Sand (Dutch title: Zand)

I am no expert when it comes to short films. I admit as much. I do feel versed enough to make a healthy, functional critique of the form. There are some elements of short films that make it a unique form. For one, short films are often lower-budget which both limits and frees the features of the medium. It means films are often simpler, more character based but also encourages innovation for filmmakers who want to achieve certain imagery but do not have the financial means. Shorts often have to achieve their goal in a shorter (no terribly bad pun intended) time, which is difficult to do and a credit to filmmakers.
Sand (Zand) is the story of Luke, a divorced but goodhearted father to Isabel, who bonds with his daughter while working his sand trucking job. Director Joost van Ginkel does an excellent job developing a father-daughter relationship that is as beautiful as it is tragic. Luke is the kind of father every child should have, but unfortunately not every child gets. Isabel's mother is not as kind, and when Luke discovers this, he makes a poor long-term decision which leads to a wonderful short-term joy as he and Isabel spend a night together. van Ginkel does a tremendous job building up the emotional connections so that every pain that Luke feels, the viewer feels just the same. This is an excellent work where a human relationship can be an artistic narrative and not simply the latter.
Short films are a wonderfully versatile version of pictures. They can be done like extended music videos, short stories, or more expansive commercials. Sometimes even as one chapter of a larger story. The options for how to make a short film are, quite honestly, greater than a feature length. Not to mention, if you're strapped for time they're, well, shorter.
Sand (Zand)
DIRECTOR Joost van Ginkel, Netherlands, 2008, 21 MIN
When Luuk, a goodhearted father, discovers a horrific secret about his daughter he slowly loses control. Zand is a compelling and romantic story about Luuk and his daughter Isabel who both like the feel of sand.