Are you looking for a cinematic adventure that fits your busy schedule? Short films are the perfect solution!
These bite-sized masterpieces pack a powerful punch, delivering impactful stories, stunning visuals, and memorable characters in just a few minutes.
These short films offer a diverse range of stories, styles, and emotions, ensuring a captivating viewing experience. So grab some popcorn, get cosy, and enjoy your weekend movie marathon!
Here are 10 unforgettable short films we have curated for you to watch this weekend.
The Phone Call (2013)
A heartbreaking drama about a chance encounter between two strangers explores themes of loneliness and human connection.
Starring Sally Hawkins and Jim Broadbent, this Academy Award-winning short film will leave you moved and inspired.
“THE PHONE CALL tells a wrenching story of loss and depression that somehow, by the end, is so uplifting you’ll wonder how it can do in 20 minutes what some full-length features can’t in two hours.” – Casey Cipriani, IndieWire
Piper (2016)
Piper is a 2016 American animated short film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. Written and directed by Alan Barillaro, it was theatrically released alongside Pixar’s Finding Dory on June 17, 2016.
This charming animated story follows a flock of sandpipers hunting for food on a beach by looking for bivalves exposed by receding waves and fleeing when the waves return. This Pixar short film is a delightful treat for audiences of all ages.
It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 89th Academy Awards, becoming the first Pixar animated short to win the award since For the Birds in 2001.
The Karman Line (2014):
Clocking in at around 24 minutes, The Kármán Line is the story of a woman (Olivia Coleman), who is diagnosed with an extremely rare disease that sees her gradually float further and further from the ground. The initial shock of her disease slowly turns into grief as her husband and daughter struggle to cope with letting her go. It may sound hilariously abstract, but I assure you, this is a harrowingly accurate story of love and loss.
The Present (2014)
The Present is a 2014 animated short film directed and co-written by Jacob Frey and co-written with Markus Kranzler. It is based on “Perfeição,” a comic strip by Fabio Coala.
The short film tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who gets a three-legged puppy from his mom, eventually warming up to him. The short explores the challenging topic of disability and living with an amputated leg.
The film has won 81 awards from several film festivals and has garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
Day & Night (2010)
Day & Night is a 2010 American animated short film written and directed by Teddy Newton in his directorial debut and produced by Pixar.
Day & Night follows two characters, Day and Night. Inside Day is a day scene with a sun in the centre, and Inside Night is a night scene with a moon in the centre.
Whatever goes on inside of Day or Night expresses normal events that typically occur within a day or night, respectively, and these events often correspond with actions or emotions that Day or Night express or receive.
For example, when Day is happy, he will have a rainbow inside him, and when Night is happy, he will have fireworks inside him.
This Pixar masterpiece uses stunning animation and clever storytelling to depict the hilarious rivalry between a day person and a night person living on opposite sides of a building.
La Luna (2011)
La Luna (Italian: [la ˈluːna], Italian for “The Moon”) is a 2011 American animated short film, directed and written by Enrico Casarosa in his directorial debut. The film is loosely based on Italo Calvino’s short story “The Distance of the Moon.”
This charming Pixar short follows a young boy, Bambino, who carries on his family’s generations-old tradition of sweeping away the moon each night. Heartwarming and visually stunning, “La Luna” is a delight for all ages.
The Neighbors’ Window
The Neighbors’ Window is a 2019 American short film written and directed by Marshall Curry.It won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2020. The film was inspired by a true story by Diane Weipert, which she recounted on the podcast Love and Radio.
It is a thought-provoking short film about a couple who spy on their neighbours, only to discover a profound connection. This Academy Award-winning short film explores themes of empathy and understanding.
The Silent Child
This is a British sign language short film written by and starring Rachel Shenton, directed by her husband Chris Overton, and released in 2017 by Slick Films.
It tells the story of Libby, a profoundly deaf six-year-old girl, who lives a silent life until a social worker, played by Shenton, teaches her how to communicate through sign language. The film won the Oscar for Live Action Short Film at the 90th Academy Awards.
New Boy (2007)
New Boy is a 2007 Irish short film based on the short story by Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter, Roddy Doyle. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.
The film is about a young boy’s experience as he moves from a rural town in Africa to Ireland: a new country, a different school system and a whole new set of customs.
Joseph is a new student at a school in Ireland, having just moved to Ireland from an unidentified country in Africa. Throughout the film, he is silent, in deep contrast to the flashbacks of his life back in Africa, where he is bright and talkative. In these flashbacks, Joseph’s father is the schoolteacher, and it is revealed that his father was shot and killed for educating young children.
