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
Various
Various
2022-2023
International Shorts
Various with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Missing VIFF? Check Out What's Playing at the VIFF Centre
Akashi
In Mayumi Yoshida’s tender drama, struggling artist Kana journeys to Tokyo to attend her grandmother’s funeral. While there, she reconnects with her childhood love and stumbles across a family secret that prompts her to reconsider her place in the world.
The History of Concrete
After attending a workshop on pitching saccharine Hallmark movies, John Wilson tries to apply all the same best practices to his documentary about concrete. Frequently absurd and endlessly entertaining detours, asides, and digressions ensue.
NAZA
NAZA is a codeword euphemistically used by Israeli intelligence to indicate the number of civilians it expects will be killed in an airstrike. This chilling documentary exposes the policy and process of state-sanctioned mass killings.
I Am Not a Witch
Rungano Nyoni's acclaimed debut feature is a visually striking satire about a 9-year-old orphan accused of witchcraft in contemporary Zambia. Screening in the latest African Cinema Now! series, The Witch at the Edge of the Screen.
Queen at Sea
An academic is pitted against her stepfather in a moral crisis over the care of her mother, who lives with dementia. Winner of the Silver Bear Jury Prize and Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance at the 2026 Berlinale.
Image: © Seafaring