Narrative Short Competition presented by Vimeo
Narrative Short Program 1
Exceptional storytelling that captivates, surprises, and excites.
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.
Program Includes:
Kaylee Hord, a 17-year-old prank video influencer, is the newest member of a popular TikTok content house where she struggles to fit in and pay the rent. But when a new and intense friendship offers the chance of viral fame, Kaylee learns how far she'll go to belong.
Erica, a programmer, is confined in her studio apartment all day, with her work from home job. She’s in constant meetings with her eccentric boss Devon. She often ignores him and gazes out her window, captivated by the enigmatic Nat, her next-door neighbor. Erica's voyeuristic tendencies take a dark turn when she engineers a plan playing with Nat's life.
Burgeoning young filmmakers Jay and Kiki are moved to tears by a great piece of cinema. Their admiration is instantly squandered at the subsequent Q&A, where the hip director’s rolex is infinitely more tasteful than his vibe. Yet he offers one piece of monumental male director advice: artists should “set themselves free.” As ambitious young women, Jay and Kiki set off to break up with their long term boyfriends and commit themselves to their art. Unfortunately, only Jay follows through with their pact. At a cafe later, Jay reprimands Kiki, and their emotions come to a head, testing the girls' friendship and how far they are willing to go for their art…
It’s Monday morning in corporate America. Everyone's asking you “how was your weekend?” and you're telling them “good, how about yours?” But what if you didn’t have a good weekend... and that created a tear in the work/life balance that keeps your office running? Because with everyone back to work in person, you're with your Office Family more than your Real Family. You turn on "work mode" every morning, and sometimes it's hard to turn it back off. "How Was Your Weekend?" is about the relationship we share with work, with each other, what we bring home with us, and what we take back to the office — the surreal horror that comes from personal spilling into the workplace.
"The Singers" is a genre-bending film adaptation of a 19th-century short story written by Ivan Turgenev, in which a lowly pub full of downtrodden men connect unexpectedly through an impromptu sing-off. The film explores the complexities of masculinity and the power of vulnerability through art.
When a romantic gesture towards a bartender backfires, Lali unexpectedly finds herself offered a pity date by another bartender, Ana. What starts as an awkward encounter turns into a genuine connection as they bond over shared experiences as women of color. As they grow closer, Lali finds herself falling for Ana. But when the conversation takes an unexpected turn, Lali must confront her prejudices towards Ana and... herself.