The 10 best short films of 2022
Every year, the film festival circuit sparks intense discussions about the latest and greatest cinematic achievements. While a lot of talented feature filmmakers get their due recognition, one of the most neglected sections of the festival lineups is the wonderful world of short films.
This year was no different since most of the conversation about contemporary cinema was directed toward big names such as Jordan Peele and Ruben Östlund, among others. It’s no surprise that these were the filmmakers who made it onto Far Out’s selection of the 50 greatest films of 2022.
That’s why we wanted to dedicate an entire segment to the magical short films that came out this year. All the entries might have flown under your radar, but they deserve just as much attention as the prominent feature-length productions of 2022, maybe even more.
From India to Iceland, our selection of the best short films of the year truly represents the astonishing length and breadth of world cinema. It’s always amazing to see how much filmmakers can achieve within the highly restrictive constraints of shorts.
Check out the list below.
The 10 best short films of 2022:
10. Goodbye Jerome! – Gabrielle Selnet, Chloé Farr, Adam Sillard
Kicking off this year’s list is the highly imaginative – Goodbye Jerome!, a collaborative effort that revolves around the titular figure after his recent arrival in paradise. He sets out to find his wife but ends up on an adventure into a bizarrely beautiful world.
In a world that is overflowing with CGI animation, Goodbye Jerome!’s hand-drawn animation is a sight for sore eyes. The recipient of the International Jury Award for Best Short Film in Berlinale, this surreal fantasy is a must-watch for all fans of animated films.
9. Kicking the Clouds – Sky Hopinka
Exciting visual artist Sky Hopinka was awarded MacArthur Foundation Grant this year, but the filmmaker’s most remarkable achievement of 2022 has to be this short. Titled Kicking the Clouds, Hopinka’s experimental documentary focuses on a 50-year-old cassette tape.
The tape features Pechanga language lessons between Hopinka’s great-grandmother and grandmother, with the director’s mother providing the appropriate foundation to process the conversation. This is a stunning film that navigates the increasingly complex relationship between history and technology.
8. Letter to my Mother for my Son – Carla Simón
Spanish director Carla Simón might have received the most attention for her latest feature Alcarràs but her recent short film – Letter to my Mother for my Son – is equally deserving of praise. An incredibly personal film from Simón, this short conducts a fascinating exploration of motherhood.
A part of the ongoing Miu Miu Women’s Tales series, Letter to my Mother for my Son, the film is about a woman named Carla who tries to understand pregnancy by revisiting images of her ancestors. After Simón’s inspired 2022 run, I’m sure many film fans will be keeping an eye out for her future projects.
7. The Sparrow Dream – Robert Beavers
Robert Beavers is one of the most important names in the landscape of experimental cinema, known for My Hand Outstretched to the Winged Distance and Sightless Measure. His latest project – The Sparrow Dream – is another brilliant addition to his oeuvre.
The origin of The Sparrow Dream can be traced back to Beavers’ objective from 1970: “When in the US, I hope to begin a project that will gather the American and European parts together.” Utilising avant-garde techniques, he explores how these two cultural frameworks have impacted his perception of the world.
6. Catopolis – Victoria Vincent
Victoria Vincent is an exciting new voice in animation who has already garnered considerable attention through social media platforms. With a finger on the pulse of younger audiences, Vincent paints compelling portraits of surreal and volatile worlds.
Catopolis is another entry in Vincent’s growing oeuvre of social disillusionment, following a cat named Penny who gets fired from her job. Raising questions about social expectations and a rapidly deteriorating world, Catopolis is a delightfully dark short.
5. Starfuckers – Antonio Marziale
The term “Lynchian” has been used to describe Antonio Marziale’s new short Starfuckers, and it’s not far off. A scathing critique of the American film industry, it’s set in a Hollywood villa where a director plays out his fantasies with an escort.
However, the director’s power over his subject is unexpectedly disrupted, leading to all sorts of marvellous consequences. Starfuckers slots right into the New Queer Cinema framework, delivering a bold and unflinching attack on Hollywood’s systemic perversions.
4. Ice Merchants – João Gonzalez
João Gonzalez has created something very special with Ice Merchants, an animated short that follows the daily lives of a father and son duo who have to parachute down from their house to sell ice. It picked up multiple accolades at various festivals, including the Leitz Cine Discovery Prize at Cannes.
Gonzalez said: “Like my two other films, Ice Merchants was born out of an image/scenario that came to my mind and stuck with me. Most of those images ‘appear’ while I’m dreaming or about to fall asleep, although sometimes they also come to mind during the day.”
3. The Seine’s Tears – Multiple directors
2022 has been a great year for sociopolitical filmmaking, and The Seine’s Tears belongs with the very best. A joint effort by some of the most talented animators working today, it documents the social unrest between France and Algeria in 1961.
Animation has always been a fascinating medium to depict historical tragedy, and it works perfectly for The Seine’s Tears, conveying the violence inherent in the system in unexpected ways. The film also won the Special Jury Recognition for Unexpected Emotion at SXSW Festival this year.
2. Dhuin – Achal Mishra
Achal Mishra already made waves within Indian cinema with Gamak Ghar, the celebrated 2019 inter-generational examination of an Indian family. This year, Mishra returned with another fantastic work – a 50-minute short titled Dhuin.
Mirroring the aspirations of many Indians, Dhuin is about a small-town actor who wants to make it in the sprawling metropolis of Mumbai. However, his dreams are complicated by the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 lockdowns.
1. Nest – Hlynur Pálmason
Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason made one of the best features of 2022 in the form of Godland, an ambitious epic about religious transmission in rural Iceland during the late 19th century. However, the biggest hidden gem of this year is Pálmason’s recent short Nest.
An endearing depiction of three siblings who decide to make a tree house for their adventures, Nest simultaneously contrasts the fragility and strength of human creations against the harsh external forces of nature. There’s no other way to describe it – Nest is this year’s most concise cinematic chronicle of the human condition.
