By turns treasured and resented, families provide fertile ground for the most extreme of human emotions. These international shorts take a look at the complicated quality of clan relations. A family is forced to evacuate their home, a man moves his children cross country to start a new life, a frustrated mother plans to run away to Mexico, a boy is obsessed with getting a pet rabbit and a teenage girl is tipped over the edge by her overbearing mother.

Screening with:

Boutonniere

• Coley Sohn /
• USA /
• 2009 /
• 11 mins

With a seriously overbearing mum, Corey looks forward to moving away to start college. Her mother has other ideas, namely that Corey will stay at home and complete her degree online.

Director: Coley Sohn
Producer: Ryan Sage
Exec Producers: Andrea Stern, Leanna Creel, Tammara Billik
Scriptwriter: Coley Sohn
Editor: Ryan Sage
DoP: Richard Wong
Production Designer: Rachel Payne
Music: Jamie Blake, Andrea Cummins

The Door

• Juanita Wilson /
• Ireland /
• 2008 /
• 17 mins

In the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, a family is forced to evacuate their home.

Director: Juanita Wilson
Producers: Louise Curran, James Flynn
Scriptwriter: Juanita Wilson
Editor: Nathan Nugent
DoP: Tim Fleming
Production Designer: Susie Cullen
Music: Brian Doyle

LIttle Canyon

• Olivia Silver /
• USA /
• 2009 /
• 21 mins

A man moves his three children cross-country, promising a California paradise. His younger daughter struggles to come to terms with what's happening and to understand why mum is absent.

Director: Olivia Silver
Producer: Olivia Silver
Scriptwriter: Olivia Silver
Editor: Olivia Silver
DoP: Topher Osborn
Production Designer: Allesandra Said
Sound Production: Eugene Weed
Music: Carmen Layton-Bennett

Mexico

• Olga Sitovotsky /
• Israel /
• 2008 /
• 31 mins

A middle-aged woman and her young daughter are estranged from one another, isolated by their own unhappiness. The night before the mother is going to leave forever to start a new life in Mexico, they share a moment of closeness.

Director: Olga Sitovotsky
Producer: Yoriv Mozer
Scriptwriter: Olga Sitovotsky
Editor: Asaf Korman
DoP: Hagar Ben-Asher
Production Designer: Alred Tesler
Sound Production: Michael Emet, Alred Tesler
Music: Max Richter

Netherland Dwarf

• David Michôd /
• Australia /
• 2008 /
• 15 mins

Harry really wants a pet rabbit. Harry’s dad really wants his wife back.

Director: David Michôd
Producers: Angie Fielder, Polly Staniford
Scriptwriter: David Michod
Editor: Katie Flaxman
DoP: Greig Fraser
Production Designer: Melinda Doring
Sound Production: Sam Petty
Music: Sam Petty