Shorts Unlimited

With the 10th anniversary Shorts Not Pants Film Festival officially wrapped, it’s that time to present some Short Film Awards. 

This year’s festival was a hybrid with in-person screenings held at Innis Town Hall November 18 - 20, and virtually available Canada-wide from November 21 - 27.   

Started in 2012 in Toronto by James McNally, Shorts Not Pants has carried the torch for short films gaining much attraction and attention from filmmakers around the world, with a terrific loyal following here in Canada.  

This year’s festival presented  a total of 57 films from 22 countries, with 39 of those being Narrative, 8 Documentaries, and 10 Animated films; 16 Canadian films, 23 films directed by women, and 10 student films.

Shorts Not Pants was thrilled to partner their opening Friday night with CINSSU (U of T Cinema Studies Student Union) and offer the evening free to both students and the public. Innis was a great venue for the remainder of the weekend for its in-person screenings.

And the Awards go to….

 

Best Narrative Short:

DAD’S SNEAKERS, written and directed by Olha Zhurba (Ukraine)
13-year-old Sasha lives in a boarding school for children deprived of parental care. He is one of the luckiest – a family has finally agreed to adopt him. Today he will move to America forever - but there’s something that won’t let him go.

Best Documentary Short:

FREEDOM SWIMMER, directed by Olivia Martin-McGuire (United Kingdom)
The story of a grandfather’s perilous swim, from China to Hong Kong, that parallels his granddaughter’s own quest for a new freedom.

Best Animated Short:

FREEDOM SWIMMER, directed by Olivia Martin-McGuire (United Kingdom)
The story of a grandfather’s perilous swim, from China to Hong Kong, that parallels his granddaughter’s own quest for a new freedom.

Best Canadian Short:

HOMARD AU COEUR, a film by Jenna Marks (Canada)
A quirky and lovable fisherman fights to keep his livelihood through years of illness.

Audience Award:

WARSHA, a film by Dania Bdeir (France, Lebanon)
A Syrian builder in Beirut decides to replace a colleague who died in an accident in a towering, hazardous crane. Dozens of metres above the city, away from prying eyes, he experiences the freedom no one grants him elsewhere. His deepest essence breaks through spectacularly.

"For many of us, 2022 was a challenging year, but I'm proud of what we accomplished with our hybrid festival,” says Festival Director James McNally. “We forged a new partnership with CINSSU, at Innis Town Hall, who are helping us reach a new audience of young cinephiles. And we took our first steps into industry programming, with a well-attended panel discussion featuring some of the most exciting new voices in filmmaking. 

“I look forward to continuing to build and grow our festival into 2023 and beyond. I want to thank our juries for selecting these films for special recognition. And would also like to thank all the filmmakers, those who were selected this year as well as those who weren't. We couldn't do it without your creativity and hard work. Thank you also to the audiences, volunteers, staff, and members of the SHORTS NOT PANTS board."

About Shorts Not Pants
Established in 2012 by James McNally as a quarterly short film screening series, Shorts Not Pants presents its now annual festival in November in person in Toronto, and virtually, across Canada.