Amateur Short – Official Selection – October 2022
Zarja | Slovenia | 2021 | 11’
Directors: Kajetana Bevc, Benjamin Friškovec
Writer: Kajetana Bevc
Cast: Špela Setničar, Zvone Hribar
Synopsis: ZARJA is based on the Slavic legend Veelas and Rusalke and their influence on the love story of the protagonists Zarja and Nikolaj. The film sheds light on the legends of Old Slovenes, turns the classic love plot upside down when the woman rescues her partner rather than the other way around, and asks what it would have been like if in the classic ballet Giselle her partner had waited for her? What is the fate of love between an immortal creature and a mortal man? In addition, it also deals with the dual nature of the protagonist and the fact that no person, deed nor myth is only good or only bad. ZARJA temelji na slovanski legendi o vilah in rusalkah ter njihovem vplivu na ljubezensko zgodbo protagonistov Zarje in Nikolaja. Film osvetli legende starih slovencev, obrne klasičen ljubezenski zaplet na glavo saj v njem ženska reši svojega partnerja in ne obratno in se vpraša kako bi bilo če bi v klasičnem baletu Giselle njen partner počakal nanjo oziroma kakšna je usoda ljubezni med nesmrtnim bitjem in smrtnim človekom. Poleg tega pa se tudi ukvarja z dvojno naravo protagonistke in tem, da noben človek dejanje ali mit ni samo dober ali samo slab.
Apocalypse Then (Part 1) | United States | 2022 | 10’
Director: Sergio Espino
Writers: Terry King, Billy Zastrow
Producers: Jennell Jenney, Pizza Sutra
Cast: Terry King, Billy Zastrow, Craig Kaczmarek
Synopsis: After an unknown world changing event, a man and a stupid man encounter a cult of roving cannibals.
Animation Short – Official Selection – October 2022
Planeta Carnom | Canada | 2022 | 10’
Director: Michelle Longpre
Producer: Michelle Longpre
Synopsis: ‘Planeta Carnom’ is an exploration through vast fleshscapes of human anatomy, meditating on the beautiful yet alien nature of our own bodies.
Going Well.. | Republic of Korea | 2021 | 04’
Director: HyeJeong Lee
Writer: Hyejeong Lee
Synopsis: The deadline is approaching. Producer Park, who is in charge of closing, comes to the writer. The writer escapes to delusions and goes crazy due to the PD’s pressure and stress of the deadline.
Together | Brazil | 2021 | 07’
Director: Pedro Conti
Writer: Pedro Conti
Producer: Pedro Conti
Cast: Criolo, Luciana Silveira
Synopsis: Tamo Junto (Together) is an independent animated short film by Flooul Animation. In dark times, 2 neighbors lean on each other, turning small moments of life into great treasures.
Shape of the Universe | United Kingdom | 2022 | 04’
Director: Daisy DIckinson
Synopsis: Shape of the Universe is a surrealist stop motion animation by Daisy Dickinson. Using cut up audio from Alan Watts, and soundtracked by Maxim Barron, the film takes you on a bizarre journey through time and space.
Dissociate is to | Australia | 2022 | 02’
Director: Miles Mazzocato
Producer: Kai Winzenberg
Synopsis: A woman has a dissociative episode while driving her children down a freeway.
Documentary Short – Official Selection – October 2022
No Home, No Life. | Germany | 2022 |04’
Director: Alexander Ronsdorf
Synopsis: Fayad is a 50 year old Syrian refugee. In 2011 he lost his home and since then, he and his family are living in provisional tents in Lebanon. He ponders the question “What is home?”.
The Critics | Switzerland | 2022 | 25’
Directors: Sebastian andrei, Povel torudd
Writers: Sebastian andrei, Povel torudd
Producers: Sebastian andrei, Povel torudd
Synopsis: A documentary about a young collective of filmmakers in a remote part of Nigeria whose self-taught approach to filmmaking has captured the attention of the internet and Hollywood.
Motorgrad. The Story of Blagoevgrad Motorsport | Bulgaria | 2022 | 25’
Director: Yenlik O’Neill
Producer: Viktor Kharyton
Cast: Viktor Neychev, Stefan Neychev, Sergei Sergeev, Nikolay Yanchev
Synopsis: The short documentary produced by two fourth-year students of the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) breaks the misconceptions about motorsport in the Blagoevgrad region, Bulgaria. While being underestimated, forgotten, and yet misconceived, Blagoevgrad motorsport lives on the idea of ride or die. Professional motor sportsmen, gasoline-injected enthusiasts, and representatives of the local authorities and the Bulgarian Motorsport Federation (BMF) reveal what’s hiding under the dirty helmets and iron horses.
Penny For Your Thoughts | 2021 | 07’
Director: Tatiana Summer Tift
Writer: Tatiana Summer Tift
Producer: Tatiana Summer Tift
Cast: Virginia Archibald, Beth Francisco, Ariana Tift
Synopsis: A whimsical docu-fiction about memory loss, wealth, and identity. Grandma Alda makes copper jewelry for a living in the hopes of reconnecting with the divine spirit who took her memories.
