A heartbroken woman gets an unexpected visit from her mother who hides the truth. | Fanmi Omeleto 2022-11-26 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toFanmi is used with permission from Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers, Carmine Pierre-Dufour and H264 Distribution. Learn more at http://omele.to/3u5ZeG0.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMartine is heartbroken after a breakup. She receives the unexpected visit of her mother, Monique. Too engrossed in her own sadness, Martine doesn't notice right away that her mother is hiding something but, progressively, a bad feeling starts to take hold of her. During this short stay, these two very different women will have one last chance of getting closer to one another before they run out of time.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA heartbroken woman gets an unexpected visit from her mother -- who hides the truth. | Fanmihttp://youtu.be/UwABk2PlPe4http://omeleto.com/259339Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A best man tries to make a wedding go smoothly but he can only do so much. | A Best Man Omeleto 2022-11-25 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toA Best Man is used with permission from Dylan Tuccillo. Learn more at http://omele.to/3U6Xlnp.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoJosh is the best man at the wedding of his two best friends, Kyle and Cass, and he's tasked with making the day go smoothly. His friendship with Kyle has a familiar dynamic, that of a smooth, confident alpha male and his amiable but less assertive friend. But his friendship with Cass is equally complicated, though for different reasons.When some issues pop up as the marriage ceremony looms, Josh runs interference between both of them, as each reveals deeper worries, complicated history and emotional dilemmas. But Josh has a solution to it all... though it comes at a cost.Directed by Dylan Tuccillo from a script written by co-lead actor Adam Elliott, this short drama seems to start as a slice-of-life romantic drama about a couple’s pre-wedding jitters. But as the exceptionally layered writing develops, it becomes a potent intersection of required, unexpressed romantic affection with a portrait of how mental health issues affect a group of relationships, with fascinating results.The story begins with an almost buoyant pace and sense of anticipation that's built into the special occasion, as the camera sweeps into a stately home with guests waiting for a wedding to begin. And yet there's no aspirational sheen in the naturalistic style that befits the romance of the occasion. Instead, the look and feel are almost documentary-like, as it focuses on Josh’s efforts as the best man to keep the run-up to the ceremony from going off the rails.Through Josh, we also meet his two best friends marrying one another, Kyle and Cassandra, though as tradition dictates, they are visited separately by him. At first, the characters and the dynamics between them -- confident alpha male with a less assertive best friend who is in love with his fiancee -- seem a well-worn classic trope. But it's a testament to the actors and the multifaceted script that they all reveal unexpected layers, including the idea that anyone -- even the seemingly confident man -- can struggle with mental health. Kyle and Cass have seemingly weathered a few storms, but there is always an undercurrent of worry, one that plagues Cass.Josh, being the confidant to both parties, is sent by Cass to Kyle to deal with it at a crucial juncture. What he does, instead, is a masterstroke of the film’s storytelling, adding yet another dimension to “A Best Man” that skews it in a genuinely unexpected direction. To say more would be to give it away, but it's devilishly interesting to watch unfold -- and not a little chilling in its depiction of steadfast, even obsessive love.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA best man tries to make a wedding go smoothly -- but he can only do so much. | A Best Manhttp://youtu.be/aYe_l7dU05Yhttp://omeleto.com/259325Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
An alcoholic magician performs at a childs party and gets the surprise of his life. | Magician Omeleto 2022-11-23 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMagician is used with permission from Andrew Montague. Learn more at http://omele.to/3Ew47wY and http://omele.to/3XpghAi.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA magician, Louis, arrives at a child's birthday party, having been booked for the afternoon entertainment. He's late, and the child's father isn't sure if they should go through with the performance because they can tell the magician's been drinking. But when the mother comes in to talk, the magician realizes it's his long-estranged daughter, Elise.They haven't seen one another in some time, and their meeting is awkward and painful on both sides. Elise has booked her father to talk with him after fifteen years, and the conversation opens up old wounds and grievances. It's not an ideal situation, but Elise wants to talk.Written and directed by Andrew Montague, this short family drama is a simple set-up: essentially a two-hander in a confined location, with characters having a conversation with one another. But the conversation is an important, perhaps even life-changing one, as a father and daughter who haven't seen one another in years reconnect.As with many solid two-handers, the writing and performances are particularly highlighted, and while the short runtime means we only meet these characters for a brief period of time, they are brought to life in the dialogue, costuming and performances with great specificity. From the way actor Gary Samolin takes a final drag of his cigarette in his car and haphazardly gathers his gear, we can tell this is a man with a provisional sense of attachment in his life, with a devil-may-care demeanor.But that looseness quickly tightens when he realizes it's his daughter who is throwing the party for her son. Actor Mahalia Brown balances both the tension of the situation with a mother's desire to make her magic-loving child happy. The dialogue isn't overly detailed, but it's just enough to hint at the complexity of the estrangement between father and daughter, as does the moodiness in the mostly naturalistic visuals.But as the conversation unfolds, it also reveals the deep history of admiration, disappointment and, eventually, love. It's the endurance of this love that forms the core of "Magician," and it's most moving when it reveals how we hold space for those we love, even when they're not present and even when it brings us sorrow. Both sides likely have their grievances and wounds, but in acknowledging the feelings that are still there, they are able to give one another a moment of grace -- and that may be enough of a bridge to the next step, and maybe even the next.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toAn alcoholic magician performs at a child's party -- and gets the surprise of his life. | Magicianhttp://youtu.be/w7Zf6pMoaa4http://omeleto.com/259313Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
2 gangs pull guns in a standoff, then talk about Mexican food and romance. | We All Die Alone Omeleto 2022-11-22 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toWe All Die Alone is used with permission from Jonathan Hammond. Learn more at http://omele.to/3TYpYTF.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoTwo warring gang factions have come to an impasse, and their respective leaders -- Patsy and Swetlana -- have been forced to come together by their boss, Cyrus, to work out their differences. Both Patsy and Swetlana arrive at the abandoned warehouse, each backed up by plenty of other fighters in case something goes awry.But in anticipation of the tension, Cyrus has sent his marriage counselor, Riley, to help the two sides unravel their conflict. But as the conversation proceeds, a showdown seems inevitable, even as Riley's methods open up unexpected avenues of commonality and connection.Directed by Jonathan Hammond from a script co-written with Ryan Roach, this short action-comedy is essentially a riff on the gangster film, taking the final climactic "standoff" scene as a jumping point to entertain and amuse while also provoking thought on the contours and confines of genre. It begins as the two sides converge, and the opening's stylish cinematography and confident camerawork announce a bold take on the crime drama.There's plenty of tense moments built up by the vivid storytelling, but as the discussion between the criminals unfurls with sharp, witty dialogue, Riley's role as the touchy-feely counselor trying to find reconciliation skews the film into comedic territory. Trying to get a room of hardened killers to talk about their feelings, much less play an ice-breaker game of "two truths and a lie," is ineffectual and shortsighted, causing everyone to draw their guns in both aggression and defense.We think we're headed into a standoff, but soon the henchmen's bladders, appetites, quirks and libidos hijack the conversation. The killers each reveal a multi-dimensionality, full of experiences and interests outside their "jobs." They all have more in common with one another than not, whether it's unexpectedly shared outlooks or an agreement that the clothes at Zara have gone downhill. But the raised guns still pose an obstacle to everyone getting what they want -- which requires getting out alive.Well-crafted, fun and smart, "We All Die Alone" keeps the pace fast and the twists and turns even faster. But it's all held together with stylistic panache and a certain playfulness. The secret ingredient here is empathy in its willingness to imagine full lives and personalities for its side characters. It allows them the urge to look for fulfillment -- one strong enough to survive a climactic showdown, however many detours it takes to get there.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to2 gangs pull guns in a standoff, then talk about Mexican food and romance. | We All Die Alonehttp://youtu.be/t7o33F6iqOwhttp://omeleto.com/259311Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A struggling actor discovers a lump on his testicle, then must confront his life choices. | Big Ears Omeleto 2022-11-21 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toBig Ears is used with permission from Sam Baron. Learn more at http://omele.to/3hSFX8h.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoKaan is a struggling actor who's hit a rough patch in his life on many fronts. He works more as a barista than an actor, and he has a crush on his co-worker and fellow aspiring actor Zoe, but she seems to have found someone else. But then he gets a piece of news that is even worse: his doctor has found cancer in his testicles.The news hits him hard, but he finds it hard to tell others, including his own family. But when an old friend stops by with his own news, he finally begins facing his own choices in life.Written and directed by Sam Baron, this deeply moving short drama captures a man struggling to come to terms with his mortality, as he faces a cancer diagnosis. Brought to life with gently somber cinematography and camerawork, the writing has the intelligence to make Kaan's difficulty in sharing the news the spine of the narrative, contrasting it -- often comically -- with Kaan's own agreeableness when people share their own news with him. Yet Kaan keeps his own news inside, not wanting to make others uncomfortable, but making him feel sad and isolated as a result.The excellent storytelling builds these moments one-by-one, as Kaan hides his truth from his family, from Zoe and then from a fellow actor friend, who stops by with some news of his own. But his friend's outrageously good news only highlights Kaan's struggles in life and career, sparking an internal battle within him. Does he listen agreeably and keep his own feelings under wraps? The internal struggle forms the heart of the film's turning point scene, blending the gently tragicomic with a bittersweet edge and gesturing at the ludicrousness of life, where sadness and hilarity often juxtapose against one another in unexpected ways.Lead actor Amit Shah's achingly tender performance truly becomes superb here, balancing the heartwrenching with the gently funny, as Kaan decides he can no longer stay silent. Kaan doesn't know if he'll live or die; he doesn't know why he hasn't succeeded in his career where others have; he doesn't know whether or not Zoe sees him as just a friend or possibly more. The uncertainty of life has kept him silent and accommodating. But when faced the biggest uncertainty of all, he realizes his "playing small" hasn't protected him at all.Genuinely affecting, heartwarming and compelling, "Big Ears" is about a piercing moment of clarity in one man's life, where the game changes and the stakes shift. Anchored by Amit Shah's quiet marvel of a performance, the narrative isn't just about confronting one's mortality, but also about asking one's self what it means to truly live. It means embracing ourselves, flaws and all, and honoring the pull of our desires, even if we don't know if they'll be fulfilled. It's the effort and journey that makes us feel fully alive. We don't know how Kaan will fare or if he'll win his co-worker over, but the film ends with a sense of triumph anyway, where honesty and authenticity prevails despite ourselves.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA struggling actor discovers a lump on his testicle, then must confront his life choices. | Big Earshttp://youtu.be/xGSMZ_f86qMhttp://omeleto.com/259302Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A Kenyan man gets a $10 USD tip, then hatches a plan to spend it. | A Guide to Dining Out In Nairobi Omeleto 2022-11-19 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toA Guide to Dining Out In Nairobi is used with permission from Hugh Mitton. Learn more at http://omele.to/3tF8eSs.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoJuma is working at his post as a security guard when he receives a tip from his wealthy boss: he gets 10 U.S. dollars, which is a nice bonus, especially in Kenya. He could pay his utilities for a month with it, but delighted with his windfall, Juma instead gets dressed up for a night on the town, going out to eat at one of Nairobi's most elegant restaurants.That $10 isn't enough, though, and he goes to jail for the night for not being able to pay. But still, money counts for something, as Juma parlays that $10 bill in other ways -- proving that a dollar can go a lot farther than one thinks.Written and directed by Hugh Mitton, this short comedy captures the vivid, vibrant city of Nairobi, letting the feel of the place set the film's buoyant pace and bright, bold cinematography. The city is the backdrop to what emerges as a sharp, clever and satirical portrait of economic disparity, where the poor scramble as workers in the playgrounds for the rich, and must find their way in a system with many hidden rules and loopholes.Those are serious themes, but they're tackled here in a fresh, funny angle, through a story that portrays an ordinary worker on an unexpectedly good day and charting what misadventures he gets up to with a small, sudden windfall. With madcap pacing and nimble storytelling, the film has a cheeky, broad sense of humor that comes through even with just sparing dialogue, and actor Yafesi Musoke plays Juma with a mix of deadpan eccentricity and terrific physical comedy, which echoes a bit of Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean. He's fun to watch as he goes about living the high life for a night, and it's funny and telling to see his "impersonation" of privilege and wealth, with both its stiff mannerisms and exaggerated social practices.Through our unassuming, enthusiastic security guard, that gap is played for uniquely charming satire, but the storytelling understands that Juma is part of a larger system that's portrayed here with telling visual acuity, where the haves can live in elegantly serene luxury but the have-nots scrabble for scraps in poverty.With his windfall, Juma can feel emboldened in traversing the gap between rich and poor, but he can never quite stay there unless he has enough resources to take advantage of the system's loopholes. Smart, fun and irreverent, "A Guide to Dining Out In Nairobi" captures the energetic, captivating face of its namesake city, but also the economic machine that underlies its fascinating nooks and crannies.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA Kenyan man gets a $10 USD tip, then hatches a plan to spend it. | A Guide to Dining Out In Nairobihttp://youtu.be/B9BoYRvwprQhttp://omeleto.com/259292Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A man goes to a public restroom and gets trapped in a time paradox. | Stalled Omeleto 2022-11-18 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toStalled is used with permission from Matt Black. Learn more at http://omele.to/3hOCA2e.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoRuthlessly ambitious business executive Pete is on his way to an important meeting when he realizes he's running late. As he pops into the restroom, he's rude on the phone to his co-worker and he's short-tempered with the janitor, revealing cut-throat selfishness and entitlement.When he's in the stall, he sees a strange message written on the toilet paper and then someone peeking into his stall. Investigating the sounds of a scuffle outside, he realizes he's been locked into the bathroom -- and realizes the person peeking into his stall was himself. And he can't escape... until he's unlocked to the temporal paradox he's found himself in. But doing that means confronting his worst enemy: himself.Written and directed by Matt Black, this sci-fi short is essentially a puzzle operating on two levels: there's the straightening of twisted timelines as a man tries to escape the time loop he's found himself, which brings kinetic energy and suspense to the storytelling. But there's also an existential puzzle, as Pete must work with his past and future selves to figure it all out. But when you're an arrogant, selfish jerk, that process is a lot harder.Shot with a lurid moodiness like a corporate thriller and scored with an anxious, dissonant electronic score, the film still finds a lot of fun and even insight in the set-up. Placing a time loop in a public restroom builds some quirkiness into the narrative from the beginning and contours the concept perfectly for the short format. And there's also some biting humor as Pete comes up against his own self, which he does again and again as he tries to figure out the paradox he's in but is hindered by his blowhard attitude.Time traveling is a complicated idea and the fast pace and sharp dialogue lay it out quickly, but the mechanics don't have to be completely grasped to enjoy the film. Instead, the story smartly yokes the solving of the time travel puzzle to Pete's confrontation with himself. Actor Jacob Daniels' nimble performance as Pete proves to be the film's anchor through all the temporal madness, as his character slowly realizes that working with himself is the true nightmare. He sees the cost of his cut-throat, toxic attitude and treatment of others because the time loops force him to be the victim of it.If Pete wants any chance to escape the temporal trap he's in, he's got to change his attitude fast -- or else risk being killed by his own desperate, cornered self. By the end of "Stalled," he's a changed man, and that growth is hard-won. It's an eye-opening moment for Pete when the worst version of himself points a gun at himself and has no reservations about pulling the trigger. It's a riveting situation in a short full of such moments, but it also provokes some reflection on how we'd get along with ourselves at our worst, making for an unexpectedly thoughtful ending to a compelling wild ride of a film.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA man goes to a public restroom -- and gets trapped in a time paradox. | Stalledhttp://youtu.be/7mSH86O2qzAhttp://omeleto.com/259286Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A woman is the target of a delivery scam that gets stranger and more personal. | Return to Sender Omeleto 2022-11-17 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toReturn to Sender is used with permission from Russell Goldman. Learn more at http://omele.to/3tRZR6l.