Independent Shorts Awards International Film Festival

Ryan O’Connor is forced back into the life of crime he ran away from, 20 years after witnessing his father commit a brutal murder.
Directed by Jonathan Creed (Australia)

“The Man in the Back Seat” depicts the real-time horror of a violent kidnapping in a single, uninterrupted shot.
Directed by Tom Kircher (USA)

Shizuko was a cocooned home-stayer. She’d been blaming herself deeply for someone. Xian-Xian always didn’t reveal her true emotions, and she seemed to have no real friend. Jie, a lonely swordsman in the online game yet a loser in real life. Internet was his only refuge. Due to an anime figure, the three seemingly irrelevant became to find something related…
Directed by Yi-Feng Chang (Taiwan)

On the surface, Scott Chambers is a loving father and husband, but underneath that he is a monster that gives in to his worst inclinations. After Scott makes the gravest of his life he now must choose between admitting who he really is or having his lies exposed to the world and more importantly his perfect family.
Directed by Felix Crumbsy (USA)

The video focuses on the evolution and changes of human being’s life in the first-person perspective of animals. Each cat in the video keeps alive its own instinct and characteristics and lives a healthy and happy life owing to the care and love of Gina. In the irreversible end of Gina’s life, their hearts beat as one with the heartbeat of Gina and guard Gina by her side ever after in their own way.
Characters, scenes and props in the videos are no less than delicate artworks that deliver the delicacy and tenderness to the video. This is what stop-motion animation differentiates itself from other animation forms. Now, let’s set off the touching voyage brought by the extraordinary stop-motion animation.
Directed by Jie Weng (China)

“Grind” is a story of anxiety and insecurity run rampant as an insecure but stubborn young gay man named Kaleb obtains a gym membership and hires a personal trainer to improve his physique. Although initially unsuccessful in negotiating the labyrinth of exercise machines and intimidating body masses, with the help of his patient personal trainer named Travis, Kaleb overcomes his nerves and finds a strength within himself that he never knew he had.
Directed by Jesse Ung (New Zealand)

A short documentary about how one teacher changed many students lives at his school.
Directed by Glenn Maxwell (USA)

We follow the story of Robo, a self-aware robot that dreams of seeing the outside world. But in order to do so, he must prove to his Creator that he is capable by completing simple tasks. However, his calamitous behavior sees his dream of freedom inch further and further away.
Directed by Chas Harrington (UK)

A man is trapped in a mysterious room with a ticking countdown clock. What will happen when it reaches zero? He doesn’t plan on finding out.
Directed by Niko Baumbach and Beshoy Eskarous (USA)

A slow burning and silent eerie tale about escaping followed by personal transformations, addiction, programmed human nature and the primal urges of evolved creature comforts through a macabre metaphorical manufacturing process.
Directed by Ty Brueilly (USA)

After suffering a brutal attack, eight-year-old Kuo is found in the woods without his eyes. With the help of his stuffed animal Bainfu, whose bright red eyes Kuo uses as a guide, he sets off on a journey to find the mysterious faceless woman who stole his sight from him.
Directed by O.B. De Alessi (Italy)

A stop-motion film about a man’s endless hunt for elusive energy sources in a decaying world.
Directed by Bismark Fernandes (USA)

A highly disturbing short psychological horror film that blurs the line of wakefulness, between consciousness and unconsciousness.
Directed by Ray Brady (UK)

Axel is a choreographer working in a dance company. Beyond everyone’s expectation, he appoints Claire, a young dancer without experience, as the premier dancer for the new show. Before the debut, Claire lost her memory in a car accident. Axel has built his hope on her, and he will do everything to restore her memory.
Directed by Matthieu Estrem (USA)