• Brief Encounters

From a surprising knock at the door to the chance encounter on a beach, our most profound and memorable experiences occur in the shortest of time spans. These films examine the abiding impact of terse exchanges and fleeting interactions.

Short Films

Anthony's

After a fight with her ex-boyfriend, Aimee runs into her old English teacher, Anthony, and learns about his eccentric new enterprise. Meet the filmmaker: https://youtu.be/zQgQ-6izo9w

The Pass

While on holiday, Ben misreads signals from a handsome young man whose friends recommend they explore a private beach called The Pass. Going alone, Ben swims and meets an older man who grows aggressive as he struggles to mask his desires, leaving Ben afraid to get out of the water.

Walk of Shame

A mourning widow suspects a stranger in town is wearing her late husband’s Army jacket. She cautiously stalks the man into the night in an attempt to find closure.

Snow in September

Davka, a teenager living in the decaying Soviet buildings of Ulaanbaatar, chats with a classmate about manga and they tease each other about sex. When Davka encounters an older woman, his ideas about intimacy and relationships are forced to change.

Soleil de nuit

While training in an abandoned mine for an important mission to the moon, a crew of Canadian astronauts is interrupted by an Atikamekw elder. He agrees to leave on one condition: the astronauts must deliver a sacred message to the spirits of his community on the moon. Meet the filmmakers: https://youtu.be/fOak6inS1pg

Immaculate

Angela, an 11-year-old precocious Catholic schoolgirl, comes to believe she is pregnant after witnessing something strange in a swimming pool.

ShortFest 2023