If we didn’t know it was the reality of the present day, one would swear that 2020 is a work of dystopian fiction. Contagion sweeps the world, technology takes over and the oppressors take the reins of power. But despite the fact that we seemingly live in a “New Bad Future”, sci-fi and fantasy still has an important role to play.

Great sci-fi and fantasy serves two functions. One the one hand it provides superlative entertainment, through fantastical stories and (often) through judicious use of special effects. But it also becomes a prism through which real world concerns are filtered as well as a tantalising look at what the future can hold.

All the films in this selection fulfil both roles admirable as the shorts on offer look at times and places that both seem eerily distant yet close to the world that we know. With some remarkable technical achievements that breathe life into these worlds, alongside some engrossing stories, the future may be uncertain but there are still glimmers of hope in these brave new worlds.