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoJulia has just moved into a new home, rebuilding her life after getting sober. She embarks on the process of putting her home together, ordering new furnishings and decor items online. But she also starts getting extra items in her packages, starting with a wine bottle opener -- an off-putting mistake, considering she's a recovering alcoholic.But Julia keeps getting extra items delivered, and though she's not charged for them, they grow more bizarre and ominous: a security system, privacy curtains, and then finally, a bulletproof vest. Soon she discovers that someone is leaving reviews using Julia's name. As those, too, become ever more sinister, Julia becomes increasingly paranoid, at one of the most vulnerable times in her life.Written and directed by Russell Goldman, this short horror/thriller is a disquieting, suspenseful tale built around an increasingly common real-life delivery scam called "brushing," where a random item is sent to a legitimate address by an unsavory party or company. That party then posts a verified review under the addressee's name but via a fake account, all for a review on a site where ratings matter. Though there's no money stolen, a person's identity is hijacked.The narrative takes this contemporary problem and weaves it into a first-class thriller, with brilliantly executed writing and directing meticulously charting an unseen menace. The film begins with a simple scene of Julia attending an online AA meeting, seeming to set up a drama of a woman's journey through recovery and sobriety. But there's something in the downcast, moody cinematography and the almost voyeuristic framing that suggests something off-kilter in Julia's new life.As Julia places online orders to set up her new home, each package adds to this sense of unsettling mystery, and soon it becomes apparent that these delivery mistakes aren't mistakes at all. Through it all, actor Allison Tollman -- who many will recognize from her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated role in the TV series Fargo -- anchors the film with a remarkably layered, sympathetic performance. She begins the film with a fragile but firm sense of resolution to rebuild her life and deftly evokes the uncertainty and doubt that comes from starting over. But as the packages arrive, with each delivery becoming aggressively insinuating, she is cornered into a growing depression and paranoia -- one that brings her to the edge.There are no bodily monsters in "Return to Sender," but the film -- produced by actor and horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis -- still speaks to our anxieties and fears in a way that only horror films can. There are no vampires, werewolves or zombies; here, the monster in the dark is the manipulation made possible by the embrace of technology in every nook and cranny of our lives, from the video calls and Facetime we use to keep in touch to the huge companies that collect our data with each interaction and purchase. What's truly scary in "Return to Sender" is how utterly ordinary and relatable it is, in a world where the Amazon Prime delivery van is a typical neighborhood presence. Its fresh, compelling premise -- one that could easily expand into a feature or series -- is not at all removed from everyday life, but it's weaponized by the storytelling in a way that is frighteningly easy to imagine for ourselves.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA woman is the target of a delivery scam -- that gets stranger and more personal. | Return to Senderhttp://youtu.be/dz2bfRECMrohttp://omeleto.com/259279Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman runs into a man she dated and avoided for weeks. | Ghost Train Omeleto 2022-11-16 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toGhost Train is used with permission from Rhys Aaron Lewis. Learn more at http://omele.to/3TAkkXv.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoDemi is taking the subway train in London. It's an ordinary ride -- she offers her seat to an old man and is eyed by a fellow passenger. But then she runs into Patrick, a guy that she went on a few dates with.She chit-chats with him, both being awkwardly polite, but it's a pleasant conversation after she apologizes for not returning his messages. But when the train gets stuck, things get... awkward. Really, really awkward, as the pair hash out exactly why Demi ghosted him in the first place.Written and directed by Rhys Aaron Lewis, this short could conceivably fall under the umbrella of romantic comedy. But it's not the warm, fuzzy comedy you'd expect from the genre: instead, it's the awkward, almost cringe kind found in deconstructing the peccadilloes of dating life. In this case, it's the way that communication makes it easy to connect and stay in touch -- and just as easy to disconnect without accountability.Shot with a dynamic, naturalistic eye that captures the energy and restlessness of the modern city, the film seems like the portrait of an ordinary day in the life of a typical young woman living in London. She enters the shared social space of the subway car, where she observes the convention of offering her seat to an elderly man but also tries to fend off the silent signals of waggish romantic interest from a man standing near her. There's no dialogue, yet, but the storytelling is excellent at constructing the ad-hoc communities that come and go on public transportation's close proximity.But the real drama comes when Demi's former date enters the car, leading to a moment of mortification. But, all things considered, it goes well after she offers an apology for not returning Patrick's messages, and both seem to fall into an easygoing conversation. Actors Neetika Kurup and Adley Lewis as the potential couple manage to be both individually interesting and specific and "vibe" off one another, but also show how their chemistry is a bit like oil and water. They're simply two people going about their lives, who intersected at one point but didn't go forward together.On any other day, they would bid adieu and go their separate ways, but when the train is delayed, "Ghost Train" builds up to a brutally funny crescendo, where the forced proximity forces a more painfully honest conversation, where things that we often avoid saying must be said. There's great situational humor in how the rest of the passengers pipe in with their own opinions on Demi and Patrick's predicament, almost like they're collectively watching their favorite show together. But the heart of the scene is essentially someone being held accountable for their ghosting and then saying a deeply uncomfortable truth they tried to avoid with their ghosting in the first place. The storytelling balances both sides of the situation, where we see the pain of being left in the lurch with uncertainty -- but also why such a social custom, as annoying as it is, exists. There's a time and a place for grown-up, responsible communication -- and also a time when silence might be kinder, as much as it lets us off the hook.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman runs into a man she dated -- and avoided for weeks. | Ghost Trainhttp://youtu.be/YK_zFu7bOtchttp://omeleto.com/259269Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A man tries to fly to the moon to say goodbye to his late wife. | El Astronauta Omeleto 2022-11-15 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toEl Astronauta is used with permission from Manuel Trotta. Learn more at http://omele.to/3UCWBHA.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoBeto has returned to the remote, desolate family home, where his father, Alfredo, lives alone. Alfredo has fallen into dementia, and Beto is taking him to a home in the city, where he can be cared for properly. Beto finds his home in disarray and his father further deep in the illusion that he must become an astronaut, so he can reach the moon to say goodbye to his late wife Elena, who is waiting for him there.Beto -- modern, sophisticated and well-off -- is saddened by his dad's deteriorated state and can't understand why his father persists in his delusion. But by spending time together, Beto begins to reconnect to his past, his family and, most importantly, his father himself. And when he does, he realizes the perfect way to help his father say goodbye to his old home to move on to the next.Written and directed by Manuel Trotta, who also co-stars as Beto, this beautifully affecting short family drama is about a changing of the guard between generations, where a grown child takes on the responsibility of caring for a parent. Shot with a natural, warm eye for both the wide striking landscape and the lyrical, telling detail, the writing and editing also balance the perspectives of the son and the father, entering into both experiences with empathy and sensitivity.We see Beto's frustration, but we also see how deeply his father is lost in his own world. He isn't cut off from reality entirely -- Alfredo knows who his son is -- but he truly believes that he must find a way to go to the moon to say goodbye to his wife before he can go to his new home. It would be easy to make Alfredo into a "kook" or overplay the whimsicality of his fantasy, but one of the film's gifts is the dignity it gives to its characters. Alfredo's desire comes from a deep love for his wife, and the deepest feelings of grief and sadness that she is no longer with him.The beauty of the storytelling allows for a quiet but perceptive shift, as Beto slowly comes to see his father as not an old man that needs to be taken care of, but a multi-dimensional human being. Trotta as an actor plays Beto with a quiet pragmatism, but with layers of pain and sadness to see his father so changed. As the father Alfredo, actor Luigi Sciamanna is compelling and committed, never overplaying Alfredo's dementia. Instead, he has an emotional lucidity on his most deeply held feelings, as well as insight into how different he and his son are. When Beto truly sees this and comes to respect his father, he accept his father and connect with him in the process.The final movement of "El Astronauta" is built on this emotional shift, and is all the more moving and heartwarming for it. Beto honors his father's wishes, understanding they are what he needs to be able to move onto the next phase of his life with peace and acceptance. He recognizes his father isn't just an errand to take care of, but a person making a huge transition in life and saying goodbye to his home, his past and a major part of his life. Beto learns to enter into his father's world and speak his language, helping him travel forward into a future where they can both connect better.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA man tries to fly to the moon to say goodbye to his late wife. | El Astronautahttp://youtu.be/MFiPBB5uZeghttp://omeleto.com/259258Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
2 criminals die trying to steal an ATM, then return as ghosts to finish the job. | Soul Office Omeleto 2022-11-14 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toSoul Office is used with permission from Ryan Loughran and Taunt Studios. Learn more at http://omele.to/3WYICNI.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoGoldy and Decky are a criminal couple that bite the dust during a scheme to steal an ATM machine. Their spirits travel to the "soul office," where souls address their unfinished business before moving on to either heaven or hell.For Goldy and Decky, their souls' deepest longing is to complete their ingeniously plotted ATM-stealing heist. Their ghosts return to the scene of the almost-crime, where they try again and again to fulfill their dream of stealing the ATM -- or else be stuck in soul limbo forever.Written and directed by Ryan Loughran, and produced by Taunt Studios, this Oscar-qualified short animation takes its lofty spiritual premise and transforms it into an action-comedy adventure, complete with rollicking writing, a terrific ear for cheeky dialogue and dynamic action sequences. It finds fun with the specificity of its characters, from the cheerful bureaucrat running the soul office to the criminal couple's ignoring of any higher spiritual aspiration in favor of an unapologetic fixation on getting their ATM.This obsession gives the storytelling a propulsive momentum, fueling the couple's successive attempts to finally steal the ATM. Each pass gets more and more outlandish with gleeful mayhem, and the film reveals a keen eye for the well-designed action scene with each turn, taking advantage of its 3-D look to defy the laws of physics and biology. But it's always anchored in Goldy and Decky's affection for one another. United in their deepest spiritual longing for the perfect heist, they also are excited to spend their afterlife together -- no matter where that is, as revealed in a final cheeky twist in a story full of many fun, compelling swerves and turns already.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to2 criminals die trying to steal an ATM, then return as ghosts to finish the job. | Soul Officehttp://youtu.be/IK-3IAMrLpAhttp://omeleto.com/259250Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A Black woman with white skin struggles to fit in with society. | War of Colors Omeleto 2022-11-12 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toWar of Colors is used with permission from Emir Kumova. Learn more at http://omele.to/3tlxixR.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoIn many ways, Rue is a typical young woman. Smart, hard-working and attractive, she's a writer, she comes from a loving home and family, and she has a crush on her co-worker at her restaurant job.But Rue also has albinism, which makes life harder for her sometimes. She's not quite accepted by the Black community: to some, she's not Black enough, she's too white or she's just a "freak." And the white community treats her as Black. People stare at her on the bus. Her co-worker thinks she looks weird. Even in an inclusive creative community, she feels excluded. With such obstacles, Rue must find her voice, as well as her sense of acceptance.Written and directed by Emir Kumova, this short drama captures both the external and internal struggles of people who have albinism, a genetic disorder in which the skin produces less melanin than normal, leading to a variety of complications. It is very much a portrait of a modern young woman going about her ordinary, everyday life. But it's not as ordinary as she'd like, for the attitudes around her albinism complicate nearly all aspects of her life.The heart of the film is actor Diandra Forrest's moving performance as Rue, who possesses a strong character arc, thanks to excellent, measured writing and direction. Captured with moody, elegant set of visuals, the storytelling takes Rue through a series of contexts, from her warmth and acceptance from her loving father to her work, where she has a tolerant boss and a co-worker she has a crush on.We see her at a spoken word gathering for other Black poets and performers; we see her on a bus. Through it all, Forrest -- who got her start as the first woman with albinism signed to a major modeling agency -- portrays Rue as a typical young woman, just trying to get a foothold and establish a positive life that's full of friendships, romance and meaningful endeavor -- and full of vulnerability and heartbreak when it proves so difficult.She's often reminded of how she doesn't fit in. And then there is her internalization of the prejudice that she faces, which only intensifies with each obstacle. She becomes more isolated and depressed, but when she receives encouragement from an unexpected source, she steps onto the stage and unleashes her story and her voice -- and in doing so, finds genuine empowerment and self-acceptance."War of Colors" is part of a storytelling tradition that helps us to imagine life in another person's shoes -- simple, and yet invaluable in helping us truly empathize with one another. One-in-20,000 people in the U.S. have albinism, and it's more common in many other places like Tanzania, where 1-in-1,000 people have it -- and are also killed and mutilated because of the mistaken belief that their body parts have magical properties that can heal diseases.Rue doesn't face that horror, but she does face exclusion, isolation and a lack of recognition of her basic humanity, and we come away from the film with an understanding of the complexity of her issues, and how deeply they affect her. She is denied community and solidarity and is seen as not enough or less than fully human. But seeing her reclaim her voice and share her truth in the face of it all is inspiring and triumphant -- for those with albinism, and for anyone who ever felt excluded for something beyond their control.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA Black woman with white skin struggles to fit in with society. | War of Colorshttp://youtu.be/ab8IUtHG1iAhttp://omeleto.com/259239Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
2 Jewish sisters mourn their mothers death. Theres just one problem... | Minyan Duty Omeleto 2022-11-11 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMinyan Duty is used with permission from Ivan Kander. Learn more at http://omele.to/3tkQBaw.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoLeah and Ariel are two very different sisters who have come together to mourn their mother's recent passing. Leah is the dutiful sister, while free-wheeling, rebellious Ariel can't wait to go back to the city. They're hoping to say Kaddish at an evening prayer service for their mom, but they find themselves one person short of a "Minyan" -- a quorum of 10 Jewish adults required for the service.As they grapple with the problem, long-simmering tensions and resentments come to the surface. Ariel manages to find an unorthodox solution to their shortage -- one that irritates Leah and indicates all she finds annoying about her sister. But as it unfolds, a common ground emerges to bridge the gap between the sisters at a time when it's needed most.Written and directed by Ivan Kander, this short dramedy is marked by an exceptionally skillful balance of tones, emotions and ideas. It's a window into the expression of Jewish faith, identity and culture in a modern context, with two sisters seeking to honor their mother with an ancient tradition. It's also a family story about the way familial resentments, obligations and burdens can lurk and fester until anger comes out at the most trying times. What links these different strands together is intelligent storytelling and sharply observant yet humane humor, rendered with thoughtful, unpretentious craftsmanship.The solid foundation of the film are the distinctly drawn sisters, brought to life by terrific performances from actors Sarah Baskin and Michelle Uranowitz. Their conflicts are both recognizably archetypal and specific as they bicker at a suburban synagogue, waiting for the final person in their minyan to show up. Their different life choices have only widened the distance between them, a gap that only seems to widen when Ariel pulls in a local food delivery driver to complete their quorum.The driver isn't Jewish, and the film finds some humor in the "fish out of water" scenario that develops, though it's never farcical and never at the expense of the driver, played by actor Damien Lemon with self-assurance, ease and kindness. Indeed, as the Kaddish proceeds, the driver takes the sacred moment to heart in a way that the two sisters -- distracted by their tension and conflict -- do not. Though he's told by Ariel that he doesn't have to stay for the prayer, he does, using the moment to enter into his own reflection and mourning. In doing so, Leah and Ariel seem to remember just why they are there -- and that they have one another in a sad, difficult moment of their lives.The turning point of "Minyan Duty" could easily fall into cliche on paper, but in the film it's woven with such matter-of-fact simplicity and understatement that it's a genuine moment of warmth and revelation, where the noise and fog of everyday life dissipate to reveal what truly matters. It's somewhat old-fashioned to talk about shared humanity, but the film has the emotional intelligence to locate its vision of common ground in the inescapability of loss in the human experience. Though the ways we honor and mark our grief may differ, due to culture, temperament and inclination, we all seek peace and solace from the sufferings of life. It's also a reminder that we do not have to walk alone during the difficult parts of our paths, and that hope and comfort are found in solidarity and community, whether it's with the company of friends, family and even a like-minded stranger.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to2 Jewish sisters mourn their mother's death. There's just one problem... | Minyan Dutyhttp://youtu.be/yhnyKkTDPDIhttp://omeleto.com/259231Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young refugee goes to a party to meet a French girl. But he has trouble with the police. | Aly Omeleto 2022-11-10 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toAly is used with permission from Thomas Wood. Learn more at http://omele.to/3A1GbAq.