The 2026 deadCenter Once in a Lifetime Shorts Capture the Most Intimate Stages of Life
Movies don’t just imitate life. They reflect it. The 2026 deadCenter Once in a Lifetime Shorts showcase the vibrance, wonder and challenges we all have faced (or inevitably will) through seven powerful short films.
The shorts block is playing on Friday, June 12th at 9 PM in the Harkins Bricktown theater, and Saturday, June 13th at 10 PM at OFX.
Clay
Once in a Lifetime kicks off strong with a familiar question: where do babies come from? Most probably don’t emerge from giant eggs like the one (Leonora Fellini) at the center of Kevin Haefelin’s “Clay,” but despite a sprinkling of magical realism, the short feels as whimsical as it is grounded.
Like a long-lost, slower sequence out of Ron Fricke’s Samsara, “Clay” explores the larger-than-life bustle of a city from the perspective of an infant. Not bound to any convention or traditional form of storytelling, “Clay” is an experience that begs us to take a little longer on our walks, count the cracks in the concrete and remember the euphoria we felt when everything was as fresh and unformed as we once were.
Hatchlings
It doesn’t take long for whimsy to become harder to find. Jahmil Eady’s “Hatchlings” follows Reese (Demi Singleton) and her younger stepbrother, Ty (Dominic Stephens). As her stepmom enters labor and rushes to the hospital with Reese’s dad, Reese reluctantly watches Ty, whose fascination with sea turtles and tortoises materializes in how he views his stepsister and the world at large.
Eady weaves metaphor expertly into his script. While Reese retracts and pulls away from her family, Ty sees every day as a new chance to swim through an ocean of discovery. Eventually, the short takes a painful and tragic turn, triggering meaningful and realistic character growth that can take other films hours to get right.
Learning to Eat Cake
Too often, our impression of someone is better than the person themselves. Juliette Strangio’s “Learning to Eat Cake” captures the sentiment succinctly as it does realistically. During her birthday, Tweety (Molly Ledbetter) opens up about a recent connection with Julian (Hayden Burke), a crush she had in high school. While charming, she quickly realizes he veers more on the side of fuck boy than hopeless romantic.
In other words, Tweety painfully realizes that no one can “have their cake and eat it, too,” especially in the era of dating apps. “Learning to Eat Cake” hurts in the best way possible and carries that momentum well with two powerful lead performances in Ledbetter and Burke.
Nervous Energy
Art demands sacrifice. And for Jay (Lucie Zhang) and Kiki (Sonia Yuan), that sacrifice could be their friendship. Eve Liu’s “Nervous Energy” captures their struggle, as a lackluster Q&A with a young director inspires both of them to carve their own path — though Jay might be just a bit more pushy.
Liu packs what almost feels like an impossible amount of ideas to chew on in a brisk 15 minutes, but none of it feels crammed or under-explored. “Nervous Energy” is one of those short films that clips by and unfolds the medium into something bigger than itself, while still leaving us wanting more. Think of it this way: Anyone who has even the faintest inclination to create art should watch “Nervous Energy.” (And keep an eye out for Liu’s career, too.)
He Brings the News (Il apporte la nouvelle)
The line between delusion and vision isn’t always clear. And when you mix a little weed with a lot of astrology, your perceived cosmic destiny could easily crash in the form of some good ol’ fashioned, terrestrial homicide.
John Selvidge’s “He Brings the News” follows a married couple (Zandy Hartig and Peter Anthony Seay). In an attempt to break the malaise of suburban life, the pair mistakes their mailman (Mason Giles) for a cosmic deity. “He Brings the News” is equally absurd, quirky, terrifying and oddly touching, while featuring one of the coolest props of the entire Once in a Lifetime block. And if it causes you to form a phobia of epoxy, feel free to direct your concerns toward the film’s producer (and Country Gold director), Mickey Reece.
Forcefield of Love
Even when we’ve been around the block for decades, life still has a lot to offer. Just take it from Dan and Doris Montgomery, the subjects of Liz Moskowitz and Riley Engemoen’s mini-doc, “Forcefield of Love.” After finding themselves widowed, Dan and Doris meet through an online dating service and discover they both still have plenty of gas left in their romantic (and sexual) tanks.
“Forcefield of Love” doesn’t have a particularly deep narrative. Rather, it’s more of an intimate portrait of two people and a reminder to live as your most authentic self until you literally can’t live any longer.
Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart
Sometimes, we don’t have a great chance to say goodbye. And maybe we shouldn’t. Julian Doan’s “Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart” takes some liberties with “Once in a Lifetime,” taking us just a few steps beyond the proverbial tomb. The short follows a young man (Jackie Tran) as he purchases an opportunity to bring his deceased father back to life for a brief conversation. The store’s owner (Hong Dao) clinically walks him through the experience, though the customer quickly realizes he’s bitten off more than he can chew.
“Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart” takes a unique twist on communing with the dead, and refrains from curling the monkey paw too hard. Rather, it’s about how we aren’t really prepared for that kind of encounter and how, ultimately, death is a conclusive chapter that none of us can meaningfully rewrite.
Find more deadCenter 2026 coverage like this at The Cinematropolis.
