On this page - Critics' Circle nominees 2025:
I SAW THE FACE OF GOD IN THE JET WASH | LEAVING IKORODU IN 1999 | MILK
NEIL ARMSTRONG AND THE LANGHOLMITES | TWO BLACK BOYS IN PARADISE


< < S H O R T S

Filmmaker Mark Jenkin assembled this stream-of consciousness collage to explore the nature of artistic inspiration, and it's a wonderfully random string of witty observations. His gorgeously grainy Super 8 travelog footage is accompanied by his deadpan voiceover, wondering which of the staggering range of influences, wondering reflect in whatever film he makes next. So it's worth watching this in tandem with his latest feature Rose of Nevada.

It opens as he leaves Liverpool and arrives in black-and-white Dublin, where he's hosting a screening. This trip reminds him of swimming in cold Irish rivers. Then he pays a return visit to a campground in Brittany that's watched over by a standing stone. Everything here looks just like home, which gives him more ideas. Next he flies to Los Angeles, and goes straight to Santa Monica Beach ("This place is real!"), having hilarious encounters with locals, random show biz folks and various movie locations.

Jenkin finds connections everywhere between himself, friends, movies and celebrities, plus places where he's been before or those he has seen in films, such as Hitchcock's original Bates Motel. He randomly refers to literature, the sea, the Isle of Man, past experiences, his Cornish heritage and cyclist Mark Cavendish. All of this provides inspiration for his imagination as he comes up with something new. This is a fantastically offbeat look into the creative mind, reminding us that it's impossible to be inventive in a vacuum.

31.Dec.25

This moving dramatic short is shot on location in Nigeria with documentary-style realism that continually takes us aback. This is largely because these events are seen through the eyes of a curious young girl who is facing an uncertain future. Writer-director Rashida Seriki uses beautifully observant cinematography and editing to explore internal thoughts, importantly offering a rare look at immigration from the other side of the coin.

The film opens with a mother (Atim) in London receiving a videotape in the post. This features her cheeky, inquisitive young daughter Momo (Abiola-Oloke), all dressed up as she goes for a ride with her aunt and uncle (Ojo and Bakre). They mention sadness that they won't see Momo again, as they are sending her to join her mother. So they ask Momo if she wants to go. Of course she misses her mother, but she'll also miss them when she's gone. And her aunt begins to doubt whether she's doing the right thing.

Rippling with nostalgia and deeply personal memories, this perhaps too-swirly film is a deep dive into a pivotal moment in this young girl's life. Each of the actors brings raw emotion to the screen, with Ojo and Bakre creating riveting tension between Momo's aunt and uncle along the way. And little Abiola-Oloke has terrific presence, revealing darker shadows under her full-of-life personality. All of this leads to some sharply pointed discussions about the nature of big things like migration and masculinity. And because it's so thoughtful, it carries an emotional kick.

31.Dec.25

With a gentle tone, this nicely shot and edited drama is unusually vivid from the start, taking on a big issue in a way that feels perhaps deliberate. But because the central topic is poverty as it relates to infants, the film feels strikingly urgent. Thankfully, writer-director Naomi Waring has a light touch even with the heavier dramatic moments, so the film is both informative and moving.

Having run out of both milk and cash, single mother Alisha (Bannon) has both a hungry infant and a bouncy older daughter (Nwasokwa) to care for. And her adorable baby won't stop crying, which makes her dream of living in a world where abundant milk is available. But the formula at the corner shop is far too expensive, so Alisha considers bartering sex with the shop clerk (Fernandes). Desperately, she tries another option, and the situation takes a surprising turn.

Yes, all of this is extremely pointed to highlight a very real situation for a vulnerable segment of British society. Alisha is struggling to care for her children, clearly receiving no help from their father, or anyone else for that matter. So the way the film's script discovers compassion in unexpected places is hopeful and sweet.

31.Dec.25

Scottish filmmaker Duncan Cowles brings his deadpan style to this delightful documentary about a random collision between a historical icon and rural Scotland. Drifting down random sideroads while finding humour in everyday people and situations, the film is a clever look at how we make our mark on the world in our own idiosyncratic ways. It's also a lovely celebration of the importance of being surrounded by your clan.

In 1972, astronaut Neil Armstrong paid a visit to his ancestral home in the small town of Langholm. In a rare display of emotion, Armstrong was moved by his encounter with the people there, and they remember the pomp and ceremony of this visit, including a song composed for the occasion. All of this is noted in a small museum about Armstrong, which notes the impact of this infamous day, even if it perhaps meant very little.

Packed with nutty touches, this film is relentlessly amusing, as Cowles asks witty questions of the residents, gently cutting through the importance of what is essentially a non-event ("Would you go to the moon?"). And their answers are even funnier. Meanwhile, Cowles' camera captures the glorious surrounding countryside, wondering if other great moments are hidden in those hills. The salient question is whether everyone needs to do something momentous in their life. Indeed, he discovers that residents include an Olympian and someone who had three songs written about him. But perhaps finding your place in the world is true greatness, as your family offers freedom and balance.

31.Dec.25

Based on a poem by Dean Atta, this stylised short is visually impressive, creating motion-capture style imagery using clay animation. It's surreal, assembled as a flight of achingly romantic fancy, but director Baz Sells grounds the narrative in a gorgeous range of tiny authentic details. So as it goes along, the story develops a strongly emotional undercurrent as well as a fierce sense of justice.

"These are real boys, little men," the narrator (Stephen) says, talking about 19-year-old Eden and 18-year-old Dula, two boys who are deeply in love in a place where that is forbidden. Caught holding hands in public, they try to distance themselves from each other, are confronted by police and questioned by everyone in their lives. So they are forced to go into hiding. But they are simply in love with each other. And themselves.

The voiceover honestly questions attitudes, perceptions and the prejudice that refuses to see these grown-up men as human, especially in a society with a limited view of masculinity. The imagery is fantastical and sometimes surreal, which makes the film thoughtful, provocative and strongly resonant. It's also surprisingly sexy, pondering whether paradise is meant for just two naked people at a time, and it doesn't matter whether they're boys or girls. This is a skilfully made little gem, with lovely music and eye-catching imagery. And it's also a gorgeous cry for a world that's free from judgement and shame.

31.Dec.25