There’s always a lot going on at AFI Fest, from red carpet premieres and international film festival hits to highly anticipated films from returning filmmakers. However, the short films can sometimes fly under the radar, even though it always features a wealth of talent. This year we focused on the animated offering with a couple of dashes of live action.
Here are our highlights from the short films at AFI Fest 2026.
The Best Short Films at AFI Fest 2026
Trading Cards (Australia)
The sinister nature of Trading Cards fit the week-before-Halloween timing of AFI Fest perfectly. It explores identity, mental health, and the erosion of childhood innocence through the story of a man who journeys back to encounter his younger self. The animation of the older self reminded me of the morally ambiguous villains of Studio Ghibli films that you never fully trust. He’s creepy and creatively animated, and he makes this short unique and memorable. Director Radheya Jang is one to look out for in the future.
Venezia Diorama (Italy)
Somehow Venezia Diorama manages to be both classic and fresh. The quaint pictures of Venice are elegantly detailed, giving the short a timeless feel, while the little windows where the animation occurs are uniquely captivating. These animation windows highlight movement in an otherwise still-life picture, and convey the effects of time and erosion on a city; showing Venice slowly succumbing to time.
We Were Here (India)
Silly, but pertinent, We Were Here follows three men that can’t find work and choose to become robots in a satirical play on the rise of ‘artificial intelligence’ and smart machines. The jokers in this docu-comedy emphasize both the uselessness of humans playing machines and the specificity of machines in the human realm. It’s a tongue-in-cheek protest against the current capitalist state of the world and a reminder that humans will always be more human than machines.
In The Beginning (Poland)
In The Beginning tells three quirky true stories about our treatment of animals across the ages. Each story is quite interesting and captured my attention in the same way as the science videos from Kurzgesagt. However, the beautifully vibrant coloring sets this short apart. Each story is marked by a different color, which while simple, appears dynamic and eye-catching.
Where Were We (India)
Studio Eeksaurus have dropped the most creative animated commercials of the past year in Desi Oon and The Godawan, so we weren’t surprised to find more creativity here. In Where Were We, we’re taken on a trippy dive into an anxiety laden handbag, with each item coming alive to portray different anxieties in the owners life. This short further proves the talent of Studio Eeksaurus and shows that they don’t need advertising money to make great short films.
Saba (U.S.)
Combining an emotional punch with an imaginative world in which gravity is reversed, we would not be surprised to see Saba on the Academy Awards shortlist in the not too distant future. It shows Saba, a grandfather, with his grandson living on a floating boat reminiscent of the titular castle in Howl’s Moving Castle. As they navigate storms, and Saba metaphorically ascends to heaven, the grandson transcends horizontal planes to find closure. It’s an emotional and creative hit.
Aktos (Kazakhstan)
It’s not often you see Kazakh animations on the festival circuit, so this is worth a watch just for this reason. However, more than that, you can find felt-based characters that ooze a homey warmth through their texture. The depictions of traditional Kazakh clothing and food also turn this sad tale into a heart-warming one. The flashbacks and backing soundtrack might add a bit too much melodrama, but it’s a method that almost guarantees tears in the film’s viewers.
We strongly encourage everyone to check out AFI Fest next year. Please find previous coverage of AFI Fest here and check the official AFI Fest website for news on next year’s schedule!
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