Fresh off its win for Best British Short Film at the 2025 BAFTAs, Rock, Paper, Scissors has emerged as one of the most powerful short films of the year and it’s now poised for even greater acclaim with its official selection for the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. Directed by Franz Böhm and produced by Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer, the 21-minute war drama is a raw, unflinching portrayal of life on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict. Set to screen at the legendary TCL Chinese Theatres this August, the film continues to gather momentum as a global cinematic force.

Fresh off its win for Best British Short Film at the 2025 BAFTAs, Rock, Paper, Scissors has emerged as one of the most powerful short films of the year

Set against the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rock, Paper, Scissors tells the story of a father and son who run a makeshift hospital on the frontlines, only to have their world shattered by the sudden arrival of Russian troops. What follows is a harrowing, deeply intimate portrait of survival under siege. Based on a true story and created in close collaboration with Ukrainian communities, the film doesn’t just depict war it feels embedded within it. Every scene hums with tension, realism, and emotional weight, grounding the narrative in truth rather than spectacle.

Every scene hums with tension, realism, and emotional weight, grounding the narrative in truth rather than spectacle.

Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Rudynskyi gives a quiet, devastating performance, anchoring the film in human vulnerability rather than heroics. Shot with handheld immediacy by cinematographer Sunshine Hsien Yu Niu and using vintage lenses supplied by Oscar-winner Greig Fraser ASC ACS, the film’s aesthetic channels the visceral urgency of Son of Saul and the emotional gravity of All Quiet on the Western Front. The result is a work of cinematic realism that eschews gloss in favor of stark honesty.

At the heart of the film is a single, sobering idea: that in war, heroism often comes not from grand gestures, but from the refusal to stand by and do nothing. It’s a theme echoed in every frame — from the silent courage of the characters to the chaos that surrounds them. Director Franz Böhm calls the film “a tribute to real people living through hell and fighting for hope.” That sentiment permeates every second of screen time.

Crucial to the film’s impact is producer Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer, whose own experiences lend Rock, Paper, Scissors authenticity. A BAFTA Kirsh Scholar and Toledo Scholar, and graduate of the National Film and Television School, Hoozeer spent time on the ground in Ukraine during active bombardments. His production company, WHO’S HERE? PRODUCTIONS, specializes in emotionally resonant, large-scale storytelling, cinema with both heart and ambition. Hoozeer’s deep personal ties to those displaced by the war shaped the film’s narrative integrity and emotional clarity.

Crucial to the film’s impact is producer Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer

Selected from thousands of international entries, Rock, Paper, Scissors will screen as part of HollyShorts’ prestigious British Shorts showcase, a platform for the most distinctive voices in UK cinema. With BAFTA recognition already under its belt and Oscar qualification now in reach, the film continues to build critical momentum.

With BAFTA recognition already under its belt and Oscar qualification now in reach, the film continues to build critical momentum.

In a cinematic landscape often defined by escapism, Rock, Paper, Scissors offers something else entirely: confrontation, humanity, and truth. It’s not just a film, it’s a living record of resistance, a reminder of the quiet strength it takes to survive in the face of brutality. As war continues to unfold in Ukraine, this film feels not only timely, but necessary.