DC Shorts Mini-Review: Manual Practico del Amigo Imaginario (The Imaginary Friend Practical Manual)

Superhero movies have been done to death.

However, superhero imaginary friends – that’s not been explored before and is the subject of Manual Practico del Amigo Imaginario (The Imaginary Friend Practical Manual). This Spanish film won the Audience Choice Award at the DC Shorts Film Festival.

I was at the DC premiere for this hilarious short film. From the opening scene, the audience was howling. The movie begins with a conference of imaginary friends, all of whom have been rejected by the children that once loved them. One man – Captain Kiloton – has managed to remain the imaginary friend of man for more than twenty years. He explains how he’s been successful to a motley assemblage of rejectees, a motivational speaker for the imaginary friend set.

Back in the real world, 27-year-old Fernando is being pulled away from Captain Kiloton by a new love interest. Can he grow up and keep Kiloton? This dilemma is neatly (and sweetly) wrapped up in this very funny mockumentary.

Author: Joe Flood

Joe Flood is a writer, photographer and web person from Washington, DC. The author of several novels, Joe won the City Paper Fiction Competition in 2020. In his free time, he enjoys wandering about the city taking photos. View all posts by Joe Flood