Faux Amis

"We were aiming to invert the typical romantic vistas of Paris depicted in American films, instead portraying the city as a sinister force watching its non-citizens’ every move, and dishing them tough love."

Forget the postcard-perfect Paris. In 'Faux Amis' (False Friends), Theo Matza blends AI-powered catfishing with a clever twist on the “woman scams man” dynamic. When friends Adele and May travel to the French capital to meet Jacques, romantic expectations quickly take a strangely sinister turn. We speak to Theo about the challenges of shooting a short film across two intercontinental locations, and the serendipitous encounter that brought French star Vincent Macaigne on board as the foil to Michelle Moriarty and Clarice Reiner's hapless tourists.

Fjallferð

"The title of the film, Fjallferð, translates to “mountain trek.” We heard the word used many times throughout the trip, and it ultimately felt like the most fitting way to describe the essence of the experience and the film itself."

Created by filmmakers Jesse Elliott Erwitt Smolan, Ollie Maine Smith & Josh Mitchell Jimayu Fairmont documentary short 'Fjallferð' embraces the beauty of centuries-old tradition, community cohesion and Iceland's unpredictable weather. Following a week in the lives of Icelandic farmers as they journey across mountains and valleys to round up thousands of sheep before winter, 'Fjallferð' demonstrates why scale is a question of ambition rather than budget.

10 Captivating Shorts from Bolton International Film Festival 2026

The Bolton International Film Festival is back once again, taking place from Wednesday 30th September to Sunday 4th October 2026 (with the online programme running from Wednesday 7th to Sunday 18th October), and just like every year, DN brings you our picks for the Best of the Fest! We’ve selected 10 shorts from Bolton's exciting 300 shorts strong programme that, for us, demonstrate the quality on display at one of the UK’s most renowned festival gatherings.

And if you’re attending Bolton this year, MarBelle & Mark are also going to be there, so be sure to say hi and ask them about the after hours karaoke battle 🤫 

Best Friends with the Devil

"I wanted to push myself, try a different approach. I’m still finding my voice, you know, so I want to try as many styles as possible. Short films are a great way to do that."

Writer/Director Hugo De Sousa returns to DN to discuss challenging his "simple" approach to filmmaking and exploring failing friendships in his SXSW short 'Best Friends with the Devil' - the story of a woman who finds herself in an increasing web of deception when she accepts help from a stranger to find her missing best friend.