In just a few hours of sitting time folks attending this annual Charlotte fest will watch 19 films from 15 countries. The films — 15 minutes long or less — were each critically viewed by the festival organizers, who receive and weed through hundreds of submissions every year.

Transmission, a chilling Australian short by Zak Hilditch, is among those to be screened this year. In the film, a father and daughter struggle to survive in the outback after a bio-apocalypse has left them searching for safety. Sure, the short — shot prior to a full feature-length film centered on the same theme — sounds similar to Cormac McCarthy's The Road, but how can you argue with Aussie accents? For more information, visit www.15shortfilmfestival.com. $7-$10. Oct. 28, 7 p.m. Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. 704-376-3737. www.theeveningmuse.com.