30 Best Short Films To Watch On Netflix (2024)

Netflix boasts some of the best movies, television shows, and anime choices — but what's not as well known is that the best short films on Netflix are also more than worth watching. Short films are sometimes underappreciated and neglected, but they are treasures for cinephiles. The varied library of short films on Netflix offers almost everything in a bite-sized package, whether it's a compelling storyline, astute direction, powerful acting, thought-provoking sequences, or brilliant dialogue. Short films have traditionally been a showcase for up-and-coming or underappreciated directors but were often hard to see outside of film festivals.

Netflix has invested significantly in short films and made them more accessible. Several Netflix series such as Black Mirror, Love Death + Robots, and Cabinet of Curiosities have helped to popularize short-form storytelling. The best Netflix short films pack the same punch in a stand-alone package. The best part is that short films can alter actual emotions in 40 minutes or less, and sometimes as little as 11 minutes. They communicate important ideas to the audience and contribute to provoking necessary thoughts in the viewers' minds.

30 Disco Inferno (2023)

The Beginning Of A Supernatural Motherhood

Disco Inferno (2023)

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Release Date

October 20, 2023

Director

Matthew Castellanos

Cast

Soni Bringas

Runtime

19 Minutes

In Netflix's original short film Disco Inferno, a disco nightclub that was once a church becomes a den of eerie horror. Mel (Soni Bringas) and Brandon (Stephen Ruffin) are a young couple in the 70s disco era who are eager to win the club's big dance contest. However, when Mel discovers she is pregnant, she awakens a dark supernatural entity.

Disco Inferno is a tight 18-minute horror film that still manages to find time for a host of disturbing images — particularly when it comes to the eyes — that will satisfy fans of the genre. Bringas (Fuller House) and Ruffin (Snowfall) give powerful performances both opposite each other and in their own right, and they appear to be stars in the making. The one downfall is that it ends abruptly, which works for a short film, but also leaves a lot of room open if they decide to make this into a feature-length movie in the future.

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29 Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, Frankenstein (2019)

A Meta Horror Journey

David Harbour, of Netflix's Stranger Things fame, plays a surreal version of himself in Frankenstein's Monster's Monster Frankenstein. In the 32-minute short film, David Harbour III wants to learn more about his father, the noted theater actor David Harbour Jr., who famously played Dr. Frankenstein in the stage play, Frankenstein's Monster's Monster Frankenstein. Harbour plays himself, and his dad, and goes in with absurdist humor that even pays homage to Orson Welles.

Those who enjoy the lighter, sillier side to Harbour's acting will get a lot of this short. The kooky humor may not be for everyone, but the story never overstays its welcome. Frankenstein's Monster's Monster Frankenstein is meta, surreal, and just plain fun. There are a lot of inside jokes for people who have knowledge of the film industry, and the surprise appearance of Alfred Molina was a fun addition to the mockumentary.

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28 Weathering (2023)

A Story Of Loss & Resilience

Weathering (2023)

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Release Date

April 14, 2023

Director

Megalyn Echikunwoke

Cast

Alexis Louder , Alfre Woodard , Jermaine Fowler , James Tupper

Runtime

20 Minutes

A heartbreaking but important story, Weathering centers on Gemina (Violent Night's Alexis Louder), a young woman who loses her baby in childbirth, nearly dying herself. Upon returning home, Gemina grieves in solitude and suffers from disturbing visions. The real horror of this movie is how poorly women can be treated in the health care system, as Gemina insists something is wrong but is dismissed by the doctor.

Weathering covers a lot of ground in just 20 minutes, and the focus on what women have to go through, especially those of color, is a story that remains an important one to tell. However, even more important, is the inner voice that tries to destroy a person who has suffered a great loss, and how a person can be their own worst enemy in these situations - especially when they can't find anyone willing to help them find a way out of the darkness. Louder is backed by a stellar supporting cast including Alfre Woodard and Jermaine Fowler.

