Directors Notes // The Home of Independent Filmmaking

A Bold Young Boy Embarks on a Daring Heist in Leo McGuigan’s Nostalgic Coming-of-Age Tale ‘The Invention’

Leo McGuigan discusses blending nostalgia with realism in his short which captures the complexities of childhood as 3 boys attempt a daring cigarette heist.

Live Action, Premiere

Alex Bush Explores the Dynamic Nature of Gender Expression and the Transgender Experience in Intimate Fable ‘Thaw’

Alex Bush talks about reappropriating tropes of classic melodramas for their proof-of-concept short where two friends begin exploring their gender variance.

Live Action, Premiere

A Rancorous Soul Refuses a Last Chance for Redemption in David Leon’s Cautionary Tale ‘Converse Blues’

David Leon reveals how he tonally distinguished the three worlds of his allegorical tale cautioning against making the same mistakes as those who came before.

Live Action

A Darkly Obsessed Woman Contemplates the End of Everything in Matthew B.C.’s Comedy Short ‘Death!’

Matthew B.C. tells DN how he and his crew maximised their minimal budget to create a high-quality short that's both funny and unsettling.

Film Festival

The 13 Must-Watch Short Films at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival

If you’re attending SXSW 2025 in person or beaming in virtually via the online platform, these are the 13 short films you won’t want to miss.

Live Action, Premiere

A Well Intentioned Street Preacher’s Premonition of Ruin Ultimately Comes to Pass in Lucas Vilicich’s ‘Luddite’

Lucas Vilicich unravels how his short evolved from screaming frustrations at the world to engaging audiences with a comedic forewarning against technology.

Live Action, Premiere

Gregory Shell Manifests the Destructive Nature of Violence and Trauma in His Emotionally Charged Short ‘Fire’

Gregory Shell explains why he was determined to work with non-actors for his film about a young man struggling with life after returning from military service.

Film Festival, Podcasts

A Roundup of the BFI Future Film Festival 2025

Jesse delves into the experience of attending BFI Future Film Festival 2025 speaking to one of the festival's Young Programmers & three screening filmmakers.

Live Action

Emotional Chaos and Bad Habits Erupt for a Pair on a Blind Date in Tim Hendrix’s Playful Short ‘Baggage’

Tim Hendrix breaks down the VFX bonanza of his blind date comedy short which tackles life’s complexities with humour, heart and a whole lot of dildos.