American Shorts
American Shorts stands as the most intimate yet universally appealing section of the American Film Festival. The current year's selection explores the search for identity and diverse ways of confronting the world. Delving into human experiences—fascination, shame, ambition, and desire—these short films offer deeply personal narratives while addressing broader political and social themes. Directors examine issues of race, body, sexuality, and origin, resulting in a collection that combines raw energy with profound insight.
Anna Winkler
Oh, Christmas Tree
16 year-old Claire and her father Ben try to recreate a few of their favorite Christmas traditions.
Jane Austen's Period Drama
England, 1813. In the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, Miss Estrogenia Talbot gets her period. Her suitor, the dashing Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his very expensive education has most certainly missed a spot.
Border Hopper
When a Latinx filmmaker is offered a dream job abroad, she discovers a supernatural way to navigate the U.S. immigration system and get the coveted travel permit she desperately needs. But what seems like a magic solution soon shows unexpected consequences.
The Eighth Day
Parents to a baby boy, a young gay Jewish couple must share they're not planning to circumcise the baby.
Merci, Poppy
A scrappy assistant reaches her breaking point when her charismatic, self-obsessed boss blows off her request for a promotion.
Dynasty and Destiny
A psychological portrait of the mother-daughter duo, Kanesha Jackson and Kortnee Solomon, bound together by their passion for the rodeo and the weight of their family’s legacy in the sport.
Moon Lake
In suburban Michigan, in the mid-2000s, Tess, a reserved and strange middle schooler, stains the floor at a sleepover.