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoAly is a young asylum seeker in Paris. He arrived in Paris from Guinea and is waiting for his paperwork to go through the bureaucracy that is the French government. But in the meanwhile, life goes on, and after getting dressed and psyching himself up, he heads out to a party, where he hopes to impress Mathilde, the woman he has a crush on.On the way, he waits in line for a meal being distributed to other refugees like him. But when he loses his place in line taking a phone call from his crush and gets into a scuffle with the police monitoring the crowd, he realizes that he can't easily escape the reality of his tenuous situation.Written and directed by Thomas Wood, this short drama is a slice-of-life portrait of a young refugee in France, putting us in the shoes of someone who is an outsider and uncertain of his place in the social firmament. Aly is highly relatable, as a young man who wants to connect with a woman he fancies, and he's sweetly nervous about impressing her at a party later in the night. It's a hopeful romantic situation that many can relate to, and the film's visual naturalism with its handheld camera and offhand editing style gives us the sense of an ordinary life unfurling before our eyes. But the storytelling is alert to how someone's political and social realities -- often invisible to the outside eye -- can set Aly apart emotionally and culturally.The film resonates with a quiet but powerful authenticity, both in the matter-of-fact documentary-like style and in its casting of lead actor Mamadou Diallo, who the director met as a volunteer at a non-profit distributing food to refugees. Diallo plays Aly first and foremost as a young man with relatable aspirations and hopes -- as someone with a crush on someone and trying to take it to the next stage. He's likable and appealing, his first scenes possessing an endearing vulnerability and excitement.But as he heads out into the night and stops by for his meal distribution, things feel immediately more dangerous as he waits in line with other anxious refugees. As a tense situation develops, Aly realizes that he isn't "just" a carefree young man flush with anticipation and possibility. He's someone struggling to establish himself in a new country, with an uncertain future and many obstacles to overcome -- someone that some are wary of or look down upon.Diallo ably portrays how this realization chips away at Aly's confidence and hopefulness, even as he finally makes it to the party and receives a warm welcome from his crush and other partygoers. But despite the conviviality, Aly is an outsider in this society, not yet accepted. The final image of "Aly" is both simple and profound in how it captures the loneliness that befalls its title character, an isolation made all the more poignant for its social setting. Even when surrounded by friendly people, Aly is alone, without a solid foundation -- and the comfort of a safety net if he stumbles.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young refugee goes to a party to meet a French girl. But he has trouble with the police. | Alyhttp://youtu.be/gHhPynYgHbghttp://omeleto.com/259222Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A heartbroken French girl visits a friend in the U.K. Then they meet 2 local men. | Conte Anglais Omeleto 2022-11-09 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toConte Anglais is used with permission from Daniel Marc Janes. Learn more at http://omele.to/3UeA5Vf.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMarion is a French girl in a seaside British town in Essex. She's doing a journalistic assignment to explain British attitudes toward Brexit, and she's brought along her more carefree friend Delphine. Delphine has a theory that you can explain Brexit by comparing English boys with French boys. She immediately tests out her theory by picking up two English boys, Harry and Callum, much to Marion's annoyance.As they hang out, Marion is reluctant and surly with an awkward Callum, while Delphine has no problem hooking up with Harry. But as the more serious of their friends, Marion and Callum find a way to connect -- and what seems like a lighthearted dalliance might be something more for Marion.Written and directed by Daniel Marc Janes, this romantic short balances a sense of nostalgia with an engagement of contemporary ideas, following two young French women as they go about the business of following their desires and figuring out the world around them and their roles in it. Taking its visual cue from the great films of the French New Wave, particularly of Eric Rohmer, the film -- shot on 16mm -- has a sunny, bleached-out look, taking advantage of its seaside location to evoke a sense of leisure and contemplation, where two young women can amble in search of adventure. But its tribute to the French New Wave is also reflected in its thematic terrain, in which the cerebral and political intersect with romance, with charming, fascinating results.Broken down into timestamped moments, the narrative has an almost episodic, even improvisational feel, as Marion and Delphine seem to test out ideas about men, love and relationships and then put them into practice with the next passing opportunity. This is the work of being young, of course: figuring out who you are and what you want in a relationship, much less life. Delphine is more easygoing than Marion, who seems restless and dissatisfied, and their contrasting attitudes come out during their layered, beautifully written dialogue, which balances the cerebral with the carnal in a fresh yet earnest way.When the pair encounter their British male counterparts, things get interesting as the differences broaden. Delphine and Harry have no problem with a casual fling, but Callum and Marion find it awkward. The entire cast is enjoyable to watch, but it's especially sweet to watch the more cautious half of the quartet -- played by actors Brian Vernel and Sarah Perahim -- connect with an honesty and authenticity that feels true to their characters. They both find a way into one another's arms in a way that works for them and allow themselves the promise and optimism of romance, despite their own misgivings and cynicism.The first question of "Conte Anglais" may be about Brexit, but its final one is whether or not Marion and Callum's connection was just for a night, or perhaps something more, as Marion herself has to move beyond her head and feel what is in her heart. The answer to both questions, it turns out, ends up being more complex than thought -- and all the sweeter for it.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA heartbroken French girl visits a friend in the U.K. Then they meet 2 local men. | Conte Anglaishttp://youtu.be/EiYWIEtmG_ohttp://omeleto.com/259212Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A grandmother reveals a secret after a family dinner. Its a surprising twist. | The Book of Ruth Omeleto 2022-11-08 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Book of Ruth is used with permission from Chen Drachman. Learn more at http://omele.to/3hnO8cn.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoRuth is getting a visit from her daughter and grandchildren, gathering together for Passover. It's a warm, loving celebration, full of food, conversation and family. But her granddaughter Lizzy has something she wants to discuss.Lizzy knows something about her grandmother, something that could change the cultural fabric of the world. But when she tries to bring it up, Ruth wriggles out of the conversation -- until she realizes she can't fool her smart granddaughter anymore. What follows is the surfacing of a long-held family secret, a woman confronting the pain of her past and a meditation on what being our true selves really means.Directed by Becca Roth from a script by Chen Drachman (who also plays Lizzy), the film begins in a flurry of activity and chatter, with loving matriarch Ruth at the center of it all. It's clear she's raised a kind, warm-hearted family, and even the traditions at dinner are infused with humor and connection. This family gathering is captured with simple but effective naturalistic camerawork, which gives us a sense of life unfurling and of the life's richness and bounty that Ruth has created for herself. As viewers, we're nestled right at the heart of this family's life, and we feel the love, belonging and connection alongside its members.But the deft storytelling places small clues and hints that something is off, especially in the form of TV and radio reports that Anne Frank and her sister Margot died earlier than previously reported. Ruth's reactions to these are picked up on by Lizzy, who presses her grandmother on something that she's long wondered about. At first, Ruth denies it. But later she confesses her truth.Actor Tovah Feldshuh -- a Broadway star with four Tony nominations under her belt -- is extraordinary as Ruth reveals her truth, evincing a lifetime of secrecy, sadness and resilience in one conversation. But what's truly infectious about her is her commitment to her own contentment and peace -- and her understanding of what part of her story means to the larger world."The Book of Ruth" is essentially a "what if" story, a poignant imagining of a girl who survived the worst and managed to thrive in a new life. But in Ruth's explanation to Lizzy, it's also a meditation on the power of stories themselves, and the role they play in history, hope and remembrance. The idea that an iconic symbol associated with the Holocaust and its horrors actually survived in secret is a heart-tugging fantasy for a historical figure that has become so beloved for her intelligence, honesty and authenticity, and still mourned for her tragic ending. But it also speaks to the other legacy of Anne Frank's life: as a representation of human potential. That she could survive and go on to live an ordinary yet beautifully rich and full life -- rather than be cut down by human evil and depraved repression -- touches on what was lost for so many in the Holocaust: a future with families, gathering and love that endures throughout the generations.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA grandmother reveals a secret after a family dinner. It's a surprising twist. | The Book of Ruthhttp://youtu.be/qvU6rjCOaVchttp://omeleto.com/259149Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
An Iranian woman tries to get her wrongly convicted husband out of prison. | Winter of 79 Omeleto 2022-11-07 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toWinter of '79 is used with permission from Julia Elihu. Learn more at http://omele.to/3FOCMbU.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoIt's 1979 in Iran, and the country is in the midst of serious political unrest. Though many of their friends are fleeing the country, a Persian-Jewish mother named Azar doesn't want to leave. Iran is their home and beloved country.But when her husband David is imprisoned by the authorities, Azar begins to question her faith and loyalty to her country. As she tries to find a way to free David -- and get her daughter Leila to safety -- she must draw on all her resources during an increasingly perilous time.Written and directed by Julia Elihu, this compelling short drama begins with a sweet, warmly tender scene between Azar and her husband in their home, pulling us in with its closeness and an enveloping sense of connection. Shot with a visual intimacy and an almost burnished warmth, it would be easy to think this is a domestic family narrative, where relationships and their shifts are the focus of the storytelling.The opening scene is indeed the heart of the film, but in a different way: it shows exactly what Azar is trying to save, as David is apprehended by the authorities and the story reveals itself as a thriller about a woman fighting to keep her family amidst pressure from the looming, oppressive political apparatus. The narrative is ambitious for a short, as Azar navigates a changing set of factors in her attempts to navigate the system, each development building suspense and tension. The filmmaking, too, adroitly shifts to the changing rhythms of the storytelling, getting more muscular in the camerawork and editing, though it makes room to capture the small but well-observed details of Iranian culture.Actor Nina Nayebi anchors the film throughout, commanding attention with her keenly vivid performance as a loving matriarch pushed to a heroic edge. Not only does she navigate an increasingly dangerous set of circumstances as Azar, but she also portrays how her faith in her country erodes, as repression and corruption reveal itself with each turn. With a combination of maternal power and steely intelligence, Azar engineers a final, audacious plan -- one that will either save them all or put them at tremendous risk."Winter of '79" clearly has relevance now, as events unfold in Iran. But if not for its specific title, it could easily read as a contemporary tale in some ways, though it gestures to a freedom and comfort of the past that has been lost. The roots of repression and authoritarianism go far back, in the willingness of a government to persecute its own people with fear and intimidation. But so does the strength and conviction of seemingly average citizens like Azar: people just trying to live their lives and love their families, like anywhere else in the world. When on the verge of losing what they hold dear, they find ways to resist, drawing on a latent courage and ingenuity to risk everything for safety and freedom. Then and now, the film celebrates their hard-won victories, even as it mourns the homeland they leave behind.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toAn Iranian woman tries to get her wrongly convicted husband out of prison. | Winter of '79http://youtu.be/V2YlX12EYA4http://omeleto.com/259190Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young Indigenous girl discovers a Latina migrant her age in the desert. | Burros Omeleto 2022-11-04 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toBurros is used with permission from Jefferson Stein. Learn more at http://omele.to/3U9l3jx.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoElsa is a six-year-old Tohono O'odham girl whose father has to go to work at his job as a tracker working with U.S. Border Patrol. While waiting for her caretaker to arrive, she comes across another little girl, Ena, a migrant who has crossed the border but has been separated from her mom and is searching for her father.Elsa tries to help the girl, who speaks only Spanish, and they wander in town looking for food and a grownup who can understand Ena. As they wander, Elsa takes her new friend around the lands where she lives, in Sells, Arizona, eventually finding her grandmother, who can speak Spanish and helps bridge the gap between the two little girls.Written and directed by Jefferson Stein, this gentle yet incisive Oscar-eligible short drama -- is a lovely, somber portrait of a young friendship between two innocent girls, rendered in beautifully naturalistic cinematography and spare but elegant storytelling. But within its languid rhythms and observant perspective, it also captures the environs of Sells, Arizona, the capital of the Tohono O'odham Nation and its tribal businesses, and the uniquely tragic perspective that its location offers on the plight of migrants, and how outside pressures wear away at the community.The narrative is told from the perspective of a child, and it takes advantage of children's simplicity, emotional directness and moral clarity as it charts the friendship between the girls, played by young performers Amaya Juan and Zuemmy Carrillo with great appeal and understated sensitivity. The young girls don't speak the same language, but they understand one another as children do, through play, behavior and instinct. As they wander throughout the reservation on their small but vivid adventures -- eating tortillas, trying to get into a casino to get snacks -- Elsa shows kindness, generosity and an understanding of Ena's simple human needs for a full belly and a friend, even as they travel among unsettling signs of the fallout from border crossings.When Elsa finally finds her grandmother just before dinnertime, they finally have someone who can translate between the two girls. But it's also as if the adult perspective enters into the film, and the simple welcome that Elsa offers Ena begins to shift into something more complicated. The final scene of "Burros" is a masterful and melancholic balance of tones, weaving the beauty of Native culture with a resigned sadness at the complications of the outside world. Through an elder's wise but painfully honest words, Ena realizes that, as far as she's come, she has much longer to go until she arrives at a place she can call home. In one piercing moment, she realizes the uncertainty of her future. And so a blossoming friendship must come to an end, as does the innocence of two young girls in the face of harsh realities.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young Indigenous girl discovers a Latina migrant her age in the desert. | Burroshttp://youtu.be/oOaDJZqn6eIhttp://omeleto.com/259181Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A recovering addict tries to care for his young daughter after being released from prison. | The Out Omeleto 2022-11-03 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Out is used with permission from Harry Brandrick. Learn more at http://omele.to/3fysRfO.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoLiam is a 35-year-old recovering addict. He has also just been released from incarceration and is in the process of rebuilding his life. Part of that staying clean and out of trouble -- and looking after his young daughter for the first time since his release.There is still a palpable love between parent and child, but also tentative uncertainty on Liam's part as he adjusts to being on the "outside" again. And then there is also the creep of Liam's old life, threatening to destabilize everything he's fighting to make solid again.Written and directed by Harry Brandrick, this keenly observed short drama is a naturalistic, quietly intimate portrait of a man struggling with the shadows of addiction, and how it ripples into the most precious aspects of his life. There's a thoughtful yet unadorned look in the cinematography that gives an almost documentary-like feel as if watching a man's life unfurl in its quiet moments. But the camera often frames Liam through doors or windows or from above, situating Liam in a larger social context. Though no cameras are watching him, he is being monitored, something he is reminded of with the sensor on a bracelet around his ankle.This quiet but persistent reminder of post-incarcerated life reminds Liam that he can't mess up. His life is simple: he has a curfew, and he tries to spend time with his daughter and care for her. The storytelling, too, is deceptively spare, tracking Liam's small yet important efforts to be a father and stay on the straight and narrow.Actor Allen Mustafa truly occupies the role of Liam, playing him as a loving parent trying to do right by his daughter but is hunted by the consequences of his past choices, whether it's his regrets about the past or the anxieties about his future. His old life continues to pull at him, in the form of Marcus, an old friend who wants Liam to help him score. Liam refuses, but addiction has a way of overriding formidable obstacles to get what it wants -- and threatens to disrupt the most important part of his life.Compelling and deeply empathetic, "The Out" is a compassionate look at the fallout of addiction in one man's life, even after his physical condition has been stabilized. The storytelling is measured, even calm in tenor, but it also captures the nuanced yet raw journey that recovering addicts face, and the ways they are "managed" that tell them they are criminals, not people in the throes of a pernicious disease. Though Liam is recovering and Marcus is still in the thick of addiction, they are still two poles of the same experience of addiction, and the film's deepest insight is showing how addiction is not just a physical condition of a body's need for a substance. It is also a social context, where drugs maladaptively medicate the pain of living in poverty or other forms of deep deprivation, and where people organize their lives and relationships around this. We can't just treat the addiction and leave it to recovering addicts to manage on their own the lives they've likely damaged in the past. They need support, understanding and empathy, during treatment and the fragile process of rebuilding their lives.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA recovering addict tries to care for his young daughter after being released from prison. | The Outhttp://youtu.be/d_1EUMHr0yUhttp://omeleto.com/259169Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A couple takes pictures in a photo booth. Then they start to argue... | Photo Booth Omeleto 2022-11-02 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toPhoto Booth is used with permission from Roxy Rezvany. Learn more at http://omele.to/3DvFtMJ.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA couple in 1970s London is taking pictures at a photo booth. It's not just an attempt to capture a moment for the pair, but a task they need to complete for their immigration application. Mina is preoccupied with making sure the photo is perfect, and she worries that Feras isn't taking it seriously, especially with Mina pregnant with their child.As they try to get the picture right, their playful banter turns into bickering, and then a full-blown argument, which reveals the tension they face separately as non-white Londoners and the obstacles they face as a mixed-race couple. But it also reveals their loyalty, devotion and love for one another, and their promise as a couple and a family.Written and directed by Roxy Rezvany, this poignant romance short takes one small moment in a couple's life together and magnifies it, revealing rich layers of meaning and emotion. There are the immediate circumstances of a young couple expecting a baby together, with all its excitement and challenges. But through multi-dimensional dialogue and stellar performances, social commentary is layered into the couple's story, offering a window into the ways that race, immigration and being an outsider complicate lives.The film is essentially one static camera set-up, shot with a warm yet weathered look of an old, faded photograph. The action unfurls in one real-time take, as Mina and Feras struggle to get a decent picture taken, an approach that puts the focus on the pair and their dynamic together. At first, it seems a domestic squabble, with Mina taking issue with Feras's casual appearance and attitude. But as they talk, they reveal their frustrations as an Asian woman and a Middle Eastern man, as they both face stereotypes that often demean and dehumanize them. By contrast, they reveal the full spectrum of their quirks and humanity in the neutral space of the photo booth, with preoccupations, emotions and vulnerabilities just like anyone else.The writing's social insights are sharp and specific, but what also comes through is the couple's deep love and affection for one another. Actors Lorraine Tai and Elham Ehsas are both appealing presences, and their connection as the couple at the center of the story is palpable. As individual actors, they both weave in moments of doubt, anger and worry as they confront the possibility of separation, just as their union becomes essential to their future family. As a couple, the pair of actors make it easy to root for Mina and Feras to make it through the immigration process, despite all its bureaucratic red tape and subtly demeaning demands.In many ways, "Photo Booth," with its 1970s time period, is a story of first-generation immigration, as a couple navigates the demands of a system that has yet to reveal all its flaws and weaknesses. But it is also a love story, of a couple eager to start the next chapter together. It's a chapter full of promise and excitement, and yet the possibility of separation looms over them, casting a shadow of what should be an exciting, happy time. It's a testament to the storytelling and performances that we wonder what became of the pair after our short time with them -- from their future joys of starting a family to the anxieties that plague them, and perhaps future generations.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA couple takes pictures in a photo booth. Then they start to argue... | Photo Boothhttp://youtu.be/zOWA2q-cOZghttp://omeleto.com/259158Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
