Tears That Did Not Arrive on Cue
For a feature about an old workshop closing, a film crew asks a worker to repeat his final exit. When they also request the right emotion, the farewell stops belonging to the people on camera.
SHORT FICTION, YOUR CHOICE
Behind the perfect public image
Receptions, portraits, and headlines let characters choose how others see them. Trouble begins when a detail they tried to leave out comes back into the frame.
Jam from an Orchard That Wasn't There
A market seller is invited to demonstrate how the family jam is made. The problem is that they have bought it ready made for months while the labels tell another story.
The Album Without a Bride and Groom
A photographer lends a colleague her images for a presentation. Soon she hears from a couple who believe he photographed their wedding.
The Man They Called Faithful
After a televised confession, the whole town celebrates a devoted husband. In the editing room, one woman recognizes the lines she once heard at her own dinner table.
The Painting He Could Not Buy
A wealthy host commissions a portrait of the perfect marriage. The artist asks for an ordinary conversation that his money has spent years avoiding in front of guests and family.
A Circle of Important People
A photograph from a reception sparks rumors of a love triangle, while three people from different social circles are actually trying to borrow one another's status.
A Scandal Ordered for Monday
No one finds Nera's novel scandalous enough. Her editor commissions a public denunciation, but the planned uproar soon threatens the marriage of someone who never agreed to participate.
A Portrait Without Softer Light
A photographer must portray an influential man whose daughter he loves. When accusations emerge against her father, choosing a photograph becomes a question of their own honesty.
A Man for the Front Page
A local hero gets the chance to become the public face of a respected organization. Only his partner knows how he acquired the money sustaining his carefully built reputation.
Who benefits from the story the public accepts?
Compare two stories from this selection. The same motif need not lead to the same decision.
More questions for conversation ↗