Some of the films featured may depict some scenes and feature language that viewers may find offensive.

Logline: Seven-year-old Bananas Girl asserts her independence, perfects the art of the non-sequitur and navigates the boundaries between herself and her mom. Synopsis: Seven-year-old Bananas Girl asserts her independence, perfects the art of the non-sequitur and navigates the boundaries between herself and her mom. The film exists in the intersection of home movies, performance art and documentary, incorporating a mother’s and daughter’s obsessions and their parallel views of what it means to be creative.

Bananas Girl

'Dispatches from the Vietnam War: Beer, Bunkers and Typewriters' follows the surreal and existential journey of a young soldier entering war for the first time. Not long after I first met Lloyd I started hearing stories about his time in Vietnam during the war. Each one cut through the archetypes I had often heard about the war and wars in general. Each one insightful and nuanced. Each one led to a desire to hear more. Details behind why he volunteered to join the Army; what it was like for him to fly on an airplane for the first time, let alone one heading to war; and his transition from Vietnam home were left out due to time constraints. So too were a few other stories. Perhaps those will be shared at a later date. What remains are three stories that pull you into a world of a young man navigating the paradoxes of conflict at a pivotal time in his life.

Dispatches from the Vietnam War: Beer, Bunkers and Typewriters

Fifteen year old Taylor Borthwick is a stock car racer, like her father and her grandfather before her. The winner of the Ministox Scottish National Championship, racing is her life, but it is a dangerous sport that saw her lose her best friend in a tragic accident. As she turns sixteen she will move into the adult leagues, racing bigger, faster cars against men twice her age. Does she have what it takes?

Racing Stock

The beaches of Hartlepool, in the North East of England, are where seacoalers have worked and prospered for centuries. Steve and Keith are the last two seacoalers working today, and despite the government phasing out coal in under two years’ time, they remain proud of their craft and the life it has given them.

Time and Tide

The film follows Yoandris, a palomero - pigeon breeder and trainer - in Havana Vieja, Cuba. It explores his daily life and practice, while also touching upon the deeper role his hobby plays in his personal life. Yoandris introduces us to the Cuban tradition of keeping pigeons while revealing his own complex relationship with the birds.

El Palomero

'The Art Of Mars' is a short film featuring women of all ages and backgrounds at London’s Fighting Arts Academy. The film breaks down the stereotypes of MMA fighting showing that anyone can use the sport to build confidence, togetherness and overcome preconceptions. 'Ultimately it's about bettering yourself and learning from your mistakes'.

The Art Of Mars

Under Paris' glittering Eiffel Tower, undocumented Senegalese migrants sell miniature souvenirs of the monument, to support their families back home. Far from their loved ones and hounded by the police, each day is a struggle through darkness in the City of Lights.

Dafa Metti (Difficult)

Our 1st 2021 Documentary Film selection featuring a post screening Q&amp;A with some of this year's documentary filmmakers taking part at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2021.

Documentary 1 | SSFF2021 + Q&A

Our 1st 2021 Documentary Film selection featuring a post screening Q&A with some of this year's documentary filmmakers.

Documentary 1 | SSFF2021

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Sunderland Shorts Film Festival celebrates short films with big ideas from the North East & around the world! Join us at our 6th annual fest: October 2021 #SSFF2021

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? Don't worry! Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.