He Had Wings | United States | 2022 | 29’
Director: Jeanne Marie Hallacy
Producer: Gregg Butensky
Cast: Ronnie Goodman, Alton “Coach” McSween
Synopsis: He Had Wings presents a portrait of the prolific artist, Ronnie Goodman, and the impact of his creative activism to stand for social justice. He Had Wings provides insight into the trauma and resilience of Ronnie’s journey as one of the thousands experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. The film shows how people like him, and his friend, Alton “Coach” McSween can have a positive impact on those who battle the crisis currently affecting the wealthy City by the Bay.
Family | Kyrgyzstan | 2022 | 09’
Director: Dastanbek Borkoshev
Synopsis: A single mother and her son live in the village. Son is finishing school and wants to leave to study in another country.
Batik, Softball and Me | Indonesia | 2021 | 11’
Director: Henry Vienayoko
Writer: Henry Vienayoko
Producer: Henry Vienayoko
Cast: Neghar Khani
Synopsis: An Iranian Tehran born artist who learn, practice and talk about Batik. She fell in love into Batik. In Iran, a technique of wax-resist dyeing called Batik painting “Kalagheh’i” is used in crafting totally handmade shawls found in the northwestern Iranian city of Osku, East Azarbaijan province. On 2 October 2009 UNESCO officially recognized the batik (written batik and stamped batik) as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity from Indonesia. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. This short film is to celebrate people culture of decades
Experimental Short – Official Selection – October 2022
Aika | Islamic Republic of Iran | 2022 | 02’
Director: Alireza Moradpour
Writers: Alireza Moradpour, Golnaz Behzadi, Moein safarzadeh
Producer: Alireza Moradpour
Cast: Dina Danel, Lotus sutra, Kami bebek, Heydar M
Synopsis: Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a mental health condition. People with DID have two or more separate identities. These personalities control their behavior at different times. Each identity has its own personal history, traits, likes and dislikes. Aika is the main character with DID who seeks revenge of her ex in this short fashion film.
Os·mo·sis | Germany | 2022 | 04’
Directors: Alissa Sophie Larkamp, Emma-Mathilda Lipphaus
Producers: Vollbild e.V., Alissa Sophie Larkamp, Emma-Mathilda Lipphaus
Synopsis: /ɒzˈməʊsɪs/ noun SOCIETY a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution (e.g. ideals of beauty) into a more concentrated one (e.g. self-perception). In the experimental film Os-mo-sis, the protagonists turn diffusion around. They take shapes that are theirs, colors that are theirs, and decorate supposed blemishes as the unique places they are. Then something happens. “I have never looked at this part of my body so long and so lovingly.”
Do you want me to push you | Poland | 2021 | 19’
Director: Martyna Majewska
Writer: Martyna Majewska
Producers: Martyna Majewska, Dorota Schleiss, Konrad Śniady
Cast: Aleksander Kaleta, Tamara Romera Ginés
Synopsis: A visual poem about two young people who, after a long separation, try to start their love story from the beginning. A story about the impossibility of conveying the truth of one’s feelings to another person, exposing the eternal longing of artists for full expression through art. The film was shot in the post-apocalyptic landscapes of Fuerteventura, suspended beyond time and space. Its open form and the metaphor of an unsuccessful etude allow the final interpenetration of the created world with the documentary world. Formally inspired by Godard’s autothematic cinema and Konwicki’s ‘Last Day of Summer’.
Era | United States | 2022 | 12’
Director: Gabe Imlay
Producer: Gabe Imlay
Synopsis: This film is a time capsule of a particular moment in 2020 many of us called “the bubble,” a summer spent in isolation and unknowing… Over the summer of 2020 Gabe Imlay asked 10 friends in Los Angeles to interview themselves for three months. Imlay emailed a series of questions every day and asked the subjects to record their answers.
Black Rainbow | Egypt | 2022 | 09’
Director: Omar Aly Hussein
Producer: Aya gaafar
Cast: Nagham El-guindy
Synopsis: A girl entering her home showing her dull Life then she falls asleep and have a panic attack showing parallel time line of her subconscious struggling with a dance with a voice over narrating how she feels and other poems to encourage to get out of the attack
A Day By The Sea | China | 2022 | 21’
Director: Ikram Nurmehmet
Writer: Ikram Nurmehmet
Producer: Zijun Rao
Cast: Baojiu Li, Kunduzi Ainiwaer
Synopsis: A men who has lost his faith of life is driving his car to the ocean. He is looking for the this path to the beach from his memory , he used to play there when he was little. He kept looking but couldn’t find it . He feels like he is stuck in some kind of time-circle . A while later He finally finds this small path , sun light bouncing off the ocean ,brighten his face. He stops the car ,slowly walks towards the ocean, walking until he disappear in the water . The sound of the ocean waves kept going, nobody was around , nothing seems like changed. he’s mind enters this dimension between life and death ,It feels like a dream , in this dimension he sees a girl walking around ,he didn’t know her but he can feel every bit of her skin, her breathe,everything , she looks at him , the only thing he can do is follow her
Mini Short – Official Selection – October 2022
The White Blank Page | Germany | 2022 | 03’
Director: Alexander Ronsdorf
Producers: Alexander Ronsdorf, Kyrill Ahlvers, Florentine Schwedes
Synopsis: Everything starts with a white blank page and so does every song. There is not much that inspires me more, than artists that bring something, out of nothing. This project explores exactly that, the creative journey of a song, step by step, from start to finish.
