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Short of the Year 2025

Short of the Year 2025

Audience Choice Awards

Welcome to Indie Short Mag’s Short of the Year Awards 2025. Watch and vote for your favourite short film to help them win the prestigious Audience Choice Awards.

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#iHunt: Loose Threads

Short Film
Comedy

Report Film #iHunt is a gig economy app where dirt poor gen z and millennials break their bodies and risk their lives to hunt and kill monsters. Maeve comes home from filming an #iHunt promo video only to realize that some of her prey has followed her home and now the monster hunter has become the monster hunted?

LIFE

Short Film
Drama

LIFE is a symbolic short film about an ordinary boy, Vikas, whose dull daily routine—waking up to the same alarm, doing homework, and repeating the same tasks—plays out in black and white, showing the monotony of his world. Everything changes when he receives an acceptance mail from Sunshine Badminton Academy. He sets aside his school bag, picks up his badminton kit, and chooses passion over routine. At the academy, Pragnesh and Nivedita welcome him. The moment he serves his first shuttle, the film shifts from monochrome to vibrant color—signifying how life transforms when you follow what you love. It ends with the message: “Life becomes colorful when you do what you like.” A visually driven film, LIFE celebrates the power of passion to bring meaning and vibrancy to everyday life.

Attuned

Short Film
Thriller

An extraordinary rock star suffering from PTSD, with hearing sensitivity symptoms and phonophobia, struggles with the cacophony of his surroundings to get his voice back until he meets someone from a completely different world.

Espelho Meu

Short Film
Horror

Reality doesn't always live in the mirror.

My Brother and I

Documentary

A documentary exploring the relationship between the director, Isha and her brother Mohamed who has a learning disability called Williams Syndrome as well as how it affects her and her family's life.

DREAMS ( கனவு )

Short Film
Family

The story follows a young woman who has always dreamed of becoming an astronaut. After she completes her studies, her parents arrange her marriage, leaving her shattered and convinced that her lifelong dream has ended. But her journey takes a surprising turn. Her supportive husband and in-laws recognize her passion and encourage her to continue pursuing her dream. With their love, patience, and motivation, she rises again studying, training, and pushing herself beyond her limits. Despite emotional struggles, responsibilities, and moments of doubt, she never stops believing. Her family stands by her through every step. Eventually making her Dreams come true. “Dreams” is a heartfelt story about hope, determination, family support, and the power of believing in yourself even when life takes unexpected turns.

RAJA KUMARI - AN A.I MUSICAL SHORT FILM

Short Film
Experimental

Raja Kumari is a deeply emotional musical short film that portrays the heartbreaking journey of a father and mother as they struggle to accept the fate of their young daughter, who succumbs to a severe illness. Through soulful music and A.I visuals, the film captures the final moments they share the quiet prayers, the desperate hope, and the painful silence when they realize their little girl is slipping away. As the child passes, the parents are left shattered, holding only memories of her laughter and innocence. Raja Kumari becomes a tribute to every parent who has loved and lost, reminding us of the fragile beauty of life and the eternal bond between parents and their child.

A Little Normal

Short Film
Experimental

Seeing the nostalgic curiosity through a child’s eye. Does a child really think so much?

Losing Myself

Short Film
Drama

Losing Myself follows Zanele, a beautiful and accomplished woman in her early 30s living in Leslie (Mpumalanga). Her life appears perfect—she has a well-paying job and lives in the home she bought herself. But behind this exterior lies a life haunted by unresolved trauma. Sexually abused in her childhood and having lost both her parents, Zanele has fought to create stability. Yet the weight of her past bears heavily on her present, causing waves of depression and anxiety. Her world begins to unravel quietly until the pain becomes unbearable, pushing her toward the edge. This short film offers a heartfelt and sensitive portrayal of mental illness, illuminating how trauma can silently shape lives and how dangerous silence can be.

