Running for its second year, SXSW London is the European adaptation of its American counterpart, which has been taking place in Austin since 1987. Just like the original, the festival brings together screenings, live music, talks, exhibitions, technology, and industry conversations across the Eastern side of England’s capital. There is also space for an interesting selection of short films, culminating in Competition Programme 1 and Competition Programme 2, which screen on the final day, Saturday 6 June.
Over the course of the festival, the short film programme has been organised into thematic strands, which range from the raw physicality of Bodies and the family tensions of Bloodlines and Faultlines to the fleeting connections of Brief Encounters and the far-reaching perspectives of Distant Voices. Ghosts, Ghouls and Glitches explores the uncanny, while Human Nature turns its attention to the natural world. One of the most needed strands, Protest Will Not Be Tolerated, embraces political resistance, whereas Tiny, Lonely Fish Floating in Dark Water drifts into more dreamlike territory. Some of the shorts come from successful runs at other festivals, such as Toronto, IDFA and Clermont-Ferrand, while others have also appeared at regional events around the world, with SXSW London bringing them together in a single selection. Here is a list of ten very varied titles that will offer you a flavour of the rich 2026 line-up.
Double or Nothing – Tokay
“Stop motion is not dead!” This is the rightful statement that closes competition short Double or Nothing, one of the most hectic and visually striking shorts of the selection. It has to be noted that both animation titles featured in this list are most likely to linger in the memory of viewers thanks to their distinctive visual style. In this case, the brilliant stop motion work embodies perfectly the sense of the film, inspired by a 1980s Tokyo anecdote. Akio Kashiwagi, a flamboyant property tycoon whose rise is tied to illegal gambling and growing excess, is the object of the American narrator of the story, who is trying to hunt him down. Swiss-Turkish director Tokay, born in 1999, seems to be one of the most promising names of the upcoming animation production.
Asparagus Bear – Ivan Grgur
This hilarious Croatian work by Ivan Grgur – screened among the more seriously engaged Protest Will Not Be Tolerated titles – felt like a fish out of water, but also provided a breath of hilarity within the tension. The premise: In the town of Umag, sightings of the wild asparagus bear divide the community into sceptics or believers. Why is everyone talking about a bear for 18 minutes straight is a question that fades by the tenth talking head expressing just how serious this question is. Everyone wants the asparagus in the area… what if this whole story is a hoax, orchestrated to keep people away from the precious green goods? Watch to find out, the bear is ready to capture you, too.
Kentucky Gaza – Omar Rammal
One of the most urgent titles of the selection, Omar Rammal’s Kentucky Gaza is set just a few days before the infamous events of 7th October 2023. Anwar has a business idea: he wants to take advantage of the locals’ craving for fried chicken by mounting a finger-licking smuggling venture. The premise may sound funny, and in fact, the short manages to do something extraordinary with it. Blending humour and realism, Rammal reminds us that even the most trivial elements of life can build community when things are harsh. A dark comedy that talks about the unspoken realities of the siege of Gaza, while also subtly critiquing American capitalistic models. Echoes of Wolfgang Becker’s Good Bye, Lenin! can be felt in the way Kentucky Gaza reflects on how Western consumer culture is imagined and desired from a distance.
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Acid City – Jack Wedge
One of the wildest cards of this selection, Jack Wedge—whose Domo Dreams both befuddled and delighted James in equal measure when he selected it as one of his essential picks of GLAS Animation 2021—creates an unforgettable experience with his new documentary-fiction hybrid. In Acid City we follow a crew as they’re exploring a surreal acidic city, but the voices that we hear are real interviews recorded across NYC. In its crazy dystopian approach, it reminds me of the undiscovered gem Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, the feature-length debut from Indian director Ishan Shukla. This futuristic and hallucinated narration of a city which has reached an extremely high temperature will keep you on the edge of your seat, craving for more. What makes the short most unsettling is that it draws on real recordings to tell its story. How far in the future is Acid City really?