I feel, I live, I love | Austria | 2022 | 03’
Director: Dritter.Akt
Writer: Alexander Weber
Producer: Alexander Weber
Cast: Elfriede Schüsseleder, Simone Fuith
Synopsis: There are living around 130.000 people with a type of dementia in Austria. It is estimated that this number will double until 2050. These people have dreams and wishes. They are an intrinsic part of our society. Dementia is just a small part of their lives.
Dissociate is to | Australia | 2022 | 02’
Director: Miles Mazzocato
Producer: Kai Winzenberg
Synopsis: A woman has a dissociative episode while driving her children down a freeway.
Music Video – Official Selection – October 2022
21 by Luke Noa | Germany | 2022 | 05’
Director: Alexander Ronsdorf
Producer: Stefan Kraupner
Cast: Luke Noa, Thala, Sofiia Petryshyn, Wathsapol Deeduangpan, Jaya Ngoumeni Yappi
Synopsis: Glimpse into the cross-section of the young generation of our time, in the cultural moment we’re living in.
IDI | Poland | 2022 | 04’
Director: A. Nonim
Writer: A. Nonim
Producer: A. Nonim
Cast: Dezerter (the band)
Synopsis: Protest / anti-war song
CONNY – Rote Linien | Germany | 2022 | 01’
Director: Fitore Muzaqi
Narrative Short – Official Selection – October 2022
The Scarlet Queen | Canada | 2022 | 11’
Director: Sali Yang
Writer: Sali Yang
Producers: Sali Yang, Jarrett Mann
Cast: Sepanta Sedghi, Benoît Rivest, Sarah Keita
Synopsis: A young woman, Victoria, confronts her abusive boss, with the support of her co-workers.
Habitat | Australia | 2022 | 12’
Director: Brett Cousins
Writer: Brett Cousins
Producers: Teisha Lowry, Amelia Ford, Brett Cousins
Cast: Teisha Lowry, Brett Cousins
Synopsis: How do we best nurture a beautiful relationship? Bub and Rabbit enjoy a dynamic and spontaneous relationship full of intense love, adventurous travel, earth shattering sex, fiery arguments, and profound connection. So what happens when Rabbit insists on moving in?
Voices | United Kingdom | 2022 | 11’
Director: Abbie Lucas
Writer: Omar Khan
Producer: Håkan Carlsson
Cast: Amanda Clapham, Omar Khan
Synopsis: When moving into their new home, Tara and Drew are alarmed when they overhear their neighbours arguing. As the voices get louder and more violent, they must decide if it’s their responsibility to act.
THIRST | United States | 2022 | 05’
Director: YUCA
Writer: YUCA
Producer: The Youth Company
Cast: Angelica Pimenta
Synopsis: The first short film made to survive online sexist censorship rules in an effort to change them.
Mamma | Norway | 2021 | 15’
Director: Aslak Danbolt
Writer: Aslak Danbolt
Producer: Khalid Maimouni
Cast: Synnøve Muren, Michelle Muren
Synopsis: It’s Christmas Eve, and Synnøve is searching for her drug-addicted daughter Michelle in an almost desolated city. (Synnøve and Michelle are mother and daughter in real life and play versions of themselves in a story that is very close to their own lives.)
Manchukuo, 1943, Summer | United States | 2022 | 13’
Director: Yifan Xiang
Writer: Yifan Xiang
Producers: Nicole Shan, Yifan Xiang
Cast: Angela Lin, Lawrance Luo
Synopsis: 1945, Manchuria, a young Manchurian huntress tries to steal a rifle from an injured imperial Japanese soldier.
CARE | United Kingdom | 2022 | 21’
Director: Joseph Millson
Writer: Joseph Millson
Producers: Joseph Millson, Sarah-Jane Potts
Cast: Michael Begley, Michael Maloney
Synopsis: An uplifting short film that follows Michael as he adjusts to divorce and his new status as an at home carer for the elderly. Can Michael tune in to the wisdom and humour of Alan, the extraordinary man in his care, before anger and bitterness consume him.