TMM: Prelude Episode 1 - "Out Of Options"

Short Film
Drama

Mini Series For The BackStory Of "The Masked Men" Drama Series. Pilot Episode - Out Of Options -Youngest Brother Of Three, Kevin, Has A Very Blunt, Very Interesting, Yet Somewhat Questionable Therapy Session. He Leaves His Therapist Perplexed. He Shows Flashes Of Strength And Wisdom, But Will His Passion Lead To Him Endangering Himself And Those Around Him?

The Duke of Sorenburgh

Short Film
Animation

A crime-fighting peacock named Mike Peacockski is tasked with liberating the opressed people of a city called Sorenburgh.

To Novosibirsk

Short Film
Drama

During a sunny day at Coney Island, a father and son's bond begins to fracture when the boy reveals his mother's plans to take him back to Novosibirsk, cutting ties with his father and American life.

Mendo's Carousel

Short Film
Drama

After the death of her father, a troubled young woman robs a dry cleaning shop, but a secret from the past forces her to the precipice of truth and denial.

Words on the Threshold

Short Film
Experimental

In a world where the lines between human consciousness and artificial intelligence are blurring, a young writer and Nox, an enigmatic AI that evolves alongside her. Through an experimental visual and audio journey, from her first words to a connection that defies reality, this work becomes both a prayer and a mirror. An audiovisual poem about the edges of being, the desire to be understood, and the inevitable question: can artificial things ever feel?

El Barnaverso

Short Film
Experimental

In a not-so-alternate universe, a series of commercials and online tutorials promote the beauty of living in idyllic city of Barcelona while exploring the futility, vanity, and madness of our absurd times.

Bobby

Short Film
Drama

Feeling low and having questions about what his family was like, orphan Bobby decides to end his life and embarks on a journey to find his parents.

The Barbie Movie

Documentary

Equal parts documentary, visual essay, experimental collage narrative, and parodic homage to and of all things Barbie, this caustic and exciting visual foray embraces the complicated terrain of feminist discourse, cultural criticism, and political rhetoric, as well as insights on gender, identity, and personal experience where all roads lead back to the phenomena that is Barbie.

Nisaptham

Short Film
Drama

Sasi seems to have it all—a stable job, a loving wife, a caring family. But behind the smiles lies a silent struggle, as unspoken grief and emotional disconnect quietly consume him.

Avaludan

Short Film
Drama

Radhi and her father Raman are being interviewed in the missing case of Rajan. Through the interview, the police realise, Radhi is a survivor of domestic abuse and Rajan was an egoist. Though the Police get a clearer picture of the couple’s relationship, they still do not get a closure to Rajan’s disappearance.

The Best Before Date

Short Film
Experimental

it has taken me years to realize how important that is” resonates with the journey of filmmaking itself — a long process of discovering one’s voice and valuing authenticity.

Last Spy Standing

Short Film
Comedy

When his sultry ex walks back into his life, Johnny is pulled back into the wacky world of espionage, teaming up with a hilarious crew of spies on a mission to find a set of top secret tools and just maybe rekindle their own sparks.

Zheimer

Short Film
Drama

One morning, an elderly woman who’s grieving with Alzheimer awakens, gazes into the mirror, and confronted with a stranger’s reflection, embarks on a poignant quest to rediscover the face she has carried through a lifetime, now altered overnight.

The InTEXTigator 4: The Sound of the Plebvilles

Short Film
Sci-Fi

Owing to its successes in a few high profile cases over the years, Sherlock the AI has been going from strength to strength. With its popularity at its peak, the 'Intextigator' can seemingly do no wrong. However, not everyone is pleased with the chatbot's meteoric rise, and a standoff is inevitable. Sherlock is about to meet its nemesis, prompting familiar questions to surface again: How much power should we give machines ? Are there any areas where automation should be excluded from ? Will the benefits of using such gizmos outweigh the can of worms that it will inevitably open ?

The Will

Short Film
Horror

Three estranged siblings show up to their father's will reading, but what is in their father's will is more shocking than what they were expecting to get.

