Short Films Archive
A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching
A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching explores the hidden lives of New York City’s pigeons and our complicated relationship with them. Often dismissed as “flying rats,” pigeons are deeply tied to the city’s history — resilient survivalists shaped almost entirely by human intervention. Adapted from Rosemary Mosco’s book of the same name, the film moves through rooftop coops, parks and city streets, bringing together a mosaic of New York voices that are affectionate, skeptical and indifferent. Shot on 16mm and Super 8, the film reconsiders one of the city’s most overlooked residents and invites us to look again. To soften our gaze, and recognize that coexistence, even with the most familiar or misunderstood neighbors, is an act of choice.
Looking for a Donkey
After posting a satirical video featuring a donkey as Venezuela’s president, two Andean firefighters were imprisoned. While locals remain silent about the incident, rumors swirl about the donkey’s mysterious fate in this mountain town.
Them & I
Them and I, is a slice-of-life documentary centered around the trials and tribulations of female celebrity tribute artists. With the glitz and glamour of LA-based Madonna (Mindy Milburn), Gwen Stefani (Andrea Esperanza Martinez), and Amy Winehouse (Frankie Jordan), the film explores the question of what it means to find personal identity through the embodiment of another.
Borrowed Time
A woman finds peace during the pandemic in her solitary routine as the innkeeper of an historic Bay Area lighthouse. As her time on the island draws to an end and a return to the world she left behind beckons, life on the island raises larger questions about the nature of our relationship to time, loss, work, and home.
Livestreams with GrandmaPuzzles
A grandmother finds an unexpected lifeline sharing her lifelong hobby on Twitch.
Saving Superman
When a local man with autism known as the town hero faces eviction, the community comes together when he needs saving.
Freeman Vines
82-year-old artist Freeman Vines hand-carves exquisite guitars in search of an elusive sound, some from the wood of a tree linked to the lynching of a young Black man in a small eastern North Carolina town.
Stephen & David's Toy Cupboard
A world renowned figure maker honors his late brother, Stephen, whose unrecognized talent and tragic loss profoundly shaped his own artistic path. As he creates a tribute figure of Stephen, the film explores their deep bond, the impact of creativity, and how art can preserve the memory of those we’ve lost.
When There Are No Words
When her grandfather loses his voice to cancer, filmmaker Gabriella Canal captures the personal journey before and after his procedure, revealing a portrait of grief and resilience as her family's patriarch loses what once defined him.
Deerwoods Deathtrap
Fifty years ago Jack and Betty were hit by a train and survived. This is their story.
Gina
An avid animal lover and activist, Gina takes us through a day in her life on Skid Row, where she lives with her rescue Pit Bull and foster animals. She tells us about the transformative nature of her relationship with her dog, Muneca, and why she thinks Pit Bulls are the most misunderstood breed.
David Again
David Again tells the story of David Dennis, his road to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, and his lifelong friendship with actor Jon Cryer. It is a story about redemption, the power of friendship, and the promise that it is never too late to ask for help. Official Selection of Tribeca Festival 2024 and Special Jury Mention at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2024. Winner of Best Documentary Short at Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival 2024, Bushwick Film Festival 2024, Beloit International Film Festival 2024 and the Programmer's Choice Award at Salute Your Shorts Film Festival 2024.