Good Grief
Written & Directed by Jessica Sofarnos
Set over one night in inner-city Melbourne, a young woman grieving the loss of her mother and a relationship finds comfort in a stranger at a house party.FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
Right from the start, this short film captured my attention. This is a beautiful story about moving through grief and how human connection can relieve some of the pain. The acting was incredible and you could feel the chemistry buzzing through the air while the two actors (Giuliana Carniato and Jessica Sofarnos) worked off each other, finding a natural but sizzling rhythm. The cinematography (Ryan Bell) captured the beauty of that intense connection and the color grading (Megan Lee) let it shine, giving an aura of warmth but contrasting it with darkness. By the end, I wanted more!
Rainbow Girls
Directed by Nana Duffuor
When San Francisco's tech boom pushes them to the margins, a group of friends decide to push back, staging an audacious heist that turns luxury into resistance.
FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
Absolutely loved this film. I watched it after I watched Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters and while that was a surrealist whirlwind about being pushed to the margins, this short was a grounded and captivating look into the intersection of class and race. I’ve got to say, I liked this short a lot better than the feature I mentioned. The actors (Jai Stephenson, Sis Thee Doll, Céline Jackson, Nava Mau) were incredibly connected and present, allowing us to receive a more realistic look into the detriment of hustle culture and gentrification that is sorely needed.
Sew Into You
Director: Emma Josephson
Writers: Emma Josephson & Tara Umesh
A widowed older woman seeks guidance from her younger queer coworker to ask out a woman for the first time.
FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
Another piece about sapphic yearning but from the perspective of an older woman learning how to be queer and how to come into your own body. This short film turns assumptions on its head and also delivers a beautiful take on how lonely it can be when discovering your queerness.
Dandelion
Directed by Fiona Obertinca Written by Corey Pinchoff
In 1970s Los Angeles, rebellious queer teen MARGARET (Ava Lalezarzadeh) gets thrown out of yet another foster placement and finds herself in the company of mysterious social worker, JOYCE (Vic Michaelis), who's tasked with finding her a new home before the break of dawn. At odds and forced to travel the city together, Margaret realizes that running may not be her only option.
FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
This beautiful short film highlights the struggles of social workers but also captures the internal chaos of a kid written off and who’s acting out. There’s queerness as a through line that showcases the loneliness and/or compartmentalization of being queer in a hetero-normative world. It also touches on the importance of found family and support when you’re considered an outsider. The artists involved in this piece came together to build an immersive world, transporting us to the past but does well to show the echoes of queer alienation at that time in today’s world
I Didn’t Like You
Directed by Parker Fenady
Best friends Emilia and Max secretly spy on their friend Jules’ first date, expecting nothing more than harmless curiosity. But as the night unfolds, the lines between observer and participant begin to blur — and it becomes clear that the real connection may not be where they assumed.
FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
A love letter of sapphic yearning, this short film places chemistry at the forefront and the lead actors (Alexis G. Zall and Katelyn Nacon) deliver. The direction illuminates queerness with electricity and I squealed at the denouement. We need more sapphic stories!
Good Hair: Perceptions of Racism
Directed by Haider Zafar and Asase Amoah
How does racism manifest itself in schools and workplaces? Explore the policies that discriminate against Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
FOUNDER’S SPOTLIGHT:
A wonderfully done educational piece about discriminatory policies that shows rather than tells. It’s grounded, real, and visceral. The story is a captivating one and so is the visual imagery. It shows the complicated nature of acclimating and resistance, and generational divide. It shows all sides in a wonderfully natural way.
What is lightcore?
lightcore is a new media company guided by moral and artistic integrity to upend the practices of the entertainment industry.