The 2023 Tribeca Festival is almost here which means it’s time to start planning out your watch schedule. Before you polish off the finishing touches, don’t forget to add the shorts! Short films have the ability to captivate audiences within minutes. The condensed timeframe allows the story to pack a punch that leaves a lasting impression on viewers.
Navigating through this year’s lineup, particularly the shorts festival, poses a delightful challenge with an impressive selection of 76 films. Among these gems are 48 world premieres, three international premieres, two North American premieres, one U.S. premiere, and 22 New York premieres. Hailing from 25 countries, the collective of 91 filmmakers brings forth a tapestry of narratives as diverse as the world itself. From heartfelt tales of love and family relationships to compelling LGBTQ+ stories, explorations of Blackness, and inspiring displays of resilience, the short films traverse a vast spectrum of human experiences.
A few standouts include Last Call, about a mother in desperate need of reconnecting with her son, directed by Harry Holland and starring superhero brother Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home). Alden Ehrenreich’s (Cocaine Bear) brings his directorial debut, Shadow Brother Sunday, where he plays a down-on-his-luck musician who returns home on the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal his computer and sell it to the paparazzi.
Queen of the Iron Throne, Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon), stars in Alex Lawther’s written and directed relationship drama. An intimate glimpse into Troy Katsor’s relationship with his father, To My Father explores how one accident shaped his life and career. My Eyes Are Up Here is a romcom starring Jillian Mercado as a fashion model who is on a mission to get the morning-after pill which is complicated by her disability.
“From a staggering record number of 8,096 shorts submissions, we are thrilled to present an incredible range of storytelling in short films and music videos from around the globe,” said Ben Thompson, VP of Shorts Programming at Tribeca Festival, in a statement. “Thoughtfully curated into 12 distinct programs, my co-programmer VP of Programming Sharon Badal and I hope there is something for everyone. From free-flowing music and dance to crazy late-night comedy, join us for an unforgettable journey through short films.”
There are only so many hours in a day, and while we’re hoping to get through each and every amazing offering from this year’s festival, here are 31 short films we hope not to miss.
American Sikh
The animated true story of a turban-wearing American Sikh, who after a lifetime of facing hate, self-doubt and violence, finally finds acceptance in a superhero costume.
Belly Button
A Y2K teen girl struggles to connect fantasy and reality when she gets a coveted piercing.
Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games
An illuminating look at the influence that hand games played by Black girls has had on the American creative landscape.
Blood
Shanti bleeds during a Tamil coming-of-age ceremony. In a culture where fertility is celebrated, menstruation is shunned and infertility is silenced, Shanti struggles to keep a secret.
Burrow
Believing himself to be one of the last survivors left in the wake of extinction, an ex-war soldier finds unexpected comfort with the arrival of a weary traveler, forcing him to reckon with his long avoided sexuality.
Corvine
An eccentric boy has trouble fitting in at school due to his obsession with crows.
A Cow In The Sky
The true story of a young Ethiopian immigrant in America wrestling with his identity and trying to understand the American Dream after his father’s murder by white supremacists.
Dead Cat
“You know your cat’s dead, right?”
Everybody Dies Sometimes
A dark comedy about death anxiety that follows Mara as she grapples with the belief that she has killed everybody she’s gotten close to.
Fish Out of Water
Lexi, a struggling young mom, has an opportunity to reconnect with her estranged family after she’s approached by her now-sober father with news of her mother’s failing health.
Flower
World-renowned ballerina Misty Copeland stars in her first independently produced short art film, an immersive experience in movement storytelling that highlights intergenerational equity in the community of Oakland, California, featuring new, original music from Grammy-winning recording artist Raphael Saadiq.
For People In Trouble
When two people meet one night in London, their relationship blossoms and fractures, intertwined with impending societal collapse.
Hafekasi
A 10 year old Tongan-Australian girl begins to realise she’s different to her single, white mum and family. Both mother and daughter navigate identity and belonging in ’90s Melbourne suburbia.
In Passing
A burnt-out chef struggles to navigate her growing resentment towards her romantic partner, a fledgling painter. Can their love endure in a world that prioritizes productivity over human connection?
Konpa
A young Haitian-American learns how to dance Konpa to impress his crush.
Last Call
Last Call follows a desperate mother needing to reconnect with her son. Drawing on the nuance and complexity of depression and grief and our universal search for understanding and absolution.
Mars
All Charlie has ever wanted is a normal teenage existence – at least, that’s what she thinks. Now one extraordinary night will make her reassess what truly matters.
My Eyes Are Up Here
A disabled woman sets off on a mission to get the morning-after pill. The only thing in her way is…everything.
Over the Wall
Brehanna Daniels, the first Black woman tire changer in NASCAR, fights her way back from injury to the biggest race in the sport – the Daytona 500.
Restless Is the Night
A 2D narrative animation that tells the story of two women of different ages trying to take control of their own lives.
Sealed Off
During an unexpected air-raid lockdown in the 1940s, an accountant and a university teacher meet, and quickly fall in love. Then, unexpectedly, their connection was as momentary as the lockdown.
Shadow Brother Sunday
A down-on-his-luck musician returns home on the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal his computer and sell it to the paparazzi.
Spinning
Spinning bike, corpse, plastic dick, lots of lies, blood, money cleaning up the mess, a perfect world slowly falling apart and greed watching from its seat in the front row.
Starling
Starling, the spirit of a mischievous little girl shoots down from the heavens to spend her birthday with her family.
Thaw
While isolated in a remote farmhouse for the winter, two friends begin to switch genders.
To My Father
To My Father depicts Deaf actor Troy Kotsur’s journey to winning an Oscar and his father’s inspiring influence on him, despite a tragic accident.
Upsidedown
The same day Randa tells her family she doesn’t want to go college, an esteemed food critic comes to review her family’s restaurant and turns everyone’s day upside down.
Voice Activated
A florist with a stutter is forced to cooperate with a voice-activated car on the way to an important delivery.
Wait In The Truck
In the middle of a stormy summer night, HARDY encounters a girl- battered and beaten- and is forced to make a decision that forever changes his life.
The Weather Is Nice
Isolated expat Jean finally leaves the house after an urgent message from his mother. He then discovers Sara behind the shelves of a snack bar and a love story ensues.
Witchfairy
A young fairy leads a boring life at the fairytale castle. She’d rather be a witch and get really messy. She therefore decides to run off to the witch forest.
For the complete list of short films and everything else you can see at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, visit their website.
Remember, the festival also offers Tribeca At Home, so you can enjoy the festivities even if you can’t physically attend.
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