Coin Slot | Canada | 2022 | 17’
Director: Scott Jones (he/him)
Writer: Scott Jones
Producer: Aly Kelly (she/her)
Cast: Scott Jones (he/him), Jessica Chapman (she/her)
Synopsis: Coin Slot paints a portrait of a young man trying not to unravel as the anniversary of a traumatic attack looms ever closer. Moments are shown in fragments, revealing an honesty and vulnerability that transports, while capturing the many shades of trauma and healing. Coin Slot dresse le portrait d’un jeune homme qui tente de ne pas s’effondrer alors que l’anniversaire d’une attaque traumatisante se rapproche. Les moments sont montrés par fragments, révélant une honnêteté et une vulnérabilité qui transportent, tout en capturant les nombreuses nuances du traumatisme et de la guérison.
Okay | Egypt | 2022 | 22’
Director: Seif Sayed Abdel Raouf
Writers: Seif Sayed Abdel Raouf, Youssef Ihab Taha
Producers: Mostafa Alaaeldin Khatter, Seif Sayed Abdel Raouf, Youssef Ihab Taha
Cast: Mohamed Hany El-Khatib, Sherif Alaaeldin Dewidar, Abdulla Shaker, Nada Allam
Synopsis: A young man experiences strange events when his parents send him to their newly bought house.
Short Comedy – Official Selection – October 2022
LEAVE TO REMAIN | United Kingdom | 2021 | 11’
Director: Remy Bazerque
Writer: Remy Bazerque
Producer: Tibo Travers
Cast: Bamshad Abedi-Amin, Camille Coduri, Paul Chan, Tom Bonington
Synopsis: Things get wild at the ‘VISA and immigration services’ when Karim, a young Iranian father living in the UK is mistakenly threatened with deportation.
TWO STARS SHORT | United Kingdom | 2022 | 11’
Director: Zak Klein
Writer: Zak Klein
Producer: Tibo Travers
Cast: Lucy Pearman, Mihai Arsene, Greg Kolpakchi
Synopsis: A bridesmaid clashes with her cab driver over a tense journey to her friend’s wedding.
Maxim, you’re in trouble! | Russian Federation | 2022 | 09’
Director: Rezo Gigineishvili
Writer: Alexandr Tsypkin
Producer: Alexandr Tsypkin
Cast: Alexandr Tsypkin, Evgeny Stychkin, Sergey Karpov, Aleksey Pochepko, Ingeborga Dapkunayte
Synopsis: Maxim is pushed into a corner: unwelcome visitors keep coming and buzzing at the door. The man tries to get himself out of tricky situations in a peculiar manner.
The Statesman | Russian Federation | 06’
Director: Marina Gagnard
Synopsis: Eugenia, a single woman, is longing to have a baby, but she is unlucky in her personal life. Desperate, she decides to take advantage of the new free state program for the conception of a child «Statesman/public husband». But on the appointed day, a completely different man comes to her by mistake.
The Fool’s Mate | United Kingdom | 2022 | 12’
Director: Cian Llewellyn
Writer: Cian Llewellyn
Producer: Jack Pollington
Cast: Nell Barlow, Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Syrus Lowe
Synopsis: A couples relationship is at a crossroads – as Fred attempts to break how with Holly, she thinks he’s about to propose. But might an impromptu game of chess finally force them to confront how they really feel about one another…
As Possible As Everything | Turkey | 2022 | 15’
Director: Selen Örcan
Writer: Selen Örcan
Producer: Elif Reis
Cast: Edze Ali
Synopsis: As Possible As Everthing is the story of a short journey where one witnesses the disappointment and the ways of the fight and surrender of two woman in a broken down car.
eXcape | United States | 2022 | 14’
Director: Molly Rose Heller
Writer: Taylor Steele
Producers: Isabel Lopez, CNT Productions
Cast: Lindsley Howard, Mariah Naomi Sanchez
Synopsis: eXcape is the story of two queer Black women on the heels of a break-up that mysteriously turns into a game of “Escape the Room.” They are then forced to relive key moments from their relationship if they ever want to leave their once-shared apartment.
Short Dance/Musical – Official Selection – October 2022
Temporary Contemporary | Switzerland | 2022 | 14’
Director: Oliver David Brand
Producer: Oliver David Brand
Cast: Manuel Von Arx, Steven Forster, Pricilla Villa, Michel Briand, Branca Scheidegger, Harumi Mummentahler, Kevin Dos Santos, Frederic Dos Santos, Jonathan Huor, Prscilla Villa
Synopsis: Temporary Contemporary Nothing is for eternity. Not even places that seem to outlast time. With Temporary Contemporary, director and filmmaker Oliver Brand impressively stages this transience by turning it into a stage for contemporary dancers. In doing so, he creates a moving testimony to the ephemeral nature of places that are in precisely that state only on the day the film is shot. The powerful, vulnerable and poetic choreographies, which were created under the eyes of choreographer Jonathan Hour, form touching living counterpoints to the static emptiness of the epic, sometimes inhospitable spaces. The music, composed especially for the film, creates a unique mood in each room and gives each dancer their own musical platform. Seemingly effortlessly, the sounds are woven together over the 13 minutes, giving a whole despite their individual parts. The music was composed and designed by Simon Hauswirth and Demian Wyssmann. To be enjoyed in the cinema in 5.1 surround sound.
