Shorts Line-up of the 80th Venice International Film Festival
Let’s focus on the featured shorts in Venice, shall we?
By Curation Hour
A lot has been going on for the past week since the Venice International Film Festival hit the red carpet for its 80th edition. While the event was a hub of creativity and cinematic brilliance, it was not without its fair share of controversies. Gone are the days of speculating 'Who spit on Chris Pine?' - the current talk of the town revolves around the strikes initiated by the writers' and actors' guilds, bringing Hollywood to a temporary standstill. Additionally, the festival faced mixed reactions due to the inclusion of several directors embroiled in rape allegations. All that hardly switched the festival’s focus, featuring auteurs and their creative teams’ works under the spotlight.
The Golden Lion for Best Film was taken by Lorgos Lanthimos for his work - Poor Things. The Venice Short Film Nomination for the European Film Awards 2023 went to a film A Short Trip by Erenik Beqiri. Below, we listed other runners for the Orizzonti Award for the Best Short Film.
A Short Trip by Erenik Beqiri
Klodi and Mira, a youthful Albanian couple, decide to arrange a marriage between Mira and a Frenchman for financial gain, to secure French citizenship. In the process, they should come to terms with letting each other go. Erenik Beqiri’s short film, The Van, was part of the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival and is now making its rounds in festivals worldwide.
Et si le Soleil Plongeait Dans L'Océan De Nues by Wissam Charaf
The director hailing from Beirut claimed the title of Best Film in the Venice Days category just the previous year for his compelling drama, Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous. Now, he quickly returns with a narrative set in Lebanon, specifically on a construction site. The short narrates a story of a security agent Raed, who must prevent passing-by walkers from accessing the seaside. Yet as the horizon becomes each day more stifled by the construction, Raed makes peculiar encounters.
Area Boy by Iggy London
Eli, a teenage newcomer to a provincial town, wrestles with self-identity, balancing life between friends and involvement in the church community. Iggy London is acclaimed for Velvet, winning at Thunderdance Cannes and Music+Sound Awards, while his films shine at BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying festivals like London Short Film and Aesthetica.
Duan Pian Gushi (Short Story) by Wu Lang
The husband's recurring dream of his wife's departure makes him think of ways to save their relationship. In the director's statement, Wu Lang said: “Sometimes, life feels like a dream. We’re aware that we’re dreaming, but we don’t want to wake up.” Wu Lang gained recognition at the Berlin Film Festival with his debut feature Absence, which was featured in the festival's prestigious Encounters section.
The Meatseller by Margherita Giusti
Margherita Giusti, a Rome-based animator and director created a real-life tale of Selinna Ajamikoko (with her own voice-over), a young Nigerian aspiring to follow in her mother's footsteps as a meatseller, embarking on a harrowing journey to Italy, marked by atrocities and inhumanity.
Bogotá Story by Esteban Pedraza
It's 1992 in Columbia; a period of drug violence, car bombings, and daily power shortages. A young mother residing in Bogotá is offered an internship offer in the U.S., forcing her to make a life-altering choice between pursuing her dreams and staying with her family.
Cross My Heart and Hope to Die by Sam Manacsa
Cross My Heart And Hope To Die narrates the tale of Mila, an exploited worker who encounters her love interest while yearning for a better life, ultimately becoming entangled in a web of intricate complications. “Workers can’t have a decent wage. Lives are taken in a split second. People can be self-serving that they cannot see what causes others to suffer,” said Sam Manacsa in an interview with Rappler.
Aitana by Marina Alberti
Marina's family legacy of memory loss, from her grandmother to her mother Aitana, unfolds as she immerses herself in their shared memories, revealing a tapestry of a nation's history over a century.
Dive by Aldo Iuliano
Two teenagers escape to a remote beach seeking solace from the world and to share precious moments. Aldo Iuliano’s latest short film, Penalty, won the 2017 Golden Globe, received five Silver Ribbon nominations, and secured the SIAE ‘Best Short Film’ award at the 74th Venice Film Festival. With over 45 international awards and inclusion in four Academy Awards circuit festivals, it earned eligibility for the 2018 Oscars.
Sentimental Stories by Xandra Popescu
The Berlin and Bucharest-based director, Xandra Popescu, narrates the story of Violeta, who dreams of a different life, while her niece Maria, a committed pacifist, avoids ambition. Amidst chores and conversations, they explore their futures and their love stories.
Dar Saaye Sarv (In the Shadow of the Cypress) by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani
The 20-minute animation, produced by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, tells the story of a veteran suffering from PTSD who resides by the seaside with his daughter, both grappling with a sense of isolation. The man's frustration grows as he struggles to meet his expectations as a father.
Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz
Following their creator's passing, Mary, Dick, and Bill find themselves alone in the studio alongside his lifeless body. The puppets try to continue producing the show for the children but discover that their new material isn't suitable for their youthful audience.
Sea Salt by Leila Basma
As she enjoys the summer day by the southern Lebanese seaside, 17-year-old Nayla grapples with the universal Lebanese youth dilemma: whether to depart or remain. Her documentary short film The Adam Basma Project of her second year at FAMU was selected for the 48th Student Academy Awards, the Student Oscars.
