7 Must-See Short Film Documentaries

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Written By Habiba Abdou

These days, there’s quite a lot of buzz surrounding the serialisation of documentaries and filmmaking in general. There’s no doubt that long-form projects are in style, but there are still plenty of short films that are well worth watching. Today’s selections pack a punch while exploring the meaningful subject matter in ways that are easy to digest. 

A Jew Walks into a Bar

A Jew Walks into a Bar is a documentary film produced by Jonathan Miller and Lucky Films. It provides an inside look at the world of standup comedy from a standpoint not previously explored. It follows the work of David Finklestein: an orthodox Jew who tries to find peace between his faith and life as a professional comic. Rather than rely on gimmicks, Finklestein performs by exploring topics boldly, with his whole heart.

A Jew Walks into a Bar on IMDb

Bunny

Bunny is a rather short film, a mere 13 minutes in length. It is directed by Hunter Ray Barker and explores the life and work of Sandie Crisp: an underground disabled trans art superstore. The film uses found footage–effectively setting it apart from other films produced about Crisp.

Bunny on IMDb

In The Absence

In The Absence is perhaps the most heavily-awarded film on today’s list. Its praise includes the grand prize at Doc NYC, an award from World Press Photo, and a feature in The New Yorker. The film is directed by Yi Seung-Jun and explores the events of the Sewol Ferry accident, where three hundred people lost their life. The event shook South Korea to its core and quickly uncovered the corruption and incompetence of the Korean government. The film also covers attempts to shut down media who reported on the story in an honest, unbiased way.

In The Absence on Wikipedia

Lupus

Lupus is a short film directed by Carlos Gómez Salamanca, which manages to accomplish quite a lot in its brief nine-minute runtime. This may be a challenging watch for viewers not accustomed to non-linear narratives, but is an engaging story all the same. Lupus tells the story of a true event that occurred in Bogota in 2011, in which twenty stray dogs killed a watchman in a poor neighbourhood.

Lupus on IMDb

Stay Close

Stay Close is a short film directed by Luther Clement and Shuhan Fan. The film tells the story of an underdog fencer from Brooklyn, and his journey to the Olympics in Bejing. Keeth Smarth lost both his parents, and nearly lost his own battle with a blood disease, but refused to lose faith in himself and his abilities as a fencer. Director Luther Clement was a fencer himself before turning to the world of filmmaking, granting him a unique ability to capture Smarth’s story. 

Stay Close on IMDb

My American Surrogate

My American Surrogate tells the story of Chinese business elites who have trouble conceiving a child, and find a surrogate in the state of California. The film follows one Chinese businesswoman through the process of hiring an American surrogate to carry her baby. The story is told visually, largely through the use of posts to the woman’s social media.

My American Surrogate on IMDb

Tracing Addai

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The war in Syria has affected the world in many ways, radicalising many western Muslims and creating major upheavals in communities at home and abroad. This is the story of one such Muslim, who left his family in Germany to join the Jihad. The film is made from the perspectives of those Addai left behind, exploring how his radicalisation affected them. Tracing Addai was directed by Esther Neimeir, with a runtime of 30 minutes. 

👉 Watch Tracing Addai on Amazon Prime

 

Which films would you add to today’s list, and why? 

 
Habiba Abdou
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