BAFTA SHORTS 2026

Fans of short films will have the chance to see an intimate diary by photographer Georgie Wileman, who lifts the veil of silence surrounding the painful condition of endometriosis. THIS IS ENDOMETRIOSIS presents archival footage and reconstructed memories of her daily life and her struggle with a disease that has been downplayed for years, even by the medical community.

The programme also includes Huiju Park’s documentary WELCOME HOME FRECKLES, which follows the director’s return to her hometown in South Korea to confront her parents, whilst drawing on the rich visual language of Asian cinema. Park exposes the brutal truth about the mechanisms of domestic violence, ingrained in her family for generations, which she finally resolves to eradicate.

Fans of the series THE BEAR will find the same culinary adrenaline rush in Luis Hindman’s claustrophobic, immersive MAGID / ZAFAR. The director tells the story of the frantic work at a Pakistani takeaway restaurant, emphasising the context of migrant identity.

The title character in TERENCE (dir. Edem Kelman), meanwhile, represents the African diaspora – he works as an empathetic, quiet security guard at a shopping centre with an extraordinary gift, which he shares with his community. However, he is unable to heal his own wounds inflicted within his family circle, a fact perfectly illustrated by Terence Nzaji Egnie’s beautiful performance.

Kathryn Ferguson adapts the short story NOSTALGIE about a has-been pop star invited to perform in Northern Ireland, where he makes a disturbing discovery. It is a visual gem featuring an outstanding lead performance by Aidan Gillen, exploring the transformation of music into a tool of violence and the artist’s moral responsibility.

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Text: Michał Sołtysek