HollyShorts 2024: 5 Documentaries to Watch

While the lineup announcements of the fall festivals give Oscar-watchers a preview of the awards season to come, another kind of Oscar buzz is building in the form of the HollyShorts Film Festival. Now in its 20th year, this highly-regarded Los Angeles festival unveils over 400 short films vying for the top prizes and perhaps most importantly, Oscar qualification for Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short. Once again, Awards Radar will be giving you the scoop on some of the highlights of the fest, which runs from August 8 to 18. First up, we take a look at some of the compelling documentaries.

Alok

Social justice is at the heart of one of this year’s most thoughtful documentaries Alok, which paints an inspiring portrait of its titular subject and their activism. From its initial focus on issues surrounding transphobia, Alex Hedison’s film thereafter draws a sobering connection to other far-reaching human rights issues, as explained by Alok and their queer allies from around the world. Evoking the brilliance, complexity and beauty of Alok’s non-binary perspective, it sends a resonant message of embracing love and understanding to combat hate.

Depression is a Beast

For some, comparisons between horror films and depression may seem facile. But this proves to be a powerful coping mechanism for Jenna Kanell in Depression is a Beast, in which the actor navigates her struggles with depression through the familiar landscape of horror filmmaking. Taking its cues from the genre’s tropes, director Courtney Dixon runs wild with the analogy of depression as a monster lurking in the shadows. The result is a visually stylish film that will cause you to rethink your perceptions of depression.

How to Sue the Klan

Although current events may cause you to be cynical about humanity’s ability to defeat racism, history serves as a guide for us to keep the faith. One such triumph over bigotry is documented in How to Sue the Klan, directed by John Beder. This engrossing film recalls the landmark court case in the aftermath of Ku Klux Klan-instigated violence towards a group of older Black women, who became known as the Chattanooga Five. And as it details their fight for justice through striking archival material and personal testimonies, it is at once harrowing and soul-stirring.

Untouchable: Traffickers, Buyers, and the Kids They Exploit

The dark underworld of sex trafficking is surely one of the more unsettling types of organized crime, especially when it involves children. In Untouchable: Traffickers, Buyers, and the Kids They Exploit, filmmaker Morgan Perry shines a light on this harsh reality, crafting a shocking but sensitive exposé on this rising global crisis. Packing a wealth of information into its tidy 30 minutes, this film delves into the psychology and startling statistics of child prostitution and pornography, including interviews with victims, pimps and the wayward men who procure their services.

Whitney Houston in Focus

Across TV and film, there has been no shortage of works aiming to definitively elucidate the life, artistry and untimely death of Whitney Houston. The latest effort to attempt this feat is Benjamin Alfonsi’s Whitney Houston in Focus, which offers a unique perspective on Houston’s persona. The film features author and photographer Bette Marshall as she elaborates on her book Young Whitney: Stories and Photographs. Complimented by delicate narration from Audra McDonald, Whitney Houston in Focus reframes Houston’s image, treating viewers to precious, pre-fame memories of the bright-eyed teen who was affectionately known as Nippy.

HollyShorts 2024 screenings take place in person at the TCL Chinese Theatre and virtually through BITPIX from August 8-18.