4 teenagers leave their mountain village in Nepal to enter a band contest. | The Silent Echo Omeleto 2022-11-01 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Silent Echo is used with permission from Suman Sen. Learn more at http://omele.to/3fiaifN.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoFour teenagers live in a remote mountainous region in a small village. Together, they love to make music, listening to their voices echo among the hills and valleys. When they hear of a music concert in the closest city, they make their way to the city, where they must summon the courage to share their music with a world very different from the one they come from.Written and directed by Suman Sen from a script co-written by Bijon, this charming, spare and stirring short drama -- an Oscar qualifer thanks to its award at Raindance -- takes much of its initial appeal from its charmingly youthful cast and the stunning mountainside setting. The remote setting of northwestern Nepal, near the Tibetan border, is both vast and striking, and the cinematography captures both the immense scale of it, as well as the smallness of its young protagonists. Within this setting, these teens don't have much in terms of contemporary distractions of entertainment and tech devices. But they have each other, and music. And when they get the call of a music contest, they feel a longing to strike out together.Much of the film charts their journey from the mountains into the shock of a bustling, noisy urban setting, a contrast made striking by the dense sound collage of honks, traffic and crowd noise. As a cast, the young musicians possess a self-sufficiency that makes their journey on their own believable. But they are also still young, subject to the fear that besets them when they take the stage, singing their music of the mountains and realizing how different they are from the rest of the world.The final resonance of "The Silent Echo" rests on the impact of these realizations on the band, as they realize not just how wide the world is, but that they may too have to leave it in the future. With its skillful, unforgettable final images and haunting song, the film becomes not just a coming-of-age story, but a meditation on a world that's vanishing. As its inhabitants are forced to abandon it for a more economically advantageous future, the mountains will remain. But the echoes of the innocent children living it will disappear, leaving only stillness and silence.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to4 teenagers leave their mountain village in Nepal to enter a band contest. | The Silent Echohttp://youtu.be/bLUDw67d75Mhttp://omeleto.com/259139Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A con man meets an old woman at a bar. But shes a vampire... | Incarnation Omeleto 2022-10-31 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toIncarnation is used with permission from Noboru Suzuki. Learn more at http://omele.to/3fj6Ml5.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA con man meets up with an old woman at a bar, in an unusual assignation. He called her pretending to be her relative and asked to borrow some money -- a common scam in Japan -- and she agreed to meet him.The old woman is sweet and guileless and seems to be taken in by the scam. But she insists on her "relative" having a drink, and as their conversation goes on, she reveals she has an agenda -- and secret -- of her own.Written and directed by Noboru Suzuki, this supremely stylish horror short is essentially a meeting of the generations. It takes as its jumping point a sadly common scam tactic in Japan, where a long-lost son, daughter or relative contacts an elderly person and asks for money. But through a clever twist on vampire mythology, it becomes a visually stunning meditation on the richness of the past, the forgetfulness of modernity and what is restored when a connection between the two is restored.The storytelling exists in a heightened register, where mystery and emotion are pumped up and the artistry is highly stylized. Beautifully photographed and lit, the film manages to coolly gleam even with its darkened bar setting, conveying an unsettling atmosphere that's both timeless and otherworldly at once. Within this isolated realm, the con man sits down with his target, though we quickly realize that he's met his match.Most films would spend much of their time building up to the old lady's reveal as an ancient vampire as a clever twist, but instead, it chooses to explore what it means to become a vampire at such an old age and to exist for so long as an elderly person in the world. As the elderly vampire, actor Mayumi Amano offers a captivating, remarkable performance, easily conveying a charming, even adorable demeanor that's deliciously undercut with a glint of sly, trickster-y knowingness. But she also hints at the weight of existing so long with mistakes and regrets -- and is taking this unexpected opportunity to rectify one of them, much to the con man's surprise.The final movement of "Incarnation" is full of other revelations, some of which are revealed quickly and build rapidly upon one another into a crescendo of transformation. It's enough to leave viewers breathless, both with the quickening narrative pulse and with the richly imagined take on the supernatural that unravels in a tantalizing reveal. Many will want to rewatch the film again to pick out the clues that may have passed by them earlier -- and to enjoy the sheer cinematic pleasure of a film rooted in a deep respect of classical heritage and mythology, but audacious enough to weave its distinctive vision with it.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA con man meets an old woman at a bar. But she's a vampire... | Incarnationhttp://youtu.be/3lQ43Sw87Cghttp://omeleto.com/259142Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
2 burglars break into a U.S. senators home. Then it takes a shocking turn. | Triggered Omeleto 2022-10-28 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toTriggered is used with permission from Tara Westwood. Learn more at http://omele.to/3WaFr5a.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA man and a woman meet nervously outside a comfortable suburban home at night. Neither says much to the other, but they are both anxious and nervous as they embark on their task: to break into a U.S. senator's house, where they take the senator and her husband down into the living room, guns drawn.But what seems like a home invasion or burglary takes a shocking turn, as the man and woman essentially hold the senator and her husband hostage. As their true agenda unfolds, the senator faces her greatest challenge yet.Directed by Tara Westwood from a script written by Thomas Gunn from his original play, this powerful, shocking short drama exerts tremendous force and intensity in its searing indictment of inaction in the face of rising gun violence. With gut-wrenching performances and gripping storytelling, it takes advantage of its compressed narrative scale to build a pressure cooker of a dramatic situation, fueled by extreme grief, anger and helplessness.Oscar-eligible and executive produced by John Leguizamo, the film has its origins as a play, and this provenance is reflected in both the confined time and space of the narrative and the power of its dialogue, which weaves rhetoric with deeply felt, personal detail and backstory. Though essentially a scene of dialogue in one room, dynamic camera and direction never make the film feel static, and in look and feel, it's shot much like a crime thriller or drama. Each shot and cut builds suspense, charting the senator as she realizes what's happening to her, alongside the emotional disintegration of the man and woman invading her home at gunpoint.As well-crafted as the writing and camerawork are, powerful performances by all of the cast ultimately make the film deeply human, empathetic and ultimately heart-wrenching. Westwood plays the senator, capturing the powerful veneer of a politician as it crumbles into a helpless, desperate mother, while actor Robert John Burke plays her husband and father watching his world shatter before his eyes. As the man and woman, actors Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Caitlin Mehner have the tricky balancing act of portraying people driven to extreme action by extreme emotion without losing their sense of humanity. But it works because both actors movingly convey what it feels like to suffer cataclysmic loss and be eaten alive by insurmountable grief and trauma -- suffering they feel could have been prevented and a rage they need to unleash in a ruthless, terrifying way.In the end, the dramatic scenario of "Triggered" is an extreme one, one designed to shock and provoke. But the reason it works is that the emotions fueling it -- parental trauma and grief, rage at moral indifference in the face of greed, politics and power -- are so recognizable, relatable and real. It is a film designed to spark discussion and use outrage to fuel action, but it never forgets the trauma and suffering of the victims of gun violence, as well as the grief and fury of those left behind. One could argue that its central dramatic situation is almost speculative in genre, as well, because it speaks to a powder keg that has built up with each shooting, failed legislative attempt and ineffectual sentiment. The powder keg is set to explode, and its detonation takes a nihilistic, dystopian shape here. But it's essentially the dark side of the ideology being critiqued: taking the law into one's own hands, an eye for an eye, violence answered with violence.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to2 burglars break into a U.S. senator's home. Then it takes a shocking turn. | Triggeredhttp://youtu.be/bX71ZnW399ohttp://omeleto.com/259130Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman takes a job investigating supernatural phenomena... | Paranormal Investigators Omeleto 2022-10-27 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toParanormal Investigators is used with permission from Markus Meedt. Learn more at http://omele.to/3kJZNkI.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoAbi is starting an internship at the British Paranormal Investigation Team, an agency that investigates supernatural phenomena. Her first day has a bumpy start: she fails to impress the team skeptic and alienates Ewan, the medium, who can't quite read into her mind.As the day wears on and the team investigates its roster of cases -- most of which are false alarms -- Abi enters a new world, managing to make contributions and impress team leader Toby with her reasonable intelligence and unflappable attitude, even in the face of deflating false alarms. But when they finally come across a real case of malevolent paranormal presence, Abi gets a chance to prove her mettle.Directed by Markus Meedt from a script written by producers Alex Gibbons and Howard Perret, this horror-comedy applies the mores and conventions of a workplace comedy to a cheeky take on the spooky and paranormal. The result is a lighthearted, entertaining riff on both genres of storytelling, complete with intriguing characters and plenty of British wit.BPIT is essentially an amiably semi-functional workplace, and the naturalistic direction and visuals seem to emphasize the workaday nature of the company over its otherworldly services. Even when they traffic in ghosts, the group still deals with inter-office politics and customer abuses of the free consultation, and the writing has a lot of fun with both its world-building and its workplace satire. Part of the enjoyment is that the storytelling treats ghosts, hauntings and the like as if they were everyday pests, along the lines of a household inconvenience like broken-down plumbing or bug infestations.And as with many workplace comedies, much of the appeal comes from the film's ensemble of quirky, memorable characters, ranging from stylish yet suspicious (and perhaps secretly incompetent) Ewan, played by actor Edward Mitchell, to the genial, resigned Toby, who is played by writer/producer Howard Perret. As Abi, actor Alice Etches proves a sympathetic anchoring presence, both grounded, smart and humble as a young woman finding her place. Yet underneath that competent demeanor, Abi reveals a particular talent and predilection for dealing with the paranormal -- and so the intern becomes a valuable part of the team.It's a testament to the cleverness and fun of "Paranormal Investigators" that, by its end, we're eager to see what this newly cemented team will face next, whether it's another household annoyance in the form of a spook or a truly dangerous supernatural spirit. Beyond the excellent storytelling, cheeky one-liners and amusing take on its genres, it's laid the foundation for a fascinating, evolving group of characters to grow, evolve and adventure together -- with a core of unflappable good humor, wit and civility, even in the face of the mischievously sinister.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman takes a job investigating supernatural phenomena... | Paranormal Investigatorshttp://youtu.be/V9IId-0BFvkhttp://omeleto.com/259124Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A drunk man is arrested and gets community service. He meets a strange woman... | Community Service Omeleto 2022-10-26 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toCommunity Service is used with permission from Grayson Tyler Johnson. Learn more at http://omele.to/3N8qGeY.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoDan went to a party and got wasted, and then had a run-in with the law. Charged with public intoxication, he must now do community service to get it taken off his record and chooses to deliver meals to home-bound people for a few weeks.The last person on his service route in Brooklyn is a woman named Shecky. Shecky is off-putting: loud, nosy, abrasive and plain old weird. She lives in a home full of figurines and stuffed animals; she has no filter in what she talks about. And she insists Dan stay with her until she falls asleep, promising even to pay him extra money. As the weeks wear on, Shecky becomes increasingly annoying and demanding. But just when Dan reaches the end of his service, she becomes something else altogether.Written and directed by Grayson Tyler Johnson, this odd and riveting psychological horror short is a journey into the unexpected eccentricity that we find in the course of everyday life, whether it's the odd neighbor or the strange objects in the junk store. With deliberate pacing and confident writing, it chronicles the collision of one man with a very odd woman, making for an unexpected excursion into a heart of darkness.The sly, witty storytelling finds casual humor in the neglect, flippancy and indifference of people, starting from the lawyer assigning Dan his community service. The visuals seem naturalistic, even workmanlike -- except for a fixation on slightly surreal details, whether it's an odd gargoyle on a railing or the slightly queasy close-ups on the industrial assembly-line spaghetti being made.This visual attention to the oddball darkens into a more sinister aspect as the relationship between Shecky and Dan progresses. At first, Dan finds Shecky off-putting, but each encounter reveals Shecky's growing neediness and fixation on Dan, which he attempts to dodge. Actor Dan O'Brian is a sympathetic, relatable presence, but as Shecky, actor Angela Muto commands the screen in a no-holds-barred performance that is funny, compelling and menacing all at once. Muto is not afraid to be abrasive, screechy or even repulsive, and it could be easy for the audience and Dan to write her off as an annoying kook, neglected by society and her family. But as Dan discovers, Shecky isn't powerless -- not in the least.Though its look and feel are deceptively casual in its evocation of everyday urban life, "Community Service" in many ways shares much in common thematically with a filmmaker like David Lynch. Like Lynch, the film cleverly explores the idea of a dark pocket of oddness tucked away in the fabric of normality, where entering that weirdly quiet home in the neighborhood reveals a cesspool of perversions and twisted obsessions that you've been living beside for years. Though there are no monsters or gore (unless you count spaghetti) in the film, viewers could file it under horror, if only for the sheer terror it evokes at its wry, hapless ending and the unforgettable evocation of human neediness turned monstrous and insatiable.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA drunk man is arrested and gets community service. He meets a strange woman... | Community Servicehttp://youtu.be/cuFgE9j-3Uchttp://omeleto.com/259116Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A man cant accept that his wife is dying. Then he meets a dark presence in the woods. | Mirage Omeleto 2022-10-25 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMirage is used with permission from Sil van der Woerd. Learn more at http://omele.to/3VVMIpu.