The City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Cultural Arts Division hosted the fourth annual 60 Second Short Film Fest on May 13.

Out of 539 films submitted, 33 were selected from around the world. Themes varied from celebrating life to empowerment. Topics included confronting social injustices, looking at climate change, life in a vineyard, celebrating jazz in the parks, species interconnection to soil, the effects of plastic pollution on animals, the water cycle, celebrating the outdoors, mental health, and many humorous animated shorts.

Filmmakers gave one minute thank you speeches or sent a letter of thanks.

Below are the 33 Films that were screened.

Youth
1. David and Goliath (Animation) *
In the unequal fight, "David against Goliath," a pair of scissors and a ball of wool compete.
Director: Victoria Beyer
Germany

2. A Drop (Animation) *
The story of a little drop of water and a boy.
Director: Milana Lebed
Kazakhstan

3. Magic Cookie Girl (Animation) *
A transformation sequence of a new hero granted powers from a magic cookie.
Director: Genesis Gemeice Grant
United States

4. People Things (Live Action) *
The details, the hands, the components—these are what make us human. What we do is all about this. Differences.
Director: Anita Monteiro
Brazil

5. Home Alone? (Live Action) *
A young girl is home alone for the night. Or is she?
Director: Avery Elizabeth Knight
United States

6. A Day in the Life (Live Action) *
A woman starts her daily routine with a list of tasks to get done and makes necessary adjustments as the day goes on. A Day in the Life is a satire about life in the world we live in.
Director: Sophia Winters
United States

Adult
7. Forest Hill Park (Environmental) *
After feeling trapped in his basement, a Richmond resident decides to explore the great outdoors.
Director: Myles Brown
United States

8. Jazz in July (Documentary)
A short documentation of the events at Jazz In July, a yearly jazz festival held at Hoyt Sherman Place, a historical landmark in Des Moines, Iowa.
Director: Maxwell John Mootz
United States

9. AM Africa (Live Action) *
An African boy is intellectually liberated and feels proud to be born in Africa. His weapon of strength is his happiness.
Director: David Kalala
United Republic of Tanzania

10. Water Wheels (Documentary)
A sound video miniature made of interesting looking water wheels.
Director: Ebba Jahn
Germany

11. Hive Mind (Documentary) *
The tiny but mighty life of a bee.
Director: Zeke Hanson
United States

12. Vinum (Documentary) *
A sensual look at life of the symbol of vitality, wealth, and social status.
Director: Vyacheslav (Slavik) Bihun
Ukraine

13. A camera was put in my hand (Documentary)
A sixty second film homage to the two greatest photographers, Larry Clark and Terry Richardson.
Director: Daniele Fermani
Italy

14. Soil (Environmental) *
All living things are connected to the same soil.
Director: Delwyn Jude Remedios
India

15. Why Spiders Don’t Own Mirrors (Animation)
A short film illustrating why spiders never use mirrors.
Director: Molly Brown
United Kingdom

16. Mars 3752 (Animation) *
A falling star, an astronaut's helmet, changes the future of a boy whose life seems mapped out.
Director: Nicolas Bianco-Levrin
France

17. Smile (Live Action)
A film about peace.
Director: Adeel Wali Raees
Pakistan

18. WITHIN (Live Action)
If we are at peace with ourselves then we can be at peace with our surroundings.
Direction: Tushar Nongthombam
India

19. Letters Sent (Live Action)
Oscar and Olivia, separated by academic commitment, exchange letters of longing.
Directors: Jimmie Chiverelli, Zack Trunzo
Canada

20. To Masha (Live Action) *
"To Mahsa" is an experimental film made after the tragic death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini. It is a show of solidarity with the women of Iran and with any woman who fights for freedom and human rights.
Director: Daniela Lucato
Italy

21. Macbeth’s Dream (Live Action) *
Inspired by William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth's Dream is a visionary experimental film with a twist.
Director: Ian Floodgate
United Kingdom

22. Catchy (60”) (Live Action)
A contemporary, chaotic, and monochromatic society is thrown into crisis by this forced and tragicomic moment which shows limited relational skills.
Directors: Matteo Tibiletti, Federico Gasca
Italy

23. Kites in Spring (Live Action) *
The simplest things could be the most significant. Sometimes we need the Spring season to notice its invaluable transcendence.
Director: Daniel Gomez
Paraguay

24. Doom Island Trailer (Personal Narrative) *
Doom Island is a personal perspective on Martin's life with autism and schizophrenia from the inside, in a language we can all understand: film.
Director: Martin Ostrom
Canada

25. Trapped (Animation)
A short stop motion animation about a character named Thyth who wakes up locked in a dungeon and attempts a quick-witted escape.
Director: Michael Lavine
United States

