Our friends at Conero Film +ADV have invited Directors Notes once again to serve as Media Partner for the festival and creative retreat, this year entitled Pianeta Fresco, taking place at the Ridotto del Teatro Le Muse, in Ancona on October 30th. As part of the event, I’ll also have the pleasure of sitting down for a Q&A with some of the directors behind the selected short films, while our very own MarBelle returns as part of the CFA jury. Our fascination with this small but mighty event is nothing new, but I have to say that the selection I was presented with really blew me away. It was genuinely difficult to choose which shorts to include in this Best of Fest collection. Ultimately, the fact that the festival takes place so close to my hometown of Fano certainly plays a part in the affection I feel for it.
Here are 11 short films — 10 + 1 — from across the festival’s various sections, both branded and unbranded, that are absolutely worth checking out. We encourage you to follow @conerofilmadv over on Instagram and take a closer look at its full official selections list. There’s so much worth discovering!
Just Evolve – Martin Holzman
It is rare to come across a short film that is so immediate: brief but powerful, and straight to the point. Just Evolve starts from the observation that Italian frequently uses a derogatory and offensive word to refer to people with Down syndrome, a term that associates them with the inhabitants of Mongolia because of the shape of their eyes. Martin Holzman’s work perfectly illustrates how human beings have abandoned practices that have become obsolete over time, even though they were once considered perfectly normal. It lists examples such as selling one’s wife at a market, using urine to wash clothes, and using mouse skin to make one’s eyebrows more attractive. Humanity has, of course, abandoned all these practices. The film then asks whether we can do the same with words that perpetuate prejudice, as part of CoorDown’s 2026 campaign video for World Down Syndrome Day. Absolutely adorable.
FEUERWERK – Timothy George Kelly
Five years in the making, 20 minute documentary FEUERWERK is a visually memorable investigation of the usage of fireworks in Germany, presenting an explosive “portrait of Berlin as it explodes itself into the new year.” What are the laws behind it and what are people’s feelings towards this annual onslaught of pyrotechnics on the city streets? Reflecting on the social and cultural relevance of a long standing tradition, this beautifully photographed work—all the more impressive given the choice of a grainy black-and-white palette for this most colourful of subject matters—by Timothy George Kelly is true fire!
The Nymph – Vanessa Stachel
Queer fairy tale The Nymph reminds me of another great queer story from this year, No Rest for the Wicked, a feature film that takes a much darker and more gruesome approach to its themes. Both stories capture that same sense of twisted enchantment, blending queer storytelling with unsettling undertones and a world where beauty and horror seem to go hand in hand. Vanessa Stachel’s short is an extremely mature and accomplished work that weaves together elements of German folk fairy tales with a harsh critique of the ever-worsening effects of climate change, while also incorporating a queer context, as mentioned. There is a lot going on here, but it is all skilfully brought together in just a few minutes.
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Clothes Hanging Out To Dry In Daily Faith – Alberto Valletta
Even though Clothes Hanging Out To Dry In Daily Faith is not particularly original from a structural and stylistic standpoint, being mostly composed of talking heads, it has an incredible power due to its topic. As an Italian, it touches me even more deeply, given the complications that queerness has always caused in the country due to its strong religious foundations. Also, Alberto Valletta wins the award for having the best film title of the festival.
The Tanks are Coming Out – Emma Chitty
This music video, shot for London-based Nrvs, is a clear example of how sometimes a song seems to have been made for its accompanying video, and vice versa. In this case, it almost feels as though the song was written to fit perfectly into the folds of Emma Chitty’s short film, which conveys a powerful social message touching on both mental isolation and the context of protests and social movement, communicated through a metaphor of going up in flames, literally.
Ana’s Dream – NONO
Brief yet extremely clear in its message, DN alum director NONO’s Ana’s Dream focuses on the years of struggle, hard work, and perseverance that some people go through in order to pursue their dreams. Through Ana’s story, the film speaks to the experiences of many, particularly Mexican people, highlighting the sacrifices people make, often in countries other than their own, to achieve the life they dream of. It is a tribute to those who leave their homes and navigate the challenges of migration in the hope of building a better future. At the same time, the film expresses gratitude towards the generations who made these sacrifices to give their children more favourable conditions in which to grow and thrive. In this sense, Ana’s Dream also becomes a reflection on legacy, exploring what we inherit from those who came before us and how their struggles help shape the opportunities available to future generations. The best thing about all this? It’s a beer ad.
Stop Being So Dramatic – Lorenzo Follari
In a highly surreal atmosphere, we encounter unforgettable female protagonists, both in their appearance and in the way the camera interacts with them, bringing out the more eccentric aspects of their femininity. Cryptic yet simultaneously easy to watch and fall in love with, Stop Being So Dramatic is clearly inspired by the cinema of the immortal David Lynch. However, it is not a mere imitation. In fact, Lorenzo Follari reinterprets his style through a feminist lens. The snowy, slightly muffled landscape gives the film a distinctive, self-contained quality, and it shows promise for possible future expansions.
Five More Minutes – GUTTO & Diego Santana Claudino
Five More Minutes explores the final wishes of people who would have wanted just five more minutes with a loved one before their death. Blending documentary elements with an artistic, kinetic representation through dance, the film portrays a final dance between the person who must let go and the person who is leaving their life forever. Beautifully crafted and exceptionally well choreographed, the film opens with real people sharing what their final moments together might have looked like had they been given the choice. Moving and far from clichéd, Diego Santana Claudino and GUTTO’s heartfelt project avoids easy emotional tropes and instead reflects on an experience that most people will eventually face in their lifetime, albeit at different ages.
My Name is Oil – Igor Smola
As the title (inspired by the book My Name is Red by a Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk) already suggests, Igor Smola’s My Name is Oil explores the importance of oil in our lives. However, rather than examining it through the end product and its consumerist role in global manufacturing, it focuses on the actual process of extraction. Through a highly cinematic style, the oil itself almost seems to speak and take centre stage, speaking to us with quotes and ideas inspired by Iranian philosopher Reza Negarestani. This approach makes the subject accessible even to viewers who have no idea what goes on behind the scenes in the processes that ultimately allow us to use “black gold” in our daily life. Mesmerising.
Songs of Salt – Isabella Bazoni
Set along the Romagna coast, Songs of Salt explores the ownership of beach resorts and bathing establishments, which are passed down from generation to generation. These places represent family traditions and livelihoods, but also deep emotional attachments. This tradition has recently come under threat as a result of new legislation. The editing, along with the film’s distinctly pop-inspired yet deeply nostalgic style, ensured that Isabella Bazoni’s short struck a chord with me. It feels close to home geographically, since it talks about the area near where I was born and raised, but I strongly believe that it can also resonate with an international audience thanks to its themes, which transcend geographical boundaries.
Faceless – Carlos Santana
We simply couldn’t leave this one out, even though I usually prefer to stick to a top ten for these pieces. The atmosphere of this Spanish short, which draws heavily on the palettes and geometric shapes associated with Pedro Almodóvar, makes us fall in love with its protagonist, Valeria Palmeiro, better known as Coco Dávez. Totally loved the contrast that Carlos Santana’s Faceless creates between the black-and-white world and the colourful one that art makes possible.
You can find more unmissable films like these in our Best of Fest collections.
