fascinating contemplation on guilt and power combined with mesmerising visuals and sound.

Leonardo Martinelli, filmmaker Neon Phantom, Pássaro Memória
Brazil

— None of That (Nada de Todo Esto) by Francisco Canton & Pato Martinez (Argentina, Spain, USA – 2023, 15’): A complex mother-daughter dynamic implodes when an old car comes into contact with a beautiful garden; the little things that make us who we are that separate classes and power.

— Paradise Europe (Du Bist So Wunderbar) by Leandro Goddinho & Paulo Menezes (Brazil, Germany – 2023, 17’): “Olha que coisa mais linda, mais cheia de graça…”. In a dogma-style delirium, we follow a fervent journey in search of a place to live with the slightest dignity, which may not be easy, depending on what your passport states.

— Loving in Between by Jyoti Mistry (Austria, South Africa – 2023, 19’): Experimenting beautifully with archival images and sound, we’re on a journey into the dynamics of the power to love and life while coming up against the political, religious and normative responses that make the journey tortuous.

Oyu (Atsushi Hirai, 2023)

Emilia Mazik, head of industry Kaboom Animation Festival, selection committee member Film Fest Gent & Glasgow Short Film Festival
The Netherlands

— A Kind of Testament (Un genre de testament) by Stephen Vuillemin (France – 2023, 16’): A distinctive blend of compelling storytelling and refreshing contemporary aesthetics, rooted in digital media, fashion, and voyeurism. It evokes a sense of profound existential discomfort as well as provides good laughs.

— Winter (Zima) by Tomasz Popakul & Kasumi Ozeki (Poland – 2023, 26’): According to Slavic folk traditions, at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals are able to communicate with humans. But perhaps it’s better not to know what they would like to tell us. A critical look at the murkiness of Polish countryside and a visually captivating psychedelic trip.

— Ever Since, I Have Been Flying (O Gün Bu Gündür, Uçuyorum) by Aylin Gökmen (Switzerland – 2023, 19’): A beautifully crafted and deeply touching reminder that memories can serve as a shelter in the darkest hours.

Margarida Moz, programmer IndieLisboa, distributor Portugal Film
Portugal

— Years Ago, I Was Working On A Movie by Marion Naccache (France – 2022, 44’): A documentary filled with delightful stories and colourful hearts.

— Une jeunesse amiable by Yann Ducreux (Belgium – 2022, 16’): A beautiful and poetic film that imagines the last moments of love between Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.

— Howling by Aya Kawazoe (Japan – 2022, 23’): A surreal and melancholic film that plays with Japanese ghost stories.

Neozoon, collective
Germany

— Afraid Doesn´t Exist by Anna Zett (Germany – 2023, 31’): An important and multi-layered archive collage that has left a lasting impression on the subject of opposition and self-empowerment in the former GDR. A far too little-known act of political resistance from which there is still much to learn today.

— Tricky Disco by Sebastian Weise (Germany – 2022, 23’): A powerful search for clues that examines the role of subculture, techno, and house music in the context of cultural appropriation. Archive material combined with animations opens up spaces for reflection on the origins of community-building and the disappearance of free spaces—supported by an energetic soundtrack.

— Getty Abortions by Franzis Kabisch (Germany – 2023, 22’): A critical desktop documentary about abortion clichés and ideological image production. The feminist film collage questions “hysteria” and other medical myths, and creates important new spaces for thought in a courageous and playful way.

Christoffer Ode, programme director Uppsala Short Film Festival
Sweden

— Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK – 2023, 14’): Nostalgia is death. Then again, who doesn’t love some cosy ruminations on mortality and lives of quiet desperation?

— All My Scars Vanish in the Wind (Todas mis cicatrices se desvanecen en el viento) by Angélica Restrepo & Carlos Velandia (Columbia – 2022, 14’): Sharply painful and gently soothing in equal measure, every time I step into this world it becomes a different experience, revealing something new about itself, me and how memories work. Truly an immersive and subjective work of art.

