Shoot No Matter What is a great springboard for the next generation of filmmakers! In this competition you’ll discover new talents who are exploring the forms and language of cinema with 100% creative freedom. This section has everything: a perfect sequence shot in Island Life, a thriller that turns the suspense up to 11; La Grande Marche, a parody of Hollywood high school movies; an extreme DIY film called Hello, My name is Beaver that delivers an incisive critique of capitalism and the art world; Cher Zoscar, which ridicules the paradoxical tension between obeying the creative impulse and surviving; J’ai 18 ans (la Guerre), in which the filmmaker presents an essay inspired by letters exchanged with a young Ukrainian refugee; Ma sœur, a real diamond in the rough both for its simplicity and for the protagonist’s potential; African American Express, an animated film on the impact of consumerism on Black communities; and, finally, Anyway j’pisse assis, a film about going home again after gender-affirming care, overflowing with feelings of friendship. These films were all made in response to an irresistible creative drive. They’re beautifully bold, and they reflect society as seen by a brand new crop of filmmakers. Proof that “no budget” doesn’t correlate with “nothing to see.”

Vote for your favorite short film from the Shoot No Matter What program in the Focus competition by filling out this form