An anthology of short documentaries that delve into the lives of individuals and the environments that envelop them. These captivating narratives cast a spotlight on adventures and individuals typically relegated to the periphery, purposefully placing them front and centre in our perspective.
The Archive: Queer Nigerians
Nominated for Best Documentary Short
Director: Simisolaoluwa Akande | UK | 2023 | 25 Minutes
Content Warning – Flashing lights, subjects about abuse, violence, sexuality, and sexual assault
We follow five queer Nigerians living in the UK as they document their lives through audio diaries. From childhood to the present, participants share stories that explore how universal ideas of family, love, and finding oneself are obfuscated within the intersection of blackness, African-ness, and queerness.
Cast: Morayo Adebakin, Alex Enahoro, Chima Itabor, Timinepre Cole, Tom Kólá
Producers: Ermias Asfaw, Maxine Gordon, Joseph Bushell | Director of Photography: Bea Macdonald | Editor: Joseph Bushell, Simisolaoluwa Abkante | Music: Tori Daniels, Tope Olufemi
There’s Not Much We Can Do
Winner of Best Documentary Short
Director: Erica Monde | UK | 2022 | 19 Minutes
Content Warning – Mentions of medical neglect, pain
In this personal essay documentary, the director reflects on getting diagnosed with endometriosis through observing the invasive Japanese Knotweed. While the plant is treated with urgency, the disease is met with inaction, prompting us to question the very things we consider ‘natural’ in the first place.
Producer: Clara Harris | Director of Photography: Marta Massa | Editor: Erica Monde
Terril
Nominated for Best Documentary Short
Director: Jorn Plucieniczak | Belgium | 2023 | 26 Minutes
Mike returns home after time away. He tries to find his place within the social structures of his family and friends while the mining landscape of Genk provides unusual openings. Set in the deindustrialised city, the film depicts the masculine dynamics within a working-class family.
Cast: Mike Frans, David Keli, Leandro Cinus, Silvia Strinella
Writer: Jorn Plucieniczak | Producer: Eurydice Gysel, Koen Mortier | Director of Photography: Grimm Vandekerckhove | Editor: Dieter Diependaele | Music: Jorn Plucieniczak
Aqueronte
Nominated for Best Documentary Short
Director: Manuel Muñoz Rivas | Spain | 2023 | 26 Minutes
On board a ferry, a series of passengers cross a river. Some of the travellers wrap themselves in silence and observe the unfamiliar faces. Others chat to liven up the voyage and speed up time as the magnitude of space is blurred. Motion itself is perhaps the only certainty.
Writer: Manuel Muñoz Rivas | Producer: Manuel Muñoz Rivas | Director of Photography: Mauro Herce, Manuel Muñoz Rivas | Editor: Manuel Muñoz Rivas
It’s What Each Person Needs
Nominated for Best Documentary Short
Director: Sophy Romvari | Canada | 2022 | 12 Minutes
Content Warning – Sexually explicit conversation
Intimate and visually striking, this portrait of a young woman providing companionship for juxtaposing demographics is a gorgeous little slice of someone yearning for connection by providing it for others.
Cast: Becca Willow Moss
Writer: Sophy Romvari | Producer: Sophy Romvari | Director of Photography: Maya Bankovic | Editor: Kalil Haddad | Music: Everett Major