— Jill, Uncredited by Anthony Ing (Canada, United Kingdom – 2022, 18’): My single most emotional film experience of 2023 is a compilation of half a century in the on-screen life of a background actor, always in the periphery, never the focus of attention. I’m detecting a pattern here.

Igor Prassel, programme director Animateka International Animated Film Festival and curator at Slovenian Cinematheque
Slovenia

— Zima by Tomek Popakul & Kasumi Ozeki (Poland – 2023, 26’): An atmospheric drama about growing up in a remote Polish village.

— Electra by Daria Kashcheeva (Czechia, France, Slovakia – 2023, 27’): Growing up in this world is not easy!

— Hardly Working by Total Refusal (Austria, France – 2022, 20’): An ethnographic exploration of the work and life realities of non-player characters, the digital extras in video games.

Alpha Kings (Faye Tsakas & Enrique Pedráza-Botero, 2023)

Savina Petkova, film critic, co-editor Talking Shorts
United Kingdom

— A Kind of Testament (Un genre de testament) by Stephen Vuillemin (France – 2023, 16’): The horror of being another, beautiful and sweet.

— Of Another Place by Pedro Carmo & Pedro Marnoto (Portugal – 2023, 15’): The beauty of being elsewhere, painfully so.

— Alpha Kings by Faye Tsakas & Enrique Pedráza-Botero (USA – 2023, 15’): The beauty of being both this and other, on your own terms.

Vladan Petkovic, programmer ZagrebDox, IDFA, FeKK, film critic Cineuropa
Croatia

— Electra by Daria Kashcheeva (Czechia, France, Slovakia – 2023, 27’): After exploring a father-daughter relationship in the beautifully touching ‘Daughter’, one of Europe’s most singular talents continues the theme in this inventive, hyper-dynamic mixed-media animation. With a decidedly more modern approach also comes a more rebellious, almost violent emotion in a film that touches upon topics that are both taboo and those that have long stopped being one, despite society’s faked lack of awareness.

— Blow! by Neus Ballús (Spain – 2023, 14’): The established Catalan feature filmmaker surprises us with a flawless short documentary in which she deepens and combines her unique visual sensibility with topical issues such as environment, labour, and women’s place in the society, without any dialogue and through apparently simple but technically challenging filming and editing choices. Above all, she portrays her protagonist with rarely seen nuance and clarity.

— A Movement Against the Transparency of the Stars of the Seas by Esy Casey (USA, Philippines – 2023, 31’): A rare split-screen film in two languages spoken in parallel that doesn’t demand almost any focus from the viewer, thanks to the perfectly executed concept. The two sides seamlessly overlap, pulling the audience into a civilisational story about colonialism and capitalism that spans centuries and continents and still provides an intimate insight into the worlds of trafficked women. Maybe the fact that Casey is credited for writing, directing, cinematography, editing, and sound design explains such unity of topic, approach, and aesthetics—but it is still almost unbelievable how she pulled it off.

Leonardo Pirondi, filmmaker Vision of Paradise, When We Encounter The World
Brazil & USA

— Backlands, America (Sertão, America) by Marcela Ilha Bordin (Brazil – 2023, 28’): Shot on expired 16mm and asynchronous sound, Marcela Ilha Bordin portrays a national park dedicated to the preservation of the possible first traces of humans in the Americas. A film that plays with the idea of strata where each section of the film, due to its different expired film stock or subject, renders a little glimpse into part of the history of a place. The film premiered at the 2023 Viennale and I hope more people get a chance to see it in 2024.

— Nocturne For a Forest (Nocturno Para Uma Floresta) by Catarina Vasconcelos (Portugal – 2023, 16’): Seen at the NYFF, this film is an extremely well-crafted historical essay film that is also incredibly contemporary. Just like in her previous work, Catarina Vasconcelos creates a world of visually striking elements that are inviting and searching. Here she talks about a painting while creating many moving ones.

