A New Perspective Shorts
When going through the hundreds of short documentary film submissions we received, a theme emerged, highlighting the incredible resilience of the human spirit even in the face of tragedy or difficulty. This documentary shorts block celebrates humanity and the need for us all to look at life with a new perspective.
After the Bomb
In an era where the violence of war often leaves victims forgotten, a woman whose life was devastated by a bomb in Northern Ireland joins with fellow victims and survivors to fight for restitution and acknowledgment from an unresponsive government. Amidst her fight, she finds new healing in a friendship based on shared need, where one walks and the other sees.
Animated Shorts 2025: Program 1
RiverRun’s Academy Award®-qualifying Animated Shorts Program showcases a vibrant collection of imaginative storytelling and artistic innovation. From hand-drawn wonders to cutting-edge digital creations, these films push the boundaries of animation while delivering heartfelt, humorous, and thought-provoking narratives.
Animated Shorts 2025: Program 2
RiverRun’s Academy Award®-qualifying Animated Shorts Program showcases a vibrant collection of imaginative storytelling and artistic innovation. From hand-drawn wonders to cutting-edge digital creations, these films push the boundaries of animation while delivering heartfelt, humorous, and thought-provoking narratives.
Baggage
Three girlfriends check in their baggage at the airport, but one is carrying a little more than the others. As they travel along the conveyor belt to security, can she hide what’s inside? Student Film – Aardman Academy.
Becoming Dominic
Set in Edinburgh, this documentary follows bronze sculptor Kenny Hunter as he makes a life-size statue of St. Dominic for a local priory of Dominican friars. As we follow the lives of the friars, we discover a parallel between priest and artist.
Bitter Weeds
Mischievous 16-year-old Liam is sent to look after his dementia-suffering grandmother Pat, who unravels as she mistakes him for her cheating, late husband. It’s a weird, dark twist on the coming-of-age drama about caring for the ailing, generational trauma, and the cruelty of immaturity.
Bonjour Tristesse
“Bonjour Tristesse is a coming-of-age romantic drama film, adapted from the 1954 novel by Françoise Sagan. The film follows Cécile and her widowed father Raymond, who are spending the summer in the south of France with his latest flame, Elsa . However, the equilibrium is disrupted by the arrival of Anne, who is an old friend of Cécile’s parents.
Dragfox
Sam’s search for identity gets interrupted by a mysterious neighbourhood fox. Together, they embark on a magical journey to the attic to discover the surprising things they might have in common, and how to celebrate the ways in which they differ.
Golden Boy, The
A family drama about a non-verbal, autistic, six-year-old boy who, with the help of his older sister, proves that his high support needs can’t stop his potential.
Last Dance, The
The final chapter of a famous East London haunt and the brainchild of successful club owner/promoter Linford “Fox” Wilson. Fox’s world tailspins, as his iconic “LA bar”—a staple for the Caribbean community, a home of Reggae music, and a hub for the Windrush generation—is compulsory purchased by the council, forcing him and his patrons out, leaving his life in disarray. We witness a community rise up against the onrushing tide of gentrification that threatens to
Late Night Shorts 2025
RiverRun’s Late Night Shorts program is all about the weird, wild, and unexpected. Packed with dark humor, creepy vibes, and plenty of surprises, these films are perfect for anyone who loves stories that go off the rails — in the best way possible.
Little Shrew (Snowflake)
A little shrew searches for hope as she makes her way across a bombed-out city.
Pumpkin Guts
It happens to someone every Halloween. Follow the rules. Don’t get pinched.
Smell of Chicken, The
Based on a true story, meticulously groomed and elegant Granny Sima invites her family for Shabbat dinner, but when she bites into the roast chicken, this mild-mannered 74-year-old literally transforms into a grotesque, gluttonous, and ravenous beast.
