Category: Short Film

Short Film Spotlight: Angelos at Christmas

Greek writer-director Fotis Zampetakis proves that Christmas movies come in all shapes, sizes and genres with the 18-minute nail-biter Angelos at Christmas.

While his friends are at his house preparing for a party on Christmas Eve, Angelos is in the streets of Athens doing some last-minute shopping. When a group of children enter a bookstore to sing carols, Angelos becomes intrigued by one of them.

He attempts to convince the little boy to go with him in his car. Seemingly looking to escape from his own dark reality and intrigued by the promise of 50 euros, the boy decides to follow the stranger. As the sun sets and the boy falls asleep, Angelos drives them through the woods, heading toward a mysterious destination.

Without giving too much away, not all is at it seems in this stylishly-shot short film. Employing a John Carpenter-like piano score, Zampetakis skillfully ratchets up the horror movie tension, leading to a climax that packs an emotional wallop, but probably not the one you’ve been primed to expect.

Watch a short trailer for Angelos at Christmas below. The full short film is now available on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Affection

A thought-provoking 6-minute short from writer-director Connor Williams, Affection stars Justin Kang and Spencer Claus as Shawn and Luke, two young boyfriends who are unexpectedly confronted with their differences during a night out.

While walking down the street holding hands, a passing stranger makes a derogatory comment. The more confident, outspoken Luke’s response is to confront the situation head on – standing up for both himself and the man he loves. Shawn, however, has a different way or handling these incidents… though he’s seemingly reluctant to examine the reasons why.

Smart and compassionate where it counts, featuring terrific performances from the two lead actors, Affection examines the ways in which we deal with prejudice and what it says about our own levels of self-acceptance.

Check out the poster for Affection below. The short film is now available on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Headlock

A powerful 16-minute short film from writer-director Damon Laguna, Headlock stars Alejandro Akara as Diego, a high school wrestling star whose father just happens to be the team’s coach – and puts an unhealthy amount of extra pressure on his shy, introverted son.

When Diego breaks from his father’s strict routine to attend a party with his best friend and secret crush Travis (Eduardo Alexis Peña), he takes the opportunity to finally express his feelings. Things don’t go entirely smoothly, and soon the whole team becomes aware of Diego’s sexuality.

Though he and Travis are able to come to a deeper understanding and finally unleash their pent-up desires, Diego knows he will have to muster up the courage to confront his father once and for all.

Developed at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Headlock is a touching and thought-provoking short drama which examines masculinity and sexuality in men’s sports and the Latinx community.

Watch a short trailer for Headlock below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Graduation

Four Chinese Americans must navigate their future as dictated by the circumstances of life and their families in Graduation, a funny and bittersweet 6-minute short film from writer-director Robin Wang.

Produced with help from the University of Southern California, the film stars Todd Lien and Dylan J. Locke as Caleb and Wizz, two students who are deeply in love, but keeping their relationship a secret from their conservative Chinese parents.

After a dinner celebrating Wizz’s graduation, the boys excuse themselves, telling Wizz’s mother and Caleb’s father that they’re leaving to see a movie. Truthfully, they go off to spend some romantic time together before Wizz leaves for Shanghai and the two are forced to part ways.

When they oversleep and wake up in their car, they believe it will spell their doom – not knowing that their wistful single parents are up to some shenanigans of their own back at Caleb’s father’s house.

Watch a short teaser trailer for Graduation below. The full short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: For the Time Being

A steamy 35-minute short film from European director Daniela Lucato, For the Time Being stars Crisjan Zollner as Roman, a middle-aged man who has recently split from his wife and finds himself living alone for the first time in a long time.

When he decides to sublet one of his rooms to Mel, a younger and strikingly attractive French immigrant played by Pascal Houdus, everything he thought he knew about his life and his sexuality begins to unravel.

Suddenly, Roman is left wondering who he is and what he would like to change in his life.

Letting the sexual tension simmer, For the Time Being is a thoughtful and stylishly-crafted adult relationship drama.

Watch a short trailer for For the Time Being below. The full short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Zachary Quinto stars in director Sam Max’s chilling short thriller ‘Chaperone’

Starring Zachary Quinto and Russell Kahn, the provocative 16-minute short film Chaperone is a genre-bending queer thriller that will keep you guessing to the bitter end – and linger with you long after the credits roll.

Without giving too much away, the film follows an unnamed figure (Quinto) who picks up a young man (Kahn) in his car. As the two drive away together and settle into an austere rental house in the country, the details of their arrangement become disturbingly clear.

The first filmmaking project of promising writer-director Sam Max, Chaperone had its world premiere in-competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, playing in the Midnight Shorts category to great acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The film was also shortlisted for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

Haunting, formally assured and chillingly acted by Kahn and Quinto, this film marks Sam Max as a director to watch.

Watch the trailer for Chaperone below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.