27 The After (2023)

A Meditative Exploration Of Grief And Redemption

The After (2023)

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Release Date

October 25, 2023

Director

Misan Harriman

Cast

David Oyelowo , Jessica Plummer , Amelie Dokubo , Ellen Francis

Runtime

18 Minutes

A meaningful meditation on grief and human connection, The After stars David Oyelowo as Dayo, a London rideshare driver coping with tragic loss. When he picks up a passenger, he is forced to confront his past, but in doing so, is able to see a path to healing. The British short film was honored with a nomination at the Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short Film and won the Outstanding Short Form (Live Action) Award at the NAACP Image Awards.

Oyelowo is joined by an impressive company of actors, including Jessica Plummer (EastEnders), Sule Rimi (Andor), and Izuka Hoyle (Persuasion), and the short film is also the debut of renowned photographer Misan Harriman, with his photos of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests shared internationally. With Harriman at the helm, The After is sure to be a visually stunning, even haunting short film.

26 Flashback (2023)

16 Minutes Of A Terrifying Ride

Flashback

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Release Date

October 16, 2020

Director

Christopher MacBride

Cast

Dylan O'Brien , Hannah Gross , Maika Monroe , Emory Cohen , Keir Gilchrist

Runtime

97 Minutes

From Us to The Strangers, home invasion movies are some of the scariest offerings in the horror genre, and Flashback delivers the chills in just 16 minutes. Experiencing the home invasion in this short film is a yoga teacher, and as it happens, her life flashes before her eyes. From there, she must race against time to save the man she loves, even if it means costing her everything in the process.

Director Jed Shepherd is no stranger to the horror genre, as his credits include co-writing Host (2020), and he brings back Host stars Jemma Moore and Haley Bishop. If Flashback is any indication, all three are set to be the next big names in horror thanks to this breakout project. On top of that, the timing of this short film was perfect, releasing during the Halloween season in 2023.

25 Amsterdam To Anatolia (2019)

A Tale Of Forbidden Love

A tale of forbidden love, Amsterdam to Anatolia stars Adam Bakri and Clara Khoury as a pair of star-crossed lovers who meet for a dangerous romantic rendezvous when Elissa has to decide between this new mystery man and her abusive husband. Under Susan Youssef's deft direction, Amsterdam to Anatolia unflinchingly shows the heartbreaking violence that results from two people simply daring to love each other. Much is left to interpretation, but that makes this fantastic short film all the more thought-provoking.

In just six short minutes, Bakri and Khoury establish a winning chemistry that takes some A-list actors and an entire feature film to establish. The production is especially high for a short film, and it could end up as the template for a feature-length movie if director Susan Youssef gets the financial backing to go in that direction. As a tale of forbidden love and consequences, it is a harrowing and disturbing tale, and at only six minutes, never overstays its welcome.

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24 Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2022)

A Harrowing Tale Of Survival In Nazi Germany

Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2022)

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Release Date

February 17, 2022

Director

Ashley Eakin

Cast

Knox Gibson , Hanneke Talbot , Justin Mader , Nathaniel McParland , Tyler Hutchings , Noah Lamanna

Runtime

13 Minutes

One of the most intense short films on Netflix, Forgive Us Our Trespasses is the harrowing tale of a boy with a limb difference in 1930s Nazi Germany. When the Nazis begin hunting people with disabilities, the young Paul (Knox Gibson) must run for his life. The movie takes an important and underseen look at how people with disabilities struggled to survive during the Nazi regime during World War II, and the acting allows this movie to deliver a deeply personal and harrowing tale.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses proves that action doesn't need to be big-budget or bombastic, as the chase scene between Paul and the Nazis is as breathtaking as it is horrifying. Gibson delivers a powerful performance in the film's 14 minutes, underlining Forgives Us Our Trespasses' message about the importance of humanity. While the movie might not be completely historically accurate, it remains an important look at empathy during a horrific time in world history.

23 Wes Anderson's Roald Dahl Shorts (2023)

The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher, Poison

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

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Release Date

September 1, 2023

Director

Wes Anderson

Cast

Ralph Fiennes , Benedict Cumberbatch , Dev Patel , Ben Kingsley , Richard Ayoade , Rupert Friend

Runtime

39 Minutes

Wes Anderson made four short films based on Roald Dahl stories for Netflix, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the first and most publicized. Leading a small ensemble cast of A-list actors, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Henry Sugar, a gambler who discovers meditation and uses it to help him win money at blackjack, only to be faced with philosophical consequences.The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is one of Dahl's lighter stories, and the 41-minute movie was universally praised by critics.

