While short films often deal with urgent social issues, many that will be vying for the Palme d’Or at Cannes as part of the Official Selection this year take a more abstract view of the world. With some flirting with magical realism, and others revelling in the obtuse and the unsaid, there’s an air of the unknown enshrouding many of the shorts. They present a world that is divided by generational and ethical lines, and one that is constantly unsure of itself and pining for both a past and a future that seem unknowable. Yet in the unknown, there are moments in which hope can be found.

The first of many films from France within this year’s selection, Dammen by Grégoire Graesslin sees two young girls head out to an isolated lake during a beautiful summer’s day. But as the day goes on, things start to become less idyllic. This is one of those films in which to say too much will spoil it, but it’s a spot-on piece that flirts with genre in an examination of how the ordinary can shift into something altogether more uncomfortable at any given moment. With certain stylistic echoes of Ruben Östlund’s 2010 Golden Bear-winning short Incident by a Bank, it’s also an example of the short form bring used to its fullest effect possible.

Hungarian director Bálint Kenyeres’ The Spectacle dabbles with the surreal as the special skill of a young Roma boy entices outsiders to come to his village. This darkly funny satire muses on the preoccupations and preconceptions of a voracious media and how these become a reflection of our own self-worth. With Kenyeres expertly fusing the fantastical with social realism, it’s a brilliantly thought-provoking piece of work.

There is more surrealism on offer in The Loneliness of Lizards by Portugal’s Inês Nunes, in which the residents of a spa sit surrounded by salt and water. As they bake themselves in the sun, or float in the water, the real drifts by as reality distorts and bends. With a dreamlike atmosphere, taking in plenty of long and languid shots, this is a short that sneaks up on you as it takes on issues such as desire and the need to escape. The other Portuguese film in the selection delves into the strange, as ghosts explore the everyday issues of relationships in Gabriel Abrantes’ Arguments in Favour of Love. Revelling in the juxtaposition between the remarkable animation of the otherworldly protagonists and the down-to-earth realism of the titular arguments – all intercut with a mournful examination of what humanity has lost in the modern era – this is a piece full of melancholic bravado.

More traditional animation abounds in Sandra Desmazières’ Fille de l’eau (France), in which Mia – who has spent her life swimming in the sea – reminisces about her past. A beautiful ode to growing old, loss and also the joy of a life lived, this is a beautiful and affirming piece of work.

I'm Glad You're Dead Now (Palestine/France/Greece) sees director Tawfeek Barholm train the spotlight on two brothers who return to the island of their childhood. Secrets untold and emotions unsaid run through this work, a piece that manages to be massively powerful while using some brilliant narrative economy. Less restrained is Dian Weys’ Vultures (France/South Africa), in which a tow-truck driver attends an accident only to see things spin even further out of control. A wonderfully realised exercise in ramping up tension, it’s not only a relentless piece of work, but also one that has much to say about the ethics and morals of modern society.

The full list of films screening in the Cannes Official Selection of Short Films is as follows:

Arguments in Favor of Love - Gabriel Abrantes (Portugal)
Ali - Adnan Al Rajeev (Bangladesh/Philippines)
I'm Glad You're Dead Now - Tawfeek Barhom (Palestine/France/Greece)
Agapito - Arvin Belarmino, Kyla Danelle Romero (Philippines)
Fille de l'eau - Sandra Desmazières (France)
Hypersensitive - Martine Froissard (Canada)
Dammen - Grégoire Graesslin (France)
The Spectacle - Bálint Kenyères (Hungary/France)
Nvhai (Lili) - Zhaoguang Luo, Shuhan Liao (China)
The Loneliness of Lizards - Inês Nunes (Portugal/Spain)
Vultures - Dian Weys (France/South Africa)