• True Stories

From Iran to El Salvador, these incredible, boundary-pushing nonfiction shorts embody the boldest values of new documentary filmmaking.

Short Films

Faraway

After being estranged from his family because of his homosexuality, we observe a young Arab man over four seasons as he navigates his solitude--all the while attempting to reconnect with his mother.

In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best Documentary Short.

Maalbeek

A survivor of the attack at Maalbeek metro station on 22 March, 2016 in Brussels, Sabine is looking for the missing pieces of an over-mediatised event of which she has no memory.

In competition for Best of the Festival Award and Best Documentary Short.

Scars

Alex Anna’s body is a canvas: her scars come to life to tell a new story of self-harming. Live action and animation intertwine in this short and poetic documentary, both intimate and universal.

In competition for Best International Short.

Unforgivable

A ruthless hitman for the 18th Street gang serves his sentence inside an evangelical Salvadoran prison, where he is guilty not only of his crimes, but of an unforgivable sin under God and gang: being gay.

In competition for Best of the Festival Award and Best LGBT+ Short.

The Void Inside

After getting caught in a fight, Vahid needs to sell one of his kidneys to avoid a long prison sentence. While waiting for a buyer, a wish for a better life starts to grow within him.

In competition for Best of the Festival Award, Best Student Documentary Short, and Best Documentary Short.

2021 ShortFest Archive