Short Films official selection featuring these short films presents a diverse array of narratives and styles from across the Americas. The collection showcases the rich storytelling traditions and unique cultural perspectives of Guatemala, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, Chile, and the USA. Each film offers a distinct glimpse into the varied experiences and creative voices shaping contemporary cinema.

The City We Occupy / La Ciudad Que Ocupamos (Guatemala, 15 mins. 2023)

Director: Joaquín Ruano.
Cast: Molly Swan, Luis Escobedo, María Maldonado.
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Drama.

Synopsis: A 35-year-old Guatemalan trans woman returns to her childhood home to take care of her father. He is becoming weaker but is in denial of his deteriorating condition and it's putting a strain on their tender coexistence. One night, as a woman pays them a visit, the father and daughter are forced to face their truths and expectations for each other.

Sinopsis: Una mujer trans guatemalteca de 35 años regresa a su hogar de la infancia para cuidar de su padre. Él se está debilitando, pero niega su condición deteriorada y eso está poniendo a prueba su tierna convivencia. Una noche, cuando una mujer los visita, el padre y la hija se ven obligados a enfrentar sus verdades y expectativas mutuas.

Lupe Q and the Galactic Corn Cake / Lupe Q y la Arepa Galáctica (Canada, 5 mins. 2024)

Director: Javier Badillo.
Cast: Sofia Skates, Magda Ochoa, Sophia Chapdelaine.
Language: English and Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Sci-Fi, Comedy.

Synopsis: Lupe doesn't care about her abuelas cooking lessons, she just wants to rock with her badass punk band. But when Lupe finds herself battling an alien monster with her band, her abuela's lessons will remind her that connecting to her Latin roots may just save their lives.

Sinopsis: A Lupe no le importan las clases de cocina de su abuela, solo quiere tocar con su poderosa banda de punk. Pero cuando Lupe se encuentra luchando contra un monstruo alienígena con su banda, las lecciones de su abuela le recordarán que conectarse con sus raíces latinas podría salvarles la vida.

Amei Te Ver / I Loved to See You (Brazil, 19 mins. 2023)

Director: Ricardo Garcia.
Cast: Tainá Muniz, João Pedro.
Language: American Sign Language (ASL) and Portuguese with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Romance, Drama, Social Drama.

Synopsis: A deaf boy falls in love with a blind girl. Now he must find a way to communicate as he discovers the world that surrounds her.

Sinopsis: Un niño sordo se enamora de una niña ciega. Ahora debe encontrar una manera de comunicarse mientras descubre el mundo que la rodea.

Lion's Tail / Cola de León (Colombia, 17 mins. 2024)

Director: Sonia Franco.
Cast: José Lubier Lopez Corrales, Elio Giusti Carneiro Da Cunha, Jorge Guerra .
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film,. Drama.

Synopsis: Jorge, a Colombian refugee living in France, is about to go back to his country. He struggles to announce his departure to his 10-year-old boy.

Sinopsis: Jorge es un exiliado político colombiano que encontró refugio en Francia. Después de muchos años, puede por fin regresar a su país. Pero no sabe cómo explicarle a Louis, su hijo de 10 años, que no va a poder llevarlo.

Sara (Peru, 14 mins. 2023)

Director: Ariana Andrade Castro.
Cast: Naima Luna, Emilram Cossío.
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Fiction, Drama.

Synopsis: A lonely and curious 9-year-old girl discovers that her father, a truck driver who travels the country transporting fruit, is carrying more than just goods.

Sinopsis: Una niña de 9 años, solitaria y curiosa, descubre que su papá, un camionero que recorre el país transportando fruta, lleva algo más que solo mercancía.

Miami (Uruguay, 26 mins. 2023)

Director: Felix Perez.
Cast: César Troncoso, Gabriela Iribarren, Soledad Pelayo.
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Mystery, Drama.

Synopsis: Miguel and Alicia are a young retired couple. One day, Alicia goes to visit her mother-in-law at the nursing home. Hours go by and she does not return. Concerned, Miguel goes out to look for her, but finds her sitting on the sidewalk. What's wrong with her? What happened during this visit? Alicia does not answer. The following days Miguel tries to find out the reason for his wife's attitude, who remains quiet and still in the same position, while he tries to get everything back to normal.

Sinopsis: Miguel y Alicia son una joven pareja jubilada. Un día, Alicia va a visitar a su suegra a la residencia de ancianos. Pasan las horas y no regresa. Preocupado, Miguel sale a buscarla, pero la encuentra sentada en la acera. ¿Qué le pasa? ¿Qué sucedió durante esta visita? Alicia no responde. Los días siguientes Miguel intenta averiguar la razón de la actitud de su esposa, quien permanece callada y todavía en la misma posición, mientras él intenta que todo vuelva a la normalidad.

Lonesome George / Solitario George (Ecuador, 8 mins. 2023)

Director: Dorian Cambi.
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.
Genres: Short Film, Animation.

Synopsis: Unaware that he is the last giant tortoise of his kind, George has a series of adventures looking for his family. Based on the real-life story of Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise from the Galapagos Islands.

Sinopsis: Sin saber que es la última tortuga gigante de su especie, George tiene una serie de aventuras buscando a su familia. Basado en la historia real de Lonesome George, la última tortuga gigante de las Islas Galápagos.

Pick One (USA, 6 mins. 2024)

Director: Matthew Serrano.
Cast: Rocco Botte, Preston Brodrick, Orianna Skye Fancher.
Language: English.
Genres: Short Film, Drama, Comedy.

Synopsis: Pick One follows a half-Latino/half-white 3rd grader named Matthew who is facing his biggest challenge yettaking his first-ever standardized test. Everything goes smoothly until he reaches the race/ethnicity question on the front and freezes...

Sinopsis: Pick One sigue a Matthew, un niño de tercer grado mitad latino, mitad blanco, que enfrenta su mayor desafío hasta ahora: tomar su primer examen estandarizado. Todo va bien hasta que llega a la pregunta de raza/etnia al frente y se congela...