Every now and then an awesome sci-fi short comes along on Vimeo, and fortunately for us all, this is one of those times. Long gone are the days when you needed a budget the size of a spaceship to make something that looks like it came out of a Hollywood studio, and here’s an instance that demonstrates why this works to our collective benefit. This intriguing short, called Signal, from Maxim Zhestkov is set in the bleached-out interior of a spaceship, with a floating camera creating a mounting sense of tension, even though not much happens.

It’s minimal and atmospheric, and that’s the point—Zhestkov’s films go for mood over any twisty narrative or cosmic gunfights. They’re slow-paced with a creeping camera looming about, building up to a breaking point that’s never quite reached—all complimented by meticulous design. And did we mention it has lazer beams? What more could you want in a sci-fi short?

If you’ve never come across his work before, it’s worth checking out his previous short, the otherworldly Recursion, below.

Photos: Zhestkov’s Flickr

[via Motionographer]