The Swan sees Rupert Friend tell the tale of the sweet, bird-loving boy Peter (Asa Jennings), who is tormented at gunpoint by two bullies. Even with its brief 17-minute runtime, The Swan is a difficult watch as Peter's bullies make him perform increasingly disturbing acts. However, The Swan is one of Anderson's deepest films. The Rat Catcher, centers on the titular rodent hunter (Ralph Fiennes) who is enlisted in dispensing with a local infestation of rats. The Rat Catcher is only 17 minutes long but doesn't need longer to take the audience on a dark, twisty journey.

Poison is a dark-humored three-hander between Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, and Ben Kingsley. Cumberbatch plays Harry, a man lying in bed who informs his friend Timber (Patel) that a krait, a venomous snake, is on his stomach beneath the covers. Timber seeks the help of Dr. Ganderbai (Kingsley) and they separate the snake from Harry. Anderson's 17-minute short film isn't the first adaptation of Dahl's "Poison." It was a radio play in 1950, and both Alfred Hitchco*ck Presents and Tales of the Unexpected adapted the story. Poison asks questions about fear and its relation to human perception.

22 Cops And Robbers (2020)

A Poetic Response To Racial Injustice And Police Brutality

In the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020, many turned to art to share their experiences and thoughts on police brutality and how it relates to racial injustice. In Timothy Ware-Hill's Cops and Robbers, the filmmaker ties together the double meaning of the title — a schoolyard kids' game and how Black people are perceived and treated by the police. This is accomplished through spoken-word poetry and is in direct response to the death of Ahmaud Arbery

In Cops and Robbers' seven-minute runtime, Ware-Hill uses mixed animation to show the contrast between these two concepts. This artistic choice reflects not only the all-encompassing urgency of the situation but also how children are robbed of innocence at such a young age. This is Ware-Hill's most recent film, but if it's any indication, he has many more stories to share.

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21 A Drowning Man (2017)

A Glimpse Into Refugee Life Through A Day In The Kid's Eyes

A Drowning Man (2017)

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Release Date

May 17, 2017

Director

Mahdi Fleifel

Cast

Atef Alshafei , Jalal Qaniry , Thymios Koukios , Rebih El-Saleous

Runtime

15 Minutes

See Also

How Long is a Short Film? – The Film Fund

A Drowning Man is a 15-minute short film that follows a protagonist known only as The Kid (Atef Alshafei), who is a Palestinian refugee in Athens just trying to make it through his day. It's a hard film to watch, but A Drowning Man pulls no punches in its depiction of what refugee life can be like. The story seems simple, as it just shows The Kid trying to get through the city, while there is danger and threats on every corner.

The short is Danish-Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel's debut narrative film, and it went on to screen in several prominent film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. Previously, he directed a documentary called A World Not Ours, and he had other documentary shorts before setting out to make A Drowning Man. By just focusing on a day in the life of The Kid, it really hits home about the dangers, even without fictional threats added in a feature film.

20 Canvas (2020)

A Heartfelt Journey Of Loss, Healing, And Rediscovery Through Art

Canvas (2020)

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Release Date

December 11, 2020

Director

Frank E. Abney III

Runtime

9 Minutes

Animated short films don't waste any time hitting viewers at their emotional core, and the nine-minute Canvas is no exception. Written and directed by Frank E. Abney III, Canvas tells the story of an elderly man who emotionally closed off after the loss of his wife, but through his granddaughter, he finds joy in painting again. Though the image of a blank canvas as a metaphor for starting over isn't exactly subtle, the short film is so uplifting that it truly does not matter.

Abney III was inspired to make this film based on his own experience of losing his father at the age of five and how that profoundly affected his family (via Variety). "Seeing how my family has been affected by it, especially my mom, watching her and how she has had to work to support us as a single mother. I always kind of wondered, ‘Was there something that was left behind or something there she lost in that loss of my dad?’"

