Future Shorts is changing the way people access short films around the world. Every month, a selection of shorts is made for a global film festival, showing in over 19 countries. It’s not just about film though – the medium is combined with live music or other performers to give the event an additional dimension. The event gives film makers a platform for their work and film audiences access to the best in short film that are often confined to bigger international festivals. The first film for the evening was the world premiere of the Perth production XTRMNTR, which looks at the dangerous job that exterminators face, especially when they don’t get along with their co-workers. Directed by Andrew Milner, it is wonderfully shot and acted and is a really compelling drama. The international program began with the Cannes Festival entry Lars and Peter out of Denmark. The plot of this film looks at how Lars, a young boy, is coping with the loss of his mother and his father’s attraction to other women. This film was spoilt however by almost completely unreadable subtitles, which meant some of the dialogue was lost. French production of 2005, Goodbye Mr Chu followed The Klaxons. This animated short is about a young Vietnamese boy, Hai, who catches a bird. A friend of his family also takes a fish belonging to Mr Chu for a ride in his rickshaw regularly. A Vietnamese festival which remembers those lost involves people offering flowers and rice and while setting animals free. This film looks at the tradition of this festival and how all of these events tie together, but is slightly abstract and confusing. The Mystery of the Flying Kicks, an Australian production, was one of the more thought provoking pieces shown at the event. It is a documentary that looks into why people throw shoes over power lines. A website and phone line was set up for people to contribute their knowledge of the phenomenon, and what was discovered was that the act holds different meanings everywhere around the world. It also 9 holds a sombre message about memory and the extent to which people make their mark on the world. The penultimate film, The Drift, told the fictional story of a ‘song’ that was heard in space by astronauts and made them drift away and not return to earth. The song was then recorded and played on earth, resulting in ‘drifters’. The film itself was made from animated images collected in markets and second hand stores. While the plot and production idea was interesting, the monotone voice over did get a bit irritating. Finally, perhaps the most compelling film of the night, Mary Last Seen, opened up a question about trust. A couple on an escape from their everyday lives are not quite what they seem. The first clue is when the boyfriend throws his girlfriend’s phone away while she is in the bathroom. He later leads her in to the forest and to a small community to see some friends of his. What he does to her makes you question if you can really trust people you think you know. To read the full article visit http://www.colosoul.com.au/colosoul.php.