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London Short Film Festival: A timely reminder that there is no substitute for cinema

The London Short Film Festival (LSFF) came to an end this week after ten days showcasing the talent of Britain’s finest film-makers.

From January 16 to 26, the festival’s 22nd edition screened 204 new short films at both independent and iconic venues like BFI Southbank, SET Peckham, ICA in Piccadilly, Curzon Soho, Rio Cinema, Rich Mix, Farsight Collective, and even the Brazilian Embassy. 

This year, the LSFF kicked off with an opening night comedy bonanza – Funny Shit – a proverbial pick n mix of 2025’s funniest shorts. 

Inside one of London’s best-loved arthouse cinemas, Curzon Soho, 12 directors bustled to the front of the stage to make brief introductions to a sold out crowd before the lights turned out and the screen lit up.

The selection included a suited up American racing through London on rollerblades to deliver his Grandma’s grillz, a bumbling quest for a keg with an alcoholic pig, a dusty taxidermy dog who helps a man come to terms with his grief, a Cat Show at the Long Island Pet Expo and a blindfolded stickman.

Circle of Life, screened at LSFF’s Funny Shit (Picture: LSFF)

Almost all 12 shorts received bursts of laughter from the audience, but one managed to snap the top spot, The Nun Slayer.

Written and directed by Ben Bovington-Key, from Kent, the aptly named short took home Best English Film at an awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

The Nun Slayer follows the story of Donald Peartree, who has just been released from prison after 30 years of ‘false imprisonment’.

For three decades Donald had been living his dream as a globally notorious and feared serial killer, until new evidence proving his innocence came to light throwing his identity into turmoil.

The camera tracks his drive home with his new wife Ophelia, who is coming to terms with the fact her husband may not be the psychotic nun murderer she fell in love with.

With the credits playing out to Charles Manson’s Look at Your Game Girl, there was no end to the genius dark humour of the Nun Slayer.

Following the opening night, LSFF went on to showcase short films from the hard hitting to the all out bizarre as well as early comedy shorts of TV Burp icon Harry Hill in Holidays on Mars and walking tours of lost cultural venues.

But beneath the buzzing atmosphere and entertainment, LSFF acted as a timely reminder that there is no substitute for seeing films live, in a cinema, with an audience. 

Just this week the capital’s legendary home of cult film, The Prince Charles Cinema, announced its venue was under threat after its landlord imposed new terms on its lease.

Last year South London saw the doors of Bromley Picturehouse and Catford Mews – Lewisham’s only cinema – close permanently as a result of increasing operational costs and declining admissions.

LSFF would not be the same without the big screen and this year’s programme made sure to highlight the cost of these losses.

Pictured top: The Nun Slayer, Directed and Written by Ben Bovington-Key (Picture: LSFF)

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