20 Best Short Movies on Netflix Right Now – Netflix has acquired and made available on its website nearly every format associated with films and television episodes. So it’s no surprise that they have a sizable selection of short films, films that are significantly shorter than typical feature-length movies and documentaries. So, if you’re looking for something quick and great to see, these films are for you. Here is a list of the best Netflix short films. Several of these best short films are also available on YouTube, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
20. All in my Family (2019)
The story, created, written, and directed by Hao Wu, is a personal narrative of his family’s acceptance of his same-sex marriage and the birth of his own children. Hao Wu is a filmmaker of Chinese ancestry, and his family is traditional; opening up to them about his life in America was not easy. This 40-minute short film sheds light on his personal journey. When long-held traditions are questioned, it is difficult to break free from the framework that defines our thinking. It’s a long and difficult road from that first jolt of truth to finally rationalizing and accepting change. Hao Wu’s genuine and honest journey takes us through all of those stages as he introduces his American family, complete with children, to his traditional Chinese family.
19. The Claudia Kishi Club (2020)
Claudia Kishi is a fictitious character in Ann M. Martin’s 1980s book series ‘Baby-Sitters Club.’ Claudia Kishi could be considered one of the first popular cultural representations of a character of Asian ancestry. At the time, few such figures were viewed devoid of stereotypes. Many girls from eastern cultures identified with her character and were motivated to see themselves in a new light. This video features interviews with numerous people who grew up reading the ‘Baby-Sitters Club’ books and discuss how the character, Claudia Kishi, influenced their life.
18. ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff?
ReMastered is a Netflix original documentary series that explores the pivotal events in the life of an artist. This episode is based on Bob Marley, a reggae pioneer and one of the best-selling performers of all time. The documentary focuses on Bob Marley’s attempted assassination in 1976. He was caught in the crossfire between the conservative Jamaica Labour Party of Edward Seaga and the social-democratic People’s National Party of Micheal Manley. This documentary explores Seaga’s and the CIA’s alleged participation in the attempted assassination of Bob Marley, who survived the attack with minor injuries to his arm and chest.
17. Ram Dass, Going Home (2018)
In Derek Peck’s documentary, we meet Baba Ram Dass, an American spiritual guru nearing the end of his life. This documentary is worth viewing because it depicts the tranquil and gradual path of a graceful and poised guy coming to grips with his own inevitable fate. Peck portrays Ram Dass in a compassionate and respectful light, rather than as a larger-than-life figure. The short video focuses on his life at home on Maui, where he had lived after having a stroke twenty years ago. In his final years, Ram Dass discusses the importance of love and strengthens his spiritual practice.
16. ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads (2019)
Robert Johnson, probably the most enigmatic and secretive member of the 27 Club, became one of the most significant effects on generations of musicians. Because of his otherworldly talent, the blues musician becomes the center of discussion, with others believing that he may have sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his musical abilities. He created only 29 songs in his 27-year life and became one of the best guitarists of his time; he shaped following musical styles. This film aims to shed more light on Johnson as a person and his musical journey.
15. What Would Sophia Loren Do? (2021)
‘What Would Sophia Loren Do?’ is a short documentary directed by Ross Kauffman. The film primarily follows the life of an Italian American mother and grandmother who has always admired actress Sophia Loren and has found courage and joy in her work. The documentary reveals the unexpected influence that superstars often have on their admirers who live thousands of miles away and have never met them or their circumstances.
14. Lorena, Light-Footed Woman (2019)
This Mexican documentary, filmed by Juan Carlos Rulfo and originally in Spanish, is about long-distance runner Lorena Ramirez. Lorena is a member of the Raramuri group from the Chihuahua region of Mexico, and she embodies what her people are known for: long-distance running. “Raramuri” means “light-footed,” and this is something the community takes pride in. Lorena’s seemingly superhuman capacity to run unusually long marathons, even up to 100 kilometers, in her traditional costume of floral skirt and sandals is astounding. The half-hour documentary is an entertaining portrayal of a female athlete who stays true to her background as well as the indigenous community from which she originates.
13. The Trader (2018)
What if you happen to come upon a region where potatoes are the only currency? What if money isn’t worth as much as potatoes? This may sound amusing, but the winner of the Sundance jury award for nonfiction is far from amusing. It portrays the story of Georgia, a country engulfed in poverty and hopelessness. People are suffering from starvation, a lack of jobs, and a shortage of currency to continue their existence, and there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel. This heartbreaking story is both long and short enough to keep you in a deep hole of hollowness for a while.
12. ReMastered: Tricky Dick & the Man in Black (2018)
This short film depicts the relationship between American President Richard Nixon and Johnny Cash, the country music sensation during one of America’s most turbulent periods. The documentary, which lasts about an hour, tells the story of how Johnny Cash was invited to perform at The White House. Although Nixon discovers a common thread connecting the two of them and their life journeys, we watch Cash begin to move in the opposite direction metaphorically. This documentary sheds light on the significance of art and its influence in the real world; it depicts the intertwining of music and politics. What jumps out most about the picture is its setting, with its conflicting viewpoints on the Vietnam War and battles between the establishment and the counterculture.
