EDINBURGH SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2021 PROGRAMME 
Nov 5th – Nov 21st 2021
Thanks to our hard-working selection committee, we’re excited to present our amazing 2021 edition live at Summerhall,
curated by our fabulous head programmer, Rebecca Selby-Heard!
AND there’s our special 10th Year Anniversary Online Only screenings of 10 Years Best Film, 10 Years Best Animation and 10 Years Best Comedy!
FRIDAY 5th NOVEMBER: PRE-LAUNCH NETWORKING WITH CINETOPIA
THE ROYAL DICK BAR, SUMMERHALL 6:00-10:00pm
We’re kicking off our 2021 programme with a free, pre-launch networking event with our partners, Cinetopia at The Royal Dick bar in Summerhall. Come along and meet Edinburgh-based film-makers and film practitioners and find out more about this year’s ESFF!
FRIDAY 5th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE : SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
VARIABLES – TICKETS
Our Opening Night! From award-winning Croatian Sci-Fi and extraordinary Swiss Animation to Italian Mockumentary and Finnish drama, we’re exploring the way unexpected variables can throw a spanner into the works! Including the Jury Winner at Clermont-Ferrand, the Best Sci Fi winner at Flickers and the Best International Short at Krakow.
AVERAGE HAPPINESS Maja Gehrig UK PREMIERE Winner Jury Award Clermont Ferrand Int. Short Film Festival 2021
THE SAD LIFE OF A MAGICIAN Francesco d’Antonio UK PREMIERE
PUSH THIS BUTTON IF YOU BEGIN TO PANIC Gabriel Böhmer
THE LAST WELL Filip Filković UK PREMIERE Winner Best Sci-Fi Flickers Rhode Island Int. Film Festival 2021
ROUGH Declan Lawn & Adam Patterson Winner Best International Short Krakow Int. Film Festival 2021
SELECTION PROCESS Carla Pereira UK PREMIERE
LASTI Max Ovaska UK PREMIERE
SATURDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE : SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
ASTRAL INTERVENTION – TICKETS
Fate waves its fickle finger over this programme of shorts from sublime French, Chinese and Canadian animation to Russian black comedy, intense Czech Indie-drama and brilliant Belgian comedy. Including the winner of the 2021 Canadian Screen Award and the winner of Best Animation at Palm Springs Shortfest. We’re also delighted to present a very brief programme of the best films from our new partners, the fascinating and unique 7 Second International Film Festival.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Boris Dobrovolskiy UK PREMIERE
CARRIED AWAY Etienne Fagnère, Manon Carrier, Johan Cayrol, Alo Trusz, Jean-Baptiste Escary UK PREMIERE
SQUISH Xavier Seron
COSMIC FLING Jonathan Langager UK PREMIERE Best Animated Short Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2020
PLASTIC Tomáš Brožek UK PREMIERE
DEAD END David Bruyere, Leia Peron, Romain Euvrard, Robin Andre-Bourguignon, Antoine Perrier-Cornet, Maxime Recuyer UK PREMIER
THE FOURFOLD Alisi Telengut UK PREMIERE Canadian Screen Award 2021
STEP INTO THE RIVER Weijia MA UK PREMIERE Winner Best Animated Short Palm Springs Int. Shortfest 2021
STELLA Beth Morton
SUNDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
GENERATION – TICKETS
A new generation matures and each faces a different kind of conflict with their elders. From gripping French and Dutch drama to outstanding Canadian animation. Featuring Cannes shorts and the winners at Aspen ShortFest, Cork, Animation Studio Festival and ARFF Paris.
EYES ON THE ROAD Stefanie Kolk Best of Short Waves 2020
FLICKER Nathan Fagan & Luke Daly Winner Grand Prix Best Irish Short Cork Int. Film Festival 2020
ANNAH LA JAVANAISE Fatimah Tobing Rony UK PREMIERE Winner Best Short Anifilm 2021
MARLON BRANDO Vincent Tilanus UK PREMIERE Jury Award Aspen ShortFest 2021
RABBIT Charlotte Henderickx UK PREMIERE
MISS CHAZELLE Thomas Vernay UK PREMIERE Best Director ARFF Paris International Awards 2021
HORACIO Caroline Cherrier UK PREMIERE Winner Best 2D Film & Best Story Animation Studio Festival 2021
SATURDAY 13th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
KRAKOW INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL ETIUDA & ANIMA – TICKETS
The International Film Festival Etiuda & Anima, is the oldest film festival in Poland and we’re delighted to present short films from the famous Polish School of Animation, including ground-breaking work from the 1970s and outstanding examples of Polish Animation through the years. Contemporary Polish female animators have broken new ground in animation and we’re excited to screen a selection of some of the best work by modern Polish women artists.
SUNDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
LOST AND FOUND – TICKETS
From comedy to intense personal drama and light-hearted animation, films that examine the different ways that losing something can also mean finding something new. Including the BIFF Best Short Winner, the Worldwide Animation Project winner and winners at Clermont-Ferrand and SSFF.
EYES DOWN Charlotte Daniel Audience Award Winner Scottish Short Film Festival 2020
PERSONALS Sasha Argilov UK PREMIERE Short Film Market Pick Clermont-Ferrand Int. Short Film Festival 2021
PIECE BY PIECE Georgia Middleton Winner Best Student Film/Best Scenography Diamond Eye Film Festival
THE REBIRTHING CLUB Valentina Carrasco Thayer UK PREMIERE Buenos Aires Festival of Independent Cinema
RAINBOW-MAN Dominic Phillips UK PREMIERE Winner Best Director Worldwide Animation Project 2021
SEAFRUIT Alexander Darby
TRIFLE Mike Callaghan Winner Best Short Film British Independent Film Festival 2021
SCUZZ Alia Ghafar
FRIDAY 19th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
THE QUIET AT THE END OF IT ALL – TICKETS
The moments of calm that follow a storm are explored in these outstanding shorts, ranging from indie-drama from the Philippines and French animation, to Spanish period drama. Including the Best Animation at Flickers, an Official selection from the Venice International Film Festival,
the Jury Winner at Somona IFF, and the Audience Award Winner at Clermont-Ferrand.
FALL OF THE IBIS KING Josh O’Caoimh & Mikai Geronimo UK PREMIERE 78th Venice International Film Festival
BASURERO Eileen Cabiling UK PREMIERE Winner Best Cinematography Asian Cinematography Awards 2020
WHAT’S LEFT TO SAY George Farrow-Hawkins
STANBROOK Óscar Bernàcer UK PREMIERE Jury Award Sonoma International Film Festival 2021
ANY INSTANT WHATEVER Michelle Brand UK PREMIERE Best Animation & Best Experimental Rhode Island Int.FF 2020
LOCKED OUT Julien Goudichaud UK PREMIERE Audience Award Clermont-Ferrand Int. Short Film Festival 2020
CONVERSATIONS WITH A WHALE Anna Samo UK PREMIERE Special Jury Mention Krakow Etiuda & Anima 2020
SATURDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVALS SHOWCASE – TICKETS
Once again we’re excited to present a programme of shorts from our partner festivals across Europe, who will be introducing some of their favourite short films. We’re excited to welcome the Adriatic Film Festival, The Brussels Short Film Festival, COFFI Film Festival, Unified Filmmakers from Munich and Shortcutz Amsterdam and looking forward to seeing their winners at the ESFF. this year!
Quarantine and Covid restrictions allowing, we will host a panel discussion with guests from Pescara, Brussels, Sorrento, Munich and Amsterdam to talk about what makes a great short film after the screening!
SUNDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2021: VENUE: SUMMERHALL
Doors Open 7:00pm – Programme starts 7:30pm
PERSPECTIVES + AWARDS CEREMONY & CLOSING NIGHT PARTY – TICKETS
From Canadian thrillers to Colombian drama, there are a wide range of perspectives on view in this programme. Including the winner of Best short at Sanfici and the Audience Award Winner European Short Film Festival 2021. Our 2021 award ceremony follows the programme and all ticket-holders will be invited to our closing night party after the winners are announced.
AUDIONOMIE Maximillien Rolland UK PREMIERE
16 DECEMBER Álvaro Gago UK PREMIERE Winner Best Short Film Festival de Cine de Albacete 2019
GIOJA 22 Stefano De Felici UK PREMIERE
EL REMANSO Sebastián Valencia Muñoz UK PREMIERE Winner Best Short Film Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente 2021
POINTE BLACK Rebecca Murray UK PREMIERE Winner Audience Award Winner European Short Film Festival Berlin 2021
TOM CAT Kirsty McLean
PATTER MERCHANT Fergus Cruickshank
AWARDS CEREMONY AND LAST NIGHT PARTY FOLLOW THE SCREENING