Sydney Indie Short Festival

The Sydney Indie Short Festival showcases independent filmmakers from around the world, celebrating diverse stories and the power of short film. Over 200 short films in the spring edition compete for awards across many categories including direction, acting, cinematography, specific genres, first time filmmaker, and more. Presented herein is a sample of international short films selected for the festival’s spring edition.

Filling the Void in Fù

A morose young woman named Fox (Jeng Chang) narrates her search to attain a state of grace amidst feeling “void of life” in this ethereal short film from Australian writer/director Matthew McCracken. In his director’s statement, McCracken explains Fù is an homage to David Lynch and Terrance Malick, “two of my filmmaking inspirations,” and indeed the short is fairly evocative of the two icons in the way McCracken plays with mood, memories and cinematography. Shot on digital, the flashbacks of Fox at a beach are made to feel like they’re shot on film, capturing the nostalgic nature of the past, a time in which Fox floated effortlessly in the sparkling ocean, feeling bright and airy, cheerful and free compared with her current numb state. A red velvet cupcake symbolizing the richness of life is now tasteless on her tongue, and Fox ambles through the city streets seemingly without a destination as she narrates her inner struggles and emotions (or lack thereof). She resorts to shoplifting, hoping to feel something, and at night she returns to a laneway empty but for an old man playing cards alone, a man she inwardly calls her duplicate. Throughout the film, we see Fox build her courage to join him at his little table. She also visits her older step-sister. Fox’s narration and interactions with her step-sister hint at some deeper family trauma, but it remains vague. The sisters’ interactions are the weakest part of the film—a loud confrontation between them feels awkwardly contrived and not well-acted. The film is at its best when interweaving past and present, particularly due to McCracken’s beautiful editing of the flashbacks.

Score: B

Horror Short Bunny Provides Predictable Scares

Bunny is a short horror film from Italy about a young man (Edoardo De Falco) who encounters a legendary killer called the Bunny Man. The young man narrates his story as he types it out on his laptop at home, and his account of spotting the killer while walking through town is presented in flashback. In the present, something lurks in the shadows of the young man’s home. Alex Romanello directed the film and co-wrote it with Beatrice Beacco. Bunny presents a full narrative arc in a short runtime (5:12) and uses a spooky score to build tension in Romanello and Beacco’s take on an urban legend. Unfortunately, however, the plot is extremely predictable, depriving viewers of most of the short film’s suspense and big “scare” moments. Viewers who expect a narrative twist to unfold towards the end, particularly in light of the film’s predictability, will be disappointed to find there isn’t one.

Score: C+

A Close Encounter: Review of Closeted

Written and directed by experienced French short filmmaker Magali Perra, Closeted centres around Celine (Romane Lachat) as she takes refuge in a broom closet at her friend’s party, only to find a man (Quentin Santarelli) already occupying the space. As Celine gets to know her mysterious companion, other partygoers join them in brief interludes to banter and gossip about the party and its host, their friend Marie (Fanny Baudet). Set entirely in the broom closet, the short film packs a lot in and relies on quick, clever dialogue and brief interactions amongst several party guests to carry the story in a fun, quirky and effective manner. The sparse and bland set (it is a closet, after all) is nicely offset by the bright and tasteful costumes, aside from the dark outfit worn by the mysterious man. His costume is deliberately unsubtle in order to tip the viewer off about his identity and role, even as Celine and the others remain wholly (on the edge of unbelievably) unaware. The hilarity comes to a head towards the end of the film when Marie enters the closet to find a solo Celine, and the two inch closer to the truth of the mysterious man. The simple setting prompts us to enjoy the fun in the characters’ interactions, and the film wraps with a satisfying payoff. The film was awarded Best Comedy at the Sydney Indie Short Festival.

