Show Me Shorts, Aotearoa’s biggest short film festival, has unveiled a massive line-up of screenings with some of the best local and international shorts you’ll see this year.
Returning for its 17th year, the Oscars accredited film festival (recently hailed as one of the top 20 short film festivals globally) will screen its 2022 programme at 36 cinemas and community venues nationwide during 7-30 October. Made up of 92 films and music videos, the programme spreads its selection over 13 sections made up of in-cinema screenings and online screenings including comedy, drama, science fiction, fantasy, satire, documentary, animation and thriller as well as two whānau friendly programmes.
Seven films will make their world premiere at Show Me Shorts in October. Audiences will be among the first in the world to see: Atali’i O Le Crezent (Sons of the Crezent) (NZ), King Tupac (NZ), Punk It Tender (US), Split Ends (Iran), Time Tourists (NZ), Xanadu (UK), and Yaffa 11 (Israel).
Special events will include opportunities to hear from visiting international filmmakers and a programmer from Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, which is this year’s country of focus.
Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says, “We had our largest number of submissions ever this year with 2,194 entries. This is a testament to the unstoppable creativity of filmmakers, who managed to complete their work during a pandemic.”
Regarding trends, “There is a larger number of animated short films being created than pre-pandemic, which makes sense as these don’t rely as heavily on groups of people being in the same place. We are also seeing a long-term lift in diversity with high quality shorts being produced by people from a wider range of geographic locations and perspectives on our world. I’ve particularly enjoyed seeing more short films from African nations.”
Show Me Shorts will launch with Auckland Opening Night on Friday 7 October at The Hollywood, Avondale. Wellington Opening Night will follow on Thursday 13 October at The Embassy, and then Christchurch Opening Night on Friday 14 October at Alice Cinema. The Awards Night – at which the eight coveted major prizes will be presented – will take place on Sunday 9 October at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket.
Show Me Shorts will play in Arrowtown, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Hamilton, Havelock, Katikati, Matamata, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Ōpōtiki, Ōtaki, Picton, Tākaka, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangārei, Whitianga and Antarctica.
Here are the 13 sections playing at this year’s festival with descriptions from Show Me Shorts:
Datsun
The Sampler
Enjoy a variety of highlights from this year’s Show Me Shorts Film Festival. These are some of the most cinematic short films that will make you laugh, gasp or think more deeply about our world and the people in it. It’s all about the connections between us. Sometimes things go haywire, while at other times everything is in sync! Sit back and enjoy the ride with fast cars, fast humans, whimsical romance, family misunderstandings, competitive dads, and a practical joke gone awry.
*A regional variation plays in Dunedin, New Plymouth and Waiheke Island with a locally made film included in the programme.
Idodo
Whānau Friendly 1
Come together as a family to enjoy the magic of cinema. Meet a fluffy cat and a curious chameleon, a rugby-mad boy who learns to be brave, and a boy learning sign language. Travel across the Pacific to learn myths and legends, or just home on the school bus. There is something to delight and charm adults and tamariki alike in this collection of vibrant, educational and just plain good fun short films.
*Library versions are playing a shortened version of this programme that doesn’t include Small Waves.
Über Wasser (On Solid Ground)
Swiss Focus 1
Historically Switzerland’s cinema has captured a sentimentality for its majestic mountains and great natural beauty. This era was followed by a period of experimental French New Wave influence. Today this modern and prosperous European country’s screen industry is diverse, reflecting a rich intersection of cultures and its four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansch. In this collection of new Swiss films we explore richly imaginative and moving worldviews, from top creatives.
Time Tourists
The Cost of Progress
What price are we willing to pay for economic and technological advancement? The short films in this collection rightly ask the question. Should we be willing to give up our health, our homes, certain animal species, or our sense of community? Travel to some truly inspiring, beautiful and ravaged landscapes across the globe, and in our own backyard. Meet the people who are becoming the change needed to build our world back better.
My AI Lover
Future Visions
Step into the future with these short films. It’s a brave new world of imagination with advanced technology, but it might not be all we hoped. A robot malfunctions, we get overthrown by aliens, lost in a dystopian wasteland, and have our dream house occupied by an underclass. Throughout this, love remains an elusive quest we are drawn to follow. Would you opt for an artificial lover if given the choice?
Skin Can Breathe
Breaking Expectations
Bold men and women populate these stories. Meet a pregnant woman who has been selected as an astronaut, a stripper cutting loose, and an archeologist who has discovered something she can’t quite believe. Let us treat you to a dose of overachievement, eccentricity and sparkle. Comedy and crisis collide in these character-driven short films.
Trinou (Train)
Life’s Detours
The road we travel unfolds apace, but sometimes we get stalled or turned around. The people in these stories are taking a breath to assess where they are, and where they are headed. It’s a refreshing collection of short films with a wide variety of settings united by this moment of crossroads. Travel with us across the world, or simply down to the nearest nudist beach. Come and contemplate with us as we sit on a summer’s afternoon to watch the neighbours, to listen to music, or dare to dream of a new and better life.
The Difference Between Pipi and Pūpū
Aotearoa Woven
Discover the rising talents of new and established directors in this collection of short films from Aotearoa New Zealand. The films follow tales of woe and wonder – woven throughout is the value of deep connections with whānau and the ways that we can be lost or threaded back together. Continuing our long tradition of outstanding storytelling, these short films will be hard not to binge watch.
Tangaroa – Alien Weaponry
Twisted Twilight
Wander into the shadows with us as we lead you through a collection of creepy short films. Visit with monsters and those who seek to exorcise demons. We will be stalked by unknown malevolent figures, possessed by an alien force, and get lost in a watery netherworld. Make a wish and see it turned upside down. It’s a thrilling roller-coaster ride of high tension that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
A Little Someone
Whānau Friendly 2
Online screening
Short films are perfect viewing for children, and these ones are suitable for the whole family to enjoy together. You will all find something to entertain, fascinate and inspire. Meet a fantastic beast, a busker and two best friends. Learn the importance of standing up for yourself, helping others and following your dreams. Sing along and learn some Te Reo too.
Das Spiel (The Game)
Swiss Focus 2: Landscapes of Dreams
Online screening
In this collection of Swiss short films we examine the mesmerising landscapes of this country, both real and imagined. Come with us on a ride into the Swiss Alps, then down into the towns and cities beyond. See the beauty of a glacier up close, feel the energy of a crowded football stadium, and visit a future in which machines can read your thoughts.
A Gut Feeling
Isaac Bell Spotlight
Online screening
Isaac Bell is a Whangarei-raised (Ngāpuhi) and now Christchurch-based filmmaker known for sci-fi films that have a dreamy nostalgic quality. Bell began working in the New Zealand screen industry more than a decade ago as an actor before moving into music videos, commercials and short films. In this collection of his largely self-funded three shorts and two music videos we showcase his rising talent and playful sense of humour. We also feature his newest and most ambitious short film The Machine, which makes its New Zealand premiere here.
Shark
Spider/Bear/Shark Trilogy
Online screening
This critically acclaimed trilogy of shock comedy short films by Australian director Nash Edgerton features award-winning actors Rose Byrne, Teresa Palmer and Mirrah Foulkes. Each film in the series ups the ante for our cringe-inducing pleasure as prank-loving protagonist Jack, played by Edgerton, sees his plans devolve into an ironic, darkly humorous spiral of bad decisions and even worse luck. The silliness and high velocity action sequences will keep you locked to the screen.
