Our Best Short Film winner will receive our custom Global Shorts statuette which we ship anywhere in the world, free of charge. The award is manufactured by Society Awards, the same awards company that manufactures the Golden Globe and the Emmy. All winners will receive our Global Shorts Winner laurels in black, white, and gold.
Title: Pogonophobia
Runtime: 15 min
Country: Ireland
Director: Thomas Ryan
Placement: Award of Excellence
Competition: September, 2020
Synopsis: Might sound funny, but there are people out there dealing with this bizarre affliction. CYRIL is one of those unfortunate few. He does not go out much, in fact he hardly leaves his apartment at all any more. In this golden age of hirsutism, the risk of having a beardy encounter is just too high.
His job as a computer games’ tester allows him to work from home and lose himself in a virtual reality. He feels safe in his tiny world and rigid routine. His cousin, SADIE, tries to get him out more, but he dodges her invitations. He does, however, know that something must be done….
Helping him talk through his issues is RITA, an online psychologist who specialises in unusual phobias. She is fighting her own battle in chemotherapy. She challenges Cyril to face his fear, but something is holding him back.
An act of hooliganism at Grand Canal Dock will change all that. When a late night shopping expedition turns into an aquatic survival situation, Cyril will find he owes his life to a bearded man called RAMAN. This transformative experience will enable Cyril to see whiskered men as people, not monsters, and give him the courage to grow a moustache for Movember.
