Short films have long been an overlooked gem on the digital front. It’s not totally the category of movie’s fault. It seems the term “short film” got a less-than-positive rap when it became an umbrella term for films that venture too far into “art” and fell short of actually telling any story. Over the last few years, however, we’ve seen the rise of a different type of short film—one that champions storytelling and yet remains easily digestible to viewers. It’s a nice thing.As if we had something to prove in the matter (can assure you we don’t), we assembled five well-reviewed, water-related shorts via our friends at Vimeo and placed them here for you. Seemed like a good idea. No need to silence your cell phones, just enjoy the next 35 minutes of awesome stories.
As if we had something to prove in the matter (and we can assure you we don’t), we assembled five well-reviewed, water-related short films via our friends at Vimeo and placed them here for you, all in one place. Seemed like a good idea. No need to silence your cell phones, just enjoy the next 35 minutes.
1. Johanna Under the Ice
“Finnish freediver Johanna Nordblad holds the world record for a 50-meter dive under ice. She discovered her love for the sport through cold-water treatment while recovering from a downhill biking accident that almost took her leg. British director and photographer Ian Derry captures her taking a plunge under the Arctic ice.” — NOWNESS
2. Fish Story
“Sometime in the 1980s, Caspar Salmon’s grandmother was invited to a gathering on the Welsh island of Anglesey, attended exclusively by people with fish surnames. Or so he says. Thirty years later, filmmaker Charlie Lyne attempts to sort myth from reality as he searches for the truth behind this fishy tale.” — The Guardian
3. The Dock
“Anchoring a 100 foot half tonne plastic raft in the middle of a surf break is no easy feat. At four am we were up, towing out what’s now known as “The Dock” in Bali for this concept shoot. We asked ourselves, what does the future look like? A cashless society? Self-driving cars? We’ll leave the wavepools for Kelly Slater and co. Instead, we envisioned lineup where you don’t have to paddle. Which turns out to be a rather dangerous affair.” — STAB
4. Ghosts of the Arctic
“Ghosts of the Arctic was the type of passion project that my boyhood dreams were made of. Our goal was to venture out into the beautiful frozen expanse of Svalbard, in winter, to search and document polar bears.” — United Film Works
5. Woza
“’Woza’ (“Come” in Zulu) tells the story of an African surfer who has been taken as a lover by the African water spirit Mami Wata. It features 22 year-old Transkei surfer, Avuyile Ndamase.” — Mami Wata
