The new short film collection from NQV Media is out now to watch On Demand. Upon Her Lips: Pure Feels features shorts from Israel, Germany, France, Sweden and Brazil. Take a look at each of the short films below.
FAKE IT (Israel)
Starring: Naama Shitrit, Dafi Shoshana-Alpern. Director: Tzurit Hartzion.
When photographer Zohar decides to put on an exhibition, she enlists the help of her ex-girlfriend to recreate moments from their relationship. Reliving intimate incidents from their past life together, this is a fun post-mortem on their love affair in which they discuss what went wrong and delve through the nostalgia of their past. Light, fun and whimsical, the hipster couple are indelibly likeable and saccharine sweet. This quirky little short feels like a Zooey Deschanel romcom and it looks absolutely luscious. There’s even a musical number!
TUMBLING BIRDS (Germany)
Starring: Anouk Bödeker, Eva Nürnberg, Joan Pascu, Johanna Werner. Director: Esther Bialas.
Svenja is being bullied terribly at school for being a lesbian, but find herself inextricably drawn to the girl who is bullying her the most. Despite befriending the caretaker who keeps pigeons on the school roof, she is desperate for friends her own age and to explore her burgeoning sexuality. A short about the temptation of pursuing the thing we know will hurt us, this is one part coming of age film, one part precautionary tale, like a 90s public safety adverts for teens about peer pressure.
AMONG THE MERMAIDS (France)
Starring: Charlie Bartocci, Cécile Cassel, Pauline Heu, Manon Kneusé, Julia Piaton. Director: Marie Jardillier.
Marion’s group of friends are tight-knit, but when she decides to finally tell them that she is a lesbian, they realise that they might not be as close as they had thought. Especially because one of them harbours feelings of more than just friendship for her. Set over the course of an evening together, this is a short about sisterhood and is bubbling with banter and frivolity. With palpable chemistry between the four of them, this group feel fun, silly and wholly believable, because each is made stronger surrounded by their pack.
EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (Sweden)
Starring: Siham Shurafa, Lisa Henni. Director: Rushema Vinberg.
A fragmented and muffled memory of a past experience is lived out in almost silent flashes as we see images from an encounter between two women; romantic, vivid and sensual. From that day’s coffee to its cigarettes, their eye contact to the moment they kiss, this is a beautifully artistic interpretation of memory. This complex montage is underscored with a light but mournful string quartet, imbuing what is otherwise a joyous short with thoughtful sobriety and creating something really quite special.
PISCINA (Brazil)
Starring: Carolina Bianchi, Sandra Dani, Marcela Fetter, Ester Laccava, Luciana Paes, Mawusi Tulani. Director: Leandro Goddinho.
In a quest to understand her late grandmother’s past, a young woman meets Marlene, who has created a room of memories in her empty swimming pool, in which she and her lover had created so many memories. Delving into the past that she suspected her grandmother was a part of, we see flashbacks of the time before as well as hear stories of the tragedy attached to the tattoo that had been on her arm. A chocolate box melange of a woman’s secrets, this is a stunning short that is filled to the top-toe with tenderness. A must-watch.
Together, this is a beautifully curated collection of sensuous short films from across the globe. The titular "pure feels" see-saw between the angst of youth and the wisdom of advanced years, but together they create a compelling smorgasbord of romantic delights.