Short Film Archives | Otaku No Culture

Beyond Trading Cards: Why Obsession Can Be a Double-Edged Sword

And we have an interview too! When Trading Cards is one of eight shorts as part of the LAAPFF’s Almost Ordinary programming block, they programmers have certainly saved the best for last.

Playing today at LAAPFF 2026
AMC Atlantic Times Square 14
May 2, 2026 4:00 pm

Radheya Jang’s short film Trading Cards is a work that will have viewers consider the line between ordinary fixation and something far more consuming. Whether that comes from fear, uncertainty, or overthinking a situation, almost everyone faces that need for reassurance at some point in life. What’s explored here is about more than using a thin piece of cardboard to look into the future. Instead, it’s about looking back. Jang’s latest caught my attention because it deals with what may be the greatest compulsion of all: am I okay?

For Jay Jay Jegathesan, who performs the narration, what’s presented in the first few minutes is a look at a kid with a handful of cards. As the writer/director’s father, he had plenty of emotion to draw from. “That creates a different emotional terrain,” he said. “I have watched his inner world take shape across years, and with Trading Cards, I felt I was recognising parts of that landscape in a way that was both beautiful and confronting. Rather than trying to impose emotion onto the words, I found myself returning to real moments, real silences, and the emotional undercurrents that families often understand without ever fully speaking aloud.”

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Little Lucha and The Big Deal is Finally Streaming for that Front Row Experience!

An underdog wrestling tale steps into the spotlight as Little Lucha and The Big Deal begins streaming online. Blending 80s ring theatrics with heartfelt indie storytelling, the short celebrates creative struggle, partnership, and the fight to keep a dream alive.

Filmmakers Scarlet Moreno and Josh Stifter are stepping back into the ring as their short film, Little Lucha and the Big Deal, is finally available online. My review can be read here, and it’s a fun nostalgic romp to acknowledge the years when wrestling was more than an escape. It’s a way to recognize what goes on behind the ring. This short film that has lots of hear is now streaming exclusively on GeekTyrant.com (and Vimeo). We also have it linked to watch from the comfort of this post too.

Co-directed by and starring this duo, the short is a larger-than-life love letter to 80s era professional wrestling. The story follows aspiring superstar Little Lucha and his partner The Big Deal, two underdog performers chasing glory inside the ring while wrestling with the realities of life beyond the ropes. It’s a tale built on body slams, big dreams, and the emotional toll that comes with refusing to quit.

“Little Lucha and The Big Deal is one of the most heartfelt films I’ve been a part of creating,” said Moreno. “It’s got an ‘art mirrors life’ aspect for me as it’s a story of two people, nearly at the end of their ropes, doing everything in their power to make a dream come true. And what artist or creative doesn’t know that feeling?”

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Félix Brassard’s “L’écrivain” (The Writer): A Quiet Scream in the Woods at Fantasia Film Festival 2025

Official poster for L’écrivain (The Writer), 2025 short film by Félix Brassard — **This work played as part of the Are You Afraid of Fantasia? 2025 short film program on July 28, 2025**

Félix Brassard’s film L’écrivain (The Writer) follows Pierre (Josian Neveu), a TV writer with an unusual, secretive nightly routine. Each evening, he locks himself in a room—and no one knows why. Not even his boss Gilbert (Marco Giguère), who’s recently started dropping by more often to figure out why Pierre is frequently slow to deliver.

I won’t spoil the outcome—mainly because the film is so simple that even a small reveal might give too much away. The poster even says too much. When the dynamic is clear, it’s easy to know how this tale will end. Here, Pierre is our reclusive protagonist, and Gilbert is the pushy antagonist. Watching Neveu and Giguère interact feels like fire meeting water. The twist isn’t exactly shocking, but that’s not the point. This short feels like a proof of concept—a sketch hinting at something bigger. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brassard is laying the groundwork for a feature. It reads as a personal take on genre cinema.

That makes sense if you’re familiar with Brassard’s 2019 documentary L’inquiétante Absence, which explores Quebec’s underappreciated genre film scene. Though I haven’t seen it yet, it reportedly delves into the cultural and institutional barriers that keep horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films from truly thriving in the province—despite a passionate fan base and abundant talent. Featuring big names like David Cronenberg, Robin Aubert, and Fantasia Festival organizers, Brassard clearly knows this terrain.

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Updates on What the Astronots Are Up To

Until a feature length film finally gets off the ground (pardoning the pun), the short film AstroNots is ready to launch on streaming platforms.

AstroNots is finally landing after playing at twenty more film festivals worldwide! Anyone who has not seen this hilarious short film at their local event or Fantasia Film Festival 2024 can now stream it through Film Shortage, beginning June 23, 2025. When I interviewed the creative team last year, producer Andrew Seaton said they want to make a feature film length version of this film. Although not much has progressed since, he confirmed writers Adam Dunn and Aaron Glenane are working hard on putting a script together.

He said, “We are excited about the prospect of taking these characters and their unique dynamic even further. What we love is that we have an odd couple road-trip movie, set in space. Something truly hilarious and unique.”

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The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis is More Than An Enchanting Fable

The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis is very easily the highlight of the Victoria Film Festival’s F1RST, A Celebration of Aboriginal Films. It’s an all-ages product that’ll entertain!

Playing at F1RST FIlm Festival June 22, 2025
Moxy Fox Studio

The Qaqsoss naka Wahuntuhsis (which literally translates to Fox and the Tiny Demon) is a wonderfully animated film which is like a children’s graphic novel come to life. When Tara Audibert from the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick came up with the idea about the struggles this animal has to face, I’m sure the decision on how to bring it to life and relatable to the human condition was tough. . She wanted the narrative to deal with mental illness, an idea reasonably well conveyed, and show how this critter can deal with those personal demons.

And when there’s a literal one appearing occasionally during this fox’s wanderings through a magical forest, the fact this young cub doesn’t always take notice is amusing. But at some point, this supernatural force will have to appear!

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Celebrating Spring Equinox with Five Animated Films

The best thing about Spring Equinox is not the longer days, but the times spent with family and friends, and there’s a few favourite films I like to watch too.

Spring Equinox at the Movie Theatre As Spring Equinox is officially in full bloom, just what I want to view is not your regular fare. My recommendations better reflect the season than any spiritual aspect; my top five favorite animated works include more than just current movies. I have short films on this list too.

And so I’m not spending the entire time indoors, what can be viewed can be done in an evening while the afternoon is spent hunting for eggs. Unfortunately, no bunnies are on this list. For part of this Easter Sunday, I’ll be enjoying:

To Spring (1936)

Very few tales acknowledge Spring Equinox as passionately as this classic produced by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, and directed by William Hanna before forming his own studio. It’s a simple tale where gnomes are helping the world transition to the new season. But challenges are in store for them….