ShortsPrograms

With a SXSW World Premiere and Oscar-Qualifying Best Documentary Short win at Palm Springs ShortFest, this film takes to Manhattan’s jam-packed streets, where NYC’s most iconic driving instructor prepares students for the road ahead. Directed by Charles Frank.

A Florida-made film following a group of Indigenous women who once dreamed of becoming doctors and veterinarians – dreams denied by the stigma surrounding women’s education. This short is a testament to the quiet power of reclaiming one’s purpose. Directed by Miami’s Maria Paula Arboleda.

Fresh off its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, this film is the story of the iconic electronic music group Yello and their classic 1980’s hit song. “Oh Yeah,” one of the most recognizable songs of all time. Directed by Nick Canfield.

In the borderlands of El Paso, Texas, Fidel confronts the complex reality of his life as a Border Patrol agent. Directed by Christine Kane.

Three times a week, Eddie Esguerra goes to Los Angeles arcades to play Time Crisis. As we follow Eddie, we learn that his ultimate goal is not just to master the game, but to make friends and find a community. Directed by Brooke Palmieri, Zac Weathers.

A personal story of a community ravaged by climate catastrophe and Altadena’s remarkable resilience that rallies in its wake. Directed by Ondi Timoner.

Join us for a cinematic evening that pairs global storytelling with great wine. The night kicks off with a selection of international documentary short films – including the latest film from from Emmy Winner Ondi Timoner – followed by a curated wine tasting featuring bold reds, crisp whites, and light bites. Stick around as we shift gears for a second block of shorts guaranteed to deliver big laughs—our comedy selections, hosted by Tom Dustin of Key West Comedy. Documentary Shorts: 3pm Wine Tasting: 5pm Comedy Shorts: 6pm GET TICKETS TO SHORTS & SIPS

Starring Nick Thune, Amir Talai and John C. Reilly. On his birthday, Nick is tired of getting gifts so he hires his own private detective to follow himself. Directed by Dante Ariola.

Jay Newton and Alan Cumming star in a queer comedy short about a hopeless romantic, Alan, going on a first date with a vegan hottie named Blair. Directed by James Ley.

England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. The prolific festival run for this film has included stops at Tribeca, Palm Springs and Santa Barbara. Directed by Julia Aks and Steve Pinder.

Hayley is faced with the cost of letting go as she struggles to complete the final errand that will close the door on her past and force her to embrace an uncertain future. Directed by Hayley Marie Norman.

A tattoo artist is thrust into a deadly game of deceit and survival when forced to botch a gang rival’s tattoo, triggering unexpected chaos. Directed by Florida State University MFA student Cole Kelley.

In this Fantasia Fest fave, The Traveler must answer three of the Troll’s riddles to survive the night and leave the forest with their soul intact. Directed by Adam Murray.

After finding a phone accidentally left behind by an astronaut, a lonely alien develops an all-consuming crush that tests his hold on reality. Directed by Omer Ben-Shachar.

Set in 2005, a driven high school student obsessively studies Spanish all year so she can test up a level into her crush’s class. Directed by Nicholas Luciano.

This Slamdance supershort chronicles one woman’s valiant attempt to log into her email. Directed by Erin Brown Thomas.

Join us for a cinematic evening that pairs global storytelling with great wine. The night kicks off with a selection of international documentary short films – including the latest film from from Emmy Winner Ondi Timoner – followed by a curated wine tasting featuring bold reds, crisp whites, and light bites. Stick around as we shift gears for a second block of shorts guaranteed to deliver big laughs—our comedy selections, hosted by Tom Dustin of Key West Comedy. Documentary Shorts: 3pm Wine Tasting: 5pm Comedy Shorts: 6pm GET TICKETS TO SHORTS & SIPS

This festival darling’s run has included trips to the prestigious Fantastic Fest and Fantasia genre showcases. Two headstrong Koreans can’t agree on who’s treating who to dinner, causing their casual restaurant outing to spiral into a martial arts death match. Directed by Shane Chung of Northwestern University.

This Telluride and Austin Film Festival selection centers on eight-year-old Elvis’ world begins to sink when his mother marries an immigrant stranger for money. Directed by Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz of the AFI Conservatory.