Wireless (2019)
For those seeking something truly unique, ‘Wireless’ is an award-winning short film that tells the story of James; a lonely man who arrives at a cell phone store past closing in hopes of finding closure.
P-Square: Allow me do my music in peace, Mr P begs brother, Paul Okoye
Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P, one-half of the popular Nigerian music duo P-Square, has responded to allegations of song theft made by his twin brother and former bandmate, Paul Okoye, who goes by the stage name Rudeboy.
Rudeboy recently accused Mr P of taking a song he claims to have written, titled Winning. According to him, the track was meant to feature on his upcoming album next year, but he was shocked to find that Mr P had already released it with the same producer.
Reacting to the accusation, on Saturday night, November 9, 2024, Mr P clarified that the song was co-written by him and fellow artist Calypso60, making it impossible for him to ‘steal his own work.’
In a plea to his brother, he asked for the freedom to focus on his music without the cloud of negativity hanging over him.
In an Instagram post, Mr P wrote, “Person no dey thief him own Property! It is well! Thank you, @iam_vampire_official, for the clarification.
“For the record, ‘Winning’ was written and composed by @calypso60music and myself. Produced by @iam_vampire_official and co-produced by @goldswarm. They all deserve their Credit. And I appreciate them.”
He continued, “Just As I said in my open letter three months ago, ‘Allow me to do my music in peace.’ Now that I have a new single out, please allow me to enjoy my new single, WINNING, in peace. Enough of the negativity! ‘Winning’ is out on all music platforms; continue streaming and don’t get distracted. Love y’all, peace.”
Mr P and Rudeboy have both made names for themselves individually, but fans continue to hope for an end to the public feud between the iconic twin brothers.
67th Grammys: Organizers reveal why five Nigerian Artistes got nominations
The Recording Academy has revealed the nominees for the 67th Grammy Awards, with the Best African Music Performance category dominated entirely by Nigerian artists.
Notably, American singer Chris Brown, the only non-Nigerian nominee in the category, secured his spot with
“Sensational,” a track featuring Nigerian stars Davido and Lojay.
The nominees, announced on Friday, November 8, showcase a strong Nigerian presence in the category. Competing for the title are Yemi Alade’s “Tomorrow,” Asake’s “MMS” featuring Wizkid, Chris Brown’s “Sensational” featuring Davido and Lojay, Burna Boy’s “Higher,” and Tems’ “Love Me JeJe.
”Last year, South African singer Tyla took home the first-ever Grammy for Best African Music Performance with her song “Water.
”In addition to these honors, Nigerian artists Rema and Tems are also up for Best Global Music Album, where they’ll face off against “Alkebulan II” by Matt B and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, “Paisajes” by Ciro Hurtado, and “Historias De Un Flamenco” by Antonio Rey.Tems has also earned a nomination in the Best R&B Song category for her hit “Burning,” joining an all-women lineup.
She’ll compete with Kehlani’s “After Hours,” Coco Jones’ “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” Muni Long’s “Ruined Me,” and SZA’s “Saturn.”
Kunle Afolayan’s Mother Passes On: A Tribute to a Pillar of Strength
The Nigerian film industry has been thrown into mourning as Nollywood actor and director, Kunle Afolayan, loses his mother.
According to reports, Kunle Afolayan’s mother, Mrs. Afolayan, passed away on at the age of 81. The cause of her death is yet to be disclosed.
Kunle Afolayan took to his social media page to announce the passing of his mother, saying: “My dearest mother, I will miss you so much. You were my rock, my confidante, and my best friend. I will never forget the sacrifices you made for me and the love you showed me. Rest in peace, mama.”
The news of Kunle Afolayan’s mother’s passing has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian film industry, with many of his colleagues and fans taking to social media to express their condolences.
“Kunle, my brother, I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your mother,” wrote actor, Ramsey Nouah. “May she rest in peace and may God give you the strength to bear the loss.”
Kunle Afolayan’s mother was a pillar of strength and support to him throughout his career, and her passing will be deeply felt by him and his family.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has given reasons for re-arresting controversial crossdresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, known as Bobrisky.
Speaking in a telephone conversation on Friday morning, the EFCC spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, said the self-styled ‘Mummy of Lagos’ was arrested because he refused to honour several invitations sent to him.
Oyewale noted that the crossdresser was arrested in connection with the allegation of bribery against him.
