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My film festival, Short’s Winning, is a film festival that is focused on short comedy films. This film festival is designed to be a safe space for everyone to come together and share their love for comedy film. I believe laughter is very crucial in what makes the world go round. Comedy films can help people let loose and enjoy the little things life has to offer. I named my film festival Short’s Winning because my festival is made up of solely short films, and the word winning can be linked to the successes of each film being so good that they were chosen to enter my film festival.

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I chose this film because it has a funny storyline. I enjoyed watching the male actor age into a gray old man while the woman stayed young throughout the whole film. By doing that, viewers can see that he’s aging a lot quicker and its very obvious to why. Playing this film first will really help set the tone for the audience and get them in the mood to laugh. The message in this film could be interpreted as “speak up before it's too late”. The plot twist at the end was extremely funny, and could easily enlighten the audience to have a desire to see more comedical films. Both of the characters' personalities remained the same, however there were changes in their environment. It seemed to be a ticking timeline. I really enjoyed the message of this film, along with the laughs, and I’d hope it would humour others too.

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In writer/director Ben S. Hyland's sharp comedy Quiet Carriage, we follow commuter Derek's internal struggle as he tries to decide whether to intervene when an extremely annoying woman starts speaking on the phone in the quiet section of a train. An instantly relatable scenario, this five-minute film immerses its audience in its frustrated protagonist's headspace and poses the question - what would you do in the same situation? Stay passive while boiling up inside or speak up?

"I'm sure we have all been in that situation, frustrated and unsure of what action to take"

The inspiration behind Quiet Carriage will come as no surprise. Writer/Director Hyland experienced the same inconvenience he forces on his main character, followed by that familiar frustration of not knowing what to do. "Ben was on a train journey with a person similar to Emma Sidi's character Misha", producer Adam Gregory Smith explains. "I'm sure we have all been in that situation, frustrated and unsure of what action to take. Ben just made Derek ( Amit Shah) go there!"

Basing his film on such a mundane event instantly makes the film extremely relatable, but what deepens the audience's engagement is that it is rarely something we experience alone. When someone is super loud on public transportation, more than one person usually notices and the shared eye contact between strangers helps validate your annoyance. So not only should we all understand and empathise with Derek's predicament (unless you're that person talking loudly on your phone?), it is almost as if we're on the train with him, urging him on, willing him to do the one thing we all wish we could do in this situation!

The short's sharp screenplay is expertly brought to life by the perfectly-exaggerated performances of its two lead actors - Amit Shah and Emma Sidi. As the increasingly infuriated traveller, Shah portrays the escalation of the situation through his physical performance (though we hear his narration, he doesn't actually utter a word on-screen until we're past the halfway point), his body echoing the mix of nonchalance and growing frustration bouncing around his mind.

Sidi on the other hand remains on that fine line of pushing it, without ever doing too much. Her detachment throughout is hilarious and contributes largely to the success of the film, to not credit her performance would be - dare I say it? - "disrespectful". I especially want to give a shout out to the yellow coat Sidi wears, it contributed so much to my appreciation and enjoyment of the film.

Hyland takes the initial fun premise of Quiet Carriage and pushes it to the next level by subverting the audience's expectations and rapidly escalating the predicament in a witty and delightful way. Magnified by the comedic timing of the editing, the short keeps us on our toes throughout, before neatly wrapping up with one last joke, sending its audience off on the perfect note.

Fresh off its festival run, with notable stops at Aspen ShortsFest and Encounters, we are happy to host Quiet Carriage's online debut on S/W. Hyland is teaming up again with Quiet Carriage producer Adam Gregory Smith on his latest short film (currently on the festival circuit), while also working on a series of short comedy sketches and a TV show called Sex After Marriage.

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Quiet Carriage by Ben S. Hyland | Comedy | Short Film

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In writer/director Ben S. Hyland's sharp comedy Quiet Carriage, we follow commuter Derek's internal struggle as he tries to decide whether to intervene when an extremely annoying woman starts speaking on the phone in the quiet section of a train.

