The 8th Annual Student Film Showcase will kick off a great summer at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Tuesday. The evening will feature 12 short films created by students from all across Canada. I've seen some pretty lame student films in my day, but these are the crème de la crème, and these students are all on their way to starting promising careers in the industry. All the films screen in one evening, but there are a few in particular that stand out. The following are five films to keep an eye out for at the TIFF Student Film Showcase.

Basic Space (Carrie-Anne Mombourquette, Emily Carr University of Art + Design)
Basic Space is cute and visually interesting. It does some cool stuff with paper-cut animation while telling a story about the need for personal space. Think of it as a take on what it's like to live with roommates in university.

Blink (Miles Jay, Ryerson University)
Blink has enough depth to be made into a feature length film. It demands your whole attention, (I actually watched it twice), as it prods at the issues surrounding technology, social media, and privacy - all hot topics right now. Plus, the fictional technology featured in the film is intriguing and maybe just a little scary .

Guilt, Or (Sarah Warren, University of Toronto)
Guilt, Or had me laughing out loud. It pokes fun at marriage and how couples can sometimes become too comfortable with each other. The husband in the film complains incessantly about his wife what their relationship has become while she is making something to eat in the kitchen. When she almost burns herself cooking, he hints that he might not be so unhappy after all.

My Name is Mitch (Michelle Yoon, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning)
This animated short addresses loneliness and self-acceptance. A misfit named Mitch can't seem to find his place in life and after continually getting rejected, he's ready to give up. He eventually decides, however, that maybe there's a place for him when he discovers that not everyone turns away.

Shuffleboard Kings (Chris Aitken, Capilano University)
Shuffleboard Kings is a quirky but sweet story. After losing his wife, the widowed Bert can't seem to move on and spends all his time mourning. Eventually, he ends up on a Shuffleboard team that's slated to compete against a team obnoxious, young bullies. In typical movie fashion, hilarity ensues, and in the end, he seems to find contentment.

The TIFF Annual Student Film Showcase will be held at 7:00pm on May 24 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or in person.

Still from Basic Space