REVIEW | Short films want to “Proceed with Caution” on an evolving society

With the rise of technology, societies change and advance in their own way. In various communities, people have to learn how to adapt to the changes in their society. The following five short films, including the world premieres of “Buckskin” and “Endlings,” showcase how different communities handle these changes in their own unique way.

“L’Mina”

Set entirely in Moroccan Arabic, this emotional portrait of coal miners establishes authenticity within its message. Twenty years after their mine was shut down by the Jerada, Morocco government, the former miners reenacted their work that no longer exists. Director Randa Maroufi implements slow and eerie shots of the tunnels throughout the film to highlight the coal mines’ harsh conditions.

Past footage showcases what life was like when the coal mine was more active. These shots are interwoven with shots of the now abandoned coal mine to evoke how unsettling typical workdays now are. Viewers form a connection with the miners, making the sudden collapse in said mine even more emotional.

“No Mean City”

Jumping from sodium street lights to bright LEDs, “No Mean City” transfers viewers to Belfast, Northern Ireland, as they follow three lamplighters while they change streetlights. This short film emphasizes the reaction to change, with people hesitant to allow ever-changing technology to affect their lives.

Throughout the film, people discuss their fear of how changes in technology will negatively impact nature. It also incorporates music to reflect the change in generational culture, from older acoustics to techno.

“High Rise Pigs”

Right in the middle of a town in China stands a “smelly” high-rise, which locals claim comes from the pigs inside the high-rise. As the film progresses, the audience realizes this pig farm is the epicenter of this town’s culture.

The film’s narrator explains how the farm works with pig replicas. The pigs are born on the top floors of the high-rise, then they move down to different floors throughout their lives. These pigs’ sole purpose is to benefit humans, with the end goal of them being used for food. ”High Rise Pigs” attempts to address the morbidity that everything eventually comes to an end.

“Buckskin”

Director Mars Verrone uses the surrounding redwood forest and the dining room of their late grandfather, Carroll B. Williams Jr.’s home, to engrave a short film dedicated to his memory.

The film cultivates a more intimate feel by using a conversation between Verrone, their mother and grandfather, Williams Jr., instead of narration. They provide an in-depth look into William Jr.’s life, highlighting the fact that he was the first Black scientist hired to the United States Forest Service with a Ph.D in forestry.

“Endlings”

This technological film explores the advancement of being able to bring back extinct animals through science, as viewers watch a scientist who brings back an extinct wolf species. “Endlings” reflects how the knowledge of extinction encourages people to preserve the memory of animal species.

Old videos of extinct species are colorized to better showcase what they would look like, reminding the audience that these animals used to walk alongside humans. Director María Luisa Santos aimed to reassure viewers that although these animals have become extinct, the efforts of humans will keep their narrative alive.

These films all tackled the ever-changing developments of society and the consequences humans have on Earth’s climate. Each film was intriguing in its own way, giving the audience a sense of control in the narrative of society and its changes.

You can keep up with The Maneater’s 2026 True/False Film Fest coverage here.