Six New European Short Films to Watch Online

At Into Film, we believe that films of all shapes and sizes are equally important; short films can be just as resonant, impactful and memorable as their much-loved feature-length siblings. In recent years we've worked with partners such as the British Council and Encounters to collaborate on packages for audiences of all ages, as well as supporting mainstream titles such as the Pixar short film collections. Our latest partnership, with interfilm Berlin, sees a further six exciting new short films added to our catalogue, available for club members to watch online for free.

Interfilm Berlin is a German organisation which provides a platform for short films and their filmmakers through curation, sales, distribution and an annual film festival. We've worked with them this year to put a programme of six short films together which showcase a range of styles and genres including live-action, animation and documentary, hailing from a number of European countries. The six films - five of which are suitable for secondary audiences, and one for primary - tie into a number of different curriculum subjects and themes, including modern foreign languages, PSHE education and LGBTQ+ issues.

To view these films, simply visit the Interfilm Berlin Shorts resource page above, where you'll be able to download a PDF with links to watch each of the films. You'll need an Into Film Account to download the PDF - but don't worry, it only takes a moment to set one up.

You can read on to find out more about each of the six short films, as well as some feature-length recommendations that we feel thematically complement each short. Why not pair them up for a viewing in your Into Film Club or classroom?

After watching the shorts, club members can also post reviews of them on the individual film pages below. Any reviews posted will automatically be entered into our ongoing Review 500 competition, with prizes to be won every fortnight.

The Last Day of Autumn

This gentle, non-dialogue animation - suitable for the youngest audiences - follows a group of woodland creatures who embark on a race through the forest, helping one another overcome obstacles as they go.

If you like this short, you may also enjoy Ernest and Celestine.

AlieNation

This documentary-style German language animation features interviews with teenagers around issues related to adolescence, including topics such as body image, friendships and family relationships, with the respondents drawn as alien creatures to reflect the strange nature of growing up.

If you like this short, you may also enjoy My Life as a Courgette.

Crocodile

This live-action Spanish language short is a story about a woman who secretly logs on to a streaming site after her husband has gone to work for the day in order to watch a young gamer because she has something important she wants to say to him.

If you like this short, you may also enjoy The Way He Looks.

The Name of the Son

This French language short has certain thematic similarities with Crocodile, with this film focusing on a married couple as they attempt to decide on a boy's name for their child. But why is it that each of their suggestions don't quite feel right?

If you like this short, you may also enjoy 52 Tuesdays.

#tagged

This Dutch short follows 24 hours in the life of a 14-year-old girl named Elsie, shot entirely through the perspective of her smartphone and the relationship she has with it. Elsie discovers the potential perils of social media after a wild party results in an unfortunate incident which is captured, uploaded and shared online by her peers.

If you like this short, you may also enjoy Unfriended.

Waiting Time

This tense and unsettling German language short is not only a terrific exercise in filmmaking but also serves as an important reminder about avoiding potentially dangerous situations, as a night worker who waits for the bus realises a stranger is nearby and must think of a creative way to stay safe.

If you like this short, you may also enjoy Victoria.