Be Strong, Be Kind (PCFF Shorts Collection)

Never judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. These stories will show you that a different perspective can change your view of the situation (without taking off your shoes)! They include: a father growing close to his son through the school lunches he creates; a boy creating a scrap doll to honor the loss of a great friend; and a time lapse film of children styling their mother’s hair before, during and after chemo. A healthy dose of empathy is mandatory.

Film lineup is subject to change without notice.

Far From Home
When a Japanese teen is accidentally left behind in a Mexican restaurant she finds help and a friendship that she’ll never forget.
Mexico, 2016 / Spanish w/English subtitles / Mayra Veliz / 13 min / Live Action

Riceballs
Kenji makes Japanese riceballs for his half-Australian son. Eventually, those riceballs strengthen their bond and help them overcome the pain of losing their loved one.
Australia, 2015 / English / Shingo Usami / 10 min / Live Action

Scrap Dolls
On the east side of Detroit an 11-year-old boy, grieving over the loss of his best friend, encounters an artist who inspires him to honor his lost friend in a unique and beautiful way.
USA, 2016 / English / Aude Cuenod / 13 min / Live Action

Negative Space
Based on a poem by Ron Koertge. This is a sad story of a father and son who did not seem to bond over much in life except in one area, packing luggage.
France, 2017 / English w/English subtitles / Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata / 6 min / Animation

The Pocket Man (Le Petit Bonhomme de poche) (2018 Academy Award Nominee, Best Animated Short)
A little man lives in an old suitcase that keeps getting wrecked. Who would do such a malicious thing? The answer reveals a friendship based on trust and companionship.
France-Switzerland-Georgia, 2016 / no dialogue / Ana Chubinidze / 7 min / Animation

The Loudest Silence
Mara, who lives with her grandmother, is initially excited when her mother comes to pick her up from school and take her to an appointment. As the day goes on and the two spend more time together, Mara is reminded that her mother isn’t necessarily who she wants her to be. The love she feels for her mother is as painfully apparent as the need for her to keep her distance.
Argentina, 2016 / Spanish w/English subtitles / Eduardo Bertaina / 11 min / Live Action

Confessions of a Social Bully
Twenty-year-old Natasha bravely reflects on how she used her popularity in middle school to socially “punish” her smart and talented classmate, Jane, while privately battling her own insecurities and jealousy of Jane’s successes.
USA. 2017 / English / Lisa Cohen / 15 min / Documentary

Mum’s Hair
When Maja was 16 her mother got breast cancer. She and her three younger siblings did not know what would happen, but they knew their mother would lose her hair and look quite different. This photo montage of playfully styling her hair captures the full range of emotions before, during and after treatment.
Norway. 2017 / no dialogue / Maja Arnekleiv / 15 min / Documentary