It’s HollyShorts week and we couldn’t be more excited! Wednesday, August 7 marks the beginning of the Oscar qualifying 21st HollyShorts Film Festival. The festival showcases film from every part of the globe from filmmakers with unique stories to tell. Over 7,000 submissions were received and 427 were chosen for this year’s festival. From this group of films, victors will be chosen in four categories which will earn them a spot in Academy Award consideration.
The jury for this year’s festival includes BAFTA, Tony, SAG, Oscar, and Emmy worthy stars from in front and behind the camera. Jake Lacy, Mena Suvari, Jennifer Ehle, Anthony Head, Kris Mercado, Adam J. Graves, and Yeardley Smith are just a few who have been selected to vote for the best short film grand prize, best short animation, best live-action short, and best documentary short.
With so many films to view, one may not know where to start. Here’s a list of a few films that we’re looking forward to seeing at the 21st HollyShorts Film Festival.
Too Good
A recently deceased man (Lil Rel Howery; One of Them Days) arrives at the Gates of Heaven. There, he faces an unconventional interview with God herself (Jean Smart; Hacks), to determine if he’s good enough to get in.
Two Ships
While working opposite schedules, a couple attempts to maintain their connection through fleeting encounters.
A Good Death
When Amalia, a devoted death doula, arrives at the home of her new clients, she immediately begins to feel that something is very wrong.
James Hyde – The Very Thought of You
In the white heat of WWII, James Hyde (David Jonsson; Alien: Romulus), a Trinidadian RAF fighter pilot, faces impossible odds for freedom and love over the skies of Nijmegen. Based on a true story, this visually stunning short film captures the most realistic WWII dogfight ever filmed, blending breathtaking aerial combat, powerful storytelling, and a tribute to forgotten heroes.
Ovary-Acting
While stuck at her sister’s baby shower, a thirty-something woman is forced to decide whether she wants to have kids or not after unexpectedly giving birth to her reproductive organs.
En Mille Petales (In Thousand Petals)
A young married woman gathers the sweet memories of her idyll. On closer inspection, she leaves bits of herself behind…
Rhoda
After years of living alone, Rhoda takes in a lodger, but the change unsettles the equilibrium of her home.
The Singers
The Singers is a genre-bending film adaptation of a 19th-century short story written by Ivan Turgenev, in which a lowly pub full of downtrodden men connect unexpectedly through an impromptu sing-off.
Amal / Hope
Palestinian pianist Bishara Haroni and Israeli pianist Yaron Kohlberg, known as Duo Amal, share an extraordinary musical partnership that defies borders. Amal / Hope tells their inspiring story, showcasing how their artistry bridges cultural divides and unites audiences.
Tether
On the first day of her job running a remote, isolated space station, Mickie (Geffri Maya; All American: Homecoming) receives mysterious transmissions and must quickly unravel their meaning with the help of a passing spaceship Captain (Ming-Na Wen; The Mandalorian), or an untold number of lives could be lost. At its heart, the film is about community. In this cold, dangerous universe our best chance at survival is each other.
Coconut Girl
Swetha, the young child of Indian immigrants, struggles to accept her heritage when she gets bullied at school for the coconut oil in her hair.
Clay Bird
Clay Bird follows 9-year-old Sichu and her grandfather. After lashing out at him due to school bullying, she soon loses him. In grief, she learns how his art touched others. As she heals, she reclaims a clay bird she once broke – lovingly repaired by him honoring his memory and love.
Long Pork
In a Post Roe America where theocracy reigns, a renowned butcher meets the political predator responsible for the killing of her daughter and exacts bloody revenge, setting the stage for a revolution. Long Pork boldly reimagines rage and resistance in Post Roe America, offering new avenues of catharsis for those most harmed by anti-choice legislation.
Olive
While caring for grandma, Sam begins to question the nature of their relationship.
A Friend of Dorothy
Dorothy (BAFTA winner Miriam Margolyes) is a lonely widow whose body is failing, but her mind remains as bright as ever. When 17-year-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) accidentally kicks his football into her garden, he upends Dorothy’s daily routine of pills, prunes and crosswords, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. Despite being worlds apart in every way, the two come to find they have more in common than they could ever imagine. The cast includes Stephen Fry (Gosford Park) and Oscar Lloyd (Stranger Things: The First Shadow).
Going On
Val (Genevieve O’Reilly; Andor) and Mike (Nicholas Pinnock; Long Bright River) tour the English countryside in their camper van. But this is not a holiday and the world outside is not OK.
Silver Needle
After moving to China from New Zealand, two sisters try to adjust to their new ballet class, only to find that the teacher has an unusual teaching method.
The Flock of Forgotten Faces
A bird-like girl named Lacuna finds herself aboard a mysterious train with passengers wearing masks. As Lacuna discovers the unique faces under these masks, she draws the attention of the authoritarian Conductor.
Amarela
On the day of the World Cup final between Brazil and France, Erika Oguihara, a Japanese-Brazilian teenager who rejects her family traditions, experiences a violence that seems invisible and plunges into a painful sea of emotions.
Sauna Day
Sauna Day invites you into the world of Southern Estonian men who go to the dark-intimate space of a smoke sauna after a hard day’s work. Beneath their tough exteriors lies a desire for connection, veiled in secrecy.
Piggy at the Pool Party
A sunny California afternoon. The Host welcomes a couple and their four year-old daughter Piggy to his housewarming party. His high-school friend and unrequited love climbs out of the pool to greet the new guests. She knows The Father–she applied to work at his much-anticipated restaurant opening in town. In a game of cat and mouse, the couple toy with other guests. Envy brews under the surface of every interaction as seduction becomes a tool of torture. Each character masks the pain to spare themselves and the child.
Steak Dinner
Casey’s attempted surprise dinner date gets derailed when Taylor, her girlfriend, reveals she has brought home a strange, wounded creature she intends to nurse back to health.
To view the festival schedule and purchase tickets visit the HollyShorts website.
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