13 Of The Best Science Fiction And Genre Short Films Of 2018
From the story of a future London ravaged by a viral pandemic to the breathless adventure of the first human being to travel faster than light, the genre short films we discovered in 2018 explore and mine a dizzying array of human experiences.
The following 15 science fiction and genre short films are our picks for the best of 2018.
Young animator Sophia is ecstatic when she lands her dream interview with a successful Pixar-like animation studio. When the high-tech secret to the studio’s unprecedented box office success is revealed, Sophia is forced to choose between her own artistic integrity or resigning herself to a soulless creative process. Featuring Tiffany Hines and Tamlyn Tomita, Karate Kid II.
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During the height of World War II, a British solider gone AWOL is captured by the Nazis and imprisoned in a clandestine underground bunker. The prisoner and a mysterious woman are forced to participate in a sadistic psychological experiment sponsored by an unearthly force in league with the Nazis.
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An elderly couple cryogenically preserved in 2012 is revived and rejuvenated back to their youthful prime by the advanced technology of the distant future. As the couple attempt to acclimate to the society of the future, culture shock threatens to unravel their life together.
Two bickering brothers, Oscar and Teo, make the scientific discovery of a lifetime via their scientist mother’s quantum physics notes.
In feudal Japan, an exiled ronin returns to his birthplace only to discover his home stricken by a powerful curse. The undead have overrun his village, forcing the ronin to confront the source of the evil.
An advanced augmented reality game, called STRANGE BEASTS, allows users to create and customize their own virtual pets. Like real-life pets, these fantastical virtual counterparts require attention, food, and play in order to thrive. But the game’s ability to blur the lines between the virtual world and reality has a dark side.
In a land ripped part by a war between humans and robots known as “Crimson Men,” a runaway young boy named Wei encounters a battle-scared crimson man also fleeing the war. After Wei dubs the robot “Red,” the two reluctantly agree to join forces in order to escape the violence and destruction of the war.
In 2054, a global viral pandemic transforms London into an enormous shantytown populated by survivors. Suddenly, those immune to the plague begin disappearing from the city. A woman named Resha begins a frantic search for her young brother who has recently gone missing. She realizes she must confront dangerous, shadowy forces if she hopes to ever see her brother again. Featuring Kristian Nairn (Hodor, Game Of Thrones) in a supporting role.
In this lavish steampunk adventure set at the turn of the 20th century, a disgraced paleontologist is discredited due to his obsession with the Japanese cryptid known as the ningyo. Professor C. Marlowe believes the ningyo exists, and stakes his scientific career on proving it. However, other mysterious parties - including a powerful Japanese aristocrat - believe in the legend too, and Professor Marlowe’s quest takes a dangerous turn. This short also features Tamlyn Tomita!
In this animated cyberpunk thriller, super-science and fascism rule the future. Against this backdrop, a genius hacker and a powerful psychic join forces to free a government prisoner from obscene experiments. Featuring the voice of Tricia Helfer (Lucifer, Battlestar Galactica).
This short film from Roddenberry Entertainment is the compelling story of five strangers in a local bar taken as hostages at gunpoint by a desperate man. However, one of the hostages possesses an incredible secret that will forever alter the lives of everyone involved.
Yes, the title makes this short sound like a romantic melodrama, but instead it is an exquisite sci-fi action drama. Deep within a secluded forest, in a solitary cabin, an experimental C.I.A. counter-terrorism program is underway. Within the cabin, Alexa, a covert operative, uses her paranormal ability to “jump” inside the bodies of other people in order to carry out government-sanctioned assassinations. Starring Angela Lewis (Snowfall) and Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage).
Science fiction is rife with pessimistic dystopian dramas and post-apocalyptic sagas. FTL by acclaimed visual effects artist Adam Stern and his Artifex Studios is a refreshing reminder of the genre’s ability to inspire hope and wonder. The short tells the story of the fictional Longshot mission and its commander, Ethan Kane. Using the Longshot spacecraft, Kane is attempting to become the first human to travel faster than light. At first the mission seems successful - until a malfunction hurls Kane further than anyone could imagine. Then, the adventure begins. Starring Ty Olsson (Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural).
If you enjoyed these selections, make sure to check out our picks for the best science fiction and genre short films of 2017!
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