Short of the Week
In the short film calendar, February offers a little respite, before March really turns things up a notch. So, of course, we thought it was the perfect time to announce the winners of our annual Short Awards – congrats to all the wonderful films that picked up accolades in our hotly debated prize-giving. With Sundance done, our editorial eye turns towards SXSW and the Oscars, so keep an eye out for articles focused on both of those, coming real soon. – Rob Munday, Managing Editor.
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February served up a range of exciting storylines to delve into: from Mardi Gras to prison visits, love on the ice rink to conscious AI. At just under 20-minutes in total, the trio of films chosen as our Best of the Month picks are a testament to animation, showcasing not only eye-catching craft, but the emotional power it has to move, surprise and unsettle all that watch it.
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Ding (Thing) by Malte Stein
If you were to imagine your innermost fear encapsulated as a living being, what would it look like? A towering kaijū monster capable of destroying whole cities or perhaps a giant boa constrictor intent on squeezing the life out of everything it encounters? For animator Malte Stein (Flut) he envisioned something much smaller, but just as terrifying, in his unsettling five-minute short Ding (Thing).
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Something in the Garden by Marcos Sánchez
If you’re one of those people who believes animation is just for kids, we’ve got hundreds of films that would prove this theory wrong on Short of the Week. Algo en el Jardín (Something in the Garden), by Chilean filmmaker Marcos Sánchez, is the perfect example. A dark and twisted six-minute short about a monstrous creature devouring people (and cats) in a neighbourhood, you won’t see a creepier film on S/W all year (OK…maybe Ding – see above).
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Umbilical by Danski Tang
Often when writing for Short of the Week I like to tap into what’s relatable about a film and add a personal angle to a post, but with some films that just isn’t possible. For Danski Tang’s animated doc Umbilical, as this is a very personal story it’s more about being presented with a new perspective and expanding your own point-of-view. It’s also a film so powerful, it speaks for itself.
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Most Viewed
Déjà vu by Olivier Labonté LeMoyne
Déjà vu leverages “unsettling” as well as any short in recent memory. Simply set up as a two-hander in a diner, a woman begins by recounting a fantasy encounter to her friend. But, when an all-too-familiar stranger enters the restaurant, her recounting shifts to that of a nightmare. Writer/director Olivier Labonté LeMoyne and his DP, Ménad Kesraoui, subtly manipulate the scene to lend to the unease with slow camera pushes, up-angle shot reverse shots, and well-timed head-on closeups. Additionally, the script seamlessly shifts from the thrill of sexual conquest to the fear of sexual violence, anchoring the growing dread in something all too recognizably horrific.