TA MARA | Poland | 2020 | 10’
Director: Iwona Pasińska
Writer: Iwona Pasińska
Producer: Polish Dance Theatre
Synopsis: This production was inspired by the life and paintings of Tamara Lempicka. Principal photography took place in Park Mużakowski which has been listed on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage since 2004. The Park is administered on the Polish side by the National Heritage Institute and on the German side by Fürst–Pückler–Park Bad Muskau Foundation. The film consists of two, polar opposite approaches to imagery, that merge into an ambiguous yet enticing portrait of a woman. One one side, TA MARA is overwhelmed by an artistic frenzy that awakens her inner demon, on the other – she is calm, frozen in a state of perpetual waiting. These extremes, similar to the sides of Muskau Park, form one single unity. The expressed movements of female dancers from the Polish Dance Theater team reflect the elegance, precision and figurality of Łempicka’s paintings. Tamara Lempicka was an exceptional artist – her paintings modern and full of vivid colors. She found inspiration in cubism, neoclassical paintings by Boticielli and motion pictures (which became popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s). Her lifestyle was as unorthodox as it was scandalous. Lempicka died in 1980. Her ashes, according to her will, was scattered above El Popo volcano in Mexico. Tamara’s paintings are continuously sought after by collectors and pop culture icons, including Madonna, Barbra Streisand and Jack Nicolson. Her turbulent life was dramatized into numerous extremely popular theatre plays. She herself became an icon, her art recognized as timeless. Only two of Tamaras Lempicka’s paintings remain in polish public collections: “Still nature” in the Mazovian Museum in Płock and “Lassitude” in the National Museum in Warsaw.
Feng.Liu | China | 2022 | 04’
Director: Krono Cao
Writer: Jiyuan Zou
Producer: Jiyuan Zou
Cast: Jiyuan Zou
Synopsis: “Wind” and “Flow” （In Chinese, write FENG and LIU）are universal and common natural images that exist in different forms in all corners of the world. Turbulent, placid and extended, this language of naturalness is not to be over-translated. In China’s unique cultural and ideological system, combining the two words has fused into a transcendent spirituality and an expansive attitude toward life. When we focus our attention on the Wei and Jin dynasties, taking medicine and drinking wine, singing and drinking furiously, resting in the spiritual corners of the self and seeking the ultimate expression of individual pleasure, we again reach a coincidental consistency with the spirit of Dionysus in ancient Greek mythology. We have attempted to present a culturally penetrating body language in a readable and comprehensible expression, inquiring into and exploring the traditional Chinese intention of “Feng” and “Liu”.
Short Drama – Official Selection – October 2022
CONFRONTATION | Turkey | 2022 | 18’
Director: Mustafa Serkan KILIÇ
Writer: Mustafa Serkan KILIÇ
Producer: VNS CREATIVE
Synopsis: The psychological conflict between an architect who simultaneously pursues success and its pleasures but gets lost in the vortex of existentialism, and her reflection. Deniz (meaning “sea” in Turkish) is a successful interior designer. She is respected in her environment and well-liked in her social life. She also has a spiritual personality. Consistently questioning everything, she is investigative and always follows through her own reasoning. Despite her consistent outlines, she sometimes has unrealistic ideas and self-contradictory taboos. She is a sensitive soul who can get great pleasure and inspiration from art and everything she sees. Deniz’s devotion to art mostly pushes her into the world she lives in all by herself. She finds herself spending a great deal of time in her own world, reading, researching and trying to find the answers to her own questioning. Even though her singular life places her to societal definition of abnormal, in her mind she is just a human being who tries to protect her health in this unhealthy society. But in recent years, her questioning attitude puts her through a mental state she can’t get out of. It also negatively affects her career and social life. Her conflicted state of mind creates a concept of “other self” which slowly settles into the center of her life. She continuously finds herself questioning what is right or wrong, good or bad and discussing these concepts with her newfound counter-personality. She slowly accepts living with two versions of herself. They become life partners. This delusional state of mind starts to dominate her daily routine. Most of her time in solitude, she talks about her own issues and worldly matters with her other self. According to Deniz, solitude is the best way of reaching mental nutrition. She spends most of her time alone. In her mind, the definition of being asocial is isolating herself from corrupted individuals and occurrences of this life. But she acknowledges that she now lives with the other Deniz. She feels obligated to her. Deniz decides that she only has love for herself at that point. She builds her life around her own notions. Actually, all of these issues are her own worries about the meaning and purpose of her existence. But in time, this partnership becomes imprisoning for her. The other Deniz takes over the interpretation of all situations and events in her life, decides for her and tells her what to do. As a result of her getting lost in this conflicted mindset, Deniz finds herself searching for the answers she was waiting for, with her other self. She has one last thing to do, which is destroying the other Deniz. She confronts her other self with the intent of putting an end to this unbearable state of mind, and also her own life.
