ALFF 2025 Shorts
Event description
Join us on Saturday, 6 December, for the Animal Liberation Film Festival (ALFF)!
ALFF is Melbourne’s newest event dedicated to showcasing films that explore the ethical, cultural, and political dimensions of human-animal relations – and you’re all invited to come watch.
Across Saturday, we are screening nearly 20 unique and original films: a 'vegan zombie' feature film, feature length documentaries, short films, short docos, animations, and experimental films.
ALFF Shorts Session
Please note: all shorts will be screened in this session, only one ticket per person is required to watch all of them.
Kindness Town (2025) Dir. Jess McKay (USA) 14 Mins | Kindness Town follows a group of puppets who discover they are decorated with real feathers and decide to replace them with cruelty-free materials. This musical short film explores themes of compassion, ethical decision-making, and the impact of our choices on the world around us. |
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I Feel Like a Piece of Meat (2024) Dir. Yalın Çağdaş Eşsiz (TUR) 5 mins | "I Feel Like A Piece of Meat" narrates the feelings and thoughts of a woman, who is a rape survivor, by taking into account the culture of eating and consuming of animals’ bodies from a feminist vegan point of view. It explains the commodification and consuming of cow and woman bodies by patriarchy in an experimental way. |
How We Hamsters Die (2025) Dirs. Phoebe Burdick, Mio Gribskov (USA) 6 mins | A comedic 2D animated short film that tells the absurdly tragic stories of hamsters from the after-life. The film aims to entertain and educate. Prepare to laugh, cry, and gasp in shock as this mixed-media, documentary-style film takes a look into how and why this colorful cast of pet hamsters died. |
Vermin (2025) Dir. Jonah Howell (AUS) 12 mins | When a freak accident grievously injures her housemate, a guilt-ridden pacifist must protect them both from a mysterious and threatening creature that roams their apartment after dark. |
Runt (2025) Dir. Isabella Holgate (AUS) 7 mins | 7-year-old Molly is eager to lend a hand on her family's farm, but when she witnesses the death of an animal at the hands of her father, he insists his actions were merciful. Matured by the event, Molly attempts to apply her newfound sense of morality. |
The Heart Whisperer (2025) Dir. Shaun Monson (USA) 16 mins | A childhood discovery inspires a woman to push the boundaries of our compassion in this true story. The esteemed Earthlings creator, Shaun Monson, weaves together archived news clips, never seen before arrest footage, and current interviews to tell this tale that crosses countries and decades. Cameo appearances by Joaquin Phoenix and other famous animal advocates. |
A Promise of Paradise (2025) Dir. Thomas Machowicz (USA) | Dan Peterson—a Vietnam veteran and retired construction business owner—took up cattle ranching as a retirement project, not fully prepared for the emotional weight it would carry. A powerful encounter with the matriarch of his herd changed everything. This a story of rescue, responsibility, and the quiet power of choosing kindness over tradition. |
Foundation (2025) Dir. Jack Hinz 7 mins | After experiencing the confronting realities of cow farming as a child, Anthony Walsgott abandoned his life as a lawyer to purchase a pristine 120-acre block on Queensland’s Mary River—a place which is now home to Australia’s largest cow sanctuary. |
I’m Trying (2025) Dir. Raymond Cruzzola (CAN) 33 mins | I’m Trying is a powerful portrait of Regan Russell — an animal rights activist killed in 2020 during a peaceful protest outside a slaughterhouse — and the ongoing fight for justice she inspired. At its core, I’m Trying is about grief, love, and the enduring power of one person’s will to make the world more just — and how we can all keep trying. |
For the complete program guide, please visit our website.
ALFF spent considerable time reviewing, selecting and deliberating over the final line-up – and we are pleased to say that there is something for everyone. In curating this year’s inaugural festival, ALFF has chosen original films for their creativity, artistry, and compassion.
Some films, however, do present references and visual images of animal cruelty and suffering. We’re mindful of audience care — ALFF isn’t the “animal cruelty film festival.” To help audiences make informed decisions, we have developed an in-house ranking system to guide viewers.
ALFF was founded on the belief that through the power of film, we can help build a society in which animals are liberated from human oppression and exploitation. To this end, we are proud to present this program — the beginning of what we hope will be many festivals to come.
Can't join us but still want to contribute?
ALFF is a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation – donations over $2 are tax deductible. Every dollar helps us pay for the venue and marketing this event to more and more people. You can donate today: https://alff.org.au/donations
ABN 60 904 661 873
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