Short films are an effective tool for learning, experimenting and honing your skills as a storyteller. They are also a little easier to manage and cheaper to produce than a feature film.
If your goal is to write a great short film, the best way to work on those skills is to watch a lot of great short films, so here’s a list of great shorts you can watch online right now:
VERT (2020)
Directed by Kate Cox
Emelia and Jeff are an open-minded couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary by venturing into the virtual reality world of ‘Vert’ together. Vert presents them with a character that is their ‘ideal self’ and what is supposed to be re-awakening for them as a couple becomes the unearthing of Jeff’s secret.
HE’S THE ONE (2020)
Directed by Jessie Kahnweiler
Girl meets guy and falls head over heels, but a shocking discovery forces her to question everything. A dark comedy about falling in love with the one person you’re supposed to hate.Â
TWO DISTANT STRANGERS (2021)
Directed by Travon Free & Martin Desmond Roe
In this Oscar-nominated short film, a man trying to go home to his dog gets stuck in a time loop that forces him to relive a deadly run-in with a cop. You can watch it on Netflix now!
MAKR (2019)
Directed by Hana Kazim
A fake exorcist visits the home of a man who thinks his wife is possessed by a Djinn, only to find out that things are not what they seem.Â
LADIES ROOM (2021)
Directed by Alex Behles & Christine Santora
LADIES ROOM is a film about women in films. It features a group of ladies in the ladies’ room, talking about the things women talk about. If it sounds simple, it’s because it is.
HOMEMADE (2020)Â
Directed by Various Artists
This is an anthology, a bonus for those looking to go deeper into shorts and see how filmmakers around the world explored the COVID-19 quarantine.
Acclaimed filmmakers from around the world channel their creativity during COVID-19 isolation with this diverse, genre-spanning collection of short films. Watch it on Netflix now!
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If you’re still looking to watch more great shorts, take a look at these SXSW shorts available to watch here. Hope these have inspired you to write your own shorts.Â
Inspired to write a short now? Enter yours into the WeScreenplay Short Script Screenwriting Contest! Next Deadline: May 15th
Julia Camara is an award-winning Brazilian screenwriter/filmmaker. Julia won a Telly Award for the sci-fi found footage feature Occupants. Julia’s feature directorial debut In Transit, won Best Experimental Film at four different festivals. Julia’s other writing credits include Area Q and Open Road.Â
