Shorts Programs

From horseback riding, fashion design, and beekeeping to finding a way to understand and cope with tragedy and loss, the growing pains of youth take center stage in these engaging shorts.

Fletcher Street

Directed by Jannat Gargi and David Darg 
USA, 35 min.
Southeast premiere

In the heart of North Philadelphia, where violence and instability are a daily reality, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club offers something rare: a safe haven. Founded by Ellis “El-Dog” and now led by his son Darrin, the club uses the power of horses to teach kids discipline, compassion, and self-worth, even as the land that sustains this community and its horses disappears.

Producers: Jannat Gargi, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson 
Composer: James Poyser

Where We Played: Voices From the Fire

Directed by Austin Cauldwell and Nat Wolff 
USA, 9 min.
Southeast premiere

In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles. Through firsthand interviews, children reflect on what they experienced, what they lost, what they carried with them, and how their lives have been forever changed — while simultaneously holding onto hope for what comes next. 

Producers: Mina Sundwall, Julia Pitch, Eliza Paprin 
Cinematographer: Julia Pitch 

The Boys and the Bees

Directed by Arielle Knight 
USA, 19 min.

The Boys and the Bees follows a year in the life of a Black family on a small farm in rural Georgia. Through a patient, verité lens, the film moves at the pace of two young boys, alive with curiosity, as they wander fields, tend hives, and grow in their relationship with the land around them.

Producers: Arielle Knight, Sean Weiner, Alessandra Puig-Santana 
Editors: Sean Weiner, Omar Guzman 
Cast: Eliza Ray, Nehemiah Ray, Aaro Ray, Carver Ray

The Boy with the Dinosaur Head

Directed by Imran J. Khan 
USA, 10 min.
Georgia premiere

A teacher tries to match wits with an unruly boy who identifies as a dinosaur. 

Producer: Ali Imran Zaidi 
Writer: Ali Imran Zaidi 
Cast: Rizwan Manji, George Soliman, Aisha Alfa 

Couture to the Max

Directed by Dori Berinstein
USA, 32 min.
Southeast premiere

Couture to the Max shines a light on an extraordinary young designer who inspires us to dream boldly and to act responsibly. At just nine years old, Max Alexander embodies the spirit of hope, creativity, and innovation, fearlessly challenging entrenched norms and fusing his boundless imagination with an unwavering commitment to sustainability. 

Producer: Dori Berinstein
Cast: Max Alexander, Isaac Mizrahi, Fern Mallis, Bob Mackie