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoAn old hunter lives in a home near the mountains, far from any town, village or city. His wife lies dying in their bed, kept alive on a respirator. He has a difficult time accepting the situation, refusing to accept her imminent passing.One day, out in the woods, he encounters a dark presence, one that stalks him in the isolated forest. When it asserts itself, the hunter has no place to hide from its darkness -- or from the difficult emotions he's avoiding.Written and directed by Sil van der Woerd, this short drama has no dialogue or much background information. And yet with thoughtful and precise narrative economy and impressive visuals, it communicates great depth and weaves fantastic suspense in telling the story of a man confronting the depth of his grief and sorrow.Shot with muted yet coolly beautiful colors and beautifully composed framings, the film has a pristine, impeccable approach to its image-making and storytelling, one that belies its main character's emotional distance. But as it goes deeper into the old hunter's emotional landscape, it also takes on the visual language of horror and fantasy (along with impressive special effects), ramping up the suspense and tension of what has been a quiet, more internal story so far.While the hunter grapples with his fears -- in this case, fear of his wife's death and the pain of losing her -- this isn't an average horror film, full of dread and terror. Instead, the cinematic language of fantasy and horror is co-opted to make the hunter's emotional terrain allegorical, through the guise of a shapeshifting presence of shadows, smoke and darkness that threatens to overwhelm and consume him. Allegory can often be very stately and perhaps distant, but here it is visceral, bringing to pulse-pounding life the process of being subsumed by grief and suffering. Actor Bosco Hogan's performance also adds a deeply felt element to a man who must bid his wife goodbye. With no words, his very bearing manages to convey immense emotion: sadness, grief and, eventually, love.It's this love that makes the ending of "Mirage" all the more heart-wrenching and poignant in its restraint because it is the depth of the man's love that is the reason why his grief is so painful and even terrifying. As painful as grief and loss are, the sadness only becomes bearable when we remember the love it emerges from -- a love that the film's final images give reverence to, with simplicity and humble beauty.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA man can't accept that his wife is dying. Then he meets a dark presence in the woods. | Miragehttp://youtu.be/DSTBy1MfAWchttp://omeleto.com/259109Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A gifted photographer with an alcoholic mother searches for his muse. | A Million Eyes Omeleto 2022-10-24 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toA Million Eyes is used with permission from Richard Raymond. Learn more at http://omele.to/3eWoOtl.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoLeroy is a gifted young photographer, making startling images with a busted-up Minolta camera. He is thoughtful, not just in his art but also in his tenderness and care towards his single mom, who works long hours as a waitress and has her struggles. He's seeking to find the perfect image, as well as his own voice as an artist.But Leroy runs into trouble when he loiters at a bookstore looking at photography books and finds himself in a juvenile detention center. During his stint, he meets another artist, who encourages him to follow his muse -- and accept some unexpected mentoring along the way. And when he faces new familial challenges, he finds both his voice and a refuge in his art in powerful new ways.Directed by Richard Raymond from a script written by Curt Zacharias Jr., this lyrical short drama is the portrait of a young man as an artist as he learns to embrace his voice and his identity. Told with thoughtfulness and grace, it's unique in its gentle yet keenly observant portrayal of this particular artist's struggles, as a young Black man coming from an economically challenged background.The storytelling is attuned to the ebbs and flows of its young protagonist's inner landscape, and it takes its often pensive, tender tone from Leroy's character and its naturalistic yet poetic visual approach from Leroy's developing art. The major events are quiet and often internal, as Leroy explores the world with his camera in search of images, and the film is excellent in showing how Leroy finds inspiration and growth from nearly all facets of his life, from his time in a juvenile correction center to a friendship he strikes up with an older photographer named Fern. But he's often alone, as his mom struggles with sobriety. Though she's a deeply loving presence, she's also flawed and broken, which weighs upon Leroy.The film's tenor and pace are quiet and sensitive, intertwining the young artist's creative development with the travails of his home life without melodrama on either strand, a testament to the excellent cast. Audiences will recognize actors Katie Lowes and Joe Morton from the beloved TV drama Scandal, taking advantage of Lowes's vulnerable, sensitive presence and Morton's gravitas and authority in their portrayals of Leroy's mother and mentor, respectively. But the heart of the film is young actor Elijah M. Cooper. He occupies the role of the young artist with innate intelligence and empathy, capturing both his growth as a creative as well as the struggles of a young son who often has to take care of his parent. Eventually, that burden takes its toll -- but it also opens up his art in a raw, unvarnished direction.Leroy's eventual direction as an artist in "A Million Eyes" is, in many ways, the apotheosis of the image he has been seeking throughout the entire film: one that finds compassion and beauty in the ordinary, vulnerable and broken and is also deeply, courageously personal. It also opens both his and his mother's eyes to a troubling truth in their family and home, doing so in a way that isn't shaming, but still bravely honest. It can seem like an empty truism, but art does transform lives here. And it also transforms its maker, giving him a voice in the world, a source of identity that's entirely his own and a strength of conviction in his perspective.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA gifted photographer with an alcoholic mother searches for his muse. | A Million Eyeshttp://youtu.be/unyb8wu4FDohttp://omeleto.com/259091Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A couple goes to an isolated place for intimacy. But they dont have much time. | Time Omeleto 2022-10-22 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toTime is used with permission from Ashley Cole. Learn more at http://omele.to/3TDKaKU.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMaggie is celebrating her birthday with her lover Ryan, and the two of them spend a leisurely weekend with one another sequestered away in an apartment. During their time together, they make love, talk and hang out, losing themselves in a cocoon of intimacy. There are no kids, no work or no distractions; there is only one another.But as the weekend goes on, they steadily avoid a certain subject, though it's inevitable that it will intrude upon their relationship. Maggie must face the truth of her love for Ryan and its inherent limitations -- and choose between the loneliness of commitment or the uncertainty of freedom.This short romantic drama, written by and starring Ashley Cole, captures the sacred hush of deep and abiding love, when two people are the entire world to one another. With sensitive dialogue and a soft, gentle pace, we experience this relationship as the main characters do: as a world apart from the hustle and bustle of real life, or refuge and sanctuary of understanding and tenderness. Captured with warm, naturalistic visuals that are both cozy and romantic, the evocation of intimacy, both physically and emotionally, is appealing in the sense of safety and sensuality, and it is easy to see why neither Maggie nor Ryan wants to disturb it.And yet the details of real life bleed slowly into the dialogue as the film proceeds, just as the visuals also take on a tinge of claustrophobia. Maggie and Ryan's domestic, intimate space starts to feel cloistered off and confined, a transformation in feeling that takes on added meaning as details of Ryan's life situation start to chip at the bubble of intimacy. The slow pivot is done with care, and what begins as a love story becomes a meditation on the borders between romantic love and illusion.As the central couple, Cole and her co-lead actor Shane McRae have a palpable connection that feels lived-in and believable, and both actors are also skilled at hinting at the individual psychological weights they carefully keep at arms' length for the duration of the time together. Yet there is no escape from this baggage, and from the outer circumstance that will assert itself, no matter what they feel or do. The only thing they can do in the face of it is either accept reality and the possibility of heartache or keep their commitment to one another, no matter how wrenching it may be.Tender, warm and embracing, "Time" captures the primacy of human connection, and how deeply soothing and comforting it is to know and be known by someone on such an intimate level. We see why Maggie and Ryan prize their time together, and why both would be reluctant to give it up. The storytelling leads with intimacy, but when the film reveals the full situation between Ryan and Maggie, it adds yet another dimension to its meaning, humanizing an often overlooked segment of the population and their families. It makes the case for why human connection is so necessary -- and then makes us confront the pain of having that connection severed.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA couple goes to an isolated place for intimacy. But they don't have much time. | Timehttp://youtu.be/ETHEXAnY0qghttp://omeleto.com/259093Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman speaks out against a tyrannical government. There are consequences. | Little Brother Omeleto 2022-10-21 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toLittle Brother is used with permission from Cyrus Saidi and Gautam Pinto. Learn more at http://omele.to/3Sknsq3.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoJane is an activist, best-selling author and a Nobel nominee who speaks out against the tyrannical government of Iran. She has been persecuted in the past and is now an ex-pat, but when she travels back to Iran to gives a no-holds-barred interview on TV, the very government she speaks out against decides to take action.Little do they know, however, that Jane has a powerful weapon at her disposal. And with its aid, Jane will throw the latest salvo in the war against oppression, exposing the secret actions of the government in a way no one anticipated.Written and directed by Cyrus Saidi and Gautam Pinto, this short sci-fi thriller plays for high stakes, blending incendiary dialogue, committed performances and provocative ideas in a fast-moving, ambitious narrative. It charts the rise and fall of an activist committed to speaking out at any cost against an oppressive government that commits human rights violations with impunity.The film has a visual sleekness and coolly futuristic sheen, with dynamic camerawork and a chilly color palette, but ultimately this is a story of ideas, using the centerpiece of a high-profile media interview to explore its main character's rhetoric of freedom, rebellion and revolution. Interwoven throughout the interview are detours into Jane's dark, haunting memories, mixing past and present along with Jane's inner landscape and her actions in the world, particularly as they rub up against the government's growing repression against its people.Actor Natalie Brown plays Jane with a righteous conviction, with a steeliness at her core. She's charismatic, and we can see as an audience why she serves as the face of opposition to terror. When she makes a crucial choice -- essentially a sacrifice -- in service of her cause, it's believable even though it is extreme. After the bombshells of her high-profile interview, she faces yet another interrogation -- and another sacrifice to make for her beliefs.Thought-provoking and engaging, "Little Brother" was shot in 20--. But it resonates with current events now, with political rebellion fomenting in Iran, proving that the film's heroine and her rhetoric of rebellion and revolution are almost prophetic in their power. But, taking advantage of its non-linear storytelling, the film is also astute in examining the role of technology in exposing the corruption of the system and those in power. The ability to capture and then transmit almost instantly evidence of political abuses of power has ignited many recent revolutions around the world, including current-day Iran. Though surveillance can be turned against people, its tools can also be appropriated for justice and truth -- and keeping the flames of hope alive, even when they seem to be dying out.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman speaks out against a tyrannical government. There are consequences. | Little Brotherhttp://youtu.be/rIEfVfs5nZEhttp://omeleto.com/259083Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A park ranger is fired from his dream job. Then he loses his mind... | What Wilderness Permits Omeleto 2022-10-20 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toWhat Wilderness Permits is used with permission from Joel Marsh. Learn more at http://omele.to/3MTdZon.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoRuss McCoy is a park ranger who is passionately dedicated to his job. He loves the peace and serenity of nature; he is deeply familiar with all the creatures he encounters on his regular rounds, including a bear who has eaten a human.But before he can do anything about the human-eating bear, Russ is unceremoniously fired from his job, due to the lack of funding for the national parks and the apathy and cluelessness of the park visitors. Distraught and devastated, Russ takes his ire out on a city-slicker couple, Emma and Paul, who are visiting the park for some hiking and camping, and represents all that has gone wrong with society.Directed by Joel Marsh from a script written by Mike Leavitt, this acerbic dark comedy short is ostensibly one man's revenge upon a world that refuses to respect the only thing he is passionate about. Russ is dedicated to his job, fueled by a deep love of nature and all its wild creatures, and the storytelling finds a witty, even sweet humor on just how immersed he is in his work.But that fervor has a dark side when it's thwarted by forces out of Russ's control. Money is an issue, but it's also people's growing carelessness about the environment -- where they think of nature only for its Instagram potential, not as something to care for and nurture. The film has some fun with the casually oblivious cluelessness of the couple and charts Russ's growing descent into madness, but it never quite edges into the bite of satire. Instead, the writing and direction manage a fine tonal balance between a creeping sense of horror as Russ loses it, a sincere social commentary on nature and knowing humor at the foibles of humans, with their idiosyncrasies and self-absorption. The film's visuals, too, capture the bucolic beauty of nature, which makes for a striking contrast to the nutty humans roaming within it.As excellent as the writing and creative direction is, it's the performances that truly make the film's balance of theme and tone work. Actors Claire Glassford and Brendan Sargent play the couple whose cluelessness emerges not from any personal malevolence or lack of intelligence, but from their distraction. But the foundation of the film is actor Galen Howard, who plays Russ with terrific distinction and presence. Russ is an eccentric and outsider, and while Howard revels in Russ's quirky flourishes and the peculiarities of his demeanor, he always maintains a line to Russ's emotional truth. Russ genuinely loves nature for its beauty and majesty, but also because he can be himself in it, away from the judgments of people like Paul and Emma. When that refuge is taken from him, Russ goes into his own heart of darkness, even as Paul and Emma begin to expand their appreciation of nature.Those dueling arcs in "What Wilderness Permits" converge in ways both unpredictable and sincere as the film proceeds, and gives it an unusual and well-earned emotional resonance, as both the couple and Russ find common ground and compassion. But, because it's also a witty dark comedy, there's also a hilarious irony at its conclusion, where the power of nature truly asserts itself. Nature, it seems, will be just fine, no matter the nature of the humans trampling and traipsing within it.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA park ranger is fired from his dream job. Then he loses his mind... | What Wilderness Permitshttp://youtu.be/RgygaGH8SX8http://omeleto.com/259073Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A washed-up musician meets a psychic who convinces him to find a long-lost treasure. | The Cathar Omeleto 2022-10-18 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Cathar is used with permission from Liam Hendrix Heath. Learn more at http://omele.to/3s9jCVL.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoAnthony is a washed-up musician who comes under the sway of a charismatic, supremely confident psychic named Gloria. She convinces him that he's the incarnation of a Cathar, a practitioner of a late medieval Christian Gnostic movement that took hold in Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries but was persecuted for their unorthodox take on religion.Anthony's belief takes him to France, where he begins searching for treasure. (He also brings along Gloria for support and guidance, footing her bill.) His increasingly skeptical daughter Maya accompanies him, but when he runs afoul of the law for property damage and trespassing, Maya eventually confronts her father as he gets lost further in what she sees as a scam.Written and directed by Liam Hendrix Heath, this short drama is equal parts thought-provoking and compassionate, building a portrait of a man's search for purpose and meaning as it intersects with a "post-truth" modern world riven with conspiracy theories and disinformation. Beautifully crafted on all levels from visuals and writing to performance and editing, its storytelling truly begins with Anthony's first encounter with the psychic, regarding a series of vivid dreams he's been having. Gloria tells him about his past life as a Cathar, a vision vividly rendered with a lucid, visceral power. For Anthony and the audience, this sequence will resonate in the imagination for the film's mostly naturalistic duration. With its vividness, we can understand how it both gives Anthony's life meaning and beauty, driving him to pursue the promise of ancient treasure.The scope of the story itself is ambitious for its short length, traversing not just several locations and a growing cast of characters, but a deep dive into Anthony's transformation into a true believer. The counterpoint is his daughter Maya, who humors him at first until she realizes just how far her father is moving away from the mainstream of life -- and how much influence Gloria is exerting over him and his savings.Actor David Heath -- who is the director's father -- offers a portrait of a man grasping for truth, and he plays both the certainty of a fanatic holding tight to his views and the core of doubt and fear fueling that stranglehold on surety. As Gloria, actor Brix Smith -- indie music aficionados may recognize her as a member of the seminal post-punk band the Fall -- has both sly confidence and a sphinxlike sense of mystery, a combination that pulls Anthony into her orbit. Where that orbit leads, though, may end up pulling Anthony farther and farther away from his loved ones into a future full of unknowns.Compelling and full of intrigue and empathy, "The Cathar" works with themes of our vulnerability to conspiracies and questions of whether or not truth and reality are absolutes or what we make of them. But ultimately the film achieves a more emotional, haunting resonance because it is empathetic to how a fundamental human quest for meaning and purpose drives us, and how lost we feel when we are disconnected from a larger truth. We also see how easy it is to grasp onto anything that offers that spiritual sustenance -- and how tightly we grip it when we have nothing else. In its final images, Anthony marches into the unknown -- with purpose and drive, but also away from a reality he once shared with his daughter and the rest of the world.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA washed-up musician meets a psychic who convinces him to find a long-lost treasure. | The Catharhttp://youtu.be/rLC4B-SDWUshttp://omeleto.com/259067Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
