about

Night of Shorts was founded in 2021 by Marian McColm and Rachel Groat. They wanted to make a film festival that was made by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Their goal was to create an event to get the film community together to celebrate some of the amazing art that is being made right here in the Bay Area. The team is excited to announce that in 2023, Night of Shorts officially became a nonprofit!

What inspired Night of Shorts?

After the pandemic, co-founders Marian and Rachel both wanted an in-person premiere of their short film: Working It Out: A Jazzercise Fantasy. Being that the short is only 3 minutes long (a short-short, if you will), they knew they needed some other films to round out the night. They reached out to their local film community, and thus the first Night of Shorts was born. What started as just a screening for fun, turned into a giant wrap party that the Bay Area film community didn’t know they needed.

Where does Night of Shorts take place?

We host Night of Shorts in Berkeley at Ciel Creative Space!

Why the disco balls?

We wanted to honor our original short that started it all - Working It Out: A Jazzercise Fantasy! Also, they’re magical.