Tenacious high school wrestler Alex battles with the grief of her father’s passing and the hostility of her teammates as she fiercely competes for a varsity spot on an all-male wrestling team. Directed by Sabatino Ciatti Jr of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

A playful story about two misfits who discover that freedom isn’t just about breaking out, but breaking open. Created by the team of Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit, Arjen van der Plas from Netherlands’ Sint Joost School of Art & Design.

In this futuristic short, a cleaning robot is lonely on a long trip across space. So it constructs a companion. Created by students of the University of Technology Sydney Animal Logic Academy.

Through confronting painful memories and finding solace in his growing family, a man embarks on a journey to break free from the past and build a future of love and hope. Directed by Eli Moss of Loyola Marymount University.

A devout fisherman has his faith tested as a series of supernatural phenomena plague him and his family. Directed by Calvin Brown of Cleveland State University.

In the late 1960s, a retiring news anchor is brought back to broadcast one last time. Directed by Colby Barrios of the AFI Conservatory.

Mile Zeros is a comedy film series created by Florida Keys locals and filmed on location in the Keys. When two honeymooning tourists go snorkeling during lobster mini season, they find themselves in the crosshairs of eccentric marine patrol officers whose sole focus is arresting as many tourists for undersized lobsters as humanly possible. Directed by Samantha Queen, Amber Nolan, and Landon Jones.

An aging couple break into rich people’s homes and throw themselves parties to spice up their retirement. But with potential problems looming with both family and the police, how much longer can the party last? Directed by Orlando filmmaker Tim Ritter.

A former stripper turned suburban housewife thinks her life is perfect until she discovers that her husband is cheating on her with a stripper half her age. Directed by Tricia Horvath of Inglis, FL.

In this World Premiere drama, a terminally ill single mom is recruited by a mysterious former government agent to assassinate the ruthless leader of a human trafficking ring for the promise of a better future for her son. Directed by Tony Armer of Clearwater, FL.

Cecilia, an 11-year-old girl, navigates life with her 75-year-old father while reckoning with his mortality, and the complexity of the world that surrounds her. Made in Miami by director Cinthya Franco.

Moments before a televised gun control debate between two prominent politicians, a tragic mass shooting occurs, forcing Rachel, a headstrong debate coach, to scope out a new plan last minute for her conservative boss. Directed by Florida filmmaker Liam Fineout.

A brother and sister have turned to selling drugs to pay the bills. When they stumble into another dealer’s territory, they are forced to reckon with a drug lord turned cult leader. Directed by Key West filmmaker DJ Laguna and Janssen Swent.

This finalist for a 2025 Student Academy Award follows a young woman’s surreal journey to self-acceptance as she confronts society’s beauty standards and embraces her true identity. Directed by Elizaveta Makarenko of Ringling College of Art and Design.

A light and a dark creature fighting to conquer the world from each other must learn to make peace. Created by Afek Felix Eyal of Ringling College of Art and Design.

A young woman returns to the site of a secret experiment in Venezuela to uncover the truth about what was done to her, only to face the man behind it all, who now stands in her way. Directed by Rodrigo Enrique Perez of Ringling College of Art and Design.

A bellboy who uses his camera to spy on guests follows a mysterious woman with a dark secret, but he’ll need to investigate himself first. Directed by Evan Patrick Adams of Florida State University.

A dramatic comedy about a Cuban family discovering $10,000 in their Christmas cabin. Directed by Amy Cristina Lam of Florida State University.

A tender portrait of childhood loneliness and the longing for a parent’s love, told through the small, everyday rituals of a school lunch. Directed by Lyla Claggett of G-Star School of the Arts.

A relationship is threatened when a freak allergy gets in the way. Directed by Aidyn-Lucia Smith of Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

A young boy on his skateboard inadvertently makes an impression on an older girl. Directed by Dominic Salazar of the Harrison School for the Arts.

A mother cow and her child graze within the quiet boundaries of their rural home. Subtle intrusions begin to surface, reminders that the world around them is not entirely their own. Directed by Luke Panzo of Lynn University.

In this Student Academy Award Finalist, a transgender suicide victim is washed ashore the River Styx, and must confront the womanhood she tried to leave behind. Directed by Zolomon Zelko of Florida State University.

When roadwork crumbles her sugary path, a rainbow-freckled girl is determined to deliver a cake on time. Directed by Lauren Best of Florida State University.

When his father’s employees get deported, a young cellist must decide between working at his family’s construction business and leaving for the audition of his career. Directed by Paolo Cesti of Florida State University.