The Pearl | Faroe Islands | 2021 | 08’
Director: Terji Mohr
Writer: Terji Mohr
Producer: Terji Mohr
Cast: Petur Meinhard Ellebye Anderssen, Bárður Persson
Synopsis: Greed and tension run high between two fishermen on a boat in Faroe Islands when their latest catch yields an unexpected and valuable gift: A bright shining pearl.
The Elevator | France | 2022 | 16’
Director: Jiang Dong
Writer: Haoyu Wu
Producer: François SERRE
Cast: Bo Yang
Synopsis: A terminally ill father lived on the sixth floor with his son, who had two crippled legs. In order to let the son be able to go downstairs by himself after the father’s death, the father contacted other owners and tried to persuade them to install an elevator. But because of the one-vote veto system, the elevator could not be installed. His father had no choice but to use the money for medical treatment to exchange the house with the resident on the first floor. A year later, the father passed away, and the idea of installing an elevator is brought up again. The son, who lives on the first floor now, votes against installing an elevator. However, the policy changed. This time, the majority rule is in place.
Alice | Germany | 2022 | 06’
Directors: Johannes Franke, Lisa Riesner
Writer: Lisa Riesner
Producer: Johannes Franke
Cast: Lisa Riesner, Clément Guyot, Johannes Stolberg, Vanessa Nordhofen, Anja Bourdais
Synopsis: SHORT (50) A german mime ensemble has the great possibility to perform in Paris. Main character Alice just had an abortion but jumps in for another performer who cancelled suddenly. Alice is not quite ready for this show ..but she has friends around! The film was shot in Sally Bowles in Berlin. LONG (under 100) Alice is a young woman who followed her dream to be a pantomime. Her ensemble has a Show in Paris that she would have not been able to join if not the main Cast Johanna would have jumped off last minute. Elsa the Founder of the ensemble let’s Alice play in the show in Paris but shortly before they go on stage – as Alice has a lot to carry at the moment – she just had an abortion, fight with her father and boyfriend- Elsa doubts the decision. Alice is too late, Monsieur Rouge the director comes… LONG ( under 150) Alice is a young woman who has realized her dream of becoming a pantomime. Her ensemble has a show in Paris which she would not have been able to attend if the main cast hadn’t dropped out at the last minute. Elsa, the founder of the ensemble, lets Alice play in the show in Paris, but just before they go on stage – since Alice has a lot to carry at the moment – she just had an abortion, quarrel with her father and boyfriend – Elsa has doubts at the decision. Alice is struggling, Monsieur Rouge, the director of the theater, is freaking out. Alice is the last one backstage and reveals her secret there. The film was originally supposed to take place in Paris, but it was shot in Berlin which is why we chose the traditional 1920s bar: the Sally Bowles Bar.
The Stranger | Japan | 2021 | 21’
Director: Yu Zhang
Writer: Marina Kikuchi
Producer: Fuka Yonekura
Cast: Tomomi Sugai
Synopsis: Manatsu Uno, who lives in Okayama, gets a letter in the mail one day. Enclosed she finds an old photo of a little girl and a woman wearing a floral dress who is apparently the girl’s mother. Manatsu returns to her hometown after a long absence and makes plans to meet her friend Kaoru and calls her father Taihei, but somehow things don’t work out. However, she runs into her ex-boyfriend Takuya. After meeting Takuya, she gets a call from her father. During the phone call she finds a floral dress in a show window and heads for the location in the photo.
Pictures Only | United States | 2021 | 21’
Director: Charles A. Honeywood
Writers: Charles A. Honeywood, Rachel Soland, Kheirra M. Peggs
Producers: Jennifer Goodman (Karum), Ryan Atkins, Charles A. Honeywood
Cast: Deja Anderson Ross, Jessica Gillespie, Jennifer A. Goodman (Karum), Estavion White, Melba Brown, Darian Tene
Synopsis: Set in 1950s Bronzeville, Louise Parker is facing eviction from her home. Desperate to keep her independence and status, she is introduced to a lucrative performing opportunity. While attempting to keep this new venture a secret, she simultaneously gains popularity, risking being exposed to and disowned by her mother. After being offered a promotion, she is left with two choices, become the headliner, or allow her family to lose everything.
The Little Astronaut | Netherlands | 2022 | 08’
Director: Kuba Szutkowski
Writer: Jeroen Horrevorts
Producers: Boaz Schoevaars, Kuba Szutkowski, Zouhair Mtazi
Cast: Zouhair Mtazi, Christine van Stralen, Arjan Smit
Synopsis: At the start of their weekend trip, a couple decides to stop by the House of Books. They want to donate a box of children’s books. An exercise in letting go.
Talking to a survivor | Austria | 2022 | 09’
Director: Milena Olip
Writer: Milena Olip
Producer: Milena Olip
Cast: Tom Priestly, Alexander Olip, Miran Kelih
Synopsis: The whole extent of globalization and capitalism is often reflected in day-to-day actions. A man leaves his picturesque mountain farm every day to go to the neighboring small town to assist in the production, in several shifts at a conveyor belt, of articles that – in both his own immediate neighborhood and on the other side of the world – can cause extreme distress. A boy who observes these things happening, and who is not impervious to their effects. A cautionary narrator who shows that the words of Erich Fried, now more than fifty years old, are more relevant and more far-reaching than ever.