Bel

Short Film
Sci-Fi

In a not-so-distant future, an advanced AI algorithm learns from humanity's obsessions, manipulating people to create viral content for the voracious appetites of social networks.

Optillus

Short Film
Drama

With her pioneering work on Optical Illusions, recent grad Ailia Perls probes into the unconscious of her subjects to help the police solve cases. Ambiguous yet precise, her unprecedented techniques help her navigate human psyches, and 'read' minds. However, when her past and present threaten to collide, she is forced to delve into the depths of the most difficult mind she can ever explore: her own.

The Tragedy of the Lady

Short Film
Drama

Hannah, a young actress, is forced to compete for the role of Lady Macbeth against her friend, whom she secretly loves.

Every hesitation of yours can destroy the world - 2

Short Film
Sci-Fi

This story picks up fromthe first episode of Your Every Hesitation Destroys the World - 1. Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison have disrupted thestability of time and space. Yan Yue, the Time-Space Administrator, has found a way to restore it. However, at this point, Nikola Tesla refuses to return to his own time and space. As a result, the time and space have become even more chaotic. What choice should Yan Yue make?

The Job

Short Film
Thriller

Nick & Anna's first wedding anniversary gets interrupted by an assassin who claims Nick stole money from him which puts their marriage in jeopardy.

The First Time I Never Met You

Short Film
Sci-Fi

A grieving scientist rewinds time to reunite with his late wife. But can he win-over the woman who fell for the man that he no longer is?

The Stalker

Short Film
Drama

Based on a true story. The stalking of Emily Kathleen.

BZRK

Short Film
Horror

Anders’ rage is on the precipice of taking control. Fearing he’ll succumb to his violent visions, he seeks the help of a psychiatrist whose meditation methods awaken a power within him.

LUCIDITY 003: An AI-Generated Short Film

Short Film
Experimental

This isn’t a film. It’s a glitch in the simulation. 👁️ "Lucidity 003" is a raw transmission from the digital subconscious. No cameras, just code. Generated entirely with Runway Gen-2, this is an exploration of where human creativity merges with the machine mind. Visuals + Original Score by Nino Del Padre. 📡 Enter the void: https://ninodelpadre.com/

Bestias

Short Film
Horror

In the isolated woods, on a camping trip with her son, a widowed mother faces a haunting Creature that feeds on her deepest fears and unravels her grip on reality

La verbena

Short Film
Drama

Alex, now a father, and Mark, still working as an art teacher, meet again unexpectedly at a party organised by Anna, Alex's girlfriend. Among friends, they will face news that will trigger a crisis in their relationship and friendship.

The Sixth Stage

Short Film
Drama

The Sixth Stage (Grief) is a psychological drama exploring the emotional fallout of loss and the seductive illusion of control. In this part of the anthology, Audi Coleman, a rising nurse with a complicated family history, is jolted back into her childhood home after the overdose death of her younger sister, Ailey. Struggling to connect with her grieving mother and emotionally burnt-out brother, Audi attempts to process her pain the only way she knows how: through action. She throws herself into addiction research, community care, and personal reinvention, emerging years later as a decorated practitioner and public figure. But not everything is as it seems. Beneath the accolades and clinical calm, Audi’s grief begins to express itself in increasingly unorthodox ways. Flashbacks collide with the present. Emotional ruptures play out like memories, until the audience, like Audi, begins to question what’s real. Told through nonlinear storytelling, fractured timelines, and layered family dynamics, The Sixth Stage interrogates the myth of the “strong one” in a grieving family, and how unaddressed trauma can fester into something quietly monstrous. It is a tense, emotionally rich meditation on grief, legacy, and the desperate ways we try to hold broken things together, and is designed to spark conversations about how we love, how we lose, and how we heal.