11. End Game (2018)
‘End Game,’ directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, is a short documentary film. The film focuses on medical practitioners, especially from San Francisco, who are attempting to transform public perceptions of death and life in general by providing their patients with more than just palliative care but also fresh perspectives on life. Naturally focusing on terminally ill individuals, the documentary provides an emotive and affecting perspective on some of life’s most pivotal moments and the long-term ramifications of choices made in them. So, if you’re seeking for something to watch that will give you a fresh perspective on life, ‘End Game’ might be the correct decision for you.
10. Fire in Paradise (2019)
In 2018, the community of Paradise in California experienced the state’s deadliest fire. Through personal interviews and firsthand footage of the accident, directors Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper explore the disaster through the perspective of survivors and emergency responders. The fire killed 85 people and devastated the town of Paradise, making it the state of California’s deadliest fire of the century. After winning the Audience Award for Best Short Picture at the Hamptons International Film Festival, this film became a strong contender for the Academy Awards.
9. Extremis (2016)
This award-winning short documentary is as authentic as it gets. It narrates the life-or-death decisions made by families of patients on the approach of death. As a documentary, it convincingly conveys feelings of vulnerability, indecision, and the agony of losing loved ones. We see the inner tensions of doctors, nurses, and support personnel, the execution of terminally ill people’s right to die in a dignified manner in many forms, and the sad realities that families endure during those moments.
8. Zion (2018)
Zion is the most recent addition to this list. It is a wonderful inspirational story about Zion Clark, who was born without legs and was raised in foster care. He was drifted from one foster home to another over his growing years, abandoned by his mother, and suffered a great degree of mistreatment and hatred from everyone around him. But that didn’t stop him from trying to make the most of his life and abilities. The story delivers a punch in its 11-minute running duration, and Zion’s emotional resiliency is inspiring.
7. Resurface (2017)
Director Josh Izenberg has created a poignant story about military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The short video tells the experience of Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane, who is suffering from severe depression and suicide ideation after being discharged from the service. He wants to cross one item off his bucket list before committing suicide, and that is to go surfing. But, as fate would have it, surfing altered his outlook on life and his mental state. Much of this is due to the therapeutic qualities of surfing as well as the serene character of the big ocean itself. The film has both research-based information and an emotional connection to these devastated war heroes.
6. Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower (2017)
This is one docudrama you should not miss out on while browsing Netflix’s limitless selection. ‘Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower’ depicts the story of Joshua Wong, a 14-year-old Hong Kong boy who faced up to the vast Chinese Communist government. The Chinese conquered Hong Kong in 1997, but it was promised autonomy in the near future. The promise, however, diminished with time and was eventually obliterated with the advent of Pro-Communist courses in Hong Kong schools. This is where Joshua enters the picture. He and other like-minded individuals banded together to abolish propaganda-based teachings and to remind China of its lost pledge. A poignant and thought-provoking documentary exploring the nature of dissent in the face of a Leviathan-like structure.
5. The Speed Cubers (2020)
‘Speed Cubers,’ a documentary co-produced and directed by Sue Kim, stars Max Park and Feliks Zemdegs. The competitive world of speed-cubing, which has become a global phenomenon in recent decades, is the film’s principal focus. Feliks Zemdegs dominated the sport for many years and established himself as the greatest of all time until a lesser-known competitor from California won the Gold medal in 2017. The unexpected victory created a competition and camaraderie between the world’s two fastest cubers, which is the focus of the entire documentary. ‘The Speed Cubers’ provides important insight into the Rubik’s Cube-solving champions’ adventures and the obstacles they face in the future.
4. Heroin(e) (2017)
This is a story about a very specific issue in today’s American society, one that has major ramifications for the fabric of American society in the future: the opioid crisis. The rapid surge in opioid drug consumption in the United States has made life difficult for some areas, none more so than Huntington, West Virginia, where the rate of overdose is nearly ten times greater than the national average. The title is a tribute to three strong ladies in the neighborhood who are doing everything they can to combat this growing problem. It’s really emotional and puts light on a critical problem that has afflicted today’s America.
3. The White Helmets (2016)
Almost everyone is aware of the misery of war-torn Syria and its residents’ lives in hell, thanks to global media and the wonders of the internet. When we observe the enormity of human destruction, we may also see how average civilians rekindle our confidence in humanity. The white helmets represent the Bravehearts who worked valiantly to rescue people from the rubbles of Aleppo, Syria. A true-life documentary about the triumph of destruction over humanity and the charitable acts of people caught in the crossfire.
2. Period. End of Sentence. (2019)
This Oscar-winning documentary is based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who was a driving force in India’s menstrual hygiene movement. The setting for this video is the North Indian village of Hapur, where women have no access to menstrual hygiene supplies. Many adolescent girls drop out of school due to a lack of access to basics and the stigma associated with menstruation. When a sanitary pad vending machine is placed in the community and the women learn to produce and market the pads they make, everything changes. Rayka Zehtabchi directed and Guneet Monga produced this uplifting drama for the big screen.
1. Out of Many, One (2018)
‘Out of Many, One,’ a documentary film directed by John Hoffman and Nanfu Wang for Netflix, shines light on the country’s deep-rooted socio-political tensions and provides a much-needed look into immigration politics. Around one in every five immigrants worldwide picked America as their home, demonstrating the country’s uniqueness and the promise of a better life that it provides. Moving to another country, on the other hand, presents its own set of obstacles, which are exacerbated by domestic politics.