Spring Season / 1st Quarterly Qualifier

SDSFF Narrative Short Films: Comedy

Available in 00d 02h 26m 09s
Available March 28, 2026 1:00 AM UTC
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A collection of narrative short films (in the Comedy genre) in contention for official selection, nomination as Quarterfinalist for both genre and technical categories. One will win the Quarter Final and be named BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM of the 1st Quarter of 2026! Audience Choice balloting is open. Your vote counts!

Phil’s Day Off - Phil's Off Day is a short, symbolic character study told in two movements that contrast. What begins as a fast silent comedy slows into color and dramatic stillness, revealing the weight behind the laughter. The tone is playful on the surface, inspired by silent-era physical comedy, but the rhythm of the movement is relentless. Phil is always moving, always reacting, always recovering — yet never arriving anywhere meaningful. The speed exaggerates how life can feel when it becomes a series of uncontrollable mishaps. The humor masks exhaustion. The end of the film slows to real time and shifts into color. The chaos has ended. For the first time, he is still. He sits quietly on the edge of the dock revealing a major storyline shift. The mood then turns serious.

  • Year
    2026
  • Runtime
    4:17
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    United States
  • Genre
    Comedy
  • Content Warning
    Mental Health / Suicide
  • Director
    Ashley Billington
  • Screenwriter
    Ashley Billington
  • Producer
    Ashley Billington
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