26. Trumpet Doctor (Animation)
An animated advertisement for a surgical service where one can have their limbs replaced with trumpets, endorsed by the Trumpet Doctor.
Director: Liam Norman
United States

27. Cake-Zilla (Animation) *
“Yes, Godzilla is at it again and is destroying the city, but this time he has a heartwarming reason for it.”
Director: Johan Klungel
Netherlands

28. Cut off in Mid-Sentence (Animation) *
Duck and Red Octopus struggle through a difficult interview.
Director: Andy Haskins
United States

29. (r) evolution (Environmental) *
100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste.
This story explores the impact of plastic on wildlife.
Director: Vanessa Cardui
Germany

30. Rewind (Environmental) *
Disasters in the world. Everything goes back to its causes.
Director: Davide Campagna
Italy

31. “The Idea” (Animation) *
A brief story about the journey of an idea.
Directors: Emmanuel Alcalá, José Andrés Llanezas
Argentina

32. UP, DOWN, BEHIND (Animation)
People sometimes looked up, looked down and looked behind...
Director: Karsa Yazdani
Islamic Republic of Iran

33. Hanabi (Animation)
Hanabi is an experimental micro film that's a visual play on words. In Japanese, hana 花 is the symbol for flower and bi 火 is the symbol for fire.
Director: Jennie Feyen
Australia

*Denotes Finalist

60 Second Short Film Fest Winners **

Youth Animation:
A Drop **
Director: Milana Lebed
Kazakhstan

Youth Live Action:
A Day in the Life **
Director: Sophia Winters
United States

Adult Live Action:
AM Africa **
Director: David Kalala
United Republic of Tanzania

Adult Documentary/Personal Narrative:
Vinum **
Director: Vyacheslav (Slavik) Bihun
Ukraine

Adult Animation:
“The Idea” **
Directors: Emmanuel Alcalá, José Andrés Llanezas
Argentina

Best Environmental:
Forest Hill Park **
Director: Myles Brown
United States

2023 Film Jurist

Cole Clark is a graduate of VCU’s BFA Sculpture end Extended Media program and has produced independent films and performance art pieces throughout the Richmond area. He has served as the editor-in-chief of Ink Magazine, taught videography to numerous students, and edited PSAs for the City of Richmond. He loves the language of film and thoroughly enjoyed being a judge for this year’s festival.

AWARDS

Awards were given for Best Adult and Youth for each category, Live Action-Narrative, Documentary, Animation, and Best Environmental Film.

1. All films must be 60 seconds or less, but no more, this includes title and credits.
2. Films must have a FilmFreeway, Youtube or Vimeo screener.
3. The Sixty Seconds Short Film Fest is open to all.
4. All foreign language entries must have English subtitles.
5. You may submit as many films as you can make, but each must be entered separately.
6. The best films selected will be shown at the free festival on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 7 p.m. at Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center or online.
7. No unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
8. There are two categories for entrants, Youth: 17 and under, Adult: 18 and over.
9. Sixty Second Short Film Fest will reserve the right to refuse any entry at its own discretion. Submitted material must be suitable for families and not contain obscene, unlawful or objectionable material. Content created to promote any product or service will not be accepted.
10. Contributors must be the sole author(s) of the entry and have all permissions secured and the rights to publicly screen the film.
11. By entering, you are granting us the permission to show your film if selected and use parts of your film for promotional purposes and to screen online.
12. Films must be available to download for the festival or available on a playable form of media such as DVD or a thumb drive.
13. All films submitted must be exactly the same as the screener for the festival unless arrangements are made with the 60 Second Short Film Fest.
13. Submit your film by January 1, 2024 by 11:59 p.m.
14. All entries from participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s approval.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vyacheslav (Slavik) Bihun

    Excellent Festival! I have to admit that I'm a bit prejudiced (as my film was awarded), but my experience with the Festival was all the way positive in all aspects (I could not attend it in person, though, because of the war in Ukraine). I hope that it will become an establish tradition many more filmmakers can appreciate with time. Many thanks to the organizers and the team!

    May 2023
  • Very glad to be part of this competition with my last experimental short “To Mahsa”

    May 2023
  • davidkalala kalala

    engaging with this guys wont disappoint you. Hey what are waiting 60 second short film fest Is the best. Love from Tanzania ,Africa

    May 2023
  • We are really happy to be aprt of this Festival's Edition with our first Short Film. Everyone in the organization was very kind.

    May 2023
  • Surya Shankar Dash

    Thank you for including my humble submission and the encouraging review of the film. Wish I was there. Love from India.

    June 2022