— Laberint Sequences by Blake Williams (Canada – 2022, 20’): Also seen at the NYFF, this was my first time watching a film by Blake Williams in 3D. This film is a visual masterpiece, a unique exploration of the medium. The added depth of the 3D digital cinema, instead of mimicking our perception of the world, enhances the limits of seeing—water, bushes, and movement become portals in which a viewer can jump, wearing 3D glasses.

Émilie Poirier, head of short film Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC)
Canada

— Oyu by Atsushi Hirai (Japan, France – 2023, 21’): For its minimalist, delicate, and sensory approach to cinema. For its meticulously constructed and well-balanced cinematographic journey. For its warmth in revealing the essence of grief and humanity. Sometimes, you don’t need to scream; you just need to show.

— 8 by Anaïs-Tohé Commaret (France – 2023, 22’): For its dreamlike filmmaking while sharing a deeply-rooted political subject as an act of silent resistance. For its reflection on shifting realities and on contemporary obsessions. ‘8’ will keep on giving and growing.

— ALIEN0089 by Valeria Hofmann (Chile – 2023, 21’): For its deeply troubling subject that needed visibility. For its creativity in the use of cinematic and animated forms. For blurring reality with the virtual world so skillfully. ‘ALIEN0089’ is denouncing harassment in a really disturbing and clever way.

Līga Požarska, journalist
Latvia

— Purga by Gintarė Valevičiūtė Brazauskienė & Antanas Skučas (Lithuania – 2023, 13’): Hauntingly beautiful and meditative black-and-white animation. The numbing frost and the scope of human tragedy pulsates through the screen, capturing the horrors of 1942, when the Soviet authorities deported vast numbers of Baltic people to the Arctic Circle.

— Amok by Balázs Turai (Hungary, Romania – 2022, 15’): A visually expressive film with splashy colours and a wild tempo. Dynamically paced, dialogue-free, and avoidant of any philosophical side remarks, the film is a madly fun depiction of human duality, relationship cornerstones, and romantic banalities. ‘Amok’ draws parallels between love-life decisions which closely mirror our moral compasses, traumas, and the inner workings of our minds.

— Such Miracles Do Happen (Takie cuda się zdarzają) by Barbara Rupik (Poland – 2022, 14’): Barbara Rupik’s film is a distinctive story of community and customs. It’s a visually eclectic film—this mixed media animation featuring melting and pulsating porcelain-like puppets is a strange, cute, and fascinating watch. Once again the Lodz Film School stamp stands for high quality and unique talent.

Fransiska Prihadi, programme director Minikino Film Week – Bali International Short Film Festival
Indonesia

— Chorus of The Wounded Birds (Bising) by Amar Haikal (Indonesia – 2023, 12’): Leave the clichés of motorbikes (and their sounds) and reconstruct them into a thoughtful, loving, sad, and edgy film.

— Ponto Final by Miguel López Beraza (Spain – 2022, 23’): A beautiful short family documentary that feels more than just a work of art. It’s also therapeutic. It is such a fun, warm, and inspiring film.

— Luce and the Rock by Britt Raes (Belgium – 2022, 13’): A funny and colorful musical animation about facing fear, understand the meaning of friendship, and most of all being a better person (or creature). I can spend hours thinking about this film, or just grab papers, pencils, and crayons to imagine more adventures of Luce and the Rock. It definitely appeals to both kids and (fun) adults.

Leong Puiyee, programme assistant director Objectifs
Singapore

— The Altar (Pha-Yar-Sin) by Moe Myat May Zarchi (Myanmar – 2022, 10’): An atmospheric and confessional piece that makes one reflect on karma, spirituality, and dreams.

— I Look Into The Mirror And Repeat To Myself by Giselle Lin (Singapore – 2023, 18’): Baring the memories of their family, this documentary unveils the trauma, hurt and matter of factness about growing up in a dysfunctional household. A tender and precious poem about what it means to be a family, giving the term “blood is thicker than water” a heart-wrenching meaning.