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This short film is animated with miniature play dough-like figures. The people, cars, and objects appear to be very tiny. I really like this film because it’s so different than anything I’ve ever seen before. The people looked 3-dimensional and very real, leaving me unsure on whether it's all computerized or if anything from the film has a physical existence outside of the editing. This film shows several dozens of people going to the beach during a heat wave. The characters face a lot of complications that turned out to be extremely intolerable for them to stay in the sun, but once everyone got a splash of cold water, things started to get better. The combination of music and editing went so good together. The entire video gradually escalated to be more and more intense, picking up in speed. It also kept getting funnier as it went on. I’d love it if other people can watch this and get amused.

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When I first saw Heatwave over a year ago, I never thought that such a fun-filled short would one day bring tears to my eyes. But with the last specks of hope for a summer beach holiday being cruelly washed away by an altogether different kind of wave, it has very nearly done just that. Created by Fokion Xenos, while studying at the National Film & Television School, this seven-minute award-winning (it won the prestigious Mclaren Award for Best New Animation at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and a Royal Television Society award for Best Student Animation) stop-motion offers an irresistible package of humour, charm and technical wizardry and warms the heart by bringing its audience a ray of sunshine, at a time when we need it most.

"I wanted to pay homage to the summer of my childhood and the playfulness that I still find lingering in this season"

Using oven-baked clay puppets, the short captures a snapshot of a day on a beautiful Greek island during a heatwave. From sizzling flesh to scorching sand, melting ice creams and collapsing sandcastles, the comedic opportunities are countless and Xenos has taken full advantage and delivered first class visual humour. Every scene and every frame in Heatwave has been crafted with flair and care, and the result is a cheeky tribute that delights children and adults alike.

" Heatwave is essentially an ode to the Greek summer of my childhood and every summer since", the director explains as he reminisces on the inspiration behind his short. "I find there is a tendency to make dark and pessimistic films these days, especially if you are a student. Heatwave however, is a film about being grateful and brave. Starting the project I knew I wanted to pay homage to the summer of my childhood and the playfulness that I still find lingering in this season".

The fact that this was a project close to Xenos' heart is obvious, and it's ultimately what makes Heatwave such a crowd-pleaser. It's the kind of personal connection to your work, which allows you to poke fun at it, but always with love, respect and a pinch of nostalgia. Having spent many hot summers on the beach when I was growing up, Heatwave brought some long-forgotten memories flooding back - the unsightly flesh on display, the screaming children, the sand that sticks to your bits and the self-inflicted torture that is sunbathing - and has given me renewed appreciation for those blissful days and a deep longing to experience them again.

"A beach can be the microcosmos of a society I guess, and it is easier to observe how similarly we behave when we are all exposed under the sun in our swimsuits. I find something humane and funny about that" - Xenos summed it up perfectly.

After a summer spent mainly indoors, with autumn rearing its miserable head and the possibility of a second lockdown on the horizon, Heatwave delivers exactly what we need - a scrumptious slice of pure happiness and warmth, to help us through the upcoming months.

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When I first saw Heatwave over a year ago, I never thought that such a fun-filled short would one day bring tears to my eyes. But with the last specks of hope for a summer beach holiday being cruelly washed away by an altogether different kind of wave, it has very nearly done just that.

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This film has a very distinct sense of humor that I believe everyone can enjoy. The things that happen in this film are so random, and highly unpredictable. It reminds me of the dreams I have at night- random and all over the place. The camera work was really good, and made the film even more enjoyable to watch. The storyline went along very smoothly, as there was always something new happening. I’m sure this film could definitely win some kind of award, since it was so different from any other film I’ve ever seen. The end of the film was so ridiculous as well, and carried a strong plot twist that I’m sure can give viewers a strong laugh. The film was so specific, so there’s not much I can say about it without spoiling it. I also really enjoyed the vibrant, and different variations of clothing on all the characters.

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A young man finds an anonymous package with a letter and a walkman in his mail and so begins a whimsical love story of fate and adventure, that takes our hero on a colorful odyssey through east Los Angeles. Writer, director Jimmy Marble orchestrates the journey of this young man, celebrating chance and the beauty of coincidences with visual flair and a rousing energy.

If I were to describe the visual aesthetic of If You're Ready and its effect on my mood, using only one character, it would be the chef's kiss emoji. Starting with the opening shot, the film is extremely colorful and aesthetically uplifting. From the set design to the costumes, the colors complement each other on screen beautifully and create a very engaging vibe.

