Pop-Culturalist.com

To general audiences, short films tend to get unfairly overlooked in favor of feature films. During the Tribeca Film Festival, though, there are so many great short films screening that it’s impossible not to notice them. We’ve combed through them and found our five favorite shorts that you should see.

Curpigeon

If you loved Up! for its old man and big heart, then you’ll love this. Six vastly different pigeons eagerly await the time of day when their human companions come sit in the park and feed them. As each elderly man gets to his bench, one is noticeably missing. The sweet story unfolds and leaves you with a full heart.

Don’t Mess with Julie Whitfield

This parody of how cutthroat PTA-type moms can be is hilarious. Casey Wilson (from Happy Endings) is Julie Whitfield, the mom who runs the Oak Tree Elementary School’s Fall Fundraiser every year….except this year, Rachel (Mary Elizabeth Ellis from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) has signed up to do it. Their battle for dominion is entertaining and the stereotypes that they riff on are spot-on.

Little Bird

This is a story of a young woman, Prudence, volunteering for service in London during World War II. Not only is the production value incredibly good, but the telling of the story is great. The nuances of Prudence are deftly portrayed by Emily Taafe (who also wrote the screenplay). Once you discover her secret, you’ll wish this short film were a little longer.

Retouch

This Iranian short film was awarded the prize for Best Narrative Short. One morning, Maryam stands idly by as her husband suffers a tragic accident. In the vein of recent Iranian award-winning films A Separation or The Salesman, Retouch has a tension and subtly to it. Sonia Sanjari as Maryam is so compelling; her inner strength and her vulnerability are both on display.

Second to None

Although this is a stop-motion film, it is not one for children. This dark comedy tells the story of the second oldest living man, Frederick; his twin brother, Herman, is the oldest living man. Shut out of the limelight, Frederick devises ways in which he’ll finally get his moment to shine. The animation is good and the story is conveyed with no speaking. A fun one to for adults to watch.

 

For more information on the Tribeca Film Festival, click here.