Independent Lens . Inside Indies . Online Shorts Festival

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Independent Lens is pleased to present the second annual Online Shorts Festival. Animation, comedy, drama and documentary provide an eclectic mix of stories and storytelling with this batch of winning shorts. View. Vote. Download. Enjoy!

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An elderly white man sits at the wheel of a pick-up truck, looking at a canvas mounted on an easel in the passenger’s seat

C. BECK (7:53)
Grand Prize

“I call myself a scavenger. I use the stuff that other people throw away.” Follow artist Charles Beck as he discovers beauty in obscure places.

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Black and white image of an African American boy gazing out at the camera

BULLET PROOF VEST (5:27)
Grand Jury Prize

Nine-year-old Jyeshria wants a bulletproof vest—and she's dead serious. In a city riddled with gun violence, fed up residents take action.

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In the foreground a well-dressed couple gaze into each other’s eyes; a young Asian man sits at a counter in the background

DRY CLEAN ONLY (6:26)
When a couple shows up at a dry cleaners in bloody clothes, the clerk recalls one of the first rules of the trade—don't ask questions.
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Photo of a carved and polished wooden chair

THE FURNITURE (2:23)
Short, sweet, dark and funny—when confronted by the demons of loneliness, are you really alone?
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A middle-aged African American woman in a smock sits with her back to a rinsing bowl, her hair covered in shampoo lather

HOUSE OF ELEGANCE (8:22)
For 40 years, women have been coming to this salon for shampoos, weaves, sisterhood... and stories. Launch player »

High contrasted black and white image of a young man with a shaved head sitting at a desk staring at an old-fashioned typewriter; in the background, a woman in a low-cut dress is watching him

L.A. NOIR (10:22)
Audience Award Winner
Equal parts Twilight Zone, Bukowski and film noir, this tale of suspense follows a working stiff/poet stalked by a mysterious woman. Launch player »

At dusk, a bearded man wearing a cap, robe and pajamas stands up in a rowboat in the middle of a lake

THE METAMORPHOSIS (10:01)
It’s hard to say what came first—the pain, the pounding or the tiny growth on the back of Stan Leiber’s head.
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Illustration: Close-up of an eyeball looking through a keyhole

PIN POINT (3:43)
When an evil orphanage caretaker tries to poison the children, a little girl takes matters into her own hands...
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A white transgendered woman in a blue dress suit stands smiling, holding her arms out as if presenting herself

TRANSLATE (6:55)
Are you male or female? For members of the transgender community, the answer is often complex.
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Illustration: View from above shows an African American woman standing in a bright green grass field, looking up as she waves the American flag

WAVING THE FLAG (4:16)
Spoken word poetry and digital animation combine to create a thought-provoking and visceral critique of patriotism.
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