Designed as a love letter to his own neighborhood, Marble was inspired by his own experiences roaming the streets of Echo Park and felt like celebrating its community. The use of modern surrealism mixed with pop in the aesthetic is a characteristic of Marble's work, not only as a director but as a photographer and a muralist. In this case providing If You're Ready withan intentional dreamy sensation to the film - an experience Marble was keen to evoke in viewers.

With this backdrop, Marble penned an entertainingly clever narrative, with a humorous tone and dashes of self deprecation. There is a contagious hopefulness and positivity in the film that hooks the audience from the moment the main character opens the package.

His journey becomes an exciting adventure, with a succession of ingenious and unpredictable twists. A certain degree of suspension of disbelief is required to fully tag along for the ride, but the idea of coincidences all working out feels so fun. Since the film never enters cheesy territory and the writing is sharp and self-aware, it all ends up making sense.

While going outside is complicated these days, I felt a certain pleasure watching the main character going out carefree, down for an adventure, as if I was living it vicariously through him. The way the film is narrated and the framing of the cinematography (highlighting just the right elements as the narration goes) made it almost feel like some kind of video game, the audience is the main character and we are simply following the instructions of the mission.

Made during the "three hottest days in August of 2019", with If You're Ready Marble has created an impressively immersive piece, that allows us to not only experience his perspective of his neighborhood, but also an adventure outside, running in the streets believing in the power of coincidences. And who doesn't want that feeling at the moment?

If You're Ready had its online debut as a Vimeo Staff Pick and feels like the perfect escape from the shelter-in-place lifestyle we have all been adapting to. Marble is currently working on a quarantine inspired, remotely produced talk show called What's Not to Love.

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If you're Ready by Jimmy Marble | Romantic | Short Film

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A young man finds an anonymous package with a letter and a walkman in his mail and so begins a whimsical love story of fate and adventure, that takes our hero on a colorful odyssey through east Los Angeles.

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This film tells the story of a young girl who wants to seduce her vocal coach to fall in love with her. I thought it was funny because the more and more she tries to make a move on him, the more he shuts her down. You can tell this young girl has a crush and chose to act on it. Most young girls who develop crushes don’t choose to act on it. Even though she probably shouldn’t have since he is way older than her, I believe that she can remind a lot of people on how they once acted as a young teenager. I can personally relate to her because I remember having crushes as a teenager, although they were mostly celebrity crushes. I enjoy Esther’s character and her boldness. I also enjoyed the diversity in the film by using Jewish actors and involving the Jewish community, which is something that doesn’t occur often in the film industry.

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Esther is about to become a woman! Her bat mitzvah is coming up and in true 13-year old misguided fashion, she has something special planned for her last Hebrew lesson with her quite attractive tutor. S/W alum Rebecca Halfon () is back with her new film Esther, a charmingly awkward coming-of-age comedy about the pain and glory of entering teenhood.

"Life as a thirteen year old girl is really an experience without parallel"

Though a fictional story, Esther is heavily inspired by writer/director Rebecca Halfon's personal experiences. Amused by the idea that in Jewish communities, the bat mitzvah rite of passage represents the moment you become a woman, when at thirteen most are as lost as they'll ever be. "Life as a thirteen year old girl is really an experience without parallel", the filmmaker explains. "It's painful, hilarious, triumphant, and totally humiliating all at once. I wanted to write something that examined and celebrated that experience."

Halfon decided to develop the humor of this juxtaposition into a comedic snapshot of life as a Jewish girl on the cusp of adolescence. The film gets even more personal, since she shot it in the neighborhood where she grew up and in the temple where she had her own bat mitzvah. Esther's parents are actually her own, and the photographer is none other than Halfon herself.

Examining this adolescent experience through the prism of its titular character's imminent milestone, the emotional core of the narrative is extremely relatable. This is the story of a young girl who is becoming more and more aware of the expectations society puts on women and is confused by what she sees in the media and what her parents tell her. She is also realizing that sex-appeal is an enviable tool.

