Every month, the Vimeo Curation team finds the best short films on the internet and serves them up on a silver platter, a.k.a. the Best of the Month series. For a bite-size taste of essential watching, we present this playlist of our faves. Sit back, press play, and enjoy!
Action Sports
“From the Ash || Nico Vink,” directed by Ryan Gibb
Shot under the supervision of forestry professionals on private land, this spicy mountain bike vid cannot be described any other way than intensely hot fuego.
Animation
“Wandaland,” directed by Richard Noble
A fictional tale rooted in the very real lives of Howard Hughes and Walt Disney, “Wandaland” is the haunting story of an animation tycoon whose madness grew from a toxic blend of professional success and personal tragedy.
“Roughhouse,” from Papy3D Productions, directed by Jonathan Hodgson
Based on real events that happened during director Jonathan Hodgson’s days as a wiseguy art student, “Roughhouse” is an animation pulled right from the sketchbooks he drew in at Liverpool Polytechnic between 1979 and 1982. The charming authenticity of this film is a testament to Hodgson’s hard work in nailing down the accents, movements, and music of his younger years. (Read more about “Roughhouse” in our interview with the filmmaker, here.)
Branded Content
“Libresse / #wombstories,” from Chelsea Pictures, directed by Nisha Ganatra
Golden Globe-winning director and producer Nisha Ganatra led an all-female animation team to illustrate honest, funny, and vivid accounts of what it’s like to be the owner of a uterus. The branded piece was commissioned by female hygiene company, Libresse.
Comedy
“The Voice In Your Head,” directed by Graham Parkes
What is the voice in your head telling you right now? Tell that small jerk in your brain to zip it and press the play button on this dark comedy, because Graham Parkes is really good at making shorts about people losing their marbles.
Drama
“Runon,” directed by Daniel Kaufman
Part of the SXSW 2020 roster, we were psyched to debut this disorienting story of a kid caught between a frazzled mom and a trippy mental nightmare as a Staff Pick Premiere. (Read more about “Runon” in our interview with the filmmaker, here.)
Documentary
“Dying in Your Mother’s Arms,” from The New York Times, directed by John Beder
As a pediatric palliative care physician, it is Dr. Nadia Tremonti’s job to ensure that deathly ill children receive quality end of life care. Her challenging work entails an extraordinary amount of love, compassion, and courage. John Beder investigates how Dr. Tremonti faces heartbreak with grace on a daily basis.
Experimental
“ALLUMUAH,” from NOWNESS, directed by Curtis Essel
Pronounced ‘A-Loom-Wah,’ Curtis Essel’s first Staff Pick is a gorgeous visual interpretation of stories passed down to him from his late grandmother. Commissioned by digital video channel NOWNESS, we were honored to grant this film the Staff Pick Award at the 2020 BlackStar Film Festival. (Read more about “ALLUMUAH” in our interview with the filmmaker, here.)
“Out of Sight,” directed by Dirk Koy
Dirk Koy has twisted highways like a pretzel, deconstructed Switzerland’s largest city, and now, for his latest trick, contorted fresh produce and a dude in sunglasses into something entirely different.
Music Video
“Jacob Collier – He Won’t Hold You (feat. Rapsody),” directed by Daniel Bruson
This music video is an example of something beautiful that came out of the strange days of COVID-19. Composed of ~1200 paintings, Grammy-winner Jacob Collier’s newest single is accompanied by watercolor images of somber memories.
Travel
“Malpelo: An Expedition,” directed by Victoria Rivera
Marine biologist Sandra Bessudo reflects on the infinite beauty that has kept her coming back for over 30 years, while filmmaker Victoria Rivera provides audiences with stunning shots of Sandra’s underwater colleagues.
