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Lost in the Sky

After a long search in a strange galaxy, a lone rescue robot locates a surviving astronaut, but must reach her before she's consumed by a looming black hole. A live-action space adventure made entirely with practical effects over the course of six years. Winner of Méliès d'argent for Best European Fantastic Short Film 2023.

  • Simon Öster
    Director
  • Kevin Gullberg
    Writer
  • Kevin Gullberg
    Producer
  • Olle Tholén, Crazy Pictures
    Executive Producer
    UFO Sweden, The Unthinkable
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Live-Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 8, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    52,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Sweden
  • Country of Filming:
    Sweden
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED, Live-action
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • HARD:LINE International Film Festival
    Regensburg
    Germany
    April 8, 2023
    World Premiere
    Méliès d'Argent for Best European Fantastic Short Film, Audience Award for Best Short Film
  • Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
    Brussels
    Belgium
    April 16, 2023
    Belgian Premiere
    Méliès d'argent Nomination
  • Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival
    Porto Alegre
    Brazil
    April 27, 2023
    Ibero-American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Houston International Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    April 30, 2023
    North American Premiere
    Gold Remi Award for Science Fiction Short Film
  • SCI-FI-LONDON
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 3, 2023
    UK Premiere
    Audience Award for Best Short Film
  • Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology
    Portland
    United States
    August 5, 2023
    West Coast Premiere
    Winner of Outstanding Sci-Fi World Building, Nominated for Best Dramatic Short & Best Sci-Fi Short
  • Popcorn Frights Film Festival
    Fort Lauderdale
    United States
    August 13, 2023
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Västerås Filmfestival
    Västerås/Stockholm
    Sweden
    August 22, 2023
    Nordic Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Ravenheart International Film Festival
    Oslo
    Norway
    August 24, 2023
    Norwegian Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short Film
  • Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    August 27, 2023
    Australian Premiere
    Winner of Best International Short Film, Nominated for Best Director Short Film
  • Tacoma Film Festival
    Tacoma
    United States
    October 10, 2023
    Washington Premiere
    Official Selection
  • San Jose International Short Film Festival
    San Jose
    United States
    October 14, 2023
    California Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi Short Film
  • Tri-Cities International Film Festival
    Richland
    United States
    October 14, 2023
    Benton County Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Short Film
  • Atlanta Horror Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    October 14, 2023
    Georgia Premiere
    Official Selection
  • LUSCA Fantastic Film Festival
    Guaynabo
    Puerto Rico
    October 20, 2023
    Caribbean premiere
    Nominated for Best International Sci-Fi & Fantasy Short Film
  • Stockholm International Fantastic Film Festival - Monsters of Film
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    October 21, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Flickers' Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival
    Providence
    United States
    October 27, 2023
    Rhode Island Premiere
    Grand Prize - Best Fantasy Short Film
  • kurz.film.spiele
    Konstanz
    Germany
    October 27, 2023
    South West German Premiere
    Audience Award for Best Short Film
  • Lund Fantastic Film Festival
    Lund
    Sweden
    October 28, 2023
    Skåne Premiere
    Honorable Mention - Finn Fantastic Film Award for Best Swedish Fantastic Short Film
  • FilmQuest
    Provo
    United States
    November 2, 2023
    Regional Premiere
    Winner of Director's Prize for Overall Cinematic Achievement & Best Score Short, Nominated for Best Sci-Fi Short & Best Visual FX Short
  • Curtas Festival do Imaxinario
    Vilagarcía de Arousa
    Spain
    November 3, 2023
    Spanish Premiere
    Best Short Film Director
  • Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival
    Bruges
    Belgium
    November 4, 2023
    Bruges Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Night Visions International Film Festival
    Helsinki
    Finland
    November 15, 2023
    Finland Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival
    Saskatoon
    Canada
    November 22, 2023
    Canadian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Blue Planet Science Fiction Film Festival
    Nanjing
    China
    November 27, 2023
    Asian Premiere
    Best Director Award
  • New York City Horror Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    December 9, 2023