Caught between being an adult and a child, pretending to act older than she is and refusing to acknowledge the potential consequences of her acts on others, this is the ultimate teenage girl life experience. Initially, the film was supposed to have a stronger early 2000s influence, but there are enough clues throughout the film that threw me back to the time where I had the same Orlando Bloom poster in my room (the Kingdom of Heaven one, I am more of a Viggo girl when it comes to LOTR).

Another not-so-minor detail that Halfon gets spot on is the removal of the braces. I can personally attest that when they get taken out, it truly makes you feel drunk with power and self-confidence and as a teenager, this newfound energy might get channeled in the wrong direction.

Ultimately, the film is a comedy based on how misguided Esther is and the awkwardness she creates in that last tutoring session and Halfon doesn't hesitate in poking fun at all the small things her character does. Witnessing her setting her plan in motion is so entertaining, her awkward behavior making the interaction with the tutor even funnier, while the two performances nail the totally different pages their characters are on.

As the audience, we can see how Esther's train of thought all makes sense to her and only her, while feeling like the tutor, we can't help but notice just how inappropriate it all is. The quick cut to the bat mitzvah is even more pleasant juxtaposed to the chaos of the previous scene, and without describing the last scene, I will simply say that it is a quintessential 13 yo girl moment, perfectly wrapping the story.

As big fans of Halfon's unique slice-of-life approach in her filmmaking, we're extremely happy to host the World Premiere of Esther. Now in the writing stages of her first feature, a romantic comedy about radical climate change activists, we look forward to seeing her take on such a promising premise.

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Esther by Rebecca Halfon | Short Film | Short of the Week

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Esther is about to become a woman! Her bat mitzvah is coming up and in true 13-year old misguided fashion, she has something special planned for her last Hebrew lesson with her quite attractive tutor. S/W alum Rebecca Halfon () is back with her new film Esther, a charmingly awkward coming-of-age comedy about the pain and glory of entering teenhood.

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This film is about a dog trapped in a car on a hot day. There were multiple characters in the film, all of whom had very different personalities. While trying to figure out what to do about the dog, they all began to butt heads and argue. Once they were trying to get help- emotions started to rise and make some of the characters act crazy. I’m quite fascinated by the amount of characters in the film and how it was manageable to understand all the different personalities in such a short amount of time. I believe that the audience at my film festival can find this film to be funny and keep them entertained. My favorite part about this film is when one specific character didn’t seem to care about the dog at all, until he was forced to, and then he ended up acting completely out of character at the end.

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If you follow the short film landscape with any regularity, then you're probably already aware of the rising trend to make "single take" shorts (hell, even I made one).

Leave it to Short of the Week favorite Patrick Muhlberger (The Katy Universe, Pop Music), though, to craft a oner with such energy and polish that it somehow doesn't feel like yet another entry parroting an established technique. Rather, Hot Dog, feels fresh- a controlled bundle of manic energy about a dog locked in a car that starts simply and quickly escalates into insanity. Oh, and did I mention, it's a comedy?

It seems a minor point, but barring a few exceptions, single take films are rarely outright comedic. The style lends itself to naturalism in that it allows a filmmaker to capture small human moments without the interference of edits: a true "fly-on-the-wall" execution of cinéma vérité. But, Muhlberger uses the technique to essentially do the opposite. With a constantly moving Steadicam, it's a Tilt-a-Whirl of a film, sprinting and pirouetting from moment to moment. When it comes to camera movement, this is about as dynamic as you can get without getting motion sickness.

Muhlberger compliments the visual craziness with a zany cast of characters-each broadly drawn, yet uniquely hilarious. There's the sad sack corporate drone in an ill-fitting polo shirt (the hardest working actor in shorts, Elisha Yaffe), the basic bro ( Gabe Gibbs), the well-meaning, but ditzy social media obsessive ( Vic Michaelis). Everyone is a trope, but Mulberger knows how to tweak the stereotypes just enough that the joke-writing doesn't feel lazy or cliché. It's all so intentionally in-your-face that it's hard not to smile as the circus unfolds.

As Muhlberger writes to Short of the Week,

"I wanted the camera to be subjective and as active as the characters in the scene. We decided that Matt (Elisha Yaffe) was a beehive, and everything else was a bee buzzing around him. At least that's my artsy justification. In the moment, I was probably just yelling 'spin more, spin more!. at the Steadicam op."

