Live Action Category

Live Action

A Refugee Flees Her War-Torn Home in Leve Kühl’s Empathetic UNHCR Short ‘Through My Eyes’

Leve Kühl explains the power that POV had to place viewers within the perspective of someone seeking safety and stability for his refugee's journey short.

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Live Action

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Live Action, Premiere

The Discovery of an Intimate Gold Mine Threatens a Couple’s Love in Krit Komkrichwarakool’s Romance Drama ‘Auganic’

Krit Komkrichwarakool walks us through how he blended magical realism with grounded storytelling to explore the complex dynamics of modern relationships.

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Awards, Live Action

Cindy Lee & Darwin Shaw Explore the Human Cost of Conservation in Their Oscar Nominated Short ‘The Last Ranger’

Cindy Lee & Darwin Shaw share how they orchestrated powerful performances while tracking wild rhinos in a game reserve with less than 5 days to capture it all.

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Awards, Live Action

An Online Annoyance Triggers a Complete Identity Crisis in Victoria Warmerdam’s Oscar Winning ‘I’m Not a Robot’

The lone genre film in the shorts Oscar race Victoria Warmerdam explains how a simple captcha fail became a gripping exploration of identity and control.

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Awards, Live Action

Adam J. Graves’ Oscar Short ‘Anuja’ Is a Powerful Portrait of Sisterhood & Resilience in Delhi’s Garment Industry

Adam J. Graves reveals how he balanced the dark realities of fast fashion's child labour with moments of joy, resilience and hope in his Oscar nominated short.

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