An immigrant couple with expired visas faces a dilemma when their baby has an accident. | Outsiders Omeleto 2022-10-15 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toOutsiders is used with permission from Gleb Osatinski. Learn more at http://omele.to/3eBPdfW.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoDmitry is a young immigrant father coming home with a crib for his infant daughter Dasha, lugging the furniture up the stairs to the cramped apartment he shares with his wife, Zhenya. All seems well until the crib breaks later that night, and the baby ends up with a bump on its head.Zhenya wants to bring Dasha to the emergency room. But things are complicated because while Dasha was born in the U.S., Dmitry and Zhenya are immigrants whose visas have expired. They fear deportation and being separated as a family, but the safety of their baby daughter is also at stake.Directed by Gleb Osatinski from a script co-written by Osatinski with Joshua Sonny Harris, this compelling short drama transposes an engaging chamber drama of family life upon the suspense of immigrants facing a dilemma made even more complicated and even dangerous by their uncertain legal status. There's an almost documentary-like closeness in the small gestures and moments of the family together, as handheld camerawork captures the tender touches, looks and seemingly throwaway dialogue of Dasha with her parents. The focus is on close-ups, and we don't see much of their home space. But from the shadows and framing, it feels cloistered and cramped.When the family is content, this visual closeness feels almost cozy, and actors Yana Mulder and Dmitry Tagovitskiy as the parents have a palpable connection and understanding between them that feels equally lived-in and tender. The ensemble feels like a believable and relatable family: a set of new parents making a home together, even in difficult circumstances. But when Dasha's head gets bumped when the crib falls apart, this proximity between the camera and characters feels more like walls closing in on the family, mirroring how the family feels trapped by their circumstances, forcing them to make untenable choices at their most fearful and vulnerable.Both parents are concerned for their daughter, but due to their status, Dmitry worries about the consequences of an ER visit that would rend the family apart. As Zhenya and Dmitry navigate the crisis, the beautifully subtle dialogue and performances come to the fore, as a formerly united couple faces a precipice and a decision. The future of the family is hazy, but viewers get a sense that the primary relationship between Dmitry and Zhenya has shifted. And whether or not the family's outer circumstances change, the inner emotional terrain between them has.Thoughtful, somber and resonant, "Outsiders" is a title that immediately frames the main characters as existing in a twilight zone outside a larger system. The film's gift is its ability to use a pared-down set of storytelling elements -- a small but specific set of characters, disciplined visual approach and highly focused, thoughtful narrative -- to capture both the intimate emotions and larger sociopolitical context, giving it a power that goes beyond its seemingly modest scale. We share the intimacy of a young family's togetherness in a lovely quicksilver stream of moments, emotions and sensations, which feel almost sacred in their hush -- but we also experience how the larger currents of the world can easily threaten to carry them away, sweeping over them like debris in a wide, dangerous sea.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toAn immigrant couple with expired visas faces a dilemma when their baby has an accident. | Outsidershttp://youtu.be/Gw6JaaPWayohttp://omeleto.com/259052Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman babysits 2 British sisters, then discovers somethings wrong. | Before Seven Omeleto 2022-10-14 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toBefore Seven is used with permission from Ray Sisters. Learn more at http://omele.to/3CySsNb.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoSage is a young American woman working in London as a babysitter. She gets called in to watch over two little girls, who are delightful to babysit. But as the day wears into the evening, Sage starts to feel something amiss, as small signs and unreturned messages add up to a more ominous meaning.But when the girls' parent fails to return at the end of Sage's shift, Sage's protective instincts towards her young charges take over as she attempts to get to the bottom of the looming crisis. But what she discovers is much more surprising than what anyone thought.Co-directed by Austin and Westin Ray from a script written by Westin, this short drama has a gentle start, as a cheerful, competent Sage enters the world of the little girls she's tasked to watch. Emmeline and Abigail are charming, smart and well-behaved, and Sage herself instantly telegraphs a solicitous warmth and trustworthiness Their mother, however, seems distracted and anxious, but that tension is easily overlooked as Sage spends time with the little girls, making them meals and playing with them.Together, they make a comfortable bubble of security, and the storytelling luxuriates in this atmosphere, with an eye for sweet details and gestures of care and comfort. Sage and the girls bond together, and it's easy to see why Sage cares for them so much, even though she has just met them. But visually, the film also takes advantage of the cool, slightly alienating modernist feel of the girls' apartment -- one where the high-end range proves befuddling to operate -- with skewed angles that feel slightly "off." Though Emmeline and Abigail are innately sweet, there's something not quite right in the emotional atmosphere of the home.These and other signs of disquiet creep into the film, skillfully shifting it from a naturalistic portrait of a small ad-hoc family into a subtle mystery full of suspense and uncertainty. As the hour of Sage's shift ending comes and goes and their mother is nowhere to be found, Sage and viewers begin to fill in the pieces. Is the girl's mother having an affair? Has she abandoned the family? What is Sage's moral responsibility in this situation? Sage refuses to abandon the girls, and actor Meaghan Martin -- whom audiences may know from Disney's "Camp Rock" show or from "Mean Girls 2" -- deftly plays rock-solid decency and kindness. As the film's moral center, she's what we and the girls hold onto when the truth comes out.The reveal of "Before Seven" is, in many ways, less salacious than the build-up. But it's also oddly sadder, perhaps hinting at how easy it is to outsource or even eschew the responsibility for children. The fuller backstory begs for a longer narrative treatment, but it would be easy to surmise how easy it is to lose sight of Emmeline and Abigail in the bustle of a busy, grown-up light. But the film also offers a glimpse of what it looks like when children are collectively cared for by a larger community outside the nuclear family. Sage offers a safe place to land for her charges during a tense situation, which is more important than ever when it comes to an increasingly fraught, complex world.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman babysits 2 British sisters, then discovers something's wrong. | Before Sevenhttp://youtu.be/k2FBOy0CoHkhttp://omeleto.com/259044Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A mother prepares her sons favorite meal. But somethings not quite right... | Myrtle Omeleto 2022-10-12 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMyrtle is used with permission from Patricia McCormack. Learn more at http://omele.to/3emfuPg.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA mother from Indiana is preparing her son's favorite meal, going through each painstaking step, from the washing of her hands to the chopping, frying and baking. But instead of the warmth and coziness one expects in preparing a meal, the kitchen is cold, industrial and full of equipment that isn't the best.As Myrtle prepares the meal, she reflects on her life, her son and her background, revealing a background of poverty and deprivation. She also comes to terms with just why she is preparing the meal and the fate of herself and her son.Directed by Patricia McCormack from a script written by Megan Barker, this short drama is essentially a monologue delivered directly to the camera, offering direct access to an often misunderstood type of character. She mostly takes us through the recipe, but as she talks, she weaves in reflections of her life, from the economic deprivation she's endured all her life to the troubled relationship she has with her son. whose own journey is encoded in Myrtle's reflections.The set of narrative elements is pared-down to one character and one location, but the film is richer and more dynamic visually than that set-up would suggest, with a moody, drab color palette and subtle yet revealing camera movements. There's also many small detail shots of the meal, from the careful layout of the ingredients to meat sizzling in the pan. Yet, combined with the pensive text and sometimes eerie lighting, these shots are far from evoking a sense of gastronomic pleasure. Instead, there's something almost surreal and unsettling watching these ingredients be mutilated and maimed in service of a meal.The foundation of the film's power, though, comes from the writing and the performance that brings it to life. The script sticks to a telling specificity of detail, each small observation carrying immense weight in its ability to evoke a full character like Myrtle. Director Patricia McCormack plays the lead with sturdiness and an understatement that serves the film well, evoking Myrtle's stoicism as well as a certain thoughtfulness. But underneath this solidity of demeanor is a feeling of deep sorrow and pain, one that comes out as she prepares the meal, both as a gesture of unconditional maternal love and a farewell.The final revelation of "Myrtle" is less a reveal than a confirmation of what the audience has been suspecting. But it still accomplishes the work of a plot twist, as earlier details about Myrtle, her son and their background take on new significance. What begins as a gesture of motherly devotion also becomes a meditation of mortality, a portrait of the generational effects of poverty and an investigation into the meaning and value of human life. Myrtle is nourishing her son up to the very end, but in the end, we can't help but ask what one meal is in the face of an entire section of society deprived of security, safety and a sense that they matter.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA mother prepares her son's favorite meal. But something's not quite right... | Myrtlehttp://youtu.be/sEzouC0xYmUhttp://omeleto.com/259038Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A woman struggles with divorce, then accidentally locks herself in the attic. | Maggie In the Attic Omeleto 2022-10-11 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMaggie In the Attic is used with permission from Kim Krohn. Learn more at http://omele.to/3fWpRJQ.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMaggie is a 30-something woman who has found her way back to her family home. She recently hit a rough patch in her personal life -- which includes going through a divorce -- and is struggling to put the pieces of her life back together. But it's hard, especially when she's depressed and it's too easy to fall into old childhood dynamics with her parents.When her parents leave for vacation, she's tasked with a series of chores, which she can barely manage. Somehow, she locks herself up in the attic, where she is forced to deal with her actual and metaphorical baggage, and ask for help from the person she wants to see least.Written and directed by Kim Krohn, this slice-of-life dramedy is about a woman whose life is falling apart. She's back at her parents, going through a breakup and divorce and she just can't get it together. She struggles through a small yet telling series of obstacles: a broken doorknob, calling a skeptical friend, and getting the number of a locksmith who turns out to be very expensive. Her reaction is often flustered, dramatic and exasperated in turns. In many ways, Maggie has reverted to an earlier, perhaps more immature self.On paper, the action could be played as screwball comedy, but the storytelling is character-focused and gently paced, finding humor in the often ironic peccadilloes of life and capturing it with an easygoing, naturalistic visual style. There's a wisely affectionate tone in its observation of how we create the drama that makes our life difficult. Maggie could make one phone call to find an extra set of keys at her old place, but she can't quite face her ex (or their new partner) in such humiliating circumstances. Her sadness and stubbornness keep her stuck in the attic for longer than she'd like.Actor Liba Vaynberg plays Maggie with a nice balance of a woman going through a difficult time in life and an innate quirkiness. It would be easy to play her as a zany neurotic, but the performance is grounded, with moments shaded with relatable grief and sadness. As she goes through her things, including mementos from her wedding, she is forced to confront her grief head-on. But as difficult as it is, it helps her move on and get out of the places where she's stuck, literally and figuratively, in life.Compelling, relatable and sympathetic, "Maggie In the Attic by Kim Krohn" is a seemingly modest film, but it has tremendous heart and empathy not just for its main character, but for anyone who has been paralyzed by the difficulties of life and heartache. Like many people, Maggie doesn't want to face her baggage, fearing more raw pain and suffering. But it's necessary to unpack those regrets, sorrow and confusion. It's not fun or joyful, but after, Maggie has some degree of peace -- one that lets her move forward, one small step at a time.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA woman struggles with divorce, then accidentally locks herself in the attic. | Maggie In the Attichttp://youtu.be/u9PW8o09-Wshttp://omeleto.com/259029Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A couple goes through fertility treatments. But the strain threatens to break them apart. | For Good Omeleto 2022-10-09 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toFor Good is used with permission from Lukas Dong. Learn more at http://omele.to/3fTxYXJ.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA couple, Jen and Andrew, are going through fertility treatments, a grueling and emotionally draining experience that involves lots of needles, waiting and disappointment. They live in a lovely home in Venice, California, and they're loving and affectionate.But the fertility journey puts a strain on their relationship, and a small conflict between the couple turns into something more ambiguous and ominous, especially since the treatments take a toll on Jen's mental, emotional and physical health and Andrew questions whether or not she's being rational. When Jen makes a crucial decision, it propels the couple into an even more fraught space.Directed by Lukas Dong and written by Shane Munson, this short drama captures the loneliness and isolation at the heart of a woman's experience with fertility. The difficulty opens up faultlines between the couple, ones that threaten to pull a usually happy couple apart, especially as the hormone injections affect Jen's moods and Andrew's reactions alienate her even more.Jen and Andrew seem to live in their own world, in a beautiful home on the canals of Venice. There's a warm, burnished glow in the cinematography, one that endows the couple's life with a sense of blessing, filled with close-ups, graceful camera movements and delicate details. But that rich atmosphere is ruptured when Andrew spots an alligator in the canal and thinks Jen doesn't take him seriously. This sets off a chain of small conflicts that snowball into something sharper and uglier. As the couple's emotional connection deteriorates, that mellow glow and soft-gauze approach turn moody and even oppressive at times, and the haziness creates a sense of ambiguity.The writing and direction focus on the more subtle currents of emotion and sensation, both for Jen individually and for the couple in general. The injections are painful and take their toll, and actor Lily Blavin captures with subtlety and precision the growing oppressiveness of the process. As her husband, actor Charlie DePew nimbly balances between a clear love of his wife but also a cavalier carelessness in how he speaks to her during this delicate time. When Jen can't take it anymore, she makes a seemingly rash, reactionary decision -- one that forces all the submerged tension to the surface.For many, dealing with infertility involves much silent suffering and shame, and couples grapple with doubt and shame, especially when the much-desired result doesn't happen right away. Many have no idea how drawn-out IVF and other treatments can be, and how grueling it can be, physically and mentally. "For Good" captures this difficult terrain with compassion. But it also captures how it contributes to a couple's breakdown in communication, where both parties in the pairing disbelieve one another in different ways, making each other feel minimized or ignored. It results in a dysfunctional pas de deux at a time when it's crucial to be in sync. Often such discord may cause them to question if starting a family is such a good idea, or in overcoming it, bring them closer together.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA couple goes through fertility treatments. But the strain threatens to break them apart. | For Goodhttp://youtu.be/drOn5vvsqqMhttp://omeleto.com/259012Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A man tries to keep his wife alive and hide a shocking truth from their daughter. | Jasmine Omeleto 2022-10-08 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toJasmine is used with permission from Mykola Metin and Vishwas. Learn more at http://omele.to/3yqlmOh and http://omele.to/3ylVxhZ.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoNeel and his daughter Maya are dealing with a crisis. Wife and mother Jasmine is seriously ill. Struggling to keep her alive, and to keep tragedy from happening again, they call in a specialist. Jasmine is not just Neel's wife and Maya's mother -- she is also an android, though Maya doesn't know that.But when an unsympathetic new "doctor" comes in and realizes that Jasmine has been tampered with from a previous loss, Neel must confront the fact that not even technology can save him from loss -- and reckon with the consequences of an earlier one.Directed by Mykola Metin from a script by Vishwas, this compelling and polished sci-fi short is essentially a story about a family dealing with a potentially catastrophic loss, as a beloved member faces illness and possibly death. Neel must not just manage the illness of his wife, but also must try to manage the expectations of his daughter, who doesn't know Jasmine's true nature. The solid, well-crafted writing weaves in its sci-fi angle by making Jasmine's status as a machine both the cause of her illness and the point of contention between Neel and the company, which builds throughout the film.As it turns out, Jasmine is an old model -- "junk," according to the inspector. And because she's been patched over and tinkered with, there's little hope for Jasmine's continued presence in their lives. As Neel tries to reason with the new technician, we understand how deeply Jasmine is woven into his family life. Despite her status as an android, she was still a deeply beloved member of the family, one whose contribution was invaluable to Neel and Maya.As Neel negotiates with the new company representative, the dialogue reveals the gap between a company that sees Jasmine as a product and "intellectual property" and a family that deeply loves Jasmine. Actor Vishwas portrays a father trying to keep his family together, with a relatable concern and distress, especially as the company callously wishes to "repossess" Jasmine like an object. On one hand, she is an android; on another, she's still family. The conflict plays out, but it resolves with an unexpected development -- one that opens up more questions about machine learning and the emotional lives of the humans that built them.Engaging and quietly fascinating, "Jasmine" works because it pays as much attention to the story of the family as it does to the science and technology angle of its genre. It understands the depths of human emotional attachment, and how relationships are built by the care and service we give to one another. If one of the members of the family is different, does that mitigate their contribution or the pivotal role they play in it? The corporate and proprietary nature of technology will continue to intersect in these questions as well. The notion of the human family unit will change and shift to accommodate more unconventional influences, the film suggests -- but there will also be new ways to dismantle the family, too.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA man tries to keep his wife alive -- and hide a shocking truth from their daughter. | Jasminehttp://youtu.be/5lRTOzrGe94http://omeleto.com/259014Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman craves an older mans affection. But he already has a date. | Pull Omeleto 2022-10-07 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toPull is used with permission from Dan Daniel. Learn more at http://omele.to/3V9rUKM.