Since a comedy's effectiveness is inherently dependent on timing, it's amazing how well-planned the single-shot is. All the jokes and visual gags hit at exactly the right moment. In a conventionally shot film this sort of thing would be tweaked in the edit, but Muhlberger literally achieves it in real-time (no digital stitching was used). Highly impressive stuff!

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Hot Dog by Patrick Muhlberger | Comedy Short Film

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If you follow the short film landscape with any regularity, then you're probably already aware of the rising trend to make "single take" shorts (hell, even I made one). Leave it to Short of the Week favorite Patrick Muhlberger (The Katy Universe, Pop Music ), though, to craft a oner with such energy and polish that it somehow doesn't feel like yet another entry parroting an established technique.

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This film is about a hitman who was ordered to murder a middle school counselor with a gambling addiction. His addiction to gambling led him to owing a lot of money to some bad people which is why he ended up in such a position. The hitman was trying to make him dig his own grave- which was the overall task throughout the film. It was nearly impossible to dig the grave because the hitman brought the wrong shovel, plus the soil was incredibly tough to dig through. After arguing with one another about the situation, they began to talk about childhood trauma and developed somewhat of a connection. Until the very end, when things started to go a little different than expected. It was really interesting to watch overall, and I really enjoyed the use of the music in the film, as it did a good job keeping me engaged and I’m sure my festival audience would think so as well.

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I've often heard movies described as "life...minus the boring parts." It's a somewhat succinct summation of cinema, but, ultimately, it makes sense. Movies trim the fat-the mundanity of every day life-and only focus on the important bits, which is why in mainstream movies, typically, menial tasks aren't shown in their entirety.

Subverting that trope is the basis of Kirk Larsen's clever comedic two hander- Dig Your Own Grave. A lot of folks die in movies, and, usually, lots of bodies need to be disposed of in the desert (or other remote places). The thing is: digging a grave is hard...really f-cking hard. Larsen's central pitch is what if some bad boy mafioso's one liner actually had to be carried out to its logical conclusion. By taking things literally, things go to bigger, dumber, and more hilarious places.

It's a funny concept to be sure. And, while Dig Your Own Grave borders on sketch, Larsen's film manages to keep the momentum going past the reveal of the initial joke-a joke that, admittedly, makes me giggle every time I think of it. It's anchored by two strong, well-timed performances (Amos Vernon and Henry Zebrowski have great awkward chemistry), Moreover, as silly as the idea is, it's grounded by a sense of reality that keeps things from being too broadly unbelievable. It's a fine line that all comedy shorts have to walk and Larsen and co-writer Vernon tip-toe it gracefully. Endings are hard (especially in comedies and horror shorts) and this doesn't quite nail it, but the ride is entertaining enough to make it well worth the time that must be invested to watch. It's somewhat facil analysis, I realize, but landing jokes is actually quite difficult and there are far more hits than misses here.

In discussing his inspiration, Larsen tells Short of the Week: "

I wanted to honor my love for Scorsese, DePalma, and Hitchcock, while simultaneously loving the harmonic stupidity of putting two hilarious people together, like Step Brothers - or the funniest of Tarantino and Fincher's work."

I think that's a succinct way of elucidating why Dig Your Own Grave is successful: in order to play dumb, underneath it all, you actually have to be really smart.

Larsen shot in the desert outside Los Angeles for a tumultuous two days with a hardworking cast and crew, led by DP Alex Chinnici. In post, he received finishing funds from the Hexagon Initiative (which features lots of S/W alum as members) to bring the film over the finish line.

As a writer/director, Larsen adroitly balances both technical craft and a sense of humor, the latter of which is noticeably absent in many "very serious" writer/directors making their way up in the industry. It's this combination that makes him someone to watch. He's currently working on a feature adaptation of Dig Your Own Grave, as well as other feature, television, and interactive projects.

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Dig Your Own Grave by Kirk Larsen | Comedy Short Film

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I've often heard movies described as "life...minus the boring parts." It's a somewhat succinct summation of cinema, but, ultimately, it makes sense. Movies trim the fat-the mundanity of every day life-and only focus on the important bits, which is why in mainstream movies, typically, menial tasks aren't shown in their entirety.