    New York Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi Short Film
  • Madrid Sci-Fi Film Festival
    Madrid
    Spain
    December 16, 2023
    Madrid Premiere
    Official Selection
  • FIXION Fest - Fantastic & Horror Film Festival
    Santiago
    Chile
    February 10, 2024
    Chilean Premiere
    Special Mention for Visual Effects
  • Boston SciFi Film Festival
    Boston
    United States
    February 14, 2024
    Massachusetts Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Nevermore Film Festival
    Durham
    United States
    February 23, 2024
    North Carolina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Landshut Short Film Festival
    Landshut
    Germany
    March 16, 2024
    Landshut Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Cinequest Film & VR Festival
    San Jose
    United States
    March 17, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Oxford Film Festival
    Oxford
    United States
    March 23, 2024
    Mississippi Premiere
    Honorable Mention - Best Family Friendly Film
  • Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival
    Miami
    United States
    March 30, 2024
    Miami Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction and Supernatural Festival
    New York City
    United States
    April 4, 2024
    Queens Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival
    Phoenix
    United States
    April 5, 2024
    Arizona Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi Short Film
  • Capital City Film Festival
    Lansing
    United States
    April 18, 2024
    Michigan Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Juggernaut Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    April 19, 2024
    Illinois Premiere
    Official Selection
  • First Contact Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival
    Atlantic Highlands
    United States
    May 18, 2024
    New Jersey Premiere
    Winner of Best Foreign Film, Best 'First Contact' Film & Best Practical FX, Nominated for Best Live-Action Film, Best Director, Best Score & Best Sound
  • Forbidden Worlds Film Festival
    Bristol
    United Kingdom
    May 19, 2024
    Bristol Premiere
    Short of the Year, Audience Choice Award, Best Sci-Fi Short
  • Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
    June 1, 2024
    Seattle Premiere
    Douglas Trumbull Award for Best Special Effects
  • GALACTICAT - XI Tàrrega & Ponent International Film Festival
    Tàrrega
    Spain
    June 24, 2024
    Catalonian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festival de Sci-Fi, Terror y Fantasía
    Bogotá
    Colombia
    August 29, 2024
    Colombian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Grindfest Film Festival
    Christchurch
    United Kingdom
    September 14, 2024
    Dorset Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Helsinki International Film Festival
    Helsinki
    Finland
    September 27, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Atlanta Sci-Fi Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    October 5, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    October 14, 2024
    Brooklyn Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Les Utopiales International Science Fiction Festival
    Nantes
    France
    October 30, 2024
    Official Selection
    International Short Film Competition
  • FANCINE – Fantastic Film Festival of Málaga
    Málaga
    Spain
    November 13, 2024
    Málaga Premiere
    Méliès Winner Selection
  • Norrköping Filmfestival
    Norrköping
    Sweden
    November 30, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Fantafestival
    Rome
    Italy
    November 30, 2024
    Italian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Flagstaff International Film Festival
    Flagstaff
    United States
    August 17, 2025
    Flagstaff Premiere
    Best Sci-Fi Short
Distribution Information
  • Kojan Film
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Simon Öster

Simon Öster is a Swedish director with a knack for handmade crafts. He gained acclaim for his camera work on the Cannes Silver Award-winning Polestar ad in 2019 and won the Swedish Design Award for his Morakniv ad in 2020. Simon's cosmic journey began in 2016 when he tinkered with colored liquids in a water tank. This experimentation culminated in the space adventure 'Lost in the Sky,' his six-year labor of love and directorial debut, crafted entirely with practical effects.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Lost in the Sky follows the story of a robot who dreams of achieving his calling and the sacrifices he must make to get there. The robot's journey mirrors my own experience of making this film. I have spent six years working on it, sometimes at the expense of my health. I have often questioned whether the sacrifices I have made were worth it. However, the robot's determination to achieve his dream ultimately impacts another human's life in a profound way. I don't provide a definitive answer as to whether it's worth it or not, but I hope that the film will touch viewers, inspire other filmmakers, and help them find their own answers within themselves.