“We arrested him last night and we took him to Abuja because our team investigators are in Abuja,” the EFCC spokesman said.
He continued: “He was trying to run away from mentioning those he said collected bribes from him. We sent him an invitation, but he refused to honour our invitation, and he was trying to leave the country.
“This was why we arrested him. We want him to come and mention the names of the officials involved in the bribery, but he has not shown up.”
The Guardian gathered Friday afternoon that Bobrisky has been flown to Abuja to answer questions relating to allegations of bribery and corruption.
Bobrisky was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and detained by immigration officers late Thursday night while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom.
The popular crossdresser posted on his Instagram page to alert followers about the arrest, stating that he had sustained injuries during an altercation with the immigration officers.
Bobrisky alleged that the EFCC was responsible for his detention.
He wrote, “Nigerians help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”
Bobrisky had, in a voice note shared by a controversial social critic, Martins Otse (aka VeryDarkMan) allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him.
Although the EFCC denied the allegations, it set up a committee to investigate the matter.
At a press briefing on Thursday, the Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, had hinted that Bobrisky could face a fresh charge from the commission if the allegations against the EFCC were false.
Uwujaren stated that one could be charged for giving false information to the EFCC, let alone making false allegations against the commission.
As the weekend approaches, many of us are looking for a way to get into the spooky spirit. One of the best ways to do this is by watching a scary movie. Here are some spooky movies from 2020 to 2024 that are perfect for watching this weekend:
2020 Spooky Movies
The Invisible Man (2020): This movie is a modern retelling of the classic H.G. Wells novel, and it follows a woman who escapes from an abusive relationship, only to be haunted by her ex-boyfriend, who has become invisible.
Gretel & Hansel (2020): This movie is a dark retelling of the classic fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. It follows a brother and sister who are lost in the woods and come across a witch who has sinister intentions.
The Lodge (2020): This movie follows a family who becomes trapped in a remote cabin with a sinister presence.
Antebellum (2020): This movie follows a detective who must solve a series of murders that are connected to a mysterious figure from the past.
2021 Spooky Movies
Candyman (2021): This movie is a sequel to the 1992 classic, and it follows a group of friends who are haunted by the vengeful spirit of Candyman.
The Night House (2021): This movie follows a widow who discovers that her recently deceased husband was hiding a dark secret.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021): This movie follows a smokejumper who must protect a young boy from a pair of assassins in the wilderness.
The Forever Purge (2021): This movie is the fifth installment in the Purge franchise, and it follows a group of people who must survive a night of chaos and violence.
2022 Spooky Movies
Scream (2022): This movie is a reboot of the classic franchise, and it follows a group of friends who are being stalked by a masked killer.
The Black Phone (2022): This movie follows a young boy who is kidnapped by a serial killer and must use a mysterious phone to escape.
Barbarian (2022): This movie follows a woman who books a rental home, only to discover that it is already occupied by a strange man.
Smile (2022): This movie follows a woman who is haunted by a mysterious smile that seems to be spreading to those around her.
2023 Spooky Movies
M3GAN (2023): This movie follows a robotic doll that becomes self-aware and starts to wreak havoc on its owner’s life.
The Pope’s Exorcist (2023): This movie follows a priest who is tasked with performing an exorcism on a young boy.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023): This movie is a horror film based on the true story of the Demeter, a ship that was said to be haunted by vampires.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023): This movie is the fifth installment in the Insidious franchise, and it follows a family who must navigate a haunted house.
2024 Spooky Movies
The Exorcist: Believer (2024): This movie is a sequel to the 1973 classic, and it follows a group of people who are haunted by a demonic presence.
The Conjuring 4 (2024): This movie is the fourth installment in the Conjuring franchise, and it follows a pair of paranormal investigators who must solve a series of mysterious events.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024): This movie is a prequel to the 2018 film, and it follows a family as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world where monsters that hunt by sound have taken over.
Hellraiser: Inferno (2024): This movie is a reboot of the Hellraiser franchise, and it follows a group of people who are haunted by the vengeful spirit of Pinhead.
These are just a few of the many spooky movies that you can watch this weekend. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic horror film or a modern thriller, there’s something on this list for everyone.
Reflecting on his family commitment, he said, “But more importantly than I am a husband and a father. We just had our second child, who is an amazing young boy.”
Banky W and Adesua married in South Africa in November 2017.
They welcomed their first child, Hazaiah Olusegun Wellington, in 2021.