Our first British Short Film Competition is a thrilling exploration of the complexities of relationships, through a superb collection of stories, visuals, and characters. The nature of the relationship varies hugely, from the intense to the mundane, but the impact of our shorts reaches beyond the screen. Through the humorous but heartbreaking Jellyfish and Lobster, we are given insight into a burgeoning new union with transcendental implications. Yet the muted and inconsequential initial meeting of new coworkers gloriously builds into a splendid rebellion, in the subtle yet endearing Care.

Care | Jagoda Tłok | United Kingdom | 2023 | 13mins

This nuanced drama follows the initial inconsequential meeting of two care workers from very different backgrounds which slowly builds into subtle yet satisfying acts of rebellion and survival as they strive against the challenges of the private care system.

Good Boy | Tom Stuart | United Kingdom | 2023 | 16mins

Danny (a marvellously jittery Ben Wishaw) is having a very bad day. And his mum isn’t helping matters either. An interrupted bank robbery, a failed date invite and a dead pigeon later, Danny begins to feel an overwhelming sense of grief.

HALF-WAY | Alfie Barker | United Kingdom | 2023 | 15mins

Leeds born writer and director, Alfie Barker brings us the story of Aminah who draws on the strength of other women at a halfway hostel after a decade of imprisonment as she prepares for her release into the wider world.

The Riley Sisters | Julia Jackman | United Kingdom | 2023 | 11mins

This enthralling and refreshing drama follows two young sisters as they find themselves alone after the arrest of their brother and begin an urgent and frantic navigation of both their scenic seaside town and their community to prove his innocence.

Moon Under Water | GRANDMAS | United Kingdom | 2023 | 15mins

Moon Under Water is the name of George Orwell’s fictitious perfect pub. But it’s also a reflection, something magical, out of reach, which well describes the relationship between Jack and his uncle, and a visceral night out to their local.

Jellyfish and Lobster | Yasmin Afifi | United Kingdom | 2023 | 20mins

This magical realist comedy follows two terminally ill patients discover a magical pool that restores them back to their younger selves, which forces them to reconcile with the inescapable truth of their mortality or drown in the illusion of their past.