Short Fantasy/Sci-Fi– Official Selection – October 2022
Octopus | United States | 2022 | 03’
Director: Mila Vilaplana
Writers: Samantha Hearn, Mila Vilaplana
Cast: Samantha Hearn
Synopsis: Cooky scientist develops mushrooms that make her travel through time and space
DIVIDED BY ZERO | Ukraine | 08’
Director: Oleksandr Mell Green Serhieiev
Writer: Oleksii Alex Yeremieiev
Synopsis: In the space where there is nothing but tools for research, the scientist was able to create life, through a scientific paradox. This creature gives him hope that in the future it will be possible to create a world like paradise, where life will prevail over death and everything will be like the Garden of Eden. However, everything turns out a little differently than the scientist expected. A sci-fi film about the meaning of life and human acceptance of reality. The viewer will have to draw his own conclusion from what he saw and immerse himself in thinking about what faith is and whether it is sufficient to accept life as it is.
The Dark Room | United States | 2022 | 13’
Director: Heesoo Choi
Writer: Heesoo Choi
Producer: Heesoo Choi
Synopsis: In a photo lab where you can develop memories instead of pictures, the owner and his daughter welcome the customers until something unexpected happens.
Short Thriller/Mystery – Official Selection – October 2022
Writers’ Retreat | United Kingdom | 2022 | 30’
Director: Mishaal Memon
Writers: Mishaal Memon, Rik Hulme
Producer: Sarah-Jane Dawson
Cast: Rosie Gray, Lizzie Back, Bernadette Moran
Synopsis: After a sudden death, the façade of a period-themed Writers’ Retreat begins to crack as its resident maids learn more about their head writer.
Love is a Dog | United States | 2022 | 08’
Director: Tadin Brego
Writer: Ian Alan Carlsen
Producer: Wes Sterrs
Cast: Mariah Bergeron
Synopsis: Obsessed with the seemingly perfect life of an online dance instructor a woman decides to steal her dog. Written, shot and edited in 72 hours.
Heiße Luft | Germany | 2022 | 12’
Director: Clara Louise Haas
Writer: Clara Louise Haas
Cast: Gloria Odosi, Ludwig Senger, Wolfram Schorlemmer
Man with suitcase | Poland | 2021 | 07’
Synopsis: Short movie about the girl rediscovering magic of the cinema where reality mix with imagination.
I Dare You | United Arab Emirates | 2022 | 07’
Director: Saif Al Jabbar Khan
Writer: Mikail Atiyeh
Producer: Saif Al Jabbar Khan
Synopsis: A group of friends play a game of “I Dare You”. As the night goes on the game starts to take an uncomfortable twist.
Sport – Official Selection – October 2022
Thirst of the Subconscious | Ukraine | 2022 | 07’
Director: Valerii Kabanov
Writer: Valerii Kabanov
Producer: Oleh Polynko
Cast: Valerii Kabanov, Valerii Kokoshko, Oleh Polynko
The Art of Wushu: Darren Deng | United States | 2022 | 03’
Director: Matthew Choi
Cast: Darren Deng
Synopsis: Every breath, every movement in wushu, is a form of moving artistry. Everyone has their own unique signature, but the end result, the melding of power, precision, agility, and explosiveness into the purest of movements is always captivating to watch. Darren showcases The Art of Wushu through a stunning display of southern fist (nanquan), meteor hammer (liuxing chui), two handed straightsword (shuang shou jian), spear (qiangshu), mantis (tanglang quan), 3 section staff (sanjiegun), and baijiquan.
Student Short – Official Selection – October 2022
It’s Too Loud | Israel | 2022 | 21’
Director: David Tzach
Writer: David Tzach
Producers: Yarden Malka, Michael Tzach
Cast: David Tzach, Omri Tzach, Shir Popovich
Synopsis: David is about to leave his home. on his last day he is torn between the desire to leave, and the need to protect his father, a violinist who is in the midst of rehearsals for a concert, disturbing the peace of his neighbors which are fighting back.
The Holding Room | Germany | 2022 | 16’
Director: Samuel j Punto
Writers: Samuel J Punto, Charys Schuler
Producers: Samuel J Punto, Charys Schuler
Cast: Jeff Book, Samuel J Punto, Charys Schuler, Doug Richardson
Synopsis: The murderer has been caught — but who is he? Why did he commit the crimes? Detective Mike Hamartia just can’t stop thinking about it, and enlists his friends Detective Frank Sutter and Dr. Sarah Birch to help him think through the possibilities. But they don’t have much time; an FBI unit is coming to take away their John Doe, and with him any hope they have of ever understanding what happened.
