Rarely has one’s place in the solar system and local community felt so meaningfully interconnected than in Wendy Lu, Natalie Tran, and Cindy Zhi’s In Sight. Its art style bursts with a magical warmth that reminds me of being young and infatuated with the night sky.

Rebecca Ozer’s short about a casual meet up delivers the exhilarating rush and pang of those “what if” moments universal in all our lives. Its expertly tender tone, propped up by an incredible pair of lead performances, remind us the most powerful moments are sometimes the quiet ones between lines of dialogue.

It’s a tale as old as time: a “when life gives you lemons” story about temptation in a convent via an errant package! Everything else I want to say about this one I’m told we can’t put in print for a youth festival. Rest assured, you’ll enjoy it.

You might not think a film about a podcast can be as hilariously biting, whip smart, and downright entertaining as most podcasters think they are themselves, but Emma Weinswig’s I Probably Shouldn't Be Telling You This has confessional word-vomiting that would top the charts. Both lead performances shine in this absolute barn burner of a short that has me chuckling every time I’m reminded of a line.

Beneath Mei’s effectively deliberate pacing and careful composition is a nuanced look at an eroding family complete with a complex young protagonist and some of the most economical storytelling in the festival. It’s a mesmerizing and ultimately heart wrenching experience.