MIFF 2026: International Shorts 1
Melbourne International Film Festival 2026 is ongoing and I went to watch my sixth session (of 13!)
This post my short review of ‘International Shorts 1’, a collection of short films selected for the film festival.
For context: I am a photographer/youtuber that wants to up my cinematography and storytelling, that’s why I’m watching 14 sessions at the film festival PLUS reviewing them here on my blog!
Why did I choose to watch this?
My interest in film festivals started with a shorts compilation at the Pigdon Street Film Festival. I went there in 2025 and got hooked. As you might have guessed, I watched the shorts compilation. When MIFF came around, I was pumped to watch as many movie as I can without feeling burnt out. The short films to me feel so fresh. Even as a child, I loved reading short stories more than full length books. Not just because “short attention span” or something, I would actually read a book that is a collection of short stories, so the total length is the same. I feel like I just find them neat: packing a narrative in such a compact space whilst still be interesting. The short films are even more interesting by the way they need to be efficient in introducing characters, establishing the context, and wrap up the conclusion. At the same time keep the pacing just right. The YouTube videos that I made is no where near the caliber of these short films, but certainly feels closer to them compared to a full-length blockbuster. So in that sense, I find them inspiring too. Okay, let’s get into my short reviews of each of the short films!
Spoilers ahead
All images courtesy of miff.com.au
1. 'What do the Maknines Dream Of'
The soundtrack for this is superb. I love the singing style and the song. It has a analogy of them being singers to the birds that they are selling - probably not something I need to even point out as it’s so obvious. The styling of the main characters is great, with the facial hair and the way they dressed, they seem want to pull themselves up to be adults but if you look closely, they seem quite young. I like scenes of going to one place to another selling the birds, fast paced but not overly chaotic. The acting at the end was a bit lacklustre and feels like you need to infer that things happened off screen. 7.5/10 film with a 10/10 soundtrack - so good!
2. 'Obi is a Boy'
Cinematography is a banger in this film. There are many scenes that were shot with a stationary camera, and linger just a bit longer than usual. That made it possible for me to appreciate the beauty in the composition and the details. I’ve drawn some below!
The shot of him in front of the casket and then people going around him was fantastic. Letting us see that he’s subtly wearing something different to other men.
The use of colour is awesome. The scene with the dad at the dining table where everything was yellow hue but he’s wearing blue - different to others
Lots of parts are off screen like the fight scene with the bully, but gets the message across. Seems like with short movies they find ways to make character intros so efficient, you get a sense of the character with every dialogue or scene. ‘Obi is a Boy’ in particular does this very well. 9/10 film, nice ending too!
3. 'Free Eliza'
The most absurd one, in a great way. Reminds me of ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’ from last year, a movie where no one can spit. And actually the shark costume reminds of ‘Inflatable Bear, Hourly’ from last year too, and also the colour grading. I like that I can reference other movies now haha, a step closer to being a film connoisseur 🤣
The scenes using the mirrors are beautiful. The colour grading has a nostalgic feel to it. The concept is easy to grasp but the depth that they get into is deep. It’s absurd in a best way possible where you can’t really foresee what’s going to happen next. Things just happen and you are on for a ride.
The humour is so funny, the whole cinema had a lot of laughs in this one. I think it’s the most entertaining one! 8/10
4. 'The Wind In Ash'
The photos in the middle of the movie is so cool. Like my YouTube videos but in movie format. The storytelling through photos made me inspired to create a fictional story with this format, not just my usual real life photo walks. So 10/10 for the structure, for me personally.
The narrative is very touching too, I love it. Best one of the pack, again for me personally. It makes me think about telling the story of me leaving home and getting my own identity in Australia. The cinematography is matched with actual still photos as I mentioned, and that feels integral to the story. There are photos from the protagonist’s childhood intermingled with the photos that they just took in the moment.
Best one out of the pack for me, 9.5/10
Film 5 Reckless
Some parts are hard to watch. Some of them are insaaane. It’s centred around a drinking game at a ‘boys trip’ that goes way too far. The opening scene is cool and the throwback at the end tidy up the story nicely.
The swing of moods between going crazy and “oh shit did that just happen” is magnificent. Crazy how they packed that in a short movie. I think it’ll be one that I remember the most just because of the roller coaster ride. The acting is so good, the transitions between one ‘game punishment’ to another is great, and the conclusion is satisfying. 8.5/10
Extra notes:
I recently watched the blockbuster movie ‘The Odyssey’, and these movies have better pacing than Odyssey despite being so short . The establishing scenes that have no dialogue are beautiful. Maybe because of constraints in how these movies are made, but it’s kinda the way I prefer. I think I notice the cinematography in these more because the shots are held for way longer than others.
Outro
As usual, these shorts were a hoot to watch! If you are new to film festivals, I definitely recommend watching the shorts firsts. Not only you get the best bang for your buck - in terms of films watched - but you also get to see an interesting format that you don't usually get to see. They are not full movies, they are not YouTube videos, they are short films!
