If you’re interested in exploring cinema beyond the restrictive Hollywood lens, non-Western short films are an excellent option: they offer important perspectives, tell stories intricately, and offer a starting point for conversations about real-world complexities. Here is a short list of a few short film standouts that are well worth a watch.
Derek Nguyen’s The Resemblance: Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Derek Nguyen and his family left for America as refugees of the Vietnam War. Nguyen began his career as a playwright, but soon transitioned into filmmaking. His feature-length debut, The Housemaid, became an international success following its release. In his works, Nguyen often explores psychological horror and diasporic storytelling while centering Asian and Asian American storylines. His short film The Resemblance centers around a Vietnamese couple who use a “rental family” service to hire an actor to portray their dead son. Although only looking for closure, the parents find themselves confronting their own regrets, suggesting that their healing is far more intricate than anticipated. The film presents the impact of grief among parents and the lengths to which they might go to find comfort, inviting viewers to reflect on the nature of child loss.
Moufida Fedhila’s Aya: Filmmaker, producer, and visual artist Moufida Fedhila is a Tunisian native known for her bold and multidisciplinary approach to the arts. Her work often explores social issues with a critical lens, blending poetic and political elements. Aya, which won multiple Best Short Film awards internationally, follows a young girl balancing her ambition with her father’s restrictive beliefs. The subtle yet impactful narrative offers a glimpse into the emotional complexities of what it means to be faithful. Aya’s character is built meticulously throughout; she learns the constraints of her individuality in a society that demands conformity, but still yields a more hopeful and juvenile outlook. Its themes of faith, identity, and autonomy, coupled with its beautiful use of color and imagery, make it a significant piece in contemporary Arab cinema.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Sitara: Let Girls Dream: Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is best known for viewing art through an activist lens. More specifically, Obaid-Chinoy tells stories of gender inequality faced by women in Pakistan. Her first Academy Award win was for Saving Face, a documentary about acid attacks on women. She then became engaged in animation, which she helped to bring to prominence in her home country. Set in 1970s Pakistan, her silent animated short Sitara: Let Girls Dream confronts the issue of child marriage in South Asia. The film does a beautiful job with colorwork and music: the bright, rich colors associated with Pakistani culture evoke a sense of hope, while the music shifts to match the storyline tonally. Sitara is a powerful and moving reminder of the millions of girls who will become child brides and a call to parents to support their daughters’ aspirations.
Modern Hollywood films could never compare to the honesty and creative ingenuity in each of these pieces. If you’re intrigued by any of these short films, be sure to give them a watch!
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