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A short look at how a simple smile can lead to danger and terror. Birdie is a short film made by filmmaker Shelly Lauman, the next film debuted as part of Fox Searchlight's new online initiative called "Searchlight Shorts". A woman walks alone to the train station. As she descends the stairs to the underground platform she smiles at a young man, and he smiles back. With the smallest of gestures, the woman becomes caught in a subtle and sinister game. Maeve Dermody stars, with Sam Parsonson, Joshua Brennan, Lynette Curran, and Eden Falk. This simple but powerful short film utilizes the Academy aspect ratio of 1.37:1, and plays without any real dialogue. It's an example of how bad it is out there for women, how aggressive men can be, and how the tiniest of kind gestures can be misconstrued as an invitation. Watch in full below. Birdie is...

Dop Anna Howard and Shelly Lauman (Photo: Nicholas Prokop).

Writer-director Shelly Lauman hopes to secure Us representation and support for her first feature after Fox Searchlight acquired worldwide rights to her short film Birdie.

After the deal was announced at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Birdie screened in the Short Cuts competition, Lauman is spending a week in Los Angeles meeting with producers, managers and other industry contacts.

Produced by Lizzie Cater, Birdie had its first international screening in Toronto following the world premiere at Miff.

Funded by the inaugural $20,000 Australian Directors Guild/Metro Screen Production Fellowship, the psychological thriller follows a young woman who meets a man as she descends the stairs to an underground platform, leading to a subtle and sinister game.

Starring Maeve Dermody, Sam Parsonson, Joshua Brennan, Eden Falk and Lynette Curran, Birdie was one of two shorts acquired by Fox Searchlight in Toronto; the...

Flickerfest has revealed the 53 films selected to screen as part of the festival's competitive program in its 25th anniversary year.

The films were chosen from more than 2300 entries.

This year.s official Australian Competition features 18 world premieres, six Australian premieres and 10 Nsw premieres..

Twenty-one female directors are represented across the official Australian competition.

The best of the australian films will be shown over seven sessions.

They will be competing for prizes across all areas of the filmmaking craft including the Academy Accredited Virgin Australia Award for Best Australian Film, the Canon Award for Best Direction and the Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian Animation.

Flickerfest is Australia.s only Academy accredited and BAFTA recognised festvial and runs from Friday January 8-17. .

Festival director Bronwyn Kidd, steering her 19th festival, said she was thrilled that Flickerfest was once again a platform for the Australia's most exciting, creative and talented short filmmakers.