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoEste waits nervously in a bathroom, applying makeup and touching up her appearance. The young woman seems dressed up for a date, but her demeanor is tense and even anxious, even as a school bell rings. She's playing some game different from the rest of her peers.Later, she waits at a bar, watching as men enter in and out. One, in particular, Charles, rivets her attention, and she watches him closely, even as he appears preoccupied. When he goes out for a cigarette break, she follows him into the alley and they talk a little. But it's only when he later meets with his date that Este reveals the full extent of her fascination with him.Directed by Dan Daniel from a script by Anna Moore, this short drama is a small, concentrated vignette of a moment between a young woman and an older man. The storytelling possesses a powerfully intriguing economy of detail, with sparse dialogue and a narrative scope confined to a single time and place. But even with this limited amount of information, it creates an atmosphere that hints at larger issues of seduction, power and secrecy.The film does plenty with this spare palette of elements, beginning with an almost voyeuristic visual style, full of shots from behind or framed by doors, which makes Este feel spied upon. But as it turns out, Este is the careful watcher, with an anxious observation on her fellow bar denizens. When one, in particular, captures her focus, she puts herself in his line of attention, as if trying to make a connection in some way or another.Actor Laura Marcus's performance hints at a complex set of expectations when she encounters Charles, and her expressions and silences do much shading to fill the quick-sketch contours of the character. While Este's exact agenda is opaque at the moment, what comes through is her compulsiveness and nervousness. She has only a handful of lines in the script, but the yearning and longing are clear, driving her on a path that seems fraught with peril, considering her and her target's ages. That peril is only fully revealed when Charles meets up with his date, and a hidden agenda comes to light.We never quite find out the full story in "Pull," or what drives Este exactly. We don't delve deeply into her psyche or the relationships she has, and we're not exactly sure of her circumstances or her place in the world. The bit we do know, however, casts a disquieting pall over the events that just transpired. And it also casts a shadow into the future for Este and the others who join her, one whose shape is sensed and felt before it is seen.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman craves an older man's affection. But he already has a date. | Pullhttp://youtu.be/s-UIrqa_JYIhttp://omeleto.com/259004Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A heartbroken woman goes on a new date every night for a week. | The Perfect Week Omeleto 2022-10-06 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Perfect Week is used with permission from Isabel Schnall. Learn more at http://omele.to/3M80oJo.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoIzzie has just broken up with her boyfriend, and it's been hard. She's lethargic and very sad. Her friend suggests an antidote to lift her spirits: a "perfect week" where she goes on a new date each night over the seven days.Izzie decides to go for it, lining up a date for each night. Each night is unique, and each guy is different, offering a new lesson or at least a new story to tell. But will it help Izzie get over her breakup?Written and directed by Isabel Schnall (who also plays the lead role of Izzie), this acerbic short romance film takes the idea of a woman's embrace of a "perfect week" to offer a panorama of the modern dating scene. It finds grounded humor in the mix of personalities that Izzie naturally encounters and reveals a sharp sense of observation about the unspoken rules, customs and assumptions about sex, romance and everything in between.Izzie gets hit on in bars, goes on Tinder, and has day dates and booty calls, all portrayed in a polished but slightly moody visual style that blends realism with the slightly aspirational sheen of romance. Her experience runs the gamut, captured in sharp but understated writing and pacing that takes full advantage of the built-in structure of a week to put Izzie in a range of situations, from the awkward to the promising. Though there's a quirkiness in the mix of personalities clashing with one another, there's also a thoughtfulness in its observation of social dynamics and expectations that make it clear: dating is a lot of work.Through it all, Schnall as an actor effectively balances a woman trying to stay open to the moment while still navigating the shadow of a serious romantic loss. That shadow gives the storytelling a growing emotional resonance, as Izzie discovers that no matter how fun or engrossing the distraction is, she can't quite escape herself or her pain."The Perfect Week" subverts expectations of the rom-com genre, in which a happy ending is enough to lift someone out of their existential discomfort. Instead, the film goes for wisdom. Dating can be a social activity, done for its own sake for fun and pleasure, and it can also be a serious search for partnership and love. As a way to distract from a romantic breakup, it can be fun, but also disingenuous, even to one's self. Izzie's final date is most promising, but she's learned to accept where she is at and be honest about it with a degree of empathy and even grace. She leaves it in a spirit of mutual kindness, going off into the unknown, but on the first step of truly moving forward from her loss.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA heartbroken woman goes on a new date every night for a week. | The Perfect Weekhttp://youtu.be/APPO7ts-Aushttp://omeleto.com/258995Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A mother and son stop traveling for the night. But a threat may tear them apart. | Watch Over Me Omeleto 2022-10-04 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toWatch Over Me is used with permission from Nir Paniry. Learn more at http://omele.to/3Sxjefj.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoLuisa is traveling through the night with her teenage son, Miguel. Miguel is withdrawn and seemingly depressed, and Luisa is worried for him.They make a stop for some rest, hoping for a peaceful respite from the silent tension. But instead, Miguel acts out, leading to a crisis point, and disappears. Luisa goes in pursuit of her son, walking into a life-threatening situation for both of them.Directed by Nir Paniry from a script co-written with Seth Boston, this short horror film is a portrait of a mother and son at a crucial juncture, in both the young man's journey into adulthood and in their relationship with one another. The starting point is one of mystery, with a moody and evocative opening of their pair traveling in the night. Luisa is trying to care for Miguel, but the teenager is unresponsive, withdrawn, and even angry. He's also in pain, but wants to be left alone -- but he's also angry to the point of violence.What unfolds after this crisis is a recalibration of their relationship, as well as a reveal of just what Miguel is going through. The film also unfurls a full unfolding of the film's horror genre bona-fides, with suspense-filled storytelling, lurid and dark cinematography and a richly dissonant score. The considerable craftsmanship is engaging, and as Luisa continues to pursue her son, we also worry she may be sacrificing her life in the process.But the heart of the story is the familial one. As a mother, Luisa reaches out to her distressed son, worried as he pulls farther and farther away from her. Actor Elena Rojas offers less a performance than a wholesale embodiment of maternal care and protectiveness, with a fierce loyalty that transcends any fear of what her son has turned into. Instead, her steadfast commitment to her son carries her into her confrontation with Miguel, one both moving in its unwavering love and suspenseful in her vulnerability.Engaging and compelling both as a horror short and as a family story, "Watch Over Me" layers the story of a mother and son going through a shift over the long, storied vampire mythos. Here, the idea of a creature could stand for the opening of new appetites, or even the onset of a debilitating condition. As seen in this context, Miguel's anguish and fear are recognizable and understandable. But those overwhelming emotions are eased with a caring parent's understanding, helping him feel less alone and loved, no matter who or what he is.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA mother and son stop traveling for the night. But a threat may tear them apart. | Watch Over Mehttp://youtu.be/VdrVr3AwnWUhttp://omeleto.com/258988Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A couple installs a smart security system at home. But something may be lurking outside. | Aria Omeleto 2022-10-02 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toAria is used with permission from Christopher Poole. Learn more at http://omele.to/3y7kMVk.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoA young couple, Tom and Jenny, are installing a new smart home security system in their tastefully upscale home. The Aria system promises an army of cameras to watch out for intruders, all accessible and controllable via app and voice assistant. But like much other modern smart home technology, Aria has its quirks.Jenny learns to live alongside Aria, but Tom soon finds himself unnerved by it. The lights go on and off unexpectedly; he gets constant notifications that something's at the door in the middle of the night. Soon strange sounds in the dark take on an ominous portent, and each of Aria's transgressions feels increasingly aggressive, building up to a confrontation between man and machine.Written and directed by Christopher Poole, this chilling sci-fi horror short's starting point is the installation of a smart home security system in the house shared by a millennial couple. Represented in a cheeky commercial cameo by "What We Do in the Shadows" star Natasia Demetriou, the Aria system promises a comprehensive surveillance system that detects any threat in or out of the home. Instead, it brings on a psychological descent into madness and dread that Tom cannot escape.The film's considered style and form evoke a disjointed reality constantly interpolated by technology, where the shots alternate between Tom's "real life" with its representation via surveillance footage. The setting of its contemporary home -- both stylish and yet austerely chilly in its modernity -- is reflected in the jagged rhythms of its editing and the almost Cubist-like angles of its visual composition. We never quite settle in the film, with its pacing and rhythms keeping us off-kilter and always on our toes. It all mirrors Tom's unsettled feelings about Aria, which doesn't quite work the way promised.As the intrusions and mishaps with Aria increase, Tom begins to experience his home as a site of threat and danger. Even the most ordinary sound -- the sound of a blender, the creaking of a floor -- feels like an assault or an insinuation. Actor Daniel Lawrence Taylor captures both Tom's increasing frustration and paranoia, though there are also moments of levity found in the gaffes of Aria that anyone who has screamed in frustration at Alexa or Siri will relate to. But overall, Tom's relationship with the new presence in his home becomes something more ominous and foreboding, eventually escalating into confrontation.The conclusion of "Aria" does not explain or "make sense," but in its surrealism and horror, it's genuinely startling and oddly wondrous, much in a way that a dream sequence in a David Lynch film would be. With its themes of domestic space run amok with fear and anxiety, the short also possesses shades of Roman Polanski's Repulsion. But "Aria" is truly a contemporary film, resonant with themes about technology, privacy and paranoia and handled with considerable visual panache. Using horror as a way to explore our deepest cultural anxieties, it's no less than an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" for the uber-connected age, where there's no escaping the tether of constant, neverending and "always on" connectivity, even in our most private of spaces.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA couple installs a 'smart' security system at home. But something may be lurking outside. | Ariahttp://youtu.be/3N0nnXvmD_Mhttp://omeleto.com/258980Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A woman is haunted by an obsessed stalker. Then he jumps out to protect her. | The Observer Effect Omeleto 2022-10-01 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toThe Observer Effect is used with permission from Garret Walsh. Learn more at http://omele.to/3y4sMGD.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMaeve is a young Irish woman much like any young professional in a city, going about their daily life. She works in an office, where she has a mild flirtation with her co-worker Cian, who often walks Maeve home after work. But unbeknownst to Maeve, she also has a stalker, a dark watchful presence who keeps his eyes riveted upon her at a distance as he watched Cian flirt with Maeve.The watcher has visions of himself and Maeve in a violent confrontation. And before long, Maeve faces an attack in the dark by someone who is not the watcher, prompting the mysterious figure to jump in to protect Maeve while mortally wounding himself in the process. Faced with the strange, overwhelming situation, Maeve goes in search of answers and ultimately finds her destiny in the process.Written and directed by Garret Walsh, this short thriller/drama seems at first a straightforward tale of obsession, with a seemingly deranged stalker pursuing a woman, fueled by delusional visions of violent connection. Told from the perspectives of both the stalker and Maeve, the storytelling expertly weaves a dangerous dance between the pair, with tension coming from the woman's dawning awareness that there is a threat seeping into her life. It's compelling from beginning to end, with the cool gleaming look that recalls David Fincher's most brilliant work as well as the writing and editing's superb control over pacing and flow of narrative information. And it all builds up into the violent confrontation long envisioned by the watcher, though not in the way that he expected.But as Maeve -- played by actor Vanesse Emme with grounded precision -- reels from the attack, the narrative veers in a different direction in the film's second half. While it maintains the same dark intensity, it becomes almost mystical as it tracks Maeve's search for information about her watcher. The visuals take on a more expressionistic, even fantastical cast, mirroring Maeve's more reflective space. As she descends into this newer, darker dimension, she and viewers begin to recast the elements of the more conventional thriller that proceeded it in a new light. The stalker perhaps was not deranged but haunted by something more ethereal -- a vision, a prophecy or even a curse. And Maeve's destiny is unraveled as she discovers the pieces of a much larger mystery."The Observer Effect" is a short that nevertheless packs a feature's worth of ideas, production value and storytelling into its runtime, with many promising details and elements that could be expanded upon with a series or feature-length movie. Its first half is so precisely and powerfully constructed that some might find the film's second half more perplexing, with its meanings and connections inferred more through dreamlike visions than airtight storytelling. But it's undeniably an experience that takes advantage of the full power of cinematic art to weave both a story fueled by suspense and a vision casting a spell over viewers. When Maeve emerges from her journey, she's a new person in a new world -- and the journey is just transportive for viewers as it is for her.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA woman is haunted by an obsessed stalker. Then he jumps out to protect her. | The Observer Effecthttp://youtu.be/pE-ktF9D30Mhttp://omeleto.com/258975Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A balding man is desperate for a girlfriend. So he wears wigs on his dates... | Patched Omeleto 2022-09-30 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toPatched is used with permission from Wibout Warnaar. Learn more at http://omele.to/3UCTNdQ.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoHugo is a man on the dating scene, desperate for a girlfriend but convinced that his baldness keeps him from getting one. Meeting many new women in a concentrated period, he goes to elaborate lengths to disguise his baldness with a series of wigs, some more obviously fake than another. Eventually, he hits on the perfect way to disguise his hair loss, and coincidentally, meets the perfect woman, Chantal.But keeping up the ruse of having hair begins to get in the way of their burgeoning relationship, as maintaining the illusion of a full head of hair becomes more and more important. But Hugo's efforts prove strenuous, and hiding his secret begins to collide with the relationship's growing intimacy.Written and directed by Wibout Warnaar, this short romantic comedy tracks a man's search for love in the modern dating scene. But the emphasis is less on the warm fuzzies of romantic emotion traditionally associated with the rom-com genre. With its tumultuous handheld camera and herky-jerky visual style, it resembles more of an action movie in look and feel at times, and we never quite settle into Hugo's psyche. But the agitated camerawork and jagged editing also highlight Hugo's discomfort with himself as he puts himself out there, romantically, and goes through great effort to disguise what he sees as his biggest deficiency, his baldness.Well-paced and continually engaging, the storytelling chronicles Hugo's series of bad wigs and his dates' reactions to them, having a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun. But then Hugo finally lands on a wig that looks fairly natural, and it works: he connects with the attractive, intelligent Chantal. Hugo can't quite believe his luck, and things begin to look up for him, romantically. The film takes a little more time and space to track Hugo's emotional state. He's both excited by the possibility of love and partnership, but he also has something to lose now.Actor Chris van Veenen does an excellent job keeping his performance grounded and understated, even within the film's heightened visual style and its occasional moments of farce. We empathize with Hugo's fear of being found out, even as we're amused by the prevarications and white lies he tells to keep up the ruse. But as the relationship with Chantal deepens, we also see that such an illusion can't be maintained in the face of the couple's growing intimacy.Amusing, entertaining and also insightful, "Patched" is relatable to anyone who's felt the need to present a more perfect, polished version of themselves in the rituals of courtship and romance. We may not all be bald, but we all have things about ourselves that provoke inner embarrassment, judgment and shame. We may also go to great lengths to hide these "flaws" in the hopes of being found lovable enough by someone. But as the final "zinger" in the film shows, good people are rarely as harsh as our inner critics -- and we should extend our emotional generosity to ourselves as much as others.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA balding man is desperate for a girlfriend. So he wears wigs on his dates... | Patchedhttp://youtu.be/i3AM1-oJWJQhttp://omeleto.com/258959Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young woman thinks she sees her lost mother. So she follows her through the night. | Hey Ma Omeleto 2022-09-29 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toHey Ma is used with permission from Laurie Barraclough. Learn more at http://omele.to/3y1cNZY.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoKatrina is out driving one day, going about the business of daily life. But then, across a parking lot, she spots another woman in the distance, someone she recognizes with both shock and disbelief. It's her long-lost mother, she thinks, who she hasn't seen in years.She follows the woman as she drives away, trailing the car as night begins to fall. She trails the car for some distance until she finally reaches the mysterious woman's home. She waits outside the home for the woman to come out. And in the darkness, she confronts the woman she believes is her mother.Written and directed by Laurie Barraclough, this short drama is essentially a vignette of a pivotal incident in one young woman's life, suffused with sensation and feeling. There is little backstory, with the storytelling immersing us immediately into Katrina's mind. We see what she sees: a woman's figure in the distance, loading a car full of groceries. We also see Katrina's reaction, showing a sharp, vivid emotional response that propels her into following the mysterious woman.The moody, atmospheric visuals are rooted in naturalism, but they nevertheless take advantage of the story's shift from twilight into the night to evoke a journey into psychological darkness. There isn't much dialogue outside of a hurried phone call that gives us the barest of narrative information, but Katrina's willful ignoring of replies shows how single-minded and even compulsive this quest is for her.With such pared-down writing, actor Eleanor Shaw's performance nevertheless conveys Katrina's raw need, conveying how such a foundational absence of a parent can drive someone in pursuit of some kind of answer to a lifetime of questions and unspoken sentiments. Katrina has an emotional transparency that practically shimmers with poignant hope and fear as she approaches the woman she believes is her mother, hoping for answers."Hey Ma" may have a minimalist touch with its narrative scope and detail. But it nevertheless achieves an emotional impact whose power and poetry belies its seemingly modest approach. Katrina doesn't quite get what she wants, and the central mystery of her life remains elusive. But in a moment of grace and generosity, she gets something of the comfort and even love that she seeks. It may not be enough to make up for a lifetime's lack, but at the moment, it offers her the balm she needs.