11. Whispering Tears (2022) by Mriganka Goswami (India)
Mriganka Goswami directs a film that thrives mainly in four aspects. The first is the overall atmosphere mentioned before, with the questions about what exactly has happened, and eventually the reasons behind them, retaining interest for the whole of the 28 minutes the short lasts. Conjunctively, the build up to what is happening, and the somewhat open ending, particularly regarding Meera's thoughts and what she will choose to do next, is also great. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
12. Where No One Lives (2022) by Li Anne Liew (USA)
“Where No One Lives” is utterly impressive in its sincere portrayal of everyday struggles and the production touches on aspects of humanity that will draw instant connections with the viewer. Catch the short film if you can; while it is slightly restricted by budget and limited experience, Li Anne Liew is a director to keep an eye on going forward. (Adam Symchuk)
13. Before the Sunset (2023) by Hiroshi Akabane (Japan)
Despite some cliches and cheesiness here and there, “Before the Sunset” emerges as an easy to watch, entertaining movie, that also includes a number of unusual and intelligent elements that make it stand out. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
14. Setagaya Game (2022) by Ken Ohara and Go Ohara (Japan)
As mentioned before, Ken and Go Ohara use a basic premise as a starting point for a tour-de-force chase of the protagonist. Especially in the first half, we follow Takeru trying to make sense of what is happening and rescue his friend, while fending off countless attackers, thugs and cops, and also negotiating with strangers whose bags he is supposed to steal for unknown reasons. Technically this is quite well done, with the combination of dynamic editing, cinematography and the fight choreography resulting in a few solid action and chase sequences. In this context, Reiji Takahashi's performance also needs to be mentioned, for its physicality in these scenes, but also for emphasising the emotional turmoil of a young man forced into a situation he does not understand, but which forces him to act fast and make quick decisions, a skill he surely lacked in his life thus far. (Rouven Linnarz)
15. A Distant Noise (2023) by Adrià Guxens (Spain/China)
Jun, like more and more people, is destined to live with that distant noise in his ears, a bothersome glitch, a constant reminder of the elusive concept of “home”. The exciting news for us and for Jun is that director Guxens is now working on his first feature film, which will be a sequel of this short, featuring Jun going to China to meet his family. It will be a welcome step forward for a director of proven sensibility and talent. (Adriana Rosati)
