film shorts are 'harder' to get distributed, but if it's short, you can just check out film festivals listed with filmfestivals.com, withoutabox.com etc and check at each festival's theme, and decide if your short film would fit their general interest/theme/topic
And of course, if the short film is good, and it's shorter than usual, you would usually have a greater chance of being accepted.
The bottom line is simple, promote, market, push your short film to as many medium you can (if you aren't going to festival route, since some would not take your film if it was shown online)... And promote it. Set up a page, invite people to watch it, etc.
You can put your film at undergroundfilm.org, or just host it yourself and spread the word out to every forum you can imaging (in a tactical way), some forums requires you to be a friend first and introduces yourself before blasting them an email about 'hey look at my short'
There are also a lot of free festivals, submit to those, it will never hurt, other than the cost of mailing, the time to put a dvd and making sure it plays, etc. But that's how it is
Also, start getting a 'media' kit together...
Now, if you want film critics to review your short film, send it to them, to all of them, be nice, make friend with them and it would go long run, even if the review is BAD, still thank them for taking the time to watch it, by maintaining a good relationship with them, you would build yourself a credential and perhaps next time when they watch another movie of yours, they would give you a break... (it's all about networking and who you know)
Why so important? these reviews would help bring more interest to festivals or anyone watching your film at your site, because most of festivals' existence is based on how many people would come watch your film by paying a price, so they live off sponsorship and attendance to pay their bills, so if your film is interesting, it's good, and they know it would bring audience as well, they'll take it. Plus, if your short film is short, it would easily get in because they can put it right before a feature, and it makes sense as well to 'connect' with the theme the festival is going for...
Hope these help.
Johnny
