Its quite a skill, taking complex ideas and cramming them into 10 minutes. A good short film needs to develop loads of backstory, remain engaging, and give the audience that much-desired catharsis. A bad short film, on the other hand, needs only amateur actors, a camera and, evidently, a robot or two. Or hot fish-women. There may be a few futuristic flops at the Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival, but theres also some inspired, thought-provoking cinema for all fans of the genre. Presented by Paul Allens Science Fiction Museum and SIFF, these 20 films include The Tiny Spaceship, about two men in a cramped cockpit suspiciously sized for chimpanzees, and Collector, a psychological mind trip (and one of Brad Renfros final films). Stick around afterward to cheer for your favorite during the awards ceremony. NEIL ESTEP
Sat., Feb. 7, 4 & 7 p.m., 2009
