Sheffield Short Film Festival is back for its second year. Although we are online again, it hasn’t stopped us from putting together an amazing line-up of films from all across the world. Seventy films in nine strands bring us insights, entertainment and intimate connections. From BIFA and Berlinale Silver Bear winning shorts to films from new and emerging filmmakers, this eclectic mix of fiction, documentary and experimental will bring new worlds and fascinating characters to life for you. All from the comfort of your own home.
THIS IS ENGLAND
There is much to be said for our strange little island and this mixture of documentary, fiction and self-help shorts will provide a window into the lives of some quintessential characters and stories. Sit back and think of England.
VOX POPULI
The opinion of the majority can often seem insurmountable, but when politics and struggle become a necessity for life, it is not always the most popular that has to be fought for. These seven documentaries explore individual and collective demands to be heard and give insight into the resilience of those who refuse to keep silent.
TEEN SPIRIT
Being young has its usual problems, but this collection of shorts offers us an insight into the lives of young people whose problems are not always that conventional. Facing the world around them, their circumstances or their communities takes bravery and spirit that only teenagers dare to have.
NOW AND THEN
This strand transports us across history and the world, giving us insights into the richness of human life. From Whitby to the Philippines; Palestine to Russia, we are shown snapshots of people’s lives, now and then, and the places in which they’ve been lived.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
Whether it’s stories of supernatural forces, farcical adventure or coming-of-age love, this entertaining mixture of films provides some of the purest examples of ‘genre’.
I AM WHO I AM
In this collection of seven shorts, we meet a drag-king, sex worker and conversion therapist, as they try and work out whether being who they are is really who they want to be.
LOSS TRANSFORMED
Whether it’s death, disappearance or dementia, losing a loved one is heartbreaking. Yet this selection of shorts offers the possibility for loss and grief to be transformed. Whether it’s discovering a connection or championing life; celebrating a legacy or coming to your own terms, this loss we feel can one day turn into redemption and allow us to remember with joy that which we once had.
YOUTH FRIENDLY FILMS
For and about children and young people, this selection of international films shows us the magic of discovery and the struggle of being young as well as the power kids have to influence the world around them.
SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA
From Algeria to South Africa; Cape Verde to Ethiopia, our specially curated strand shines a light on life across the vast African continent and celebrates the powerful voices and creativity of African filmmakers.