Fun fact: It’ll take longer to read my NOW coverage of the Canadian Film Centre’s 2009 Worldwide Short Film Festival than it takes to watch most of the movies.

But it’s totally worth it, surely. How else will you find little gems like “Heart of Karl” (pictured at right) amidst the sea of entries? Or Natalie Portman’s subtle “Eve”, or Olivier Hens’ tragic “Nous”, or Nick Park’s latest Wallace & Gromit entry, “A Matter of Loaf and Death”?

Okay, the last one was going to rise to the top regardless. But the other stuff needed a little push.