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This film begins with a bit of nudity, so warning to any minors in my film festival. The story line is funny because the woman gets a butt plug stuck inside of her. After failing to take it out- they rush to the hospital. While in the waiting room, the two friends get to know each other a bit more aside from just sleeping together. A lot of the things discussed were very relatable to things I’ve thought about before, so I’m sure this could be beneficial to any of my audience members who are seeking advice in their relationships or with sexual partners. The atmosphere isn’t too relatable, as I’m sure it may not be that common to end up in a hospital with a sex toy stuck inside of you, but the context of their relationship could help people answer a lot of questions within their inner selves. This will fit perfectly with my targeted festival experience since the audience may be able to gain some knowledge all while laughing over the situation at hand.

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I'm a sucker for a funny, dialogue-driven, relationship movie. Combine that with a plot driven by a sex toy blunder and...oh my gosh, Corey Shurge... stop looking through my Google search history!

Considering how often they are cast aside in a derisive fashion, rom-coms get a bad rep. After all, being in a relationship is a nearly universal experience, so films that attempt to capture that, with clever banter and jokes, deserve to be much more than cinematic punching bags. Stuck takes a blue, potentially gimmicky premise, and expands the joke into something deeper, building to a place that is surprisingly earnest and heartfelt.

Now, admittedly, that earnestness might be a turnoff to some, especially as the film flirts with saccharine in its final half. But, in a world driven by snark, I found the film's turn to be surprisingly sweet. The transition from butt play to sincerity is patiently executed-driven by two very solid performances from its stars, Kristopher Turner and Ruth Goodwin. As a two-hander (the film thankfully avoids the low-hanging comedic fruit of them explaining the situation to an incredulous nurse or doctor), it's dependent on the chemistry between the performers, which is quite strong here. Turner and Goodwin are playful and dramatic in equal measure. The banter between them is witty and self-aware, but never feels too "written." Moreover, the opening scene is the perfect example of a short film establishing "buy in" early. Obviously, there's the sex (an immediate, lizard-brain hook), but the dialogue and chemistry between actors engages immediately.

Whether the paucity of characters was driven either by budget (Shurge and his team shot on a shoestring, relying on a lot of favors to get it made) or was always a part of the film's structure, it allows the film to transcend goofiness to get to a place that is meaningful. Again, it becomes a bit preachy in that final portion, but I always admire a script that wears its heart on its sleeve as opposed to one that is afraid to actually try and make a point. After all, as Mike Birbigila has stated, cleverness is overrated. You'd never expect a film about anal sex play to be so damn...charming.

Shurge, who works in TV, is currently writing a feature script similar in tone to Stuck. From Canada (those Canucks make the sweetest rom coms), he's about to make the jump to LA where he is hoping to get the feature project off the ground, while also looking for development and staffing opportunities in the Hollywood scene.

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Stuck by Corey Shurge | Comedy Short Film

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I'm a sucker for a funny, dialogue-driven, relationship movie. Combine that with a plot driven by a sex toy blunder and...oh my gosh, Corey Shurge... stop looking through my Google search history! Considering how often they are cast aside in a derisive fashion, rom-coms get a bad rep.

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This film is very wholesome and I’m certain that my audience will love it. It's different from the rest of the films because it’s two separate storylines that eventually connect. The film also represents characters from several different races, including middle eastern, white, black, etc. The two Syrian men spoke in Arabic majority of the time, which was nice because it’s different to see other cultures being represented. Plus, they were really funny! The dialogue and the stories just matched up really well. The directors were even able to add some conflict in the film to keep viewers engaged. My favorite part of the film was the way it ended because it was a great way to wrap up the stories and keep the audience feeling good about the characters reaching happiness, versus having something bad happen to them since I feel like the audience can easily grow a connection with the cast, and seeing something bad happen to them would down everyone’s mood.

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Bodegas epitomize the 24/7 spirit of New York City. For the unfamiliar, they're strange, magical corner stores where anything can happen, filled with mouse-hunting cats, fluctuating prices, and the occasional guy trying to pour sixteen sugars into a cup of dollar coffee. All this is to say that they're a little unpredictable, especially late at night, when a trip to the bodega might result in a weird encounter with a stranger. Bodega tells the story of one of these encounters, and how sharing an unpleasant experience can bring different cultures together.

