While we focus most of our efforts on looking ahead toward discovering the next generation of innovative storytellers, we’re also film buffs at heart and have long had a love and appreciation for the great short films that have shaped culture throughout the decades. It’s only recently that many of these classic shorts have begun to make their way to the web for online audiences. We think they deserve as much attention as the latest trendy short film, which is why we’re excited to introduce our Classic short film channel!

Short films are the oldest format of movies dating all the way back to the late 1800’s when the Lumière brothers presented one-shot scenes from everyday life to eager audiences. Over the past 100+ years, short films have gone through many transitions before becoming the internet sensation they are today. From hard-hitting drama to breathtaking animation, this Classic channel is a sort of film education that will introduce you to the groundbreaking short films that changed cinema history.

View all past Classics and those yet to come in our Classic channel. Here are a few highlights:

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Experimental Jacques Drouin

Le Paysagiste/Mindscape

An NFB classic that uses the rare form of animation known as Pinscreen. An artist, is absorbed into his painting, leading him on surreal exploration of the mind.

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Satire Nick Park

Creature Comforts

Marking the beginning of Nick Park's career (creator of Wallace & Gromit), this film features a cast of zoo animals discussing their living conditions. Did I mention it was nominated for an Oscar?

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Drama Virgil Widrich

Copy Shop

An Oscar-nominated film about a copy shop clerk who accidentally duplicates himself and sets off a chain reaction of unintended consequences—filmed from 18,000 photocopied frames.

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Experimental Chris Marker

La Jetée

The ground-breaking 60's experimental film that influenced "12 Monkeys". In the wake of WWIII Paris, a team of scientists experiment with time-travel in order to provide hope for their future.

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Documentary Stefan Nadelman

Terminal Bar

One of the most celebrated of all modern shorts, Terminal Bar is a fascinating pictorial history of a New York City bar whose customers, from the hard-drinking working class Irish to the coiffed African American gay male, continually transform its focus during a 10-year period.

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Musical Nacho Vigalondo

7:35 in the Morning

A woman enters a cafe only to find its diners in complete silence. Then… a man breaks into song. It's a surprising, genre-bending film nominated for an Oscar in 2004.

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Experimental Guy Maddin

The Heart of the World

Guy Maddin uses the chaotic format of an old Russian propaganda film to tell a symbolic story about science, love, and the heart of the world.

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Satire Chris Stenner & 2 Others

Das Rad (Rocks)

What we see as centuries of progress—two rocks see as just another passing afternoon.

Festival

Palm Springs ShortFest 2022: A Short-Centric Guide

With over 300 films in their line-up, working out what to watch at the Palm Springs Short Fest can be a daunting task. Programmer and S/W team member Céline Roustan lists the titles from S/W alums you'll definitely want to keep an eye out for at the festival.