This assorted collection of shorts have only one thing in common – they all screen before selected feature films rather than sitting in any shorts program. We've gathered them here for your browsing convenience.

Shorts

	The Accordion (Iran, 9 min) The Accordion tells of the human drive for material survival against a backdrop of religious intolerance. Two young street performers in Tehran, a boy and a girl, have their accordion confiscated following an incident, which they must learn to accept in order to survive. In 2010, dissident director Jafar Panahi received a six-year jail sentence in Iran and was forbidden from making films or giving media interviews for 20 years. More >
	Blue (New Zealand, 14 min) A former children’s television mascot, the puppet-like Blue has been largely forgotten by the world. Grappling with his own irrelevance and struggling to hold down a dead-end waiting job, Blue is shocked one day by some twisted, tragic news from his past. Awarded the 50th Semaine De La Critique Grand Prix Canal + Du Meilleur Court Metrage Best Short Film at Cannes Film Festival 2011. More >
	Bunce (UK, 12 min) At Stouts Hill School, when the young Stephen Fry is caught with forbidden sweets from the village sweet shop, he persuades his new friend Bunce to take the blame. Intimidated by the headmaster, Bunce buckles and tells the truth, and Fry is punished.  Written by Stephen Fry and directed by Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty). More >
	The First Interview (Australia, 15 min) The world's first media interview, shot in Paris in 1886, finally comes to life. Narrated by Agnès Varda. D/S Dennis Tupicoff P Fiona Cochrane, Dennis Tupicoff L English, French w/English subtitles TD digibeta/2011 More >
	The Future Will Not Be Capitalist (Austria, 20 min) A cinematic tour through the Communist party headquarters in France, designed by modern architecture pioneer Oscar Niemeyer, exploring the building’s architectural, historical and political significance. D/P/S Sasha Pirker WS SixPackFilm TD 35mm/2010 More >
	A History of Mutual Respect (Portugal, 23 min) Eccentric and disquieting, this film follows two cynical and worldly young Europeans (played by the film’s directors) who travel to Latin America seeking pure exotic sensuality in the third world. Unprepared for and gradually disenchanted with their metaphorical journey, their jungle encounter with lost innocence ensures that their worlds will part forever.  D/S Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt P Gabriel Abrantes, Nataxo Checa TD 35mm/2010 More >
	The Little Tailor (France, 44 min) Nostalgic black and white cinematography recalls the rapturous style of French icons such as FranÁois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. Twenty-five-year-old Arthur is an apprentice in the tailor shop of elderly Albert, who views Arthur as both son and successor. Attending the theatre one night, Arthur falls for melancholy young actress Marie-Julie (Léa Seydoux) and creates a gorgeous dress for her in order to win her love. Soon the couple have resolved never to be parted and Arthur decides to abandon his career as a tailor, but is hesitant to tell the dying Albert of his decision. More >
	Random Strangers (UK/Netherlands, 25 min) Created as an inaugural work of the Cinema Reloaded crowd-funding project, this short film by Alexis Dos Santos (Unmade Beds, MIFF 2009) explores modern online youth culture. Two protagonists from different corners of the real world – Lulu and Rocky – meet by chance in the virtual world of random webcam chat.  D Alexis Dos Santos P Valentina Brazzini, Sol Gatti-Pascual S Laurence Coriat, Alexis Dos Santos WS The Bureau L English, German, Spanish w/English subtitles TD digibeta/2011 More >
	Swimsuit 46 (Belgium, 15 min) Chubby 12-year-old Chantal finds life difficult; she has few friends and receives little support at home, apart from her stepfather. Only in the local pool, training intensively for an upcoming swimming competition, does she truly feel at home. When Chantal needs a new pair of goggles, she does whatever she can to acquire them.  D Wannes Destoop P Katleen Goossens L Flemish w/English subtitles TD 35mm/2010 More >
	We Were Here (Australia, 25 min) Created from the We Were Here project on YouTube, this short film is constructed entirely from 15 hours of footage uploaded from multiple participants around Australia. Rather than presenting a random mashup of clips, Gebhardt has worked hard to create a narrative structure giving insights into these disparate lives and the Australian experience of ‘summer.’ D/S Amy Gebhardt P Allison Lockwood TD HD cam/2011 More >
	Zergüt (USA, 6 min) Mouldy, decaying foods long forgotten in the depths of the refrigerator rise up against the fresh ingredients, their skirmishes soon escalating into total war. Foodstuffs morph, march, disintegrate, dance and explode in extravagant displays of color and form, culminating in a grand finale sequence of obliteration. Set to Prokofiev’s classical Romeo & Juliet, this contemporary Fantasia employs high-definition stop motion imagery. Directors Natasha Subramaniam  and Alisa Lapidus are guests of the Festival. More >