View The Films

And the Winner Is....

The votes are in! Congrats to our 2023 winners: WINN and Under G-d win the Juried Prize.
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Identity
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6m 8s
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About The Film

Last Call Baking

Birmingham native Chanah Willis shares delicious works of art through Last Call Baking Co.
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Society
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8m 14s
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About The Film

Box: The Impossible Puzzle

A simple box with an unusual locking mechanism challenges guests who attempt to solve it.
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Society
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5m 53s
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About The Film

A Little Off the Top

An animated documentary where three black barbers provide words of wisdom to a teen customer.
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Inspiration
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25m 20s
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About The Film

Bertie the Brilliant

While raising money for a magic show ticket, a boy faces a tough choice when his grandma loses her job.
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Family
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7m 49s
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About The Film

New Beginnings

Sofia bonds with her Italian grandmother by sharing stories and making biscotti.
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Environment
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14m 31s
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About The Film

Plum Town

A young land developer returns home to the family plum orchard in the Chinese countryside.
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Identity
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8m 36s
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About The Film

Lucky Fish

Two Asian-American teens meet in a Chinese restaurant's bathroom during family dinner.
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Culture
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14m 20s
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About The Film

Folk Frontera

Fronteriza women navigate dual cultures while living in the Chihuahuan Desert.
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Family
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14m 33s
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About The Film

Brother

A filmmaker's intimate phone calls with her brother explore his fragile recovery from opioid addiction.
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Culture
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10m 23s
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About The Film

DC's Shoe: The Origin of New Balance in Washington DC

A visual history of the New Balance shoe culture in Washington, DC.
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Culture
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15m 2s
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About The Film

Miss Chelove

Artist MISS CHELOVE shares stories from her life growing up in the D.C. punk scene.
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Inspiration
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4m 46s
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About The Film

Monograph: Guadelupe Robinson

After 40 years at the potter’s wheel, Guadalupe Lanning Robinson still finds excitement and discovery in her craft. Based in Huntsville, AL since 1985, working with clay has kept her tied to her Me...
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Family
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15m 34s
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About The Film

Stories from St. Metz

An eccentric upbringing shapes brothers' life lessons about hard work, humor and family.
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Society
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16m 53s
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About The Film

WINN

Pamela Winn fights to end the shackling of incarcerated pregnant people in Georgia.
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Inspiration
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9m 26s
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About The Film

Cartoon Academy: Welcome to the Ocean Floor

Joe Wos teaches the importance of depth and dimension by drawing ocean animals.
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Inspiration
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7m
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About The Film

Dream Carriers

A college-bound Chicana tells the story of the migration of monarch butterflies.
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Identity
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7m 15s
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About The Film

Be Heard: I Am Who I Say I Am

This documentary series captures three personal stories about navigating gender identity.
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Identity
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6m 8s
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About The Film

Lucie and Annie

Lucie and Annie discuss the history of their LGBTQ+ activism in Maine.
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Environment
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12m 4s
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About The Film

Everything Wrong and Nowhere to Go

A comedic self-portrait delving into climate psychology and coping with climate anxiety.
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Identity
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18m 18s
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About The Film

Two Bears

Veteran janitor fights to prove himself as a warrior and a dependable family man.
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Environment
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15m
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About The Film

Kumu Niu

"Niu Now" revives coconut culture in O'ahu, spreading Indigenous wisdom of "aloha 'āina."
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Culture
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8m 50s
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About The Film

The Funeral Band

A new member of a dysfunctional brass band learns all about his unique community.
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Society
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23m 18s
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About The Film

Under G-D

Jewish community members challenge the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Explore All Films

And the Winner Is....

The votes are in! Congrats to our 2023 winners: WINN and Under G-d win the Juried Prize.

About the Festival

Now in its 12th year, the PBS Short Film Festival is a celebration of independent films and filmmaking. Join us in exploring an incredible selection from talented filmmakers, showcasing films about family, identity, culture, inspiration, society and more.
About the Festival

Explore the Behind the Lens Blog

Sneaker Enthusiast and 'DC's Shoe' Filmmaker Jacob Garibay Talks New Balance in DC
Sneaker Enthusiast and 'DC's Shoe' Filmmaker Jacob Garibay Talks New Balance in DC
by Chelsea Bandi | July 18, 2023
Chelsea Bandi chats with "DC's Shoe" Filmmaker Jacob Garibay about his DC background and passion behind New Balance.
Q&A: Gina Basso Speaks With Director, Producer Paula Eiselt About Her Film 'Under G-d'
Q&A: Gina Basso Speaks With Director, Producer Paula Eiselt About Her Film 'Under G-d'
by POV Shorts | July 12, 2023
"Under G-d" Director and Producer Paula Eiselt shares her experience documenting the impact of Roe v. Wade on the Jewish community in her interview with Gina Basso.
How the Asian Lesbian Coming of Age Film 'Lucky Fish' Went Viral on TikTok
How the Asian Lesbian Coming of Age Film 'Lucky Fish' Went Viral on TikTok
by Grace Hwang Lynch | July 11, 2023
Emily May Jampel chats with Grace Hwang Lynch about her inspiration for "Lucky Fish" and the shock of going viral on social media.
'Brother' Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick on How We Feed Our 'Hungry Ghosts' and the Misunderstood Pain Behind Addiction
'Brother' Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick on How We Feed Our 'Hungry Ghosts' and the Misunderstood Pain Behind Addiction
by Ivonne Spinoza | July 07, 2023
"Brother" filmmaker Joanna Rudnick discusses the intimate portrayal of addiction in her interview with Ivonne Spinoza.
Filmmaker of 'Lucie and Annie' Amy Oden Speaks with Cooper Reed on LGBTQ+ Rights in Maine
Filmmaker of 'Lucie and Annie' Amy Oden Speaks with Cooper Reed on LGBTQ+ Rights in Maine
by Amy Oden | July 07, 2023
Amy Oden chats with Cooper Reed about the film “Lucie and Annie” and LGBTQ+ rights in Maine.
‘BeHEARD! I Am Who I Say I Am,’ Offers Personal Stories of Why Gender Affirmation Matters
‘BeHEARD! I Am Who I Say I Am,’ Offers Personal Stories of Why Gender Affirmation Matters
by Cheryl D. Fields | July 07, 2023
Cheryl D. Fields from Black Public Media talks with "BeHEARD! I Am Who I Say I Am" director, Sophia Clark, about their approach to making a film on the timely topic of gender affirmation.
In ‘A Little Off the Top,’ a Teen Finds Brotherly Love in a Barber’s Chair
In ‘A Little Off the Top,’ a Teen Finds Brotherly Love in a Barber’s Chair
by Cheryl D. Fields | July 07, 2023
Cheryl D. Fields from Black Public Media talks with ‘A Little Off the Top' Director, William D. Caballero, about his journey making the animated short.
Filmmaker Q&A with Nicholas Manuel Pino, Director of 'The Funeral Band'
Filmmaker Q&A with Nicholas Manuel Pino, Director of 'The Funeral Band'
by Jonathan Nickens | July 07, 2023
Jonathan Nickens interviews Director Nicholas Manuel Pino about his film “The Funeral Band.”
Filmmaker Q&A with 'Plum Town' Director, Kelly Yu
Filmmaker Q&A with 'Plum Town' Director, Kelly Yu
by Jonathan Nickens | July 07, 2023
Jonathan Nickens interviews director Kelly Yu about her inspiration and experience creating “Plum Town.”
Filmmaker Interview: Sara T. Gama of 'Miss Chelove' Wants Us to Hear From Diverse Voices
Filmmaker Interview: Sara T. Gama of 'Miss Chelove' Wants Us to Hear From Diverse Voices
by Heather Nunerley | Reel South | July 07, 2023
Reel South Digital Producer Heather Nunerley connected with film director Sara T. Gama to get insight to the creation of the short.
Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn on the Artificial Construct of the Border and the Borderlands Culture in 'Folk Frontera'
Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn on the Artificial Construct of the Border and the Borderlands Culture in 'Folk Frontera'
by Ivonne Spinoza | July 07, 2023
Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn chat with Ivonne Spinoza about their film journeys and how "Folk Frontera" came to be.
Filmmaker Feature: 'WINN' Creators Work as a Team to Create Inspiring, Winning Short Film
Filmmaker Feature: 'WINN' Creators Work as a Team to Create Inspiring, Winning Short Film
by Heather Nunerley | Reel South | July 07, 2023
Before the PBS online streaming premiere, Reel South Digital Producer Heather Nunerley connected with the filmmakers to highlight the behind-the-scenes details of the film's creation.

Viewing Party Kit

Host your own digital viewing party with help from our Viewing Party Kit, which includes party recipes, discussion questions and more.
Viewing Party Kit

Our 2023 Festival Partners