Dark sides, boxers and alien love stories: discover 17 short films directed by women filmmakers screened & premiering at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival.

Summary: Narrative Shorts | Animation Shorts | Documentary Shorts | Midnight Shorts

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Confronting boredom in a crumbling southwest Detroit neighborhood, four young kids are tempted into sacrilege and destruction by the cool apathy of the older new kid in town.

Director: Jessica Dela Merced
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 15, 21

After a rare diagnosis, Lily’s attempts to flee from war torn Israel are thwarted when the airport shuts down and her zany cousin forces her to party.

Director: Darya Zhuk
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 15, 21

Setsuko, a 55-year-old single so-called office lady in Tokyo, is given a blonde wig and a new identity, Lucy, by her young unconventional English-language teacher. “Lucy” awakens desires in Setsuko she never knew existed.

Director and screenwriter: Atsuko Hirayanagi
Japan, Singapore, U.S.A. – March 14, 16, 21

Find Atsuko Hirayanagi on the Hollywomen Directors Board

Set in 1950s England, Room 55 follows the journey of Alice Lawson – strictly self-disciplined wife, mother and celebrated television cook – as she spends an unplanned night alone at the mysterious Clove Hotel…

Director: Rose Glass
UK – March 14, 16, 21

An unlikely love story set along Kenai Lake in Alaska between two creatures; one of which may or may not be human.

Director: Clara Aranovich
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 16, 21

Discover Yosemite starring James Franco & directed by Gabrielle Demeestere and produced by Clara Aranovich on 20 Films Directed By Women To Discover At Slamdance

A 15-year-old girl returns to school after someone shares an explicit video of her.

Director: Pippa Bianco
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 15, 21

Ingrid has decided to deal with cancer on her own, but when home care employee Frida knocks on her door she awakens feelings that Ingrid can’t shut out.

Directors & Screenwriters: Cristine Berglund, Sophie Vukovic
Cast: Lisbeth Zachrisson, Cristine Berglund, Hélene Parment
Sweden – March 15, 21

Shot exclusively in a secret sex club in New York City, a drug-induced couple unleash upon each other an existential barrage of delusion and broken dreams.

Director: Leah Shore
World Premiere – World Premiere – March 14, 16, 21

Teenland is neo-kitsch fantasy about incarcerated teens so fucked up emotionally that they have developed supernatural powers – like all teenagers really. It’s time to release the teens of the world.

Director: Marie Grahtø
World Premiere – Denmark, Germany – March 14, 16, 21

“We are all born as wet as a banana, about 75% water” – the whimsical ruminations of a love-stricken man in a surreal, watery landscape.

Director: Sophie Koko Gate
Cast: Keiran P Chantrey, Paul Williams
England – March 14, 15, 21

One woman defies Fidel Castro’s ban on female boxing to follow her dream of Olympic glory. Boxeadora tells the story of her harrowing journey against insurmountable odds to become Cuba’s first female boxer.

Director: Meg Smaker
World Premiere – USA/Cuba – March 14, 16, 21

61% of California inmates return to prison within 3 years. The Last Mile program at San Quentin Prison helps offenders become entrepreneurs, training them to start their own companies, despite being denied access to computers & the Internet.

Director: Ondi Timoner
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 16, 21

How do you make a film about the artist’s image without using it?

Director: Pippa Bianco
World Premiere – USA – March 14, 16, 21

A glimpse into the emerging industry of professional cuddling and the lives of the clients that use this service.

Director: Melissa Langer
U.S. Premiere – USA – March 14, 16, 21

Weaving together the life and work of iconoclastic psychogeographer and convicted sex offender, Denis Wood, this meditative portrait unveils the inner workings of a man who unapologetically pushes boundaries both personally and professionally.

Directors: Diane Hodson, Jasmine Luoma
USA – March 14, 16, 21

A dream about my ex-boyfriend and the uneasy atmosphere of Japan after the earthquake are remixed.

Director: Sawako Kabuki
Japan – March 13, 16, 19

A nice guy discovers a darker side of his personality when his girlfriend reveals her hidden weakness.

Director: Gillian Wallace Horvat
Starring Anton Yelchin & Kate Lyn Sheil
World Premiere – USA – March 13, 16, 19