Absurdity – “the quality or state of being ridiculous”. The ridiculous permeates this year’s selection of shorts that are meant to tickle the funny bone as life is looked at from a new angle, one which is obtuse enough to make us remember that laughter is the only remedy. Like all great comedies, all the shorts in this year’s selection all come from a place familiar to us all – moments of embarrassment, isolation or frustration which humans find themselves and try to combat a situation which would seem to be rife with the illogical. As much as any custard pie to the face or wordplay crackling with wit, it’s this fight against the nonsensical which we all find funny – and more than a little bit relatable.