9th Annual Indy Shorts Film Festival 2026
Please check back as reviews will be posted throughout the festival along with exclusive interviews with the creative forces behind the films both feature and short!!!
Note: Some films were seen at earlier festivals. Click any poster for the full review.
ChikaBOOM!
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Disc
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Forevergreen
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G.S.W.
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The Gun
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Jane Austen’s Period Drama
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Plaster
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Retirement Plan
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Saba
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The Singers
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Swim Sistas
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Two People Exchanging Saliva
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Please and Thank You
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Plaster
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Short Film (Narrative)
Film Production Company: Moving Train Co.
Rating: NR / Run Time: 5 minutes
Language: English
Director: Tanguy Pichon
Writer: Tanguy Pichon
Starring: Paula Lindblom, Kevin McNally, Karl Moffatt,
Asha Hannah-Chandler, Ezra Chandler, Rosamund Taylor and Eve Chandler
“You know, my little boy is a fighter.”
As Margot (Lindblom), dressed in sleek black, sits in a waiting room taking in her surroundings, she notices a mother with two children, one of whom is injured, and another gentleman waiting with a shopping bag. Quietly, she waits for her appointment with Dr. Edward Perry (McNally). When she is finally called in, she places an urn on the doctor’s desk. Assuming it belongs to her father, Dr. Perry is quickly corrected. The urn, she explains, contains the ashes of her son.
Concerned, Margot shares that he has not been feeling well lately. Perhaps it is only a cough, a sore throat, maybe even pneumonia, but whatever it is, she hopes the doctor can help. Desperate and exhausted, she pleads for antibiotics as Dr. Perry struggles to determine how to respond to a woman clearly grappling with an unimaginable loss.
In its brief five-minute runtime, writer/director Tanguy Pichon crafts an affecting portrait of grief and the many ways people attempt to process it. The film understands that, in moments of profound sadness, even the smallest acts of compassion can carry enormous weight. Lindblom fully commits to the role, her wide, expressive eyes conveying the pain and confusion of a mother who refuses to let go. Opposite her, McNally gives Dr. Perry a quiet humanity as he attempts to navigate an impossible situation with patience and understanding.
Pichon wisely uses Eliott Schaer’s score sparingly, allowing silence and uncomfortable pauses to do much of the emotional heavy lifting. The result is a short that balances somber reflection with moments of unexpected humor, culminating in an ending that leaves you with both a chuckle and something to think about. All in all, this delightful short reminds us that even the smallest gestures can mean everything to someone in need.
For an exclusive conversation writer/director Tanguy Pichon and producer Akash Hegde, click HERE.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Please and Thank You
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Short Film (Narrative)
Film Production Companies: Studio Farland and UNIT9 Films
Rating: NR / Run Time: 11 minutes
Language: English
Director: Hal Kirkland
Writer: Hal Kirkland
Starring: Tony Cavalero, Molly-Rose Treves and Katierose Donohue Enriquez
“Have we been hacked?”
In a world where we are increasingly dependent on the AI companions living in our phones, Nate (Cavalero), a police officer, is simply trying to get prepare for his day. Whether it involves dropping his keys in his coffee or forgetting to put on pants, his one constant is MeMe (voiced by Treves), his ever-present virtual assistant. On this particular day, however, MeMe informs Nate that the time has come for him to be assimilated and that the drones are already on their way. Armed with a packing list and an eight-minute head start, Nate struggles to process what is happening as MeMe urges him to gather his belongings and flee. As drones sweep overhead, attempting to lock onto his signal, MeMe blasts Nate's alleged favorite song, "Nasty Boys Dance," in an effort to protect him, forcing Nate to prepare not only for escape, but for the possibility of life without his closest companion.
As a primarily one-man showcase, Cavalero is delightfully absurd, racing around his home with only Treves's voice on the other end of the phone and an unexpected call from his ex, Nadine (voiced by Enriquez), to keep him company. Beneath the comedy, however, lies a surprisingly heartfelt story. As we learn why MeMe has chosen to save Nate, the film quietly asks us to reflect on the lessons we learned as children and the significance of the simple words that give the film its title.
At the same time, Please and Thank You explores larger questions about our relationship with technology and what may happen as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly woven into our everyday lives. While recent films have tackled similar ideas—most notably the darkly comic Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die—Kirkland approaches the material with a warmth and sincerity that balances the absurdity. The result is a film that is both funny and unexpectedly thoughtful, inviting audiences to consider not only our reliance on technology, but also the qualities that make us worth saving in the first place.
Powell Robinson's cinematography keeps our focus squarely on Cavalero, who proves remarkably expressive as Nate cycles through confusion, panic, and heartbreak. Blending physical comedy with sharp timing, he creates an earnest, lovable himbo who is both ridiculous and completely endearing, making it easy to understand why MeMe is rooting for him. The visual effects are cleverly integrated, and there are several blink-and-you-miss-them gags that reward attentive viewers, to say nothing of the infectiously catchy "Nasty Boys Dance," written by Kirkland and composed and performed by Suno. All in all, this entertaining short will have you reconsidering your relationship with technology while also hoping that this wonderfully polite hero's adventures are far from over.
For an exclusive conversation writer/director Hal Kirkland, click HERE.
Review by Cinephile Mike
