Summer Rain

Things slow down a bit during the dog days, but plenty of short films to recommend

Author

Jason Sondhi
August 09, 2024

I’m currently pre-mourning the end of Summer as a tropical storm has clouded NYC putting me in a melancholy mood. Fortunately, I can stay inside and watch shorts when afflicted with such feelings and, with my job, that counts as productivity! We’ve got several hand-picked recommendations in this edition if you’d like to join me. Let’s begin.

📅 This Week on Short of the Week

Pink Eye by Jacob Motz

An alpha female spirals when trying to navigate her challenging calendar while infected by a disgusting case of pink eye.

Caller Number Nine! by Sandy Honig

A telemarketer with a severe anger problem accidentally calls into a radio show. He wins a radio contest and enters a standoff with the unhinged host.

We Used to Own Houses by David Robinson-Smith

A landlord is confronted by one of the many tenants he has evicted.

🪐 Into the Shortverse

Still from “the Boy Who Learned to Fly”

You Should Follow: Aeon Video

Comment of Week: ilkim on Mankind is No Island 

🔗 10 Things We’re Paying Attention To

  1. There are few things I like more than a good animation behind-the-scenes video. We liked Zoon a lot when we featured it in May, but after seeing the BTS I think I love it now.

  2. The beloved resource, Art of the Title, is in trouble! Help answer the call.

  3. Sean Wang’s debut feature Dìdi (弟弟) killed it in limited release and has gone wide in the US. Focus Features released a new Q&A with Sean for the occasion.

  4. Warner Bros. Discovery is once again shelving a completed film, this one from animation master Genndy Tartakovsky. 😡

  5. Hollyshorts, amid its 20th edition in Los Angeles, teases expansion with a London edition.

  6. Speaking of Hollyshorts, The Ugly Chickens is playing the fest. Based on the celebrated short story by Howard Waldrop, it’s one of several new shorts produced by George RR Martin, presumably for an anthology release. Here’s the trailer.

  7. Former Vimeo curator Jeff Bowers has a fun new screening series in LA, VinoVideo! The intimate events pair short films with natural wine tastings from craft vintners. Tickets for the Aug 20th edition in Silverlake are on sale.

  8. The lineup for this year’s Gotham Week Project Market has dropped, featuring 106 in-development feature film and series projects. Over a dozen S/W alums are included and new this year is a dedicated Shorts to Feature section!

  9. Fresh off the press, Toronto International Film Fest announces its short film lineup.

  10. Our alum theatrical highlight this week is courtesy of Amy Nicholson who charmed her way onto Short of the Week in 2017 with the morbid animal doc, Pickle. Her third feature doc, Happy Campers, currently sports a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and opens at New York’s IFC Center today!

Thanks for reading this week’s Shorts Weekly. Do you have a tip for us or would you like to advertise in this newsletter? Just reply to this email to get in touch.