19 Aziza (2019)

A Poignant Exploration Of Displacement, Love, And Unexpected Journeys

Aziza is a 13-minute short film about a displaced Syrian couple (Abdel Mounaem Amaayri and Caresse Bashar) in Lebanon. The film begins with them in their titular car with the husband teaching his wife to drive the only thing he has left after leaving his own country. When they do make it out onto the streets of Beirut, they go on a surreal and nostalgic journey that ends up taking them on a very wrong turn. The two lead actors instantly establish their chemistry, which only builds throughout their fantastical adventure.

The movie is at turns very funny and quite emotional and, while it is a movie about a couple and their car, it has the subtext of what it is like to live as a refugee, forced to flee their home, while still living in their own fantasy world. It helps place viewers in the shoes of people who come from very different backgrounds where simple things, like driving a car, were forbidden to women. While it wasn't recognized at the Oscars, Aziza did win the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

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18 Sitara: Let Girls Dream (2020)

Empowering Girls Through Animation

Sitara: Let Girls Dream (2019)

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Release Date

September 23, 2019

Director

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Runtime

15 Minutes

An animated silent short film from Pakistan, Sitara: Let Girls Dream sees 14-year-old Pari living in 1970s Lahore. Pari idolizes Amelia Earhart and yearns to be a pilot, but this is in direct conflict with her father, who plans to marry her off to a much older man. Sitara is sure to make the audience aware of the devastating number of yearly child brides, but the film itself ends on an optimistic note. The fact that the story is told through the eyes of her six-year-old sister adds a level of innocence to the movie.

The 15-minute Sitara was screened by Gucci at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival as part of their #LetGirlsDream campaign, and Netflix released it on March 8, International Women's Day. Sitara also screened at the Los Angeles Animation Film Festival, where it won three awards, including the Humanitarian Award. Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has won two Oscars and went on to direct episodes of the MCU series Ms. Marvel.

17 Maradona's Legs (2019)

A Touching Football Tale

Maradona's Legs

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Release Date

June 20, 2019

Director

Firas Khoury

Cast

Faris Abbas , Walaa Eltiti , Yazeed Faruja , Ayoub Abu Hamad , Ali Suliman

Runtime

20 Minutes

Set during the 1990 World Cup, two young Palestinian boys are huge football fans, and they're eager to complete their sticker album in order to win an Atari. The final sticker they need is the titular image, of football player Diego Maradona's legs, so the boys set out to Nazareth in order to find it. Short films with a focus on children are often animated, but the 23-minute Maradona's Legs manages to evoke a tone of whimsy and optimism thanks to its two young protagonists in a live-action short.

With its clearly defined quest, Maradona's Legs feels like a true hero's journey. This is also a short film that rewards repeated viewings thanks to messages sprinkled within about the Palestinian revolution and the struggles of people in the nation, set against the innocence of the children. However, this is also a very sweet and charming short film and not one that hammers home any message outside of a child's love of soccer and their desire to be kids.

16 Ave Maria (2015)

A Unique Blend Of Satire And Social Commentary

Ave Maria (2015)

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Release Date

May 18, 2015

Director

Basil Khalil

Cast

Maria Zreik , Huda El-Imam , Shady Srour , Ruth Farhi , Maya Koren

Runtime

14 Minutes

Directed by Basil Khalil, Ave Maria finds a family of Israeli settlers dealing with car trouble in the West Bank near a Palestinian convent. There they seek assistance from five nuns who have taken a vow of silence. There are a lot of serious short films about Israel and Palestine, and though they are important, Ave Maria stands out as being pure satire. While it is religiously based, the entire concept of the Israelis and Palestinians realizing they can accomplish more by working together is a nice theme in this short movie.

Typically, short films have very small casts, often only two actors, if that. However, between the nuns and the family, eight characters share the screen, and in just 14 minutes, the ensemble is able to create a fully realized story that was impressive enough for Ave Maria to be nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 88th Academy Awards.

15 If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)

The Emotional Resonance Of Impactful Storytelling

If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)

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Release Date

November 20, 2020

Director

Will McCormack , Michael Govier

Runtime

12 Minutes

Written and directed by Will McCormack and Michael Govier, If Anything Happens I Love You is a 12-minute 2D animated short film about two parents who grow alienated from one another after the tragic loss of their young daughter in a school shooting. It's heavy subject matter, but by creating a deeply personal story, McCormack and Govier make the viewing experience powerful and poignant. The animation is creative and the use of shadows of the main characters opens up a deeply personal and heartbreaking story for the viewers.

