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Sun, Apr 26, 2026 10:30 AM PT
Premier Theater at One Letterman
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Calendar 2026 SFFILM Festival

Shorts Block 6: Youth Works

Family Friendly

Young filmmakers from across the globe showcase their daring creativity and craft in this collection of films that address the complexity of growing up and the innocence of youth.

Recommended for ages 11 and up.

More Details
Guests Expected
Directors of Cindy Undead, Dandelion Child, Little Things, Out of the Blue, and Rising Above the Ashes are expected to attend for a post-screening Q&A.
Cindy Undead
Directed by Mariella Gutiérrez USA | Short Film | 3 min
Mysterious and sensational '80s supermodel Cindy Devereux reaches a breaking point when she can no longer keep herself sewn together.

Cindy Undead

Dandelion Child
Directed by Isabella Montesi USA | Short Film | 6 min
A daughter moves into her freshman college dorm, parting ways with her mother and recalling their precious years spent together.

Dandelion Child

Fishbowl
Directed by Hana Taylor USA | Short Film | 8 min
A young artist, eager to win the top prize for her aquatic painting, buys a fish for inspiration that might just help break her creative block.

Fishbowl

Little Things
Directed by Noam Rignault Clement France, Spain, USA | Short Film | 6 min
Taking his mother’s advice to enjoy the little things in life, a 9-year-old boy in the charming French countryside embarks with a stolen garden gnome on an inquisitive quest to find just that.

Little Things

Out of the Blue
Directed by Vivian Nguyen USA | Short Film | 3 min
A lonely grocery store cashier daydreams of true love at the checkout counter.

Out of the Blue

Paper Boat
Directed by Yeobin Park South Korea | Short Film | 10 min
Two siblings bond by floating paper boats down a tranquil stream as their family life begins to crack.

Paper Boat

Rewinded
Directed by Aaliyah Idrissa USA | Short Film | 7 min
A Black woman who gave up on her science dreams as a teen gets a second chance when she unexpectedly time-travels to the '90s to live one day with her younger self.

Rewinded

Rising Above the Ashes
Directed by Cade Savage Schwartz USA | Short Film | 15 min
In the aftermath of the devastating LA fires, community members and artists express their resilience and offer ways to heal together after disaster.

Rising Above the Ashes

Sonder
Directed by Lancey Quan USA | Short Film | 9 min
Seven poetic stories of belonging and growing up, told through seven colors, encompass shifting perspectives and landscapes.

Sonder

Tropical Fish
Directed by Shirley Xie China | Short Film | 7 min
Young Xiao Su has one big wish, to see the tropical fish by the sea. With his best friend, the two go on an arduous journey to turn this dream into a reality.

Tropical Fish

Program Description

Young filmmakers from across the globe showcase their daring creativity and craft in this collection of films that address the complexity of growing up and the innocence of youth. Employing animation, narrative, and documentary, these shorts embrace emotion, curiosity, and risk-taking to experience the fullness of life. Among the films are a vivid hand-drawn animation ode to ‘80s culture, a tale of effortlessly composed charm in the French countryside, a short demonstrating art as a form of healing after disaster, and a story expressing the power of never giving up on your dreams. Let us introduce you to the next generation of storytellers. —Soph Schultz Rocha

Recommended for ages 11 and up. Films are in alphabetical order rather than order of play. Total runtime 74 min

Cindy Undead

Mariella Gutiérrez (USA 2025, 3 min)

Mysterious and sensational ’80s supermodel Cindy Devereux reaches a breaking point when she can no longer keep herself sewn together.

Dandelion Child

Isabella Montesi (USA 2025, 6 min)

A daughter moves into her freshman college dorm, parting ways with her mother and recalling their precious years spent together.

Fishbowl

Hana Taylor (USA 2025, 8 min)

A young artist, eager to win the top prize for her aquatic painting, buys a fish for inspiration that might just help break her creative block.

Little Things

Noam Rignault Clement (France, Spain, USA 2026, 6 min)

Taking his mother’s advice to enjoy the little things in life, a nine-year-old boy in the charming French countryside embarks with a stolen garden gnome on an inquisitive quest to find just that.

Out of the Blue

Vivian Nguyen (USA 2026, 3 min)

A lonely grocery store cashier daydreams of true love at the checkout counter.

Paper Boat

Yeobin Park (South Korea 2025, 10 min)

Two siblings bond by floating paper boats down a tranquil stream as their family life begins to crack.

Rewinded

Aaliyah Idrissa (USA 2025, 7 min)

A Black woman who gave up on her science dreams as a teen gets a second chance when she unexpectedly time-travels to the ’90s to live one day with her younger self.

Rising Above the Ashes

Cade Savage Schwartz (USA 2025, 15 min)

In the aftermath of the devastating LA fires, community members and artists express their resilience and offer ways to heal together after disaster.

Sonder

Lancey Quan (USA 2025, 9 min)

Seven poetic stories of belonging and growing up, told through seven colors, encompass shifting perspectives and landscapes.

Tropical Fish

Shirley Xie (China 2025, 7 min)

Young Xiao Su has one big wish, to see the tropical fish by the sea. With his best friend, the two go on an arduous journey to turn this dream into a reality.