We announced six feature selections in December, all of which focus on human narratives with global significance. The 40th anniversary shorts lineup ventures both to further and focus this theme. Whether a reflection of the country of production or country of the filmmaker’s origin, the following short films examine the borderless social impact of voices in film, from both people and places.

“Our shorts program spans the globe every year, but 2016 brings us stellar cinematic worlds crafted by voices rarely amplified in mainstream film,” said Christina Humphrey, ATLFF Senior Shorts Programmer. “These selections show not only multiple regions and cultures, but many genres as well; these twelve alone employ experimental, animation, narrative, and documentary styles,” adds Shorts Programmer Alyssa Armand.

From Ana Teresa Fernandez, “Erasure” captures its director’s solidarity with the 43 men kidnapped in Iguala, Mexico in September 2014. Fabio Palmieri’s “Irregulars” explores European immigrant and refugee voyages. “Battalion to My Beat,” Eimi Imanishi’s Algerian narrative, introduces a young refugee named Mariam with Joan of Arc dreams. Local Atlantan Babacar Ndiaye’s “More Than Music Senegal” documents an underground artist community using hip hop to enact social change.

Chosen from a record-setting pool of over 4,700 submissions, these films span 8 shorts blocks collectively. The stories hail from Algeria, Canada, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, and Western Sahara.

Bacon and God’s Wrath // directed by Sol Friedman

Canada, 2015, 08:55

A 90-year-old Jewish woman reflects on her life’s experiences as she prepares to try bacon for the first time.

Battalion to My Beat // directed by Eimi Imanishi

Western Sahara/Algeria/USA, 2015, 13:45

Battalion To My Beat is set in the Western Saharan refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, and follows the story of Mariam, a rebellious 13-year-old girl who naively envisions herself a Jeanne D'Arc that will free her people from the occupation.

Carnal Orient // directed by Mila Zuo

USA, 2015, 08:34

A dark and strangely surreal snapshot of sexual desire aimed at the exotic.

The City of Joy // directed by Joe Gomez

India, 2015, 21:04

Following a girl living in a slum trying to get an education, a mother in a village raising her two daughters alone, and a man in the city who pulls a rickshaw through the streets of Kolkata to provide for a family of seven, The City of Joy is a portrait of the daily life of three individuals and the city they live in.

El Adiós // directed by Clara Roquet

Spain, 2015, 14:55

A Bolivian maid attempts to honor last wishes of her late mistress.

Erasure // directed by Ana Teresa Fernandez

Mexico/USA, 2015, 06:21

Ana paints herself black in protest of and in solidarity with the 43 men that were kidnapped in Iguala, Mexico in Sept. 2014.

How to Be A Black Panther // directed by Daisy Zhou

USA, 2015, 19:59

On July 4th, 1968, Han Kang navigates through the day in a small homogeneous suburban town as the only Asian American teenager. Today, both the anniversary of America's independence and the death of a dear African American friend ignites celebration, mourning, anger, and revelation.

Irregulars // directed by Fabio Palmieri

Italy, 2015, 08:55

Each year 40,000 people from Africa, Asia and the Middle East try to enter Europe. They flee from war, persecution and poverty. Since the ways by land have been interrupted, they board overloaded vessels and face a dangerous and often deadly voyage across the Mediterranean.

The \little \boy // directed by Mona A. Shahi

Iran, 2015, 07:35

People are leaving a town by the order of military, but one little boy doesn't want to follow them. He wants to complete his own mission, but….

More Than Music: Senegal // directed by Babacar Ndiaye

USA, 2015, 12:58

At a time when Hip Hop seems to be headed in a disappointing direction, there exists an underexposed community of Artists who've managed to transform the genre to address their community's needs.

The Quantified Self // directed by Gleb Osatinski

USA, 2015, 15:30

When well-meaning parents turn the self-tracking into a family religion, the consequences fall outside the quantifiable.

Seide // directed by Elnura Osmonalieva

Kyrgyzstan, 2015, 13:40

Seide lives in a snowy mountain village with her humble family and her beloved horse. When she's forced into an arranged marriage with a man from a wealthy family, she fights to save her horse from being slaughtered for food for the wedding.