The film is an intertwining tale of two Syrian bodega men and two young American girls who head to their bodega to buy beer, and director Rebecca Halfon weaves these two pairs of friendships into a multi-patterned quilt of a film. Bodega traffics in back-and-forth banter rather than long dramatic pauses, and my favorite thing about it is how naturally it depicts everyday life in Brooklyn, and the spontaneous, anything-could-happen feeling of life in a big city. It's a city where small crimes go unpunished, so you tend to shut out the things that bother you, and bend rules to fit your own moral comfort zone. The young girls' reaction to a creepy encounter is to essentially shrug it off afterwards, and the bodega owner shows lenience to his two young customers ("she has ID," he says, when his moralistic associate questions his judgment.)

In today's political climate, you need to watch something that lifts your spirits every once in awhile, and the light-hearted tone of this film is a reminder that there are good people everywhere and they're more than capable of outnumbering the bad ones. Each character in this film is well-rounded, and the dialogue is sharp enough to stick. Too often, filmmakers fail to add enough detail when creating characters and end up creating caricatures instead, but this isn't the case here. There's an attention to detail in these characters that make them jump off the page. The Syrian bodega owner drinks protein shakes to diet for his daughter's wedding, and his loose cannon of a best friend is obsessed with Tinder and keeps eating bodega food without paying for it. On the other side of the counter is a girl whose biggest concern seems to be the terrible kisser she's recently gone out with, and her outgoing friend, who accepts a cigarette from an attractive stranger even though she doesn't smoke.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that a film called Bodega nails the bodega experience, but it totally does. I'm not talking about the transactional, hungover, bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwich experience that you get on any given Sunday. I'm talking about the kind of bodega experience that happens when you actually talk to the person across the counter and find a connection there. We live in a world where it's easier and easier to avoid talking to other people, and sometimes it takes a situation to make different people to look up from their lives and talk to each other.

As an enjoyable slice-of-life, Bodega totally delivers in its 12 minutes, and serves as a refreshing palate cleanser to the ugliness of the American political moment. Others agree, as the film has had a strong festival run which included SXSW, and Palm Springs before debuting online today. Halfon is currently at work on a new short film, a feature proof-of-concept which she hope to shoot in upstate New York soon.

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Bodega by Rebecca Halfon | Comedy Short Film

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Bodegas epitomize the 24/7 spirit of New York City. For the unfamiliar, they're strange, magical corner stores where anything can happen, filled with mouse-hunting cats, fluctuating prices, and the occasional guy trying to pour sixteen sugars into a cup of dollar coffee.

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I would do a Q&A for the film Bodega. I would choose the two Syrian men actors and the two American girl actresses to be on the panel, and I would be the moderator. I feel like the more people on the panel, the more fun it would be to engage everyone since there’s multiple perspectives. I think the film itself was very engaging because of the two different stories portrayed so it would be nice for the audience to see the actors speak on it in person.

1) What was your favorite scene to film and why?

2) How would you describe the message of this film?

3) How long did it take to shoot?

4) What was the hardest part of filming?

5) Is there anything you learned from filming this film?

6) Did you guys know each other before filming?

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The award I will give out will be called “Best short film” and I would be awarding it to the film If You’re Ready. I believe this film was the most creative from the rest. The storyline was very well thought out, and very much different. The acting was great, along with all of the cinematography! I found it highly enjoyable to watch.

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I chose these films because I found them all to be very unique. Each of these films gave me a good laugh in one way or another, so I believed they’d fit in perfectly with the mission of my festival. The order I chose to screen these films had to do with the way I’d picture my audience’s engagement. For instance, I started off the festival with films I thought were extremely hilarious. As the festival goes on, the comedy is still there but I don’t believe that it’s as funny as the first few. I used the beginning films as a hook- to grab the audience’s attention. The last film I chose had a happy and wholesome ending with a strong message to keep the audience feeling happy and heart-filled. My intention was to create a happy, lively experience for my film festival’s audience, and one that could forever leave an imprint on their lives.