Manhattan Short, established in 1988, is a worldwide film festival that concurrently brings films from 10 countries all across the globe to over 500 local theaters. The festival declares its winner from audience voting after viewing the free festival screenings all around the world, leading to the festival being proclaimed within the cinema community as one of the most people-powered film festivals in the world.<\/p>\n
2026\u2019s festival includes 10 Oscar-eligible short films, all from different creators representing different countries, including America, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Moldova, Russia, Cuba, Georgia, Hungary, and Mexico.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wayne State Alum and Manager of the Music, Arts and Literature Department at the Detroit Public Library, Cully Summers, is the lead on bringing the Manhattan Short to DPL. The DPL is just one of Michigan\u2019s 22 screening venues across the state. Due to the sheer number of venues screening the festival in Michigan, it is one of the states with the most theatre participation, second only to New York.<\/p>\n
Summers said the festival and other local DPL screenings are great ways to provide inspiration and give a platform to those who are trying to make a career of filmmaking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAny new opportunity for aspiring filmmakers \u2026 there aren’t always venues for them, so (it\u2019s important) for us to be another stop and for someone to see it (the festival)\u00a0 and think \u2018I could do that,\u2019\u201d Summers said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not only is this Summers\u2019 belief, but it’s one of the driving forces of the festival itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nicholas Mason, the founding director of Manhattan Short, created it with the purpose of providing a platform for aspiring filmmakers from across the world. Manhattan Short is about more than just awards and competition; it’s about getting visibility for the hard work of the artists behind the projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is an aspect of the festival audiences get a glimpse of as a short introduction made by the filmmakers introduces themselves and the passion for their work before each film is played. This provides creators like Kat Butterfield (UK) and Daniel Audritt (UK), directors of this year’s winning film \u201cLife Goes On,\u201d a chance to get more exposure as the driving artistic force behind the project.\u00a0<\/p>\n
WSU assistant professor and experienced film festival committee member Paul Echeverria said the film community is growing in the city because of these festivals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a growing list of festivals and events that are taking place in the city of Detroit. These screenings bring filmmakers and audiences together to celebrate an ongoing passion for cinema,\u201d Echeverria said.<\/p>\n
The festival runs for only one week, typically late September to early October, with in-person voting slips provided at every screening. This year\u2019s winning short film \u201cLife Goes On\u201d was announced Oct. 5 on the Manhattan Short website<\/a>.<\/p>\n