Shortz! Film Festival

Dawns . A baby breaks the silence .

From independent director and animator, Josh Funk, comes 3 KEYS - a fantasy/thriller short film set in the world of one woman's nightmares. In the office of a psychiatrist (Robert Donnelly), a patient (Brigette Funk) explains her reoccurring nightmares that always begin with a mysterious door and three different skeleton keys that unlock it. Accompanied by stop-motion puppets, marionettes, and miniatures, each nightmare is packed with practical effects.

This is a short film about making a short film about making a short film about making a short film about making a short film about making a short film about...

The differences between raising boys and raising girls.

Lost in Light, a short film on how light pollution affects the view of the night skies. Shot mostly in California, the movie shows how the view gets progressively better as you move away from the lights. Finding locations to shoot at every level of light pollution was a challenge and getting to the darkest skies with no light pollution was a journey in itself. Here’s why I think we should care more.

The night skies remind us of our place in the Universe. Imagine if we lived under skies full of stars. That reminder we are a tiny part of this cosmos, the awe and a special connection with this remarkable world would make us much better beings - more thoughtful, inquisitive, empathetic, kind and caring. Imagine kids growing up passionate about astronomy looking for answers and how advanced humankind would be, how connected and caring we’d feel with one another, how noble and adventurous we’d be. How compassionate with fellow species on Earth and how one with Nature we’d feel. Imagine a world where happiness of the soul is more beautiful. Ah, I feel so close to inner peace. I can only wonder how my and millions of other lives would have changed.

But in reality, most of us live under heavily light polluted skies and some have never even seen the Milky Way. We take the skies for granted and are rather lost in our busy lives without much care for the view of the stars.

How does light pollution affect the night skies and quite possibly our lives?

Johnny Davis struggles to attract customers to his empty village bar. With the threat of losing his livelihood looming large, Johnny locks himself away to become a Flair Bartending Cocktail King in an attempt to win his customers back and to inadvertently save the day for the village church.

A little girl, still dealing with her mother's death, comes across a seemingly destitute man who bears a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, and despite his protestations, takes comfort in helping him.

In a seemingly utopian future, an elderly woman struggles to accept that it seems like it's her turn to die. 

Irene is eight and she just woke up from a horrible dream.