The films we saw were moving, funny, disturbing, invigorating, indescribable. The films we saw were, for me, a renewal of faith in the future of film. Below the jump, I’ve shared six of the shorts that I was able to find online. These filmmakers have important stories to share, from a look at life in the Lower Ninth Ward to a young adoptee’s search for his birth mother, lighthearted reflections on isolation and pacifism, and an ancient Greek classic illustrated by the festival’s youngest filmmaker.

“Fairytales” by Travis Walton Waugh, age 20
I couldn’t find this one where I could embed it, so click here to watch. It’s a charming, surreal, simple look at what we create when we become alone. “Fairytales” won the New Talent Award for the 18-22 age group.

“How to say I love you” by Hayley Stuart, age 20, and Francesca Sophia, age 20
A simple story of a seemingly sporadic conversation, in which the characters “bond awkwardly over mutual feelings of isolation.” Stuart and Sophia say that the film is a commentary on the way online communication has crippled our ability to communicate face-to-face.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“The Water” by Troy Tennessee, age 15
This brief documentary looks at the impact of the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina on his neighborhood in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Lucky Boy” by Alex Gaylon, age 21
An adopted college student finally searches for his birth mother. “Lucky Boy” won the Audience Award for Documentary.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Chicken Cowboy” by Stephen Neary, age 22
This goofy animated short uses a collage-like, edgy visual style to carry its story of a chicken (both literal and figurative) challenged to a saloon fight. “Chicken Cowboy” won the Jury Award for Animation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Odysseus And The Cyclops” by Emily Salva, age 7
This retelling of part of Homer’s Odyssey was animated by NFFTY’s youngest filmmaker yet and garnered both the Audience Award for Animation and the New Talent Award for the 11 and under age group.

Click here to view the embedded video.