12/08/2025 - The European shorts that have begun unspooling in competition as part of the festival’s Pardi di Domani section offer a more personal view of the world

The Pardi di Domani section of Locarno is always a fulsome exploration of the short (and, on occasion, medium-length) form, with selections dedicated to emerging Swiss filmmakers and films from directors who have already established themselves, alongside the delights presented by the International Competition. Examining the European fare in said competition, it’s notable that many works eschew the more overtly geopolitical outlook that have been prevalent in myriad shorts over the past few years, in favour of more personal explorations of relationships, sexuality and existence, with all having more than a hint of subversion.

A blast of unfettered sexuality and youthful abandon, Unleaded ’95 by Tina Emy Muffler and Emma Hütt (Germany/Austria) sees a group of friends return to the haunts of their youth – amongst them a petrol station and the oldest lesbian bar in the world – as they re-examine their relationships with each other and react to time passing. Amidst an energetic explosion of hedonism and in-your-face filmmaking, the film becomes a reflection of generational difference, which homes in on a youth for which pleasure and self-indulgence have become a more valued commodity than ever before. It also examines how things have improved for those who don’t conform to hetero-normative values whilst also acknowledging there are things that have stubbornly remained the same. Unapologetic and shot through with insouciance and passion, it’s a slap in the face of a short. Another bold and brassy ode (or maybe lament) to youth is the animation Randaghi by Emanuele Motti and Enrico Motti (Italy), in which two young boys roam the countryside. But this is less pastoral than it is brimming with threats of violence, in which the energy and restlessness of the young threaten to erupt any second.

More subtle, though no less unapologetic, is Peninsula by David Gašo (Croatia), in which we confront the comings (in all senses of the word) and goings of a popular cruising spot. With an (almost) fixed camera position, the film occupies a space between observation and voyeurism, drawing attention to its own artificiality, and also explores a world in which sexuality is open yet hidden. It’s a clever and confrontational use of the short film and leaves an indelible impression.

Eldorado by Anton Bialas (France) follows a construction worker and former tailor who, by day, works at a building site and, by night, inhabits a rundown nightclub. This is another movie that fits in the space between the hidden and the seen, alongside taking a swipe at hypocrisy and those who consider themselves in power. Veering from an aesthetic doused in realism to a more theatrical mode of presentation, the film is a darkly satirical piece of work.

There is a gentle air of the surreal in Joachim Michaux’s engaging A Sky So Low (Belgium/France), in which a man goes off in search of his old flame. Shot in stark black and white, the film is a fascinating dive into loss, memory and the impermanence of time while, in another exploration of a relationship, Irene Moray’s Plankton (Portugal) finds a man letting his emotional guard down in a tender and delicate affair. Just as delicate is The Uniformed by Timon Ott (Germany), in which a young man, who has committed to the army, begins to see how the system deals with those who are deemed to be flawed. It’s a coming-of-age story in which our protagonist starts to see the truth of his situation.

Among the documentary fare, Goats! by Tonći Gaćina (Croatia /France) starts off as a light-hearted piece of work, with goats having taken over an island following a project gone wrong. But when humans come in to rectify the situation, the film takes a dark turn, reminding us of how easy it is to turn to violence to justify our wants. Happy Ever After! by Elodie Beaumont Tarillon (France) is a personal and affecting document of the director’s turbulent relationship with her parents, whilst perhaps one of the most overtly political and timely films is Still Playing by Mohamed Mesbah (France), in which a video-game creator works and raises his children amidst the war in Gaza. The film is a sobering, yet subtly hopeful, examination of living life under the most extraordinary of circumstances.

The full list of shorts showing in the Pardi di Domani International Competition at Locarno is as follows:

Happily Ever After - Elodie Beaumont Tarillon (France)
Eldorado - Anton Bialas (France)
BOA - Alexandre Dostie (Canada/France)
Unleaded ’95 - Emma Hütt, Tina Emy Muffler (Germany/Austria)
Baisanos - Andres Khamis Giacoman, Francisca Khamis Giacoman (Chile/Spain/Palestine)
Blind, into the Eye - Atefeh Kheirabadi, Mehrad Sepahnia (Germany/Iran)
Goats! - Tonći Gaćina (Croatia)
Peninsula - David Gašo (Croatia)
Yo Yo - Mohammadreza Mayghani (Iran)
Still Playing - Mohamed Mesbah (France)
A Sky So Low - Joachim Michaux (Belgium/France)
Plankton - Irene Moray (Spain/France)
Randaghi - Enrico Motti, Emanuele Motti (Italy)
What We Leave Behind - Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel (Canada)
The Uniformed - Timon Ott (Germany)
Once in a Body - María Cristina Pérez (Colombia/USA)
Primary Education - Aria Sánchez, Marina Meira (Cuba/Spain/Brazil)
Honey, My Love, So Sweet - JT Trinidad (Philippines)
Hyena - Altay Ulan Yang (China/USA)
Force Times Displacement - Angel Wu (Taiwan)