Bailey Tom Bailey’s The History of Nipples has taken one man’s existential crisis caused by his nipples and turned it into a horror-comedy that is as fun as it is sincerely horrifying without going overboard. This, despite graphic self-mutilation (the trick that the film uses is to present it without loud dramatisation). Ron Burt (Joseph… Continue reading The History of Nipples: Dark Comedy, Dark Red Horror
Author: Indie Shorts Mag Team
Hazel’s Eyes: Apocalypses And The Continuation Of Humanity
A film made in a mere 48 hours as part of a filmmaking challenge, Hazel’s Eyes is a surprisingly taut apocalypse thriller. Directed by Jesse McAnally, the film witnesses a couple’s struggle against time and death, and examines something of love in the process. Hazel (Hannah Hendrix) has been bitten by something, presumably a zombie.… Continue reading Hazel’s Eyes: Apocalypses And The Continuation Of Humanity
Boomslang 2: The Dinner: Return To A Serial Killer And His Exacting Tastes
Justin Schwan’s Boomslang 2: The Dinner sees the return of the eponymous Erik Boomslang. Written by Allen Osborne (who also wrote Boomslang), the film is set in a restaurant and weaves together two storylines that unite in an opportunity for Erik to indulge in his murderous hobby. Arriving at The Second Wife, Erik demands a… Continue reading Boomslang 2: The Dinner: Return To A Serial Killer And His Exacting Tastes
The West Virginian Starfish: On Following Distant Ghosts
A story that explores the dual ideas of letting go and persevering, The West Virginian Starfish is set in a town around the Appalachian Trail. Directed by Hyten Davidson and Tommy Martin, the 15-minute film follows a woman who has made it her mission to rescue hikers who give up on the trail. The trail… Continue reading The West Virginian Starfish: On Following Distant Ghosts
Nobody’s Boy: Desperation and Its Sometimes Deadly Ends
Harrison J. Bahe’s 32-minute Nobody’s Boy is a bitter tale of adjusting to life at rock bottom until it is no longer possible. Featuring Daniel Estrada as the protagonist Oscar, the film chronicles a downward spiral that threatens to stop at a violent end. Oscar is homeless, and coping with alcoholism and prostitution. The cruelty… Continue reading Nobody’s Boy: Desperation and Its Sometimes Deadly Ends
Mijo: A Celebration Of Identity And Fashion
Mazdey’s Mijo is an unrestrained celebration of fashion, colour and vibrancy. With its extensive use of jump cuts, it picks up a playful momentum, which further highlights its flirtation with colour and an authentic celebration of self. The titular character, Mijo (Gerardo Rocha) works as a mascot, not appearing to particularly enjoy handing out pamphlets… Continue reading Mijo: A Celebration Of Identity And Fashion
Hostile Architecture: The Horror of Built-in Cruelty
Robb Jayne’s Hostile Architecture approaches the menace of its titular subject through the character of its suddenly homeless protagonist, Kirsty. Short as it is, the film accomplishes a lot and with admirable empathy. The opening scene establishes Kirsty’s (Lisa Eaglesham) situation and sets up the timeline of the story. She is to be appointed a… Continue reading Hostile Architecture: The Horror of Built-in Cruelty
I’m Here Too: Raising Awareness Through Detail
Brendan Byrne and Marissa Kaye co-directed I’m Here Too attempts to raise awareness about depression and suicide risk through the story of a teenager, Claire. It does so by highlighting the contrast between what appears to be a normal, happy life and what it can actually entail on a day-to-day basis. Claire (Carol Elsden) approaches… Continue reading I’m Here Too: Raising Awareness Through Detail
Moment: An Interplay of Time and Fate
Moment, Geoffrey Uloth’s 22-minute sci-fi about a homeless girl’s brush with death, deals with a particular kind of fantasy: the chance of escape, of a do-over, of a save where none seems physically possible. And it does so while keeping reality–and its limits–an unavoidable constant. Charli (Emelia Hellman) is a homeless young woman, squatting in… Continue reading Moment: An Interplay of Time and Fate
Misfits: A Labyrinth of Prejudice
Varun Chopra’s 6-minute documentary Misfits buzzes with righteous anger. Yet the anger is restrained, almost choosing to laugh at the absurdity of things than let bare its teeth. For its relatively short duration, it tells rounded stories of four different people who are forced to fight against the unjust boxes into which a prejudicial society… Continue reading Misfits: A Labyrinth of Prejudice