— Cross My Heart and Hope To Die by Sam Manacsa (Philippines – 2023, 18’): Struggling to survive, to make ends meet, to find love—living is never easy! Encapsulating all these elements with a steely observation, the film veers down a dark turn that shows how horrific life can suddenly change.

Carlos Ramos, festival director IndieLisboa
Portugal

— No Changes Have Taken In Our Life by Xu Jingwei (China – 2023, 45’): Seductive and strange. A minimalist and pessimistic ode to impotence and discouragement.

— Dildotectonics (Dildotectónica) by Tomás Paula Marques (Portugal – 2023, 15’): Inventive and humorous. A tactile precious film in the form of a musical fable.

— Euridice, Euridice by Lora Mure-Ravaud (France, Switzerland – 2022, 40’): Organic and natural. A film in which everything is not given or explained to us, but we discover it in a harmonious way. And those blue eyes like beacons that light up the whole piece.

Mast-del (Maryam Tafakory, 2023)

Julie Rousson, programmer and industry coordinator Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
France

— Pigeons Are Dying, When the City Is on Fire by Stavros Markoulakis (Greece, The Netherlands – 2023, 21’): A meeting, the interruption of a bird, and a day wandering between the warmth of the streets and bodies. A very sensitive visual and urban poetry.

— Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK – 2023, 14’): The uniquely distinct visual universe of Nina Gantz returns for a dive into the gentle madness of a children’s programme in the midst of collapsing.

— Suddenly TV by Roopa Gogineni (Sudan, Qatar – 2022, 19’): A raw dive, like an uppercut, into the political crisis in Sudan, giving voice to the humanity and resilience of the streets.

Céline Roustan, programmer Short of the Week, SXSW, Palm Springs ShortFest
France

— Sisters of the Rotation (سيدة البرمة) by Gaby Zarazir & Michel Zarazir (Lebanon – 2022, 15’): Clever, original, sharp and witty: this film has a striking visual look that immerses in the convent where it takes place. The dark humour is expertly balanced by the emotionally compelling performances and the depth and nuances of the screenplay. Unique in many ways, it’s definitely a memorable film.

— Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó (奶奶跟外婆) by Sean Wang (USA – 2023, 17’): The director’s grandmas are not only best friends, they live together! Sean follows their day-to-day life, inviting us into their intimacy, and the camera simply loves them. They are full of life, with incredibly strong personalities and charisma which makes them the perfect participants. Fun, charming, delightful. I am now hoping for a sequel.

— Simo (سيمو) by Aziz Zoromba (Canada – 2022, 23’): Simo is an extremely compelling family drama where a teenager in full identity crisis will learn the hard way that his family is his safe place. A beautiful love letter to his Egyptian background, Zoromba also paints a gripping portrait of the immigrant experience, with a style that echoes the main character’s perspective.

Anas Sareen, filmmaker and co-editor of Talking Shorts
France

— Square the Circle by Hanna Hovitie (Finland – 2023, 17’): A marvel of humility, humour and grace.

— All Tomorrow’s Parties by Zhang Dalei (China – 2023, 24’): A delicate incursion into the lives of two strangers.

— Hideous by Yann Gonzalez (United Kingdom – 2022, 22’): A celebration of queerness featuring warts, waxy green skin, and sequins!

Ren Scateni, film curator and writer
United Kingdom

— The Archive: Queer Nigerians by Simisolaoluwa Akande (United Kingdom – 2023, 25’): A poignant and multi-layered experimental documentary weaving diaristic storytelling, archival and analogue footage. There’s nothing more powerful than queer people reclaiming their right to exist and happiness, their places within their country’s ancestral stories.

— Mast-del by Maryam Tafakory (Iran, United Kingdom – 2023, 17’): A visual poem about bodies denied the freedom to desire unconditionally. Words caress the skin and carve out a story of resistance against structural powers and cultural erasure.

