The 13th annual San Jose International Short Film Festival took place October 21–24, 2021, at Cinemark’s CineArts Theatre at Santana Row in San Jose. Audiences saw 98 short films from 22 countries across 20 programs, including an opening-night encore of the best films from the 2020 virtual festival. The Criminals, directed by Serhat Karaaslan, was named Best of Show, and Best Documentary winner The Queen of Basketball went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

The 2021 San Jose International Short Film Festival “A Return to Excellence” poster on a digital screen beside a moving walkway

Best of Show

Best of Show

The Criminals

Directed by: Serhat Karaaslan

Best Drama

Best Drama

Boys

Directed by: Luke Benward

Best Family Film

Best Family Film

Frank and Emmet

Directed by: Carlos F. Puertolas

Best Comedy

Best Comedy

A Guide to Dining out in Nairobi

Directed by: Hugh Mitton

Best Sci-Fi

Best Sci-Fi

Please Hold

Directed by: Kristen “KD” Davila

Best World Cinema

Best World Cinema

They Remained Silent

Directed by: Georgi M. Unkovski

Best Documentary

Best Documentary

The Queen of Basketball

Directed by: Ben Proudfoot

Best Animation

Best Animation

Shoom’s Odyssey

Directed by: Julien Bisaro

Explore every year’s winners

Our Awards page brings together the winners from every San Jose International Short Film Festival, from Best of the Fest to the James Gunn Independent Filmmaker Award, with a page for each year’s winners and lineup.

2021 Festival Screenings

Thursday, October 21

Opening Night Celebration

An opening-night slate of films selected from across the festival.

Encore Screening – Best of 2020

An encore of the best films from the 2020 virtual festival.

Friday, October 22

An Uncomfortable Truth

  • Denzel — (UK)
  • Seasick — (USA)
  • Sitting — (USA)
  • The Bright Fire — (China)
  • Undercut — (USA)
  • Zarnitsa — (Russian Federation)

World Cinema One

  • Birdie — (Turkey)
  • Free Fall — (France)
  • Hook Up — (Australia)
  • Snake Trail — (USA)

It’s A Hard Doc’s Life

  • Generation Impact: The Coder — (USA)
  • It’s Rocket Science — (USA)
  • Not the Science Type: Jessica — (USA)
  • Shots in the Dark — (USA)
  • Tule Elk – The Killing of a Native Species — (USA)
  • Veterans Journey Home: Kalani’s Story — (USA)

The World Beyond

  • Body of the Mined — (USA)
  • Katu — (Sweden)
  • Please Hold — (USA)
  • She — (USA)
  • The Pill — (USA)
  • Transmission — (Ireland)

Make ‘Em Laugh

  • An Opening — (USA)
  • Archibald’s Syndrome — (France)
  • A Guide to Dining Out in Nairobi — (Kenya)
  • Liza Anonymous — (USA)
  • Made in China — (Uruguay)
  • Rock A Bye Baby — (USA)
  • Three Meetings of the Extraordinary Committee — (UK)

I’ve Got A Bad Feeling About This

  • :60 Seconds — (USA)
  • Boys — (USA)
  • Bury Me In Armor — (USA)
  • The Gloom / Spain
  • Kalamiti — (USA)
  • The Mark — (USA)
  • Switchback — (USA)

Saturday, October 23

More From It’s A Hard Doc’s Life

  • Finding Dohi — (USA)
  • Full Picture — (USA)
  • Jihad Summer Camp — (Italy)
  • The Queen of Basketball — (USA)
  • Dear Future Me — (USA)

World Cinema Two

  • Blue Bison — (USA)
  • The Criminals — (Turkey)
  • Strike — (Canada)
  • They Remained Silent — (Spain)

The Ink and Paint Club

  • Chocolate — (China)
  • Freebird — (Canada)
  • Iron Farmer — (Taiwan)
  • Navozande, the Musician — (France)
  • Shooom’s Odyssey — (France)
  • There You Are — (USA)

Musically Inclined

  • “enough” — (USA)
  • Frank & Emmet — (USA)
  • Girl With A Thermal Gun — (China)
  • Good Night — (Australia)
  • In The Event Of My Death — (USA)
  • Raymond — (USA)

The Human Experience

  • 3:35 to Boston — (USA)
  • Feeling Through — (USA)
  • The Forgotten Place — (USA)
  • Grow Old With Me — (USA)
  • Majestic 8 — (USA)
  • The Plumber — (USA)
  • Refrigerate After Opening — (USA)

It Was A Dark & Stormy Night

  • Hunter’s Cabin — (Canada)
  • Inheritance — (USA)
  • Jumpin’ Jacob — (USA)
  • Last Night — (USA)
  • Lisa — (USA)
  • The Wrangler — (USA)

Sunday, October 24

Kids & Family

  • Graceland — (USA)
  • Ian, A Moving Story — (Argentina)
  • “Are You Okay?” — (USA)
  • First Born — (USA)
  • Mishou — (Germany)
  • Sea Dragon — (UK)

Our Family Ties

  • Blue — (USA)
  • The Book of Ruth — (USA)
  • Lost in the Shuffle — (USA)
  • Morasa Polo / Over My Dead Body — (USA)
  • Tape 23 — (USA)
  • Why Do People Lie — (Spain)

What the What?

  • Babbit & the Dream Team — (USA)
  • Don vs. Lightning — (UK)
  • Moskova Forever — (Finland)
  • Philanthropy — (USA)
  • Smiles — (Spain)
  • Squish — (Belgium)

Life Interrupted

  • Blood on the Risers — (USA)
  • It’s So Charming — (Denmark)
  • Marlon Brando — (Netherlands)
  • Sales Per Hour — (USA)
  • A Work of Art — (USA)

World Cinema Three

  • Georgia — (South Korea)
  • Jilted — (UK)
  • The Act — (UK)
  • Majority — (UK)
  • Snorrie (Mustachio) — (Netherlands)

Closing Night – Award Winners

A closing-night program of films awarded Best Of in their categories.

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