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young woman thinks she sees her lost mother. So she follows her through the night. | Hey Mahttp://youtu.be/r3zHTdKkax4http://omeleto.com/258961Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young boy is bullied relentlessly, then forms an unexpected connection with a neighbor. | Run Omeleto 2022-09-26 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toRun is used with permission from Emma Miranda Moore. Learn more at http://omele.to/3DQ67lb.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoCharlie is a 12-year-old boy whose home is full of strife and conflict. He's picked relentlessly, making it a dark, unsafe place. One of his outlets is going out for a run while listening to music on his headphones.While out for a run, he meets his neighbor Lisa. Lisa is a grown-up, but she has her problems that send her outside of her home. Despite their differences in ages and situations, they strike up a connection, one that will change their futures and put them on a different path.Written and directed by Emma Miranda Moore, this short drama captures the tumultuous journey of a young boy who is somewhere between child and teenager. Charlie is often left to his own devices, and viewers get a sense he's often in his world. But when we see him pummeled by a dark presence in his own home -- perhaps a stepbrother -- we understand why he keeps to himself, relentlessly working hard to make himself stronger.The film has a muted naturalistic look, but with its jagged editing and use of music, it nevertheless achieves a kind of nervy energy that reflects Charlie's innate personality. His encounter with Lisa is casual and haphazard -- just two people who run into one another regularly on the street. But that interaction is the only sense of connection that Charlie has.Young actor Scooter Crick has an engaging presence onscreen, with both a guilelessness and innocence that comes through despite his penchant for hip hop and his athletic efforts. His connection to Lisa -- played by actor Maddy Hill, who does a lot with her limited screen time with Charlie -- is the only source of positive interaction in his world, and though they never delve into their problems, they offer each other a momentary companionship during a hard time.Compelling and unexpected, "Run" is a portrait of abuse in the home and a young boy's attempts to carve a space of safety and empowerment within it. But it's also a tribute to the necessity and power of human connection. When we talk of connection, most people think of more intimate or familial relationships. But "Run" values the looser, more casual acquaintances we strike up in our daily routines and neighborhoods -- the kind that many of us lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. In their way, they add connection and comfort to our daily lives and can be just as much a lifeline as anything else.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young boy is bullied relentlessly, then forms an unexpected connection with a neighbor. | Runhttp://youtu.be/8ZKyM_AOPCAhttp://omeleto.com/258952Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A young Iranian girl discovers a provocative VHS tape belonging to her father. | Maryam Joon Omeleto 2022-09-25 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toMaryam Joon is used with permission from Bita Ghassemi. Learn more at http://omele.to/3u92VIB.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoMaryam is a young girl living in post-Revolution Iran in 1985, sharing a flat with her father in Tehran. It's close quarters, and Maryam is very close to her father.But when she discovers a VHS tape of her father's, she soon uncovers an aspect of human experience she has yet to encounter directly -- one that changes her conception of herself and her family.Directed by Bita Ghassemi and co-written with Max Kaplow, this short drama explores a young woman's rocky initiation into adulthood, via notions of beauty, sexuality and pleasure. Like many young people in modern times, Maryam's first exposure to the realm of adult sensuality is through visual media. But she also has to contend with a political atmosphere that can invoke severe consequences if discovered, as well as her own family and culture's disapproval of female bodies and desires.Maryam is confined primarily to her home, which serves as the primary setting for the film. There's a plainspoken, modest naturalism in the visuals befitting the domestic setting, which also emphasizes the cloistered, claustrophobic life that Maryam leads. Maryam spends much of her time alone when her father leaves for work, but despite the sparseness of dialogue, plenty still happens, with the well-paced storytelling focused on Maryam's inner world. Her sense of self as a young woman growing up is enlarging beyond the home -- a process that is accelerated when she discovers the illicit VHS tape meant for her father.This tape opens up ideas about desire, beauty and pleasure for Maryam, which actor Sam Manesh lights upon with subtlety and precision. At first, she is shocked, both by the sensuality of the images and the fact that her father watches such illicit materials. But Manesh also beautifully portrays the delicate process by which Maryam becomes intrigued and hypnotized by this unabashed portrayal of sensuality. It offers the isolated young woman a new lens with which to view herself, one that she tries on. But when her father discovers that his tape has fallen into his daughter's hands, it forces a rupture between them, one that isolates Maryam even more.Intimate and insightful, "Maryam Joon" is a snapshot of one woman's coming of age. Despite the physical and psychological shelter she's been put into, Maryam still has the fundamental yearning and urge to separate as an adult: to explore her place in the world and the new contours of a changing self, which includes a sexual dimension. No amount of societal control can change this natural process. In the end, she still finds a way to embrace and explore this part of herself; she can be sequestered away from the world, but like a seed in the ground, she still finds a way into the light.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA young Iranian girl discovers a provocative VHS tape belonging to her father. | Maryam Joonhttp://youtu.be/F8Ml2mYCGO0http://omeleto.com/258941Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A teenage girl pursues her missing friend into a dangerous world. | Going Country Omeleto 2022-09-24 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toGoing Country is used with permission from Philip Stevens. Learn more at http://omele.to/3C66HKa.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoAahna's friend Beth has been missing for some time, and Aahna can't just let go and move forward from the disappearance. It haunts her, even well after the search for Beth stalls.Taking matters into her own hands, Aahna decides to follow Beth's trail into the isolated Lincolnshire fenlands. There, she discovers an underworld of drugs, trafficking and exploitation, full of menacing characters and forces at work that Aahna barely understands. She gets pulled in deeper, but each clue to Beth's fate may also entrap her.Directed by Philip Stevens from a script written by Laura Turner, this short drama is a sinister descent into a netherworld, tucked away in the East Midlands fens. The storytelling takes advantage of this stark, isolated area of England to establish a dark, almost seedy underbelly of society, cut off from the rest of the world -- a place where anyone can, and does, disappear.There's a sense of uneasy quiet that infuses the film from beginning to end, from the unvarnished naturalism of its cinematography to the slow burn of its storytelling. Carefully observant writing and editing capture Aahna's stream of thoughts as she looks for clues to Beth's existence and whereabouts. But the most compelling source of information is her interaction with Mattei, played by actor Julian Kostov with both wariness and a slight flicker of humanity.Actor Duaa Karim endows Aahna with a watchful intelligence and enduring loyalty to her friend that drives her to pursue her friend and go about her "investigation." But ultimately, she's still a young girl in a difficult, troubled realm. There is the abuse of bodies through drugs and exploitation, but moreover, there's a sense of the expendability of human life. This nihilism seems into the world of the film, giving it a sense of rotting torpor -- and threatening to envelop Aahna herself."Going Country" has all the elements of a taut crime thriller, from its anxious electronic score to its evocation of a rich, hidden underworld. Its intrigue sparks plenty of questions about the background of the characters and stories that can expand into a longer feature. But like a solid character drama, it is more concerned with the inner experience of its main character. With its unwavering focus on Aahna, it is not a conventional thriller at all, but a study of a young woman's fundamental vulnerability in a milieu that sees her as just another commodity to exploit. The narrative builds up not to a shock-and-awe orchestrated by the tight choreography of plot and suspense, but a slow dawning of moral horror. The few signs of humanity may save Aahna, but any hope otherwise is fragile.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA teenage girl pursues her missing friend into a dangerous world. | Going Countryhttp://youtu.be/JaOdsCIkAfkhttp://omeleto.com/258939Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A homeless man tries to feed his dog, then discovers his self-worth. | Peaches Omeleto 2022-09-22 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toPeaches is used with permission from Jared Januschka. Learn more at http://omele.to/3RaviSA.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoEric is a man living on the streets, with only his dog for company, a bike to get around on and all his belongings packed into a large backpack he carries around. Running out of food for his dog, he realizes that he must find a job, even a temporary one.At the shop, he does something kind for a woman, who in turn buys him a cup of coffee. Not realizing his economic situation at first, he connects with her on a human level, which inspires him to see himself in a new way.Directed by Jared Januschka from a script written by Max Curry, this short drama puts a relatable face on a problem that can seem abstract or uncomfortable to many, with its multi-dimensional character portrait of a homeless man struggling with shame and self-worth. Shot with a muted naturalism that can alternately easily between grit and lyricism, the storytelling examines a key but often unconscious assumption that people who are homeless look and feel a certain way.However, Eric can "blend in," enough so that a woman named Roxanne buys him a cup of coffee in a spontaneous encounter full of interesting conversation and a warm connection. But as we see from Eric's earlier attempt to apply for a job, Eric carries the stigma of homelessness, which comes out as defensiveness and hostility when his prospective employer asks for an address. The pacing is steady, allowing us to take in the weight of each moment and realization for Eric, making for a psychologically absorbing story.Actor Ryan Shoos as Eric gets at how this inner shame at being homeless underlies his behavior, even as he emotionally implodes during his interview. Shame keeps his houselessness a secret -- one he hides with an ability to look "respectable." But keeping that secret comes at a cost for Eric. So it's an enormous progression for him when he finally confesses his truth to a sympathetic ear. It makes him vulnerable, but it also lifts the shame enough for him to stand in his truth and move forward.The gift of "Peaches" is not just in the emotionally engaging character, performances or writing, but in the fundamental dignity and compassion that it endows its main character. It portrays not just how lacking an address can affect attempts to build stability, but how the assumptions of others can eat away at someone's innate sense of worth. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, over 326,000 people a night experience a lack of shelter. Like Eric, many of these people can blend in, making their homelessness a type of "invisible condition." Yet inside, they struggle with the same judgment and lack of compassion from the world at large. "Peaches" puts us in the shoes of someone navigating the cracks in the social firmament, showing how easy it could be to fall in, and how that spiral often begins within.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA homeless man tries to feed his dog, then discovers his self-worth. | Peacheshttp://youtu.be/wON0a_qqm7chttp://omeleto.com/258931Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
A bullied girl cant take it anymore and considers drastic action. | Floppy Toast With Drippy Butter Omeleto 2022-09-21 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toFloppy Toast With Drippy Butter is used with permission from Paul Stainthorpe. Learn more at http://omele.to/3DIyHoq.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoChloe is a quiet young teenage girl having a hard time. She's bullied relentlessly at her school by the other girls. But she's too scared and cowed to say anything to her parents or the school authorities, and she suffers in silence every day.Eventually, Chloe can't take it anymore, and she contemplates drastic action. But at her lowest point, she meets another girl, Alice, who helps her see another way out of her despair.Directed by Paul Stainthorpe from a script co-written with Simon Jefferson, this short drama tracks the effect that bullying has on a young girl at school, escalating to the point where she considers the worst possibilities of escape. Shot with a naturalism that can be both cold and gritty at school but warmly cozy at home, the storytelling is perceptive in its portrayal of bullying as a chronic source of stress, which can escalate to the point of becoming a persistent trauma.Even as Chloe is at home, memories of her difficulties at school continue to flood her consciousness, a process exacerbated by loneliness within her family as well. Combined with the abusive texts that Chloe gets from her tormentors every day, we can understand how easily someone can deteriorate under a silent but relentless barrage. Left almost entirely to herself, Chloe begins to descend into a mentally dark place.Actor Ellie Bindman deftly captures the roiling emotion underneath Chloe's withdrawn demeanor. The character may have sparse dialogue, but Bindman's flickers of emotions come through, and her efforts to hide her feelings are equally wrenching. Just as she hits rock bottom, she crosses paths with Alice, who shows up just at the right time. Played by actor Rhiannon Jones with forceful compassion, it's almost easy to mistake Alice as some kind of angel at first. But in many ways, she truly is Chloe's angel, giving her the space to share her experience and find refuge and understanding.Unabashedly empathetic, "Floppy Toast With Drippy Toast" may have a cozy, comforting title and a warmth in its visual approach. But it evokes a dark, difficult mental reality for many young people today, where stressors come at all angles and are not readily apparent on the surface. In the end, the space to speak openly and honestly -- and an equally important ear to listen, empathize and offer support -- keeps Chloe from going over the edge. That may seem "obvious" to some, both in the storytelling and in life. But with the mental health of young people (and perhaps older ones as well) facing immense challenges, there's a disconnect between the obvious and the lived reality -- and films like this are a reminder of the importance of closing that gap.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.toA bullied girl can't take it anymore and considers drastic action. | Floppy Toast With Drippy Butterhttp://youtu.be/LPlmnXZhZmAhttp://omeleto.com/258923Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
4 soldiers capture a young Afghan boy. But their position is compromised... | Entrenched Omeleto 2022-09-20 | » Subscribe for the world's best short films: http://sub2.omele.to» Get some merch: http://shop.omele.toEntrenched is used with permission from Joseph Chebatte. Learn more at http://omele.to/3qQWWsR.THE BEST OF OMELETO» Celebrities on Omeleto: http://omele.to/celebrities» Best of Omeleto: http://omele.to/best» Millions on Omeleto: http://omele.to/millionsOMELETO ON SOCIALInstagram: http://instagram.com/omeletocomTwitter: http://twitter.com/omeletocomFacebook: http://facebook.com/omeletocomReddit: http://reddit.com/r/omeletoFour soldiers from Australia are holed up in a room in Afghanistan, doing reconnaissance in a village. They are very different personalities with different worldviews, but they have to work together as soldiers, though the close quarters of their position make it harder to get along.But their relative harmony is disrupted when a young Afghan boy enters the room. Startled and suspicious, the soldiers take the boy prisoner. He speaks no English, and the soldiers debate whether or not he's a spy scouting out the position of the soldiers for the Taliban. But in the unpredictability of war, the debate takes on heightened stakes as the world falls apart around them.Written and directed by Joseph Chebatte, this short war drama is a powerful lightning bolt of a story, examining the tension between the knotty ethical dilemmas that come up in war and the split-second reactivity that combat often demands. When choices must be made quickly, outcomes often rest on the character and worldview of the men in the crossfires, for better or worse.The film takes on specific directorial strategies that immerse viewers in the jagged, high-pressured environment of the war zone where these soldiers spend their time. The cinematography emphasizes the haze of grit and dust that they exist in, a cloudiness that mirrors the vagaries of their moral dilemma as it develops.) The camerawork never quite settles, creating a sense of visceral agitation but also emphasizing the soldiers as a group who need to work together in an environment full of uncertainty and danger.The soldiers that emerge as more individual presences assert themselves through their differences: Thomas is more suspicious and paranoid, while Julian is more cautious and trusting. The dialogue and tempo are carefully constructed to delineate these differences, as are the performances by actors Toby Wallace and Julian Maroun who lead a solid ensemble cast. These differences are eventually sharpened as the young Afghan boy enters their orbit. The child poses both a moral dilemma: what do they do with him? Is he just an innocent child or is he a scout sent by the Taliban to sniff out the enemy's position? The soldiers' debate becomes a point of conflict between themselves -- just as the battle itself finds its way to them.The gripping last movement of "Entrenched" brings together razor-sharp craftsmanship that elevates the suspense and tension, all while giving us a glimpse of the trauma of war and leaving viewers feeling just as embattled as the onscreen soldiers. Its final reveal perhaps answers the question that divided the soldiers so bitterly. But it also provokes thought about how our own deeply held convictions and beliefs intersect with our hastiest, most reactive decisions, and how that combination can lead to mistakes -- even potentially cataclysmic ones. When the rubble clears, we get an unflinching glimpse of our moral capacity, and the gap between who we think we are and who we truly are closes or widens.ABOUT OMELETOOmeleto is the home of the world's best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: http://sub2.omele.to4 soldiers capture a young Afghan boy. But their position is compromised... | Entrenchedhttp://youtu.be/HYQQePSTHmUhttp://omeleto.com/258914Omeletohttp://www.youtube.com/c/Omeletohttp://omeleto.com🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at http://submit2.omele.to
