Short Film AFIN 347
EMPATHY REHEARSALS
Directed by 
Jacopo Cullin
AFIN 2026 Nominee · 2 nominations
- 2026
- 20m
-
Italy - Italian
- PG
- Drama
Stills
6 frames Nominee
Best International Short Film
Antro Film
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Credits
Written by
Produced by
- Antro Film
Starring
Cinematography
Editing
Music & Sound
Production Company
- Antro Film
Synopsis
Tommy is the school bully, convinced that strength and fear are the only ways to earn respect.After yet another act of aggression, the principal forces him to attend a theater workshop.There, he meets classmates he once ignored and, through acting exercises, is pushed to step into their shoes.Facing those he hurt and confronting his own vulnerabilities gradually changes how he sees himself and others.Through struggle and discovery, Tommy takes his first uncertain steps toward empathy.
On the nomination
A teenage bully is forced to attend a theatre workshop and, through confrontation with those he has hurt, discovers the value of empathy and responsibility.
What makes this one special
- Australian PremiereThe filmmaker tells us this is where it happens
- Nominated in 2 AFIN categoriesBest International Short Film · Best Youth Performance
From the Judges
From the Judges
A theatre workshop becomes the setting for a young protagonist's shift in perspective, and the ensemble of children at its centre feels wholly real, each one drawn with an identity of their own. Lighting, blocking and framing carry the emotion in subtext, so much of the feeling arrives through faces rather than words; a midway montage of theatre exercises is genuinely touching. Assured direction and a warm, original score hold this coming-of-age story together around its thesis on empathy.
Festival note
Felipe DianaBest Youth Performance
Felipe Diana delivered a truly brutal antagonist performance that is equally impressive to watch in his character’s journey to redemption.
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EMPATHY REHEARSALS was an official Nominee for Best International Short Film and Best Youth Performance at the AFIN International Film Festival 2026, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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