Sundance 2026 Shorts
Here are my favorites from this year’s Sundance Film Festival lineup of short films:
Albatross
dir. Amandine Thomas
When being a caretaker becomes too much, a wife entertains the attention of a Mexican mariachi player and briefly leaves her husband behind at a restaurant. What some might interpret as a lapse in judgement others might see a cry for help. This story may be polarizing but those who understand will see it as a poignant tale about the burdens of caring for someone in cognitive decline and the importance of self care.
Agnes
dir. Leah Vlemmiks
An older lady desperate for community takes an offer from a new neighbor to attend a social club. But a misunderstanding leads her to another kind of club much more suited to the liveliness she’s looking for. This short is the epitome of the phrase “you’re only as old as you feel.” It hits on the isolation felt by the elderly and exemplifies the importance of seeking joy and community.
The Baddest Speechwriter of All
dir. Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry
You probably know Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech he delivered on the March on Washington in 1963. But do you know about Clarence B. Jones, MLK’s lawyer, advisor and speechwriter who contributed to that famous speech? This intimate documentary spotlight an important albeit reluctant contributor to the Civil Rights Movement. It includes a tightly framed interview with Jones, archival images and footage as well as animated illustrations. At about 29 minutes, it seems perfectly suited for a one episode doc on PBS.
Balloon Animals
dir. Anna Baumgarten
I thoroughly enjoyed this off kilter comedy about two jaded grocery store employees having fun playing F*ck-Marry-Kill and some helium as they help a customer with balloons for a birthday party. It’s a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously but also feels validating for those who feel like they’re at the bottom rung of their social existence.
Candy Bar
dir. Nash Edgerton
Nash Edgerton continues to flex his mastery of the short form subject in this new film that showcases his signature brand of deranged humor. Damon Herriman plays a man on a date with his wife at the movies. While complaining about the cost of concessions, he is approached by a young girl (Zumi Edgerton) who insists that he looks like her recently deceased father. She asks him to roleplay her exchanging the goodbyes she never got to experience. The man accepts only to then discover the girl’s true intentions. Keeping in line with his trilogy Spider (2007), Bear (2011) and Shark (2011), Candy Bar is delightfully twisted. I particularly loved that the girl is played by Nash Edgerton’s real life daughter and the actor Herriman, who also wrote the script, looks a bit like him.
Ivar
dir. Markus Tangre
Ivar is a Norwegian stop animation short about a woman who is annoyed by everything her husband does but a moment of clarity reignites her empathy. The payout in that final scene makes a big impact.
Jazz Infernal
dir. Will Niava
A jazz trumpeter from the Ivory Coast travels to Montreal, Quebec to stay with his aunt and reconnect with his jazz legend father. Everything about his trip seems to go awry especially when he encounters two rogue artists who take him on an adventure. I usually think that short films should stand on their own but this one really seems like an audition for a feature-length film. The antics are not believable but the vibe, the setting and especially the main character makes you want to linger.
Once in a Body/Una vez en un cuerpo
dir. María Cristina Pérez González
A dynamic, visual representation of the concept that “the body keeps the score,” this animated short portrays a woman whose past trauma is personified by a strange being trapped inside of her. Her body changes as her unhappiness causes chaos in her body. Women will get it.
Sauna Sickness
dir. Malin Barr
Set in a remote part of Sweden on New Year’s, a couple enjoying a stay at a cabin (and a tryst in the sauna) find themselves locked out in the cold. The man enjoys the comfort of the sauna and makes the woman walk to the neighboring cabin in order to ask for help. The woman is not only burdened with this task but also faces danger when she encounters a couple who see her as a sexual conquest. Sauna Sickness is a psychological thriller about the vulnerability of women in a society where the looming threat of male violence regularly puts us in danger.
Together Forever
dir. Gregory Barnes
A young Mormon man struggles with his sexuality when he finds he’s more attracted to the male DJ than his own bride. As the couple attempts to consummate their relationship on their wedding night, the groom tries to find a way to avoid the inevitable. With the ongoing discourse on compulsory heterosexuality, this little glimpse into sexual intimacy in an otherwise rigid world seems very timely.