— Pacific Club by Valentin Noujaïm (France, Qatar – 2023, 16’): A measured and contemplative work meandering through memory and investigating cultural belongingness in a hostile society. It weaves animation in and elevates it as a mnemonic tool to manifest a place now lost to time.

Sven Schwarz, managing director Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, team member A Wall is a Screen
Germany

— Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays (La herida luminosa) by Christian Avilés (Spain – 2023, 24’): Such a beautiful film that sucks us into the screen with such a power and luminosity only comparable to the sun which the young Brits are longing for.

— Leila by Fariba Haidari (Sweden – 2023, 25’): So many aspects to this fantastic documentary about Leila, a transgender woman living in Kabul, Afghanistan, filmed just a few months before the Taliban took over. Touching, heartwarming, funny, scary, sad, and despite everything glowing with hope. That’s the true power of short film.

— Pacific Club by Valentin Noujaïm (France, Qatar – 2023, 16’): Before watching this mesmerising documentary one would expect more music to happen, but then we find out that the history of this first night club for young Arab people in Paris doesn’t need that much music at all. It’s the words that speak for themselves. And in the end, there is only music left.

Zachary Seager, writer
France

— The Birthday Party (Il compleanno di Enrico) by Francesco Sossai (Germany, Italy, France – 2023, 17’): Feverish, sharp, and ultimately haunting; a beautiful meditation on adolescence and much more besides.

— Shrooms by Jorge Jácome (Portugal – 2023, 18’): More than just trippy, animated everywhere by a deep stillness and a fluid, pleasing movement, an intimate, involving short that makes you appreciate the journey. A sensorial delight.

— Skinned (Écorchée) by Joachim Hérissé (France – 2022, 15’): Atmospheric and inventive, a stop-motion tale of nightmarish beauty.

8 (Anaïs-Tohé Commaret, 2023)

Öykü Sofuoğlu, film critic
France

— Trailer of a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars (Film annonce du film qui n’existera jamais : « Drôles de guerres ») by Jean-Luc Godard (France, Switzerland – 2023, 20’): An elegy written by the dead himself, like his death by his own hand. Rest in peace, rest in image. Imago-dard.

— Laberint Sequences by Blake Williams (Canada – 2022, 20’): Losing yourself in the structure—of a film, of a space, and of a filmic space—finally ending up in the land of dreams where the only path unfolds through the replay button.

— Exhibition by Mary Helena Clark (USA – 2022, 19’): A digressive gaze roams through a cabinet of curiosities, marveling every now and then at the states of things and beings. These are temporary thoughts on the permanent dilemmas of art and subjectivity.

Jan Soldat, filmmaker
Germany, Austria

— Tod by Friedl vom Gröller (Austria – 2023, 3’): Most short and most touching.

— Yarambo vs. Graze by DLTLLY (Germany – 2023, 50’): Most entertaining and most flawless.

— Dream Scenario (Trailer) by Kristoffer Borgli (USA – 2023, 3’): Best Trailer.

Jason Sondhi, co-founder Short of the Week and Shortverse
USA

— The Tobos by Tobias Rud (Denmark – 2023, 14’): Danish filmmaker Tobias Rud crafts a 13-minute animation that subverts the idyllic fantasy of happiness and friendship found in children’s programming. Through vintage effects and a mix of media, Rud explores the complexities of connection and disconnection, presenting a transgressive “adult” narrative without resorting to shock value. Rud’s innovative approach and deep exploration of human emotions mark him as a major artist.

— Architect A (건축가 A) by Jonghoon Lee (South Korea – 2022, 25’): Spiritually, I think this is the closest a short filmmaker has gotten to Miyazaki.

— Freelancer by Rosco 5 (United Kingdom – 2022, 8’): A character comedy built around the unique talents of Babak Ganjei, as he naively explores the struggles and humiliations of being a 42-year-old dad who still exists as a kid fresh out of school would. This delicious comedy with a stylish mixed-media element may be uncomfortably familiar to many in our world of film, and Ganjei is willing to poke fun at his status as a certain kind of Peter Pan figure but affirmatively will not apologise for pursuing the creative life.

