8 min · English · Comedy
A Short of the Week selection: an irreverent alt-history of the lazy susan, the spinning table at Chinese restaurants, and the spectacularly lazy woman who invented it. Seven very funny minutes.
Light-hearted short films
132 Light-hearted short films in the cafe, running 2 to 40 minutes. Many are feel-good or romantic. They span 13 languages. Each is a complete standalone short film, chosen by the cafe and played through its original video provider.
4 min · Malayalam · Animation
Studio Eeksaurus's four-minute sequel to Kandittund!: storyteller P.N.K. Panicker's animated self explains how Arana, the red-tailed skink, got its tail. Sound design by Resul Pookutty.
37 min · Malayalam · Romance · Comedy
A modern matchmaking story gives this Kochi-set romantic comedy a familiar starting point: the hopes and awkwardness of meeting someone new.
12 min · English · Comedy
Alexandra Robinson's dramatic comedy: Cece comes out to her traditional Italian-American family over Sunday dinner. Twelve warm, funny minutes.
14 min · Spanish · Romance · Comedy
A quick coffee becomes a meeting with an unfinished past. Watch for a Spanish short about lost love and the difficulty of moving on.
22 min · Malayalam · Comedy · Romance · Thriller
Two village lads plot a 'love kidnapping' for a girl they're sure is in love with one of them, until her confession turns everything around. A playful Malayalam comedy with a romantic twist.
22 min · Kannada · Drama
Deepak R's experimental Kannada comedy-drama about Lagnesh, whose life is tangled up in superstition and a pair of slippers. Its makers bill it as a 2021 Dadasaheb Phalke award winner.
27 min · Hindi · Comedy · Drama
Two past love stories meet at an unlikely wedding. Try this Hindi comedy-drama for a twist on arranged marriage, honesty and second chances.
10 min · English · Animation · Comedy
A bird too frightened to fly south makes an unusual starting point for a winter journey. Watch if you like small stories about facing a big fear.
17 min · Marathi · Comedy · Drama
A festive Marathi comedy from BhaDiPa: Malhaar Rathod and Atisha Naik star in Sarang Sathaye's warm story of a first attempt at Ganesh Chaturthi modaks. Sixteen minutes, best with something sweet nearby.
6 min · English · Animation · Comedy
Christopher Hinton's Oscar-nominated 1991 NFB animation, set to Wade Hemsworth's folk song about the blackflies that tormented him on a summer survey in Northern Ontario. Five itchy, joyful minutes.
8 min · English · Animation · Comedy
Cordell Barker's Oscar-nominated 1988 NFB animation: old Mr Johnson tries everything to get rid of a little yellow cat, and the cat keeps coming back. Eight minutes of escalating chaos.
37 min · Malayalam · Comedy · Action
One wedding, a village full of expectations, and the hope of a star guest. Try this Malayalam action-comedy for a celebration that refuses to go to plan.
12 min · Tamil · Comedy
A couple hopes one family meeting will bring them closer to a shared future. Try Mittai Veedu for the familiar nerves and comedy of seeking a family's acceptance.
9 min · English · Animation · Comedy
Oscar-nominated animator Cordell Barker's stop-motion comedy, presented by The New Yorker's Screening Room. A boy daydreams through biology class about godlike powers, and the results are gloriously petty.
8 min · English · Animation
A National Film Board of Canada animation by Jo Meuris, based on Manjusha Pawagi's picture book. Meena hates books until their characters tumble out into her life. Made for ages 5 to 8, charming at any age.
15 min · Hindi · Comedy · Drama
Neeraj Pandey's comedy for Royal Stag Barrel Select stars Manoj Bajpayee as a man waiting in a hotel room for the woman he's having an affair with, and nothing goes to plan.
19 min · German · Comedy
For a local slice of Berlin comedy, try Fritten zum Mittag, set in the Wedding district and made by Florian Al Salk.
4 min · English · Animation · Comedy
Even an old refrigerator can worry about being replaced. Watch for an animated friendship story about assumptions and the trouble they cause.
3 min · English · Animation · Comedy · Drama
A swallowed seed turns an ordinary snack into a strange predicament. Try this brief animated comedy for a playful twist on an old childhood warning.
2 min · English · Comedy · Fantasy
Stolen bicycles and a unicorn collide in a brief comic encounter on the street, in Ninian Doff’s fantastical short.
12 min · Telugu · Horror · Comedy
Would a haunted house still seem a bargain with a strict morning deadline? Try 7.30 AM for Srinu's unsettling new-home problem.
9 min · English · Science fiction · Fantasy · Comedy
A burglary sends Dave on a search that takes an unexpected turn through time and space. Try this for a little everyday trouble with a science-fiction twist.
13 min · Malayalam
The lead character, played by Aju Varghese, finds his life thrown off course by a curse the makers describe as a "sweet" one.
16 min · Hindi · Comedy · Drama
Two teachers, one poem and two very certain opinions: try Aath Aana for a compact Hindi comedy built around a stubborn literary disagreement.
23 min · Malayalam · Comedy
When everything seems to go wrong, a man looks to the stars for help. Try this for a Malayalam village story about trying to change one's luck.
10 min · Tamil · Comedy · Horror
A man who comes face to face with a ghost starts telling her the story of his love life. The female ghost is moved by his flashback, but she vanishes the moment he asks her one particular question.
29 min · Hindi · Comedy · Drama
A Hindi comedy-adventure in the Uttarakhand hills: two small-time chancers on the run from the police end up sheltering three students. Twenty-eight breezy minutes.
8 min · No dialogue · Animation · Comedy
Two mismatched bats make an explosive combination. Try BATZ for a dialogue-free animated adventure with clashing personalities and cartoon energy.
22 min · Malayalam · Romance
Two best friends begin to catch feelings for each other, and their friendship is put to the test as they decide whether to confess or risk what they already have.
8 min · Hindi · Drama · Comedy
A prize announcement takes an awkward turn. Try this Hindi short for a comedy of assumptions and crossed wires.
10 min · No dialogue · Animation · Comedy
Expressive character animation and classic slapstick make this landmark open movie an inviting introduction to Blender films.
8 min · Malayalam · Romance · Comedy
A breakup becomes a reason to rethink a relationship. Try this brief Malayalam short for a lighter take on a couple at a turning point.
8 min · No dialogue · Animation · Comedy
One soft cushion, two very determined rivals. Try this wordless animation for a mischievous cat-and-moth contest.
18 min · Malayalam · Comedy · Romance
Sidhu looks back on four years of life and romance at the College of Engineering Trivandrum.
25 min · Hindi · Comedy
A new car should make life easier—shouldn't it? Try this Hindi short for a family whose big purchase brings plenty of complications.
4 min · Tamil · Comedy
Twenty seconds, a producer and a cheque worth winning. Try this Tamil comedy for a compact send-up of the film pitch.
9 min · Tamil · Comedy
Knowing what comes next might be more trouble than it is worth. Try this Tamil short for a comic twist on premonition and greed.
19 min · Tamil · Comedy · Romance
In Bangalore, a boy meets a girl in a breezy Tamil romantic comedy that playfully insists it is not, at least at first, a love story.
12 min · English · Comedy · Drama
Two elderly nuns find a fellow sister dead at the altar and decide to cram in some adventure while they still can. A gentle, funny English short about mortality.
Related guides
Thought-provoking short films · Bittersweet short films · Feel-good short films · Suspenseful short films · Emotional short films · Calm short films · All guides