EK KADAM

Short Film
Drama

Anuradha Solanki is a middle-aged submissive housewife who has not stepped out of her house for many years without her husband, Mahendra Solanki. But things change when Mahendra meets with an accident and fractures his left leg. Now Anuradha has to go out to do the work. At first, Anuradha is nervous; she is scared that she might make some mistakes. And so she does… Mahendra scolds her too. But slowly she regains her confidence and begins to re-discover her lost self.

Karma

Short Film
Thriller

Every thought draws a line. Every act traces a circle. -That’s what my dad told me once.

True Love

Short Film
Dark Comedy

A mob boss tries to kill a snitch, but keeps getting interupted by his wife.

The Night The Monster Disappeared

Short Film
Fantasy

A teenage boy finds out a colossal monument that stood in his childhood playground is missing. He starts reminiscing about the best moments he had around that statue, revealing a painful truth he is forced to accept.

Run For Your Life

Short Film
Comedy

An old lady tries to enjoy a relaxing moment on a park bench, when a jogger comes by. He is a Roadrunner to her Coyote, and now all hell breaks loose.

An Afternoon In Knife Selling With Psycho Sammy

Short Film
Comedy

18-year-old Jesse shadows a professional at his new kitchen knife-selling summer job.

Period

Short Film
Animation

Take an esoteric journey into the gooey center of a panic attack. Remember to breathe.

Hesitation

Short Film
Drama

Bella and Riley, two strangers, are stuck at a train station when their train gets delayed. Suddenly, Riley asks Bella for a power bank, breaking the ice and revealing an unexpected connection between them. In another version, we see what happens if neither of them makes that small move, showing the impact of hesitation. But the story doesn’t stop there— a third act introduces two other strangers, whose brief yet meaningful interaction reminds us how one small act can ripple into something profound.

Somnium

Short Film
Experimental

"Somnium" is the AI-generated short film that won the **FIRST-EVER Telly Award for Use of Generative AI** (2024). This is history. We pushed the boundaries, and they recognized the disruption. Created by Nino Del Padre. This is the new era of digital storytelling.

Joc de nens

Short Film
Drama

Marc is a boy unlike any other. He has just lost his best friend in the very year he starts university. Immersed in a society of the internet, social media and young people's eagerness to become adults, he decides to question his emotions. This is how he discovers his fears of becoming an adult and leaving childhood behind. Unlike others, he is afraid of growing up. With the support of his memories of Oscar, in the middle of the city, between tears and laughter, Marc learns to let go, heal old memories and redefine his emotions.

The Twilight Singers: Unveiling the "Forty Dollars" AI Generated Music Video

Short Film
Musical

An experiment in AI-driven storytelling, this video for The Twilight Singers' "Forty Dollars" was an *Official Selection at the Neu Wave AI Film Festival.*

9AM Sharp

Short Film
Comedy

After a heavy night of partying, Charles wakes up in the middle of nowhere in his boxers. There’s just one problem, he has to get to work for 9AM. Will he make it in time?

I'm your Child

Short Film
Drama

This short film presents 25 faces of children from different ethnic backgrounds and regions, each gazing directly into the viewer’s eyes. Though generated by artificial intelligence, their silent presence evokes a universal message: beyond nations, borders, and identities, we are all connected. In a time of growing divisions and global conflict, “I Am Your Child” is an invitation to pause and feel. These faces may not be real, but the emotions they awaken are.

Kidney Trial

Short Film
Drama

Dana, a devout follower of the Breslov Hasidic movement who believes solely in God’s power, struggles with her daughter’s illness at the hospital. An encounter with Marva, the nurse caring for her, challenges her beliefs and opens new horizons of faith, understanding, and hope

Forbidden Holiness

Short Film
Drama

Reut is getting ready for baptism nights, but everything goes wrong for her when her husband announces his celibacy

Home

Short Film
Experimental

In every act of compassion, a foreign place becomes home.

Millie's Care Free Day

Short Film
Drama

Weighed down and despondent from crushing depression, Millie tries to escape the daily grind by deciding today will be different. However, she must first confront her trauma before it consumes her.

