Film lovers around the world will unite between September 23th to October 3rd to view and vote on the ten finalists' films in the 24th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival. MANHATTAN SHORT is the only event of its kind. The Final Ten screen simultaneously across the world over two weekends, with the Best Film and Best Actor awards determined by ballots cast by the audiences in each participating venue. The MANHATTAN SHORT Final Ten are (In no particular order): Death By Handshake A talented teenager copes with restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic by filming a witty love letter to his New York City hometown. (USA) Ganef A little girl, spooked by a dark tale from her mother’s wartime past, starts to believe her adored house cleaner is a sinister thief. (UK) Bad Omen Kabul, Afghanistan. Pari, a widow and mother, struggles to purchase her prescription glasses in order to continue working as a tailor. (Afghanistan) Rough Ex-paramilitaries enforce their own brand of street justice but when they condemn a dog to death, they bite off more than they chew. (Northern Ireland) Archibald's Syndrome Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but for Archibald it’s literally an affliction until he meets a free-spirited woman during a bank robbery. (France) The Kicksled Choir A boy wants to sing in the local choir but when his father gets into a fight with a refugee, his aspirations are in jeopardy. (Norway) Closed to the Light In a moment captured in time, die-hard Italian fascists conduct reprisal executions of civilians in Lombardy during World War II. (Italy) Out of Time Felix’s mother has been called in and an exasperated director is threatening to ban him from the premises. But Felix still has a few moves. (France) Aurora The animated tale of a little girl who falls in love with a beautiful horse named Aurora and learns about love, friendship and growing up. (USA) Monsieur Cachemire A bank loan officer extracts dark secrets from the past from an eccentric and mysterious customer in need of funds. (Canada)

A notorious criminal is sent to rescue an abducted woman who has disappeared into a dark supernatural universe. They must break the evil curse that binds them and escape the mysterious revenants that rule the Ghostland, an East-meets-West vortex of beauty and violence.

A new documentary exploring the power and incredible importance of local journalism. Dark clouds hang over the cornfields of Storm Lake, Iowa, which has seen its fair share of change in the 40 years since Big Agriculture came to town. Farmers blow their life savings on new equipment they hope will keep their livelihoods intact. Migrant workers flock here—welcome and not—for their slice of the American Dream. The people of Storm Lake confront a changing and precarious existence. Enter: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Art Cullen and his family members who deliver local news and editorials on a shoestring budget for their 3,000 readers. This paper means a fighting chance for their beloved hometown, and by hook or by crook, they’ll make the most of it. There’s simply too much at stake.

A small-town pastor finds more Christ-like behavior in a nearby bar than he does in his own congregation and decides to start a church there.

Johnny is a successful banker who lives happily in a San Francisco townhouse with his fiancée, Lisa. One day, inexplicably, she gets bored of him and decides to seduce Johnny's best friend, Mark. From there, nothing will be the same again.