Directors Notes Weekly

The what, how & why of independent filmmaking

Cacique del Monte

Mateo Martinez dives into the exquisitely lush and detailed backbone of his proof of concept short Cacique del Monte, where pursued by one of the most dangerous Zars in the emerald trade after looting and desecrating sacred lands, a guacero is overtaken by the literal, historical and mythical power of Colombia's emeralds.

Cowboy, Choker, Harness & Heart

Directing duo Julia Ponce Diaz & Nicolas Blanco pull back the curtain on their partying street casting to find the perfect actors for their racy exploration of the power of desire, Cowboy, Choker, Harness & Heart, which sees a relationship put through the ultimate test in the bathroom stall of a gay rave.

Haqqim Bor

Lado Kvataniya returns to DN and we dig into his powerful Uzbekistan National Agency for Social Protection campaign film Haqqim Bor - a visceral, haunting metaphorical short where children literally carry the trauma of abuse on their backs - making the invisible visible.

Six Standout Short Films from the 2025 RCA Grad Show

There’s nothing like the magic of discovering new talent before the world catches on. While we love the buzz of festivals, some of our favourite finds come straight from graduate showcases - where the next generation of filmmakers first share their stories. This year’s RCA showcase was packed with standout animations that blew us away. For festival programmers, distributors, and animation fans, these are six films you need to have on your radar.