Score: A-

A Therapeutic Video Diary in Modern Genesis

Almost three years since the smoke cleared, the town of Paradise, California remains largely in ruins after a severe wildfire swept through the town in November 2018, killing 85 people. Known as Camp Fire, the wildfire was the most destructive in California’s history. Paradise residents Daniel B. Salas and Brittney L. Apel collaborated to create a documentary in which survivors come together to share their stories alongside footage of the town’s remains and the rebuilding process. As someone who didn’t know about Camp Fire prior to watching Modern Genesis, I had to pause the short film and research the wildfire in order to inform myself on important details and the basics of what happened. The film presents like a therapeutic video diary for residents of Paradise, enabling them to reflect on their traumatic experiences, partake in the healing process, and think about how to rebuild their lives. Modern Genesis also showcases the town’s resilience as they work together to pick up the pieces and restore the community. While the film highlights the experiences, trauma, and hope of the town’s residents, it doesn’t provide necessary context for viewers unfamiliar with the wildfire and assumes viewers come from a more intimate place of understanding. The camerawork is often quite shaky when capturing footage of the town, and the sound is very uneven across interviews. While it’s sobering to hear residents’ stories and it’s difficult to imagine the full extent of their trauma, the film becomes somewhat repetitive and loses our attention during a long runtime of over thirty minutes. Nevertheless, the film is a timely reminder of the personal consequences of wildfires. Modern Genesis received awards for Best Original Score and Best Editing at the Sydney Indie Short Festival.

Score: C+

Every Story Has Two Sides in Flik Flok

Angeliki Pardalidou makes a solid directorial debut with the Greek short Flik Flok, a dark dramedy about one couple’s romantic evening that quickly goes awry. Pardalidou also wrote the film and stars in it alongside Yorgos Karamihos. The film begins and ends with the titular flik flok, meaning “pinky wish” in English, coming full circle in some ways while leaving the couple in two very different places by the end. A narrative that could have been a cliché story about a couple’s breakdown takes surprising turns along the way that delight the viewer even while antagonizing the couple. The couple’s voracious shouting matches drag on for a bit too long, losing us somewhat until the next narrative turn brings us back into the twisted fun. A spectacularly decorated set and fabulous costumes from Natassa Papastergiou provide the film with a gorgeous aesthetic, and a jaunty score is timed perfectly to add dark levity to key dramatic moments. Overall, the film is a compelling and clever take on a break-up.

Score: B+

A Touching Journey in Walks

This short film debut from Canadian writer/director Al J. Moran explores an aging man’s response to his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Based on Moran’s father’s story, Walks is a touching tribute to the filmmaker’s dad. Moran stars in the lead role as Ian Duffy, an older man who focuses on his daily walks with the family dog and weightlifting at home in order to maintain the weight required to participate in a drug trial. Duffy’s wife and son are there to support him, as are his neighbours—although it’s evident from Duffy’s interaction with a neighbour that he’d rather the whole block didn’t know, as he keeps up appearances that he’s “never [been] better.” With a doctor’s appointment looming, Duffy’s outward calm and optimism threaten to crumble, and he quietly takes matters into his own hands. Moran embodies grace and dignity through a difficult time and the heartbreak of acceptance. The soundtrack reflects Duffy’s quiet resilience and his family support system. There are a few clunky transitions, but overall it’s a moving story and a solid directorial debut.

Score: B

Two Faced Review: A Fresh Take on the Heist Genre

Two Faced is a sleek, action-packed and female-driven Norwegian heist film that takes viewers on a thrill of a ride from start to finish. The dramatic short follows four friends—law student Celine Skarp (Amalie Njaastad), architect Alexis Pratt (Aurora Kollerud Nossen), hacker Jacob Wang (Sondre Brandsøy), and pickpocket Kim Skrunt (Anders Wenger)—as they unite to carry out a heist that will save their student society building from becoming a luxury hotel owned by Celine’s manipulative step-sister, Konstanse (Trine Anette Fostervold). Of course, complications arise during the heist, forcing the friends to think fast in order to escape unscathed. Nossen and Njaastad co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed the exciting short film. Featuring a motorcycle chase, a personal nemesis à la Ocean’s Eleven, a locked safe with diamonds, secret swaps, and witty banter, Two Faced contains many classic heist movie elements with a fresh perspective grounded in Norwegian filmmaking and strong female leads. In a typically male-dominated genre, Nossen and Njaastad carve out a space for female-driven action films. At the Sydney Indie Short Festival, Two Faced received the award for Best First Time Filmmaker.

Score: A