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International Shorts: Not Your Everyday Drama

Image: Fairplay, VIFF 2023

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There is high drama a plenty in this program of short films where uncommon scenarios turn into transformative life and death experiences.

 

October 4 & 6: Q&A with the film teams

 

This short film program includes the following films:

Cuarto de Hora
Nemo Arancibia, Chile/France (15 min)

A woman passing by a serious car accident becomes a French translator for a young Haitian man as he is taken by ambulance to a hospital.

 


Confessions
Stephanie Kaznocha, USA (12 min)

After the death of a friend two elderly nuns contemplate what the future holds, prompting them to embark on a journey of self discovery.

 


Fairplay
Zoel Aeschbacher, Switzerland/France (18 min)

Three males from different generations engage in dangerous, competitive and high risk situations in search of recognition.

 


Big Bang
Carlos Segundo, Brazil (14 min)

In Uberlandia, Brazil, a dwarf earns his living fixing ovens, which he easily fits into thanks to his small size.

 


A Lien
Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz, USA (15 min)

On the day of their green card interview a young couple confronts a twisted and dangerous immigration process.

 


Solo un Ensayo
Hugo Sanz, Spain (9 min)

Two sisters are hiding inside a wardrobe in an empty room, the younger one thinks it’s a game but it soon becomes apparent that a serious threat has appeared outside.

 


Jeong-Dong
Choi Woo Gene, South Korea (24 min)

On returning to Seoul a man moves into a cheap rental floor of a big house, but soon he starts to have strange experiences so his friends come to help investigate.

 

Community Partner

Director

Various

Country of Origin

Various

Year

2022-2023

Series

International Shorts

Language

Various with English subtitles

18+
107 min
Shorts

Book Tickets

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Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre

Sirât

Dir. Óliver Laxe
115 min

A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)

Dir. Various
157 min

Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Live Action)

Dir. Various
119 min

This year's contenders in the Live Action category include comedies, drama, an experimental musical, and a dystopian fantasy; films from the UK and the US, France and Israel.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

H is for Hawk

Dir. Philippa Lowthorpe
114 min

Based on naturalist Helen MacDonald's memoir (scripted by Emma Donoghue), H is for Hawk follows Helen (Claire Foy), who, after the sudden death of her father embarks on an intense relationship... with a goshawk.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

Emergence: Women in the Storm

Dir. Velcrow Ripper & Nova Ami
85 min

Stories of resistance and recovery, courage, creativity and community in the face of the climate emergency gleaned from women first responders and those impacted in Western Canada, particularly Lytton and the Fraser Valley.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

2026 Oscar® Shorts (Animated)

Dir. Various
83 min

The nominees for Best Animated Short Film include The Girl Who Cried Pearls, a fable from Canadian filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, narrated by Colm Feore.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre