Documentary
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- DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS
Documentary short films shape and interpret factual material for purposes of education or entertainment. Their purpose is to educate, inform, communicate, persuade, raise consciousness, satisfy curiosity or maintain a historical record. Documentaries are meant to be informative works and are often used as a resource to teach various principles.
Scout is delighted to share the official selection for this category.
(NON)Starving Artists by Jacquelyn Chin
(Mexico)
Produced By Arisleyda Dilone, Dmitry Gubin, and Jason Spagnuoli
Produced By Arisleyda Dilone, Dmitry Gubin, and Jason Spagnuoli
Follow a young Chinese American filmmaker as she begins to delve into the reasons why there haven't been many Asians in Hollywood until now.
Age Category: 18 and Under
#TeensToo - Coming of Age During the #MeToo and #TimesUp Movements by Grace Kelly, Kayla Wong, Chloe Mayer, Aya Troyer, Taylor Cole-Frieman, Ali Simon-Parker, and Vi Spencer
(United States)
The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have brought awareness about the issues of sexual harassment, but how do these movements effect teenagers?
Age Category: 18 and Under
90 Days To Leave by Tanmay Srivastava, Judith Harward Carreon, and Prateek Srivastava
(United States)
Produced By Tanmay Srivastava, Alain Azoulay, and Chris Bamford
Produced By Tanmay Srivastava, Alain Azoulay, and Chris Bamford
NOMINEE
This short documentary is about the expulsion of the Asian community from the East African nation of Uganda in 1972.
Age Category: 18 and under
A United Nations Experience by Malinalli Perez
(United States)
Produced By Malinalli Perez
Produced By Malinalli Perez
NOMINEE
As a 16-year-old participant in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with her school, she soon realized that many indigenous communities across the globe face a lot of similar obstacles and challenges within their communities.
Age Category: 18 and under
Anguish in the Aftermath by Joshua Riemer
(United States)
Produced By Malinalli Perez
Produced By Malinalli Perez
NOMINEE
Photojournalist Ian Witlen helps tell the stories of the victims of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Age Category: 18 and under
Armonia by Novus Manier
(United States)
Produced By Jessica Ann Peavy
Produced By Jessica Ann Peavy
A visualization of the truths and experiences of The Ummah Chroma by alumni from the Ghetto Film School, making their debut as a collective with Armonia.
Age Category: 19-24
Before the beauty is gone by Mackai Sharp
(Canada)
NOMINEE
An unfortunate reality: our fish are disappearing. Not our Salmon or our Halibut, but those will soon follow. Forage fish, a key segment of the marine food chain, is vanishing off the coast of British Columbia.
Age Category: 18 and under
Between the Lines: Liz at Large by Abi Cole, and Meghan Shea
(United States)
Produced By Meghan Shea, Mike Rogers, Fiona Chong, and David Flood
Produced By Meghan Shea, Mike Rogers, Fiona Chong, and David Flood
Liz Montague first emailed The New Yorker’s cartoon editor out of frustration that all of the illustrations featured white subjects. She began contributing to the magazine in 2019 and became the first Black, female cartoonist in The New Yorker’s near century run.
Age Category: 19-24
Defined By The Line by Serafine Chao
(United States)
Produced By Serafine Chao
Produced By Serafine Chao
A short documentary exploring how gender roles impact the lives of teenagers across the globe.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Euphoria by Wyatt Andraos, and Sammy Goyal
(United States)
Produced By Wyatt Andraos, and Sammy Goyal
Produced By Wyatt Andraos, and Sammy Goyal
High school senior, Jake Akita, shares his story about his life as a transgender.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Exit Stage Right: A Documentary by Marc Stoufer III
(United States)
When COVID-19 impacted people across the globe, theatre companies everywhere, from small town improv groups to Broadway stages in New York City were shuttered until further notice. But as the shutdown got extended further and further, high schools began to slowly reopen- and with it, their theatre departments.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Feminism: The Fifth Wave by Molly E. Smith
(United States)
Produced By Molly E. Smith
Produced By Molly E. Smith
NOMINEE
Feminism is a dirty word. At least that is how some women see it. It has been weaponized, becoming closely associated with political ties and radical behavior. The media paints this picture of polarization between generations particularly regarding feminism, but these few loud opinions do not make up the whole.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Forgotten Valour by Taylor Doggett
(United Kingdom)
Produced By Samuel Hemingway
Produced By Samuel Hemingway
NOMINEE
Forgotten Valour is a short experimental documentary challenging the stigma surrounding PTSD and mental health within the military by telling one man’s story after he suffered for 35 years before his diagnosis.
Age Category: 19 to 24
Growing Up COVID by Rylee Landau
(United States)
Produced By Rylee Landau
Produced By Rylee Landau
I hope thinking about COVID-19 through a different lens will change people's perspectives during this difficult time.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Happiness by Daphne Xulu
(United Kingdom)
A Trans-media Animation, delving into the prevalent social issues: Racism, Rape, Immigration and Domestic Abuse.
Age Category: 18 and Under
HIDDEN PRONOUNS by Amal Alodaini, and Rahmeh Alshammas
(Jordan)
Produced By Amal Alodaini, and Rahmeh Alshammas
Produced By Amal Alodaini, and Rahmeh Alshammas
NOMINEE
This Documentary presents stories of three wonderful charecters who used to be illiterate, showing how everything in their lives has changed when they finally owned the simplest yet most important tool humans need, which is literacy!
Age Category: 19 to 24
I Am A Traister: The Sarah Moskovitz Story by Alexa Biggs, Veronica Howard, Izadora Kashper, Ella Levkowitz, Asher Meron, Bella Rahi, Henry Ullendorff, Olivia Uzielli, and Lincoln Weinstock
(United States)
Produced By Lynn Tomlinson
Produced By Lynn Tomlinson
In 1980s Los Angeles, Sarah Moskowitz and Flo Kinsley founded the first Child Survivors of the Holocaust therapy and support group which went on to be a worldwide phenomenon.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Invasive Species of South Florida by Jake Siskin
(United States)
Produced By Jake Siskin
Produced By Jake Siskin
The Everglades are subject to many non-indigenous species which threaten the health of the environment and the natural habitat.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Life Without Parole by Mackenzie Robertson
(United States)
Produced By Mackenzie Robertson
Produced By Mackenzie Robertson
NOMINEE
In 1992, 16-year-old Samuel Gladden was involved in a drug deal gone wrong. Despite having not pulled the trigger, he was arrested for murder, and faced life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Age Category: 19 to 24
Nowhere, Ontario by Kurtis Watson
(Canada)
Produced By Anthony Fuentebella
Produced By Anthony Fuentebella
Two small-town best friends form a band fostered by boredom and become international rock stars in the process.
Age Category: 19-24
Ocean Bound by Dani Sadun, and Esteban Powell
(Ecuador)
Produced By Dani Sadun
Produced By Dani Sadun
The volunteers of “Mingas por el Mar” dedicate their time to organizing beach cleanings, and educating the citizens of Ecuador regarding sea pollution with the hope of changing people's lifestyle and raising awareness of the conscious use of pollutants. This short documentary explains how this problem is not limited to Ecuador but affects countries around the world.
Age Category: 19-24
Presence by Olivia Morrison
(United Kingdom)
Presence is a Love Letter to everyone who helped the filmmaker through lockdown. The goal of this project is to approach how friends, colleagues, and those in-between have been affected internationally.
Age Category: 19-24
Queens by Abbey Sacks
(United States)
“Queens” is a documentary that explores the artistry and stories of four different Seattle-based drag queens. The film shares conversations about why these artists do what they do, and how drag plays a meaningful role in their lives.
Age Category: 19-24
Saving The Caretakers by Mariana Gomez
(Mexico)
The Gómez Ruíz family struggles with a son who has autism, and a daughter with whom they have a toxic relationship. They now face the challenge of COVID, must work together, and stay stronger than ever.
Age Category: 19-24
Serendipity and Me by Tal Anderson, and Vickie Anderson
(United States)
Produced By Tal Anderson, and Vickie Anderson
Produced By Tal Anderson, and Vickie Anderson
A short look at the life of a young autistic actor, this documentary investigates the effects isolation and the 2020 pandemic have had on her, using her cat to demonstrate that despite the circumstances, we can all reclaim unexpected joy in our lives if we put in the work and allow ourselves to discover the possibilities.
Age Category: 19-24
She was not alone by Hussein Al-asadi
(Iraq)
Produced By Hussein Al-asadi
Produced By Hussein Al-asadi
NOMINEE
Fatima, 50, lives unmarried and alone in the Iraqi swamplands and keeps buffalo, chickens, a kitten and other animals. She describes her lonely and often hard life, but she would never move to the city, as she would perish there like a fish out of water.
Age Category: 19 to 24
Six Feet Apart by Ewan Pipe
(Ireland)
Produced By Ewan Pipe
Produced By Ewan Pipe
A documentary on the experiences of people in Dublin, Ireland during the global pandemic and economic crisis in 2020.
Age Category: Middle School - 12 Years Old
Stronger Than Steel by Jacob Pincus
(United States)
Produced By Jacob Pincus
Produced By Jacob Pincus
Three days after the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, thousands of people in Pittsburgh came together to protest the hate and violence in the country. “Stronger than Steel” explores the notion that, even after tragedy, there is hope in this divided nation.
Age Category: 19-24
The Road To Manzanar by Christian Lee
(United States)
Japanese American filmmaker, Christian Lee, documents his emotional visit to Manzanar, one of ten concentration camps in America. He combines harrowing archival footage with visually lush shots of the camp to create an intimate portrait of historical trauma.
Age Category: 18 and Under
The Unspoken Code: A Teen Perspective by Lillian Dight
(Australia)
Produced By Lillian Dight
Produced By Lillian Dight
Rebellion is the ‘Unspoken Code’ that most teens will encounter during adolescence. The documentary proposes concepts that aim to challenge and redefine the audience's perception of what it's like for teenagers in the current phase of society.
Age Category: 18 and Under
Trandafirul lui Buni by Roxana Baloiu
(Canada)
Produced By Roxana Baloiu
Produced By Roxana Baloiu
Director Roxana Baloiu's personal reflection on the loss of her grand-mother’s mind to Alzheimer’s. A deeply personal tale of longing, loss and regret. A love letter from a grand-daughter to a grand-mother.
Age Category: 19-24
VISIBLE by Elena Hutchison, Chisom Ukoha, and Autumn Love
(United States)
A student-filmed documentary grown out of the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020, VISIBLE is a story chronicling the lives of trans and non-binary young people as they face one of the most difficult years in history. Our film seeks to answer how quarantine affects gender presentation--and, most importantly-- hopes to shed light on a community easily forgotten in the shadows of a pandemic.
Age Category: 19-24
We Come One by One and We Leave at One's Time by Mihnea Toma
(Romania)
Produced By UNATC I.L. Caragiale
Produced By UNATC I.L. Caragiale
NOMINEE
In the midst of a world where traditions are dissipating and the Church views mourning as a pagan custom, the last generation of mourners from the village of Romuli reveals a different perspective on death.
Age Category: 19 to 24
Wind of Changes by Johannes Rass
(Austria)
Produced By Johannes Rass
Produced By Johannes Rass
NOMINEE
Natural landscape and wind power plants - an alpine pasture under electricity, instead of black clouds of coal.
A divided sky in a village, between profit and sustainability. Since electricity began its triumphal procession into our homes, there have been conflicts over its origin and use.
Age Category: 18 and Under
wired shut. by Alex O. Martinez
(United States)
Produced By Alex O. Martinez
Produced By Alex O. Martinez
That one time I broke my jaw and had to get my mouth wired shut.
Age Category: 18 and Under