The short film was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, garnering 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. A TikTok hashtag about the film, #IfAnythingHappensILoveYou, in which creatives shared their reactions before and after watching the short, went viral. If Anything Happens I Love You was also deservedly awarded Best Animated Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

14 Bonboné (2017)

An Unlikely Tale Of Romance And Resistance

Bonboné (2017)

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Release Date

October 4, 2017

Director

Rakan Mayasi

Cast

Saleh Bakri , Rana Alamuddin , Nadira Omran , Ziad Bakri

Runtime

15 Minutes

In Bonboné, a Palestinian woman goes to visit her husband who is being held in an Israeli prison, where their physical contact is restricted, so they resort to unusual measures in order to conceive a child. While the circ*mstances are harrowing, wanting romantic intimacy and to have a child are desires that many people can identify with, bringing universal relatability to the 15-minute short film.

The amazing thing about this short movie on Netflix is that it is based on a true story about the sperm smuggling scheme, so this unlikely tale is based in facts. It is, at the end of the day, a story of the Palestine resistance where people use love and life to fight repression and violence. Bonboné had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and went on to be featured in more than 10 other film festivals.

13 The Claudia Kishi Club (2017)

An Ode To Diversity In Children's Literature

The Claudia Kishi Club (2020)

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Release Date

July 10, 2020

Director

Sue Ding

Cast

Lucia de la Garza , Mila de la Garza , Bela Salazar , Eloise Wong , Phil Yu

Runtime

15 Minutes

From Harry Potter to Willy Wonka, many famous literary characters are from children's books, and filmmaker Sue Ding directed the 17-minute short film The Claudia Kishi Club as an ode to the likable Baby-Sitters Club character. In the popular Ann M. Martin book series, Claudia Kishi is the vice president of the Baby-Sitters Club known for her individuality that she expresses through fashion and art. She's also Japanese American, and at the time it was rare to have a person of color in a children's book who wasn't a stereotype.

Ding's short film explores the profound, positive effect that Claudia Kishi had on her growing up, and how it made her feel seen and represented. Many short films are about harrowing, dark subjects, and though these are important, The Claudia Kishi Club is a welcome, uplifting experience about how much representation matters.

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12 Out Of Many, One (2018)

Exploring The American Dream Diving Into USA's Immigration

Out of Many, One is a 34-minute documentary short about a group of immigrants preparing to take their United States citizenship test. The short film explores the statistic that one in every five international immigrants chooses to come to America, proving that the ideal of a better life and the American dream is alive and well. However, Out of Many, One also shines a light on the politics and challenges of United States immigration, providing a well-rounded look at the experience.

Millions immigrate every year, yet most people don't have any idea what it's like. Documentary shorts like Out of Many, One gives a voice to the immigrant experience while educating those who have never left their birth countries. It's an empathetic yet realistic short film. Focusing on the issues through the eyes of a citizenship class instructor and their students, it gives a close and personal look to people seeking the American dream.

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11 The Martha Mitchell Effect (2022)

The Gripping Tale Of Whistleblowing

The Martha Mitchell Effect (2022)

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Release Date

June 17, 2022

Director

Anne Alvergue , Debra McClutchy

Runtime

40 Minutes

Many are familiar with Martha Mitchell's story from the miniseries Gaslit, starring Julia Roberts as Mitchell. However, through the short film medium, The Martha Mitchell Effect tells her story just as effectively. Mitchell, whose husband was John N. Mitchell, the United States Attorney General under President Richard Nixon, was a Watergate whistleblower, and she was infamously gaslit by the Nixon administration.

Through archival footage, The Martha Mitchell Effect only needs 40 minutes to tell Mitchell's brave, almost unbelievable story. The Roberts miniseries is well worth a watch too, but there's something even more shocking about seeing Mitchell's experience without the Hollywood lens. The Martha Mitchell Effect earned a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and was deservedly nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards, making this a Netflix short film not to be missed.