Two Ships Short Film 2025: An animated shorts by McKinley Benson’s. A heartwarming tale of two vessels destined to meet at sea.
🚢💙 Two Ships Short Film (2025) — Animated Short Film by McKinley Benson
Love doesn’t always happen in grand gestures — sometimes it’s in the small, fleeting moments we steal from busy lives. Two Ships Short Film (2025) Animated Short Film, directed by McKinley Benson and co‑written with Mackenzie Benson, is a hand‑drawn 2D animated short about a couple navigating opposite schedules, trying to keep their relationship afloat in the spaces between.
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Animation · Romance · Slice‑of‑life 🎭
- Director: McKinley Benson 🎬
- Writer: Mackenzie Benson ✍️
- Runtime: ~7 minutes ⏱️
- Country: United States 🇺🇸
- Language: English (minimal dialogue)
- Release: 2025 (festival circuit)
- Style: Poetic · Minimalist · Intimate
Watch the Two Ships Short Film trailer:
📖 Story in Brief
- The Couple: Two partners deeply in love but caught in the grind of opposite work shifts.
- The Struggle: Their lives rarely overlap — one leaves as the other returns.
- The Moments: Shared breakfasts, late‑night texts, and brief touches become their lifeline.
- The Metaphor: Like “ships passing in the night,” their love survives in fragments.
- The Resolution: The film closes on a tender note — love isn’t about constant presence, but about choosing to show up, even in small ways.
Short Film Information
I. Specifications
- Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance
- Technique: 2D Frame-by-Frame Animation
- Runtime: 06:50
- Country: Portugal, United States
- Year: 2025
- Production Companies: COLA Animation, Room 330
- Distribution: Selected Films
II. Crew
- Director: McKinley Benson
- Writers: McKinley Benson, Mackenzie Benson
- Producers: Bruno Caetano, Mackenzie Benson
- Executive Producer: Jodi Benson
- Animation Director: Ala Nunu
- Animation Lead: Olga Branska
- Animators: Ana Iutes, Ala Nunu, Bofan Liu
- Coloring: Jakub Kaczmarek, David Mateus
- Art Director: Priya Kakati
- Background Design: Leah Chun
- Layouts: Priya Kakati
- Compositor: Luís Soares
- Music: Zach Pelham, Mason Palanti
- Sound Design: Jérémy Ben Ammar
- Editor: McKinley Benson
III. Awards and Selections
A. Awards
- Best Story — Animayo Film Festival*
- Director’s Choice Award — Thomas Edison Film Festival*
- Best Director — Via dei Corti Film Festival
- Best International Short Film — Quito International Film Festival
- Best Animated or Experimental Short — Gibara International Film Festival
- Audience Award and Honorable Mention — Charlotte Film Festival
- Audience Award — Animation Nights New York
- Best Screenplay — Almeria International Film Festival
- Ermanno Olmi Award — 3rd Prize
B. Key Selections (*indicates selection with award win)
- Sydney Film Festival*
- Guadalajara International Film Festival*
- HollyShorts Film Festival*
- Edmonton International Film Festival*
- Bengaluru International Short Film Festival*
- Lebu International Film Festival*
- Tehran International Short Film Festival*
C. Other Film Festival Selections
- Belalcázar International Film Festival
- Newport Beach Film Festival
- Kyiv International Film Festival ‘Molodist’
- Animafilm International Animation Festival
- Thessaloniki Animation Festival
- Animix Film Festival
- Weird Market
- Chaniartoon International Animation Festival
- Cortogenia International Short Film Festival
- Cortoons Film Festival
- Sedicicorto International Film Festival
- Vila-seca International Film Festival
- Banjaluka International Animated Film Festival
- Ànima Jove Fest
- Tindirindis International Animation Film Festival
- Galdar International Film Festival
- Butoni Film Fest
- Animalcoi Animation Festival
- Itaiópolis International Animation Festival
- Calibélula Animation Festival
- MonFilmFest
- Animaevka International Festival of Animation
- Ponferrada International Film Festival
- Up-and-Coming International Film Festival
- Exground Film Festival
- Almería International Film Festival
- Girona Film Festival
- Minsk International Film Festival
- Animacción International Animation Festival
- Multifest International Film Festival
- Festival Du Film D’Animation Pour La Jeunesse
- Piñel de Arriba Short Film Competition
🎨 Creative DNA & Style
- Hand‑drawn animation: Soft lines and warm palettes create intimacy.
- Visual poetry: Everyday objects — clocks, coffee cups, doorways — become symbols of longing.
- Silence as dialogue: Pauses and gestures carry more weight than words.
- Atmosphere: Gentle pacing mirrors the rhythm of real relationships.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Love in fragments: How relationships survive on small rituals.
- Time & distance: The challenge of modern schedules.
- Tender resilience: Choosing connection even when life pulls you apart.
- Universality: Speaks to anyone who’s balanced love with work, distance, or time.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Relatable: Captures the reality of modern relationships.
- 🎨 Artistic style: Hand‑drawn visuals feel personal and timeless.
- 💬 Emotional honesty: Focuses on intimacy rather than spectacle.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more of their story.
- 🌀 Minimal plot: Relies on mood and metaphor, not dramatic twists.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
Two Ships Short Film (twoshipsmovie.com) is a love letter to the quiet resilience of relationships. McKinley Benson shows us that intimacy isn’t about constant presence — it’s about cherishing the small, imperfect moments that keep love alive. It’s a short that feels like a whispered poem, reminding us that even when life turns lovers into “Two Ships Short Film,” they can still find ways to sail together.
🔍 Find More & Watch
- FilmFreeway listing — synopsis and festival details
- IMDb page for Two Ships Short Film — credits and release info