Independent Short Film Premieres & Interviews // Directors Notes

Premiere Category

Three Strangers Cross Paths and Reshape Time in Alexander Stamatiadis’ Audiovisual Dance Short ‘THORN’

Alexander Stamatiadis shares how he and his crew battled through freezing cold, snowy shooting conditions to capture their tender dance short.

Live Action, Premiere

Two Lonely Cat Enthusiasts Connect in Brendan Prost’s Eerie Bifurcated Character Drama ‘Heavy Petting’

Brendan Prost breaks down the pivotal tonal shift at the centre of his unsettling examination of loneliness and desolation.

Live Action, Premiere

Naomi Pacifique Excavates the Intertwined Nature of Bodies and Intimacy in Her LFS Grad Short ‘after a room’

Naomi Pacifique reveals how she wanted to alter on-screen representations of the body through her intimate, exploratory London Film School graduate short.

Live Action, Premiere

Sam Baron Reflects on the Stoicism and Fragility of Men in His Actor in Crisis Comedy Drama ‘Big Ears’

Sam Baron tells us how he grounded comedic beats in tragic reality in his new short about an actor struggling in both his personal and professional life.

Live Action, Premiere

The Hard Choices of Abortion Are Anchored in Daily Reality in Garrett Detrixhe’s ‘The Girl at the Motor Hotel’

Garrett Detrixhe talks about the significant role location played in setting the tone for his short exploring a woman's choice or lack thereof.

Live Action, Premiere

A Black Student’s Revelation Leads to Uncomfortable Repercussions in Chinwe Okorie’s Drama Short ‘Elephant’

Chinwe Okorie tells DN how she mined a darkly comedic childhood memory for her short drama about a tense encounter for a girl at her new school.

Live Action, Premiere

Ali Gill’s Enigmatic Puzzle Film ‘Wimmelbook’ Invites the Viewer in to Become an Active Participant

Constructed with static frames, a deep depth of frame and bustling compositions, Ali Gill takes DN behind the scenes of a unique viewing experience.

Live Action, Premiere

Dimitris Tsakaleas & Lida Vartzioti’s Dating Short ‘Happy Ending’ Is an Ode to Finding Love in Unexpected Places

Dimitris Tsakaleas & Lida Vartzioti break down the mumblecore-esque approach to dialogue improvisation of their modern dating romantic comedy.

Live Action, Premiere

Victoria Singh-Thompson’s ‘Don’t Forget To Go Home’ Captures Coming-of-Age While Caught Between Cultures

Victoria Singh-Thompson on how smart music choices and innovative freeze-frame effects capture her characters on a rebellious night out.

Live Action, Premiere

Neal Mulani’s ‘Tell Me Something I Don’t Know’ Warns of the Perils of Giving Into Your Deepest Insecurities

Neal Mulani speaks to the importance of the camera bible when shooting his cautionary comedy short about maturing friendships and narcissism.

Art & Fashion, Premiere

Yú Reframes Masculinity Through a Feminine Gaze in Experimental Social Satire Short ‘Flowers While You’re Here’

Yú explains how the transition in her experimental dance short from 16mm film to digital is emblematic of her themes of gender fluidity.

Documentary, Premiere

Jack Pirie’s Genre-Blurring ‘The Storm Chaser’ Offers a Mythical Revamp to Conventional Extreme Sports Films

Jack Pirie speaks about finding the harmony between nature and humans at their extremes in his profound windsurfing dramatic documentary short.