The Labor movement gave us weekends and the 8-hour workday, and the USA, like many advanced countries, has a national holiday dedicated to celebrating the common worker. That day is today, and for most people the radical roots of its origin are forgotten to history—it is simply a welcome break, an excuse to for barbecue cookouts and laments about the approaching end of summer. 

But anxiety about the future of work are at crest once again, as years of tepid economic recovery, backlash against immigrants, and fears of AI and automation have filled the op/ed pages of publications for many months. Yet for others the economic freedom of flexible work facilitated by technology and the entrepreneurial spirit afforded by lean startups have created more opportunity than ever before. Short film is not a medium to suss out these huge macro issues, but is a useful mirror to reflect attitudes towards the changing face of work. We’ve curated 10 shorts about doing jobs—some quirky and fun, others depressing and soul-sucking. You’re probably somewhere inbetween, but as you watch these 10 shorts it is an opportunity to consider what work means to you.