Truly, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
This short film program includes the following films:
Rotation
Maryna Er Gorbach, Ukraine/Sweden/Turkey (13 min)
A Ukrainian woman undergoes a therapeutic hypnosis ritual to help her shift from civilian to military life. Shot on the last remaining stock of Svema color negative film evacuated during the war.
Memories of a Window
Mehraneh Salimian, Amin Pakparvar, Iran/USA (19 min)
Students and civilians record scenes of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran, challenging the state’s official records.
Content Considerations: Graphic & police violence
Spag
Louis Brousseau, Canada (18 min)
Following a mass shooting, a right-wing radio host comes under scrutiny for his racist comments leading up to the tragedy.
Content Considerations: Discussion of a mass murder, Islamophobia, racism
Daughters of the Late Colonel
Elizabeth Hobbs, UK/Germany (9 min)
Based on Katherine Mansfield’s short story from 1920, two middle-aged sisters rediscover life following the death of their patriarch.
Self-Preserving Nudity
Nelly Shylova, Ireland/Ukraine (7 min)
After being killed by a Russian missile strike, a Ukrainian woman finds herself caught between life and death in the Irish countryside.
The Ambassador’s Daughter
Armon Mahdavi, USA (19 min)
An Iranian-American actor auditions for a supporting role in a major film.
Free Fish
Bisan Owda, Palestine/Portugal (23 min)
Palestinian journalist Owda documents the daily life of fishermen on the besieged shores of the Gaza Strip.
Various
Various
2025 & 2026
Various
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
VIFF Short Forum
See more shorts in this series
Short Forum 1: The Scarier One
The return of scary: fear in all its chilling, suspenseful, and unsettling shades.
Short Forum 2: Anthropomaxx
Dogs, frogs, hogs, and more!
Short Forum 3: Workers of the World
The grind of the working class in a system that betrays its promises.
Short Forum 4: Immanence: A Life
You don’t have to look far; life is beautiful!
Short Forum 5: Somewhere Else
If space and time are pure perception, let’s build them differently.
Short Forum 6: Archive Lives!
Before anything becomes archival, it’s lived.
Short Forum 7: War at Home
Truly, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
Short Forum 8: Sticky & Wet
No matter the age, things can always get sticky and wet.
Short Forum 9: Big Time Sensuality
Explorations of desire and intimacy serve both pain and pleasure.
Short Forum 10: Are the Kids Alright?
The future kinda depends on it.