Thematic Sessions: Short Film Programming at Tribeca

One of the most important tasks when we start distributing films, whether short films or feature films, is understanding festival programming, which is why I have been reviewing the short film programming at Tribeca these past few days, which took place last week and closed on Thursday, April 30.

Sometimes we may think that festivals simply select the best short films. But on many occasions there is a programming criterion that goes further, with a very defined discourse, which we can only understand if we carefully examine the selected films.

There are several cases of festivals that create short film programs with common elements, whether thematic in nature, style, genre, and a long etcetera. The search for these thematic proposals is one of the most interesting and creative tasks of programmers. In these festivals, the selection is heavily conditioned by this programming discourse, as is the case with Tribeca and other festivals such as the New York Film Festival and CPH:DOX in Copenhagen.

This year at Tribeca there were a total of 11 different programs, grouping 62 short films. These programs have a duration ranging between 80 and 100 minutes. Additionally, we had one Spanish short film selected, Baraka, by Néstor Ruiz Medina, who last year participated in the distribution pitching at Short Film Week.

In this post I have noted the complete selection with the different programs that have been designed this year. So you can review each of the titles, I have maintained the direct links to the listings, as well as the awards they have received:

#1 Animation Short Films
(ages 14 and up)

  1. Curpigeon
  2. Summer Camp Island
  3. Odd is an Egg (Best Animated Short Film)
  4. Angel
  5. The Talk: True Stories About The Birds & The Bees
  6. Second to None
  7. Escape
  8. Dear Basketball

#2 Disconnected
Stories related to communication

  1. Wave
  2. Big City
  3. Big Sister
  4. Life Boat
  5. The Navigator
  6. The Suitcase

#3 Sports
Different proposals around overcoming through sport

  1. The Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm
  2. Bump & Spike
  3. The Counterfeiter
  4. Revolution in the Ring
  5. Run Mama Run

#4 Human Condition
On freedom and the pursuit of happiness

  1. Shooting War
  2. Skull + Bone
  3. Revolving Doors
  4. White Riot: London
  5. Water Warriors

#5 Last Exit
Roads with no turning back.

  1. Oh Damn
  2. Don’t Mess With Julie Whitfield
  3. Cul-De-Sac
  4. Retouch (Best Short Film Award)
  5. Buckets
  6. Baraka

#6 New York – Group Therapy

  1. Hair
  2. Lemon
  3. Approaching a Breakthrough
  4. Joy Joy Nails
  5. The Beehive
  6. Where There’s Smoke
  7. 11th Hour

#7 Postcards
Short films centered on women, between past and present.

  1. Viola, Franca
  2. Fry Day (Visionary Student Award)
  3. Dive (Special Jury Mention)
  4. Tokyo Project
  5. Little Bird

#8 S.O.S.
Different stories based on people helping each other.

  1. Mother’s Day
  2. The Good Fight (Best Documentary Short Film)
  3. Silo: Edge of the Real World
  4. The Rugby Boys of Memphis
  5. For Flint
  6. Blues Planet: Triptych

#9 Surf’s Up
Documentaries about surfing.

  1. Resurface (Special Jury Mention)
  2. Under an Arctic Sky

#10 Viewfinder
Different looks at the past.

  1. Hilda
  2. The Spring
  3. The Godfather of Fitness
  4. Love the Sinner
  5. Watched
  6. Woody’s Order!

#11 Your Heart’s Desire
Short films about the most hidden desire.

  1. Alive
  2. Again
  3. The World In Your Window
  4. Iron Hands
  5. The Escape
  6. The Foster Portfolio