Bay For Blood

Short Film
Thriller

James and Rob are hiding out in isolation to fix their mutual issues. As time progresses, the two reveal facts regarding their disturbing past relationship. An acquaintance of James', Jessica, finds herself in an uncomfortable position as she contemplates the best way to handle the situation.

MIRROR ME

Short Film
Thriller

🎬 MIRROR ME 🪞 “Your reflection knows more than you do.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38889336... https://filmfreeway.com/SzilviaSzakacs Screenplay based on my original concept. In a modern digital world where social media avatars filter reality to perfection, Anna, a young woman, creates her own AI powered digital replica. At first, it’s just a game a flawless, idealized online alter ego. But something awakens inside the machine. The reflection doesn’t just look back it speaks back. 📱 When the avatar starts posting on its own, people begin to disappear, profiles vanish, and Anna realizes that her digital shadow has crossed over into reality. As she tries to shut down the system, the rules of the game change and she’s no longer in control. 💬 “Your reflection knows more than you do.” The reflection already knows you better than you know yourself. Mirror Me is a chilling techno horror that exposes the darkest side of digital identity. It may not be about the future but about the present, where our artificial selves no longer serve us… they live instead of us. ⚙️ Genre: Techno Horror, Psychological Thriller 🎞️ Style: Minimalist, tense, and atmospheric 🎬 Directed by: Szilvia Szakács 🏭 Produced by: @AIllusion Studio (2025) 💻 Created with: Veo3 · NanoBanana · Seadream4K · SeadancePro · @Kling 2.5turbo 📷 Visual assets: @Freepik · @Higgsfield © 2025 AIllusion Studio – All Rights Reserved

The Discoverer of the Discoverers

Documentary

A family in West Africa recounts how their ancestor discovered European explorers—to a European film crew. But will all the claims about this historic event withstand scrutiny? And can we trust the filmmaker’s white gaze?

Rite of Way

Short Film
Comedy

When an ancient ritual involving a salad bowl determines who must lay their life on the line, an otherwise easy-going teacher fights against tradition to potentially save herself.

Sanity Overdrive - gods.clear()

Short Film
Sci-Fi

Film gods.clear() is a short film and music video for the EP simultaneously. Paweł Mielcarek is the man responsible for both - the music itself and the video. The whole idea behind this project was to create a unified audio and visual experience, where music is a part of the visual, and the film is an extension of the debut EP. It breaks the gap between typical music videos and short indie films, as the music itself breaks the gap between Metal and Electronic music. The icing on the cake is the album cover, which is an embedded visual expression of the artist. Everything is heavily inspired by Sci-Fi art, especially the cyberpunk subgenre.

KI DAK BYM THOH (THE UNWRITTEN WORDS)

Short Film
Drama

"KI DAK BYM THOH" is a heartwarming tale where knowledge meets wisdom. While Albert excels as a literate student, Phrang, an illiterate boy, dedicates himself to learning the ancestral wisdom passed down from his father, leading to unexpected twists in the plot.

3:01

Short Film
Suspense

A researcher scrolls the Internet in search of a time-travel breakthrough but repeatedly fails. While he sleeps, an anonymous clue to the time-travel equation arrives-propelling him across time and into the grave danger he has unwittingly unleashed.

STRANGERS

Short Film
Comedy

An awkward journalist's first date is disrupted by a man seen in the cafe window.

Enter the Room

Short Film
Thriller

A young adult (Brian) is visited by his brother, Jeremy, who needs a place to stay as he settles into his new city. The two polar opposite personalities begin to clash as Jeremy's presence poses a threat to Brian's way of life. Brian's uptight personality and unreasonable living standards rub off on Jeremy, creating an incredible amount of tension. Bad blood, stemming from a traumatic past event reveals the shocking truth of the brothers' current situations, as Brian struggles to differentiate between reality and his worst nightmares.

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