Jason Todd, programmer Les Rendez-vous Quebec Cinéma
Canada

— Fairplay by Zoel Aeschbacher (Switzerland – 2022, 17’): Its detractors might criticise Fairplay for its lack of nuances, and perhaps for relying too much on the underlying tension that stems out its rather straight-forward theme—and yet that’s where I think Aeschbacher’s film shines the most. It’s meticulously crafted, it packs a solid punch, and it never lets you second-guess its intentions.

— An Avocado Pit (Um caroço de abacate) by Ary Zara (Portugal – 2022, 20’): With a premise like that and a set of characters we’re sadly so used to see in a violent context only, it’s with a tremendous sigh of relief I got to witness this beautiful relationship unfold in front of the camera. A trans woman and a stranger cis man meet at night.. and it doesn’t end in bloodshed? Sign me up.

— Mother Prays All Day Long by Hoda Taheri (Germany – 2023, 24’): Motherhood, sexual identities, relationships and asylum seekers—all seen through the scope of a lesbian couple pondering the idea of marrying, in order to have access to a german citizenship. Bold, tender, and self-reflective.

An Avocado Pit (Ary Zara, 2022)

Stephen Vuillemin, filmmaker A Kind of Testament
France

— Theta by Lawrence Lek (UK – 2022, 12’): Very simple in its form, yet very complex and touching. Beautiful soundtrack.

— 8 by Anaïs-Tohé Commaret (France – 2023, 22’): Loved how this found a balance between real and false, clever and sensorial—all at the same time. And the soundtrack was great too!

— Daugther and Son (Qin mi) by Yu Cheng (China – 2022, 30’): A very elegant film about the beautiful topic of a couple’s intimacy.

Neil Young, writing about, acting in, making, presenting and curating films
Austria

— Crow by Ubu Kung (UK – 2022, 3’): Two-hundred seconds of pounding, hallucinatory, wild-hued intensity, named after (and evidently obliquely inspired by) my favourite creature.

— Before Dark (Prije mraka) by Mare Šuljak (Croatia – 2022, 7’): Seven hypnotic minutes of shifting colour bands, like a Rothko, come to life; only really works in a cinema space, where it delivers a stealthy knockout blow over the course of seven minutes.

— Jill, Uncredited by Anthony Ing (Canada, United Kingdom – 2022, 18’): I don’t usually go for “festival favourites” or essayistic documentaries (with piano music!), but this widely-screened compilation of clips featuring near-ubiquitous “background artist” Jill Goldston hit me (on second view) on an emotional level I wasn’t expecting.

Claudio Zilleruelo Acra, artistic director of Black Canvas FCC
Mexico

— Blow! by Neus Ballús (Spain – 2023, 14’): They connect the curious and sensitive search of what other worlds do not reveal so easily: the human and animal transformations through the transcendental stages by which they come into our lives, either in the animal world or in the human world, with all their existential complexities.

— The Rays of a Storm (Los Rayos de una tormenta) by Julio Hernández Cordón (Mexico – 2023, 22’): A mind-blowing film. A hybrid of epic and historical proportions, on the edge of documentary and fiction. A representation of the night that Hernan Cortes lost the only battle against the Mexicas (named The Battle of the Tree of the Sad Night), filmed in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Mexico. Motorcycle gangs represent the Spanish conquerors and modern Mexicas who do spiritual cleanups in the historic center of Mexico City. I really like its punk spirit, its approach to documentary and fiction, its original humour, and the particular “tone” of the performances and non-performances. The dialogue around colonisation and violence is truly unique and cheeky.

— Dunghill (Femer) by Ana Pfaff & Jaume Coscollar (Spain – 2022, 16’): Everything one touches can turn into gold, depending on the intentions with which it is looked at, manipulated, or reinterpreted.