Charge

A guide to short sci-fi and fantasy films

When the credits need to roll before the kettle goes on a second time, a short film gives the evening a different shape. These Blender films fit into a small window and still leave room for a whole world. Here is how to choose one by the kind of story you want.

For suspense, start with Charge

Watch the distance between the man and the factory in the opening of Charge. Before anyone speaks, the size of the building tells you who has the advantage. Once the man gets inside, a battery becomes the center of a chase. If you like science fiction that reveals its rules through objects and movement, start here. At roughly seven minutes, it also makes a good first half of a double feature.

For a bigger world, try Tears of Steel

Tears of Steel brings live actors into a ruined Amsterdam. The machinery is imposing, but the plan to save the city depends on two people revisiting an old conversation. Watch the faces as well as the skyline. Paired with Charge, the film offers a second take on a familiar science-fiction question. What happens when a machine becomes part of a very human problem?

For a complete change of pace, choose Sintel

Sintel trades metal and concrete for a dragon small enough to fit in someone’s arms. That first encounter gives the journey its purpose. Choose this one if you want the emotional sweep of a quest and have the full fifteen minutes to spare. Leave a little space after the ending before starting another film.

Build a two-film watchlist

Choose one title for tonight and save its companion for later. Pair Charge with Tears of Steel for contrasting visions of the future, or follow it with Spring to move from industrial noise to an alpine landscape. Use the genre filters below the spotlight to narrow the collection, then use the bookmark on a film to keep it in this browser.