Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
Captured by the Los Angeles-based filmmakers Liv Layhee and Caydon LiRocchi during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Beautiful! (2020) follows the young couple as they face a potential unplanned pregnancy. Shot on VHS, the grainy home video aesthetic adds an intimate layer to the proceedings as the two take turns filming while they await life-altering news. The resulting short is distinctive in style and endearing in its honesty, capturing the drama that inherently accompanies such a pivotal moment, as well as the mix of humour, creativity and numerous cats that makes their relationship idiosyncratic.
Directors: Liv Layhee, Caydon LiRocchi
video
Subcultures
Drop into London’s eclectic skate scene, where newbies and old-timers find community
5 minutes
video
Technology and the self
A deepfake porn victim confronts the pain of having her likeness stolen and vandalised
19 minutes
video
Wellbeing
Born in China, Zee seeks a gender-affirming life in the American Midwest
11 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
video
Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
video
Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact
22 minutes