Yathoom – Hana Kazim
The scariest title of this list, featured in the festival’s Ghosts, Ghouls and Glitches horror strand, Hana Kazim’s short is a very mature work of careful editing and skilled use of distorted lenses. In its simplicity, it respects the rules of the genre while never overstepping them. Its main starting point is sleep paralysis, a very common disturbance, but Yathoom also deals with the concept of loss and death. After a car accident kills both her dad and brother, Layla ends up not only trapped in survivor’s guilt but also in her own dreams and nightmares. Despite low budget horror’s risk of looking cheap, more so than other genres, here the young Emirati filmmaker deftly proves that talent is enough.
Sauna Sickness – Malin Barr
Sweden-born and LA-based director, writer and actress Malin Barr’s film is another interesting one. It starts out as a steamy romance and ends as a freezing, chilling thriller, with tints of physiological horror. Cleo’s New Year’s Eve plans are ruined after she finds herself locked out in the cold upcoming night after a sauna mishap with her boyfriend. In Sauna Sickness, Barr rewrites the typical Northern European steam room into a nightmare, using the rules of the genre in a very intelligent way. There’s definitely space for mixed emotions here, with the chilliness almost palpable through the screen. We dare you to go to the spa afterwards.
Gorgones (Mermaids) – Dimitris Tsakaleas & Lida Vartzioti
Beautiful beaches and tanned bodies are the protagonists of this story set against the backdrop of a Greek summer. Gorgones is the SXSW London entry coming from talented directing duo Dimitris Tsakaleas and Lida Vartzioti, who joined us on DN back in 2022 for the premiere of their finding love in unexpected places short Happy Ending. The camera here lingers on two opposite friend groups, as they discover sexuality, attraction, lust and the art of flirting (as well as the art of setting boundaries). The editing and the cinematography are the most striking elements of this simple yet effective lascivious short. This is the type of story that will make you want to go to Greece and spend the whole day on the beach, and maybe get sunburnt.
Someday the Night Will Come (Un día llegará la noche) – Chica Barbosa
“It’s always the women who suffer the most”. This pertinent quote comes from the imaginative of Brazilian-Mexican filmmaker Chica Barbosa, based in Los Angeles. Her protagonist is, however, a man, Virginio, who lives in a small town in the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula. As the short is part of the Distant Voices strand, we are not surprised to hear that Virginio carries with him a secret, and a burden. He’s tormented by the whispers of Xtabay, a Mayan mythical figure who seduces and portends doom. The legacy of his father and his ancestors, linked to alcoholism and despair haunts him, too. Someday the Night Will Come features one of the best singing scenes I’ve seen in a short film, by far. Get lost in the story, and try to stay away from Xtabay’s echos. A true gem for all of those who find legends and myths compelling.
Should Virtual Petz Die? – Carlo Galbiati
This film will resonate with all those people who have ever had a virtual pet. Everyone else will want to have one after watching this highly original short by Italian director Carlo Galbiati. Should Virtual Petz Die? tells the story of those who ended up having to say goodbye to their virtual beloved animals. Shorts like these are the perfect example of how a blend of tender humour and unexpected sadness is the key to winning anyone’s heart. I found this experiment an absolute must-watch thanks to its innovative approach and its freshness. Set against an increasingly digital landscape, it recalls, at times, the reflective tone of Spike Jonze’s Her. Why didn’t anyone think of it before?
Interview with a Hero – Celeste (Andy) Diep
Visually charismatic, Celeste (Andy) Diep’s work is a reflection on immigration, which perfectly embodies the concept of Distant Voices, the strand in which it was featured. Stories of genocide, forced labour camps and daring jailbreaks from the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime keep haunting the protagonist of Interview with a Hero, a Cambodian shadow puppeteer who is given the chance to speak on Australian TV about his job. As soon as he’s asked to discuss his move to Australia in the ’80, his expression slowly changes, until the memories of his harsh past take over. A reflection on the art of puppeteering, which proves extraordinarily effective for cinematic expression, and a bittersweet narration of the life of immigrants trying to silence those distant voices.
You can find more unmissable films like these in our Best of Fest collections