No Reported Incidents (short) | Russian Federation | 2021 | 29’
Director: Ivan Smirnov
Writer: Sergei Surzhikov
Producer: Alitsiia Kochetkova
Cast: Sergei Rublev, Yulia Mandriko, Nikita Ovchinnikov
Synopsis: The truth comes out when a radiation disaster is reported on TV in the morning. Now the businessman Alexander must save both the broken family and the mistress with the little child.
The Painted Face | Republic of Korea | 2022 |33’
Director: Lichen Guan
Writers: Guanhao Deng, Lichen Guan
Producer: Huiling Xiong
Cast: Hyunwoo Im, Yena Lee
Synopsis: College student Wang Chae-shin, who couldn’t do his homework because of the noise of sex coming from the next room, so he goes outside and meets So-yeon, who is drunk at the entrance of the bar in the evening. Although they fell in love with each other, So-yeon is actually engages in sex trade under the threat of an illegal organization. In the face of the oppression of illegal organizations, So-yeon and Wang Chae-shin’s love is also facing trials.
Les crottés | Canada | 2022 | 11’
Producers: Cédric Gaillard, Émya St-Germain
Cast: Loïk Lafrance, Louka Bertrand-Chabot, Victor Lafond, Benjamin Villeneuve, Alexis Guertin, Léon Aymar-White
Synopsis: Right after their gym class, the boys only manage to insult and bicker each others. Lou, watching them from afar, waits until they leave to take his shower. Now alone, he will be surprised my Manu that was waiting for him. Finally in privacy, Manu will take advantage of it to get closer, to the great (almost) dipleasure of Lou.
Void Between Us | Netherlands | 2022 | 18’
Director: Luka Gribnau
Writer: Luka Gribnau
Producers: Marina Moerland, Luka Gribnau
Cast: Tara Lydia Salahshor, Arad Alizadeh, Sara-Luna Leconte
Synopsis: In a state of confusion, the lonely sister dances through an empty world. She travels past the places where memories between her and her brother once formed. Where they once drew closer together, there is now only distance. Sometimes she catches a glimpse of him. Is this her fantasy or a memory?
A Bloody Graveyard Story | Germany | 2022 | 04’
Director: Vanessa Stachel
Writer: Luca Merkle
Producer: Luca Merkle
Cast: Clay Reynolds, Kayla Jackson, Justin Schaffner, Natalie Rose
Synopsis: Three teenagers sneak into an eerie cemetery at night to summon an exceptionally terrible ghost with an ancient ritual. But they did not expect what they encounter there.
June Last Year | Netherlands | 2022 | 21’
Director: Tessa Kortmulder
Writer: Tessa Kortmulder
Producer: Tessa Kortmulder
Cast: Bente Kruger, Tyeppe Troost, Bauke van Boheemen
Synopsis: June Last Year is a short film that shows a month in the life of soon-to-be grownups. While her boyfriend tries to write his first artist statement, Miró searches for a way to connect to the student life around her.
Within a Breach | France | 2022 | 01’
Director: Jonathan VInce
Writer: Jonathan Vince
Producers: Conservatoire Libre du Cinéma Français (College), Jonathan Vince
Cast: Ulys Dykcik, Pauline Dizes
Synopsis: In the heart of a forest plagued by war, through the darkness, creatures witness the desperation of Gabin, a military doctor. While Gabin is dozing in the bush, he finds a shell whose charms sink him away far from the world, into a restful but deep sleep.
The Air Balloon | China | 2022 | 08’
Director: Xihe Huang
Writer: Xihe Huang
Producer: Ting Zhou
Cast: Chenyi Wang, Xin Wu, Chao Xu
Synopsis: The little boy River (played by Wang Chenyi) and his grandmother (played by Wu Xin) lived a peaceful life in the countryside. One day, their little white cat suddenly died. River, still an innocent boy, didn’t understand the meaning of death while his grandmother was already seriously ill. She knew she was going to pass away soon but found it hard to break it to River. On his way back home, River saw a white balloon, looking exactly like his cat…
Saturday cleanup | Belarus | 2022 | 19’
Director: Darya Egikyan
Writer: Petr Mordvincev
Producer: Darya Egikyan
Cast: Olga film Andreeva
Synopsis: To please his boss, a young man with a penchant for community activism must round up the workforce for a Saturday park cleanup. On the day, no one shows up.
PIGEONS: THE ILLUSION OF HARMONY | Germany | 2022 | 30’
Director: Daniela Rebekka Fritz
Producer: Sylvia Jorde
Synopsis: The main protagonists of PIGEONS FLY HIGH GO GROUND are the pigeons themselves. In a humoristic way we let them come to speech through selected and animated archive material. Besides that we also get to know 2 pigeon breeder of so called “beauty pigeons“, 2 pigeon caretakers of public lofts in Stuttgart and an installation team for building protections against pigeons. The main focus remains nevertheless at the pigeons themselves, their comments, thoughts and feelings through which we realise the topic of “pigeon plagues“ in European cities is not at all clear-cut.
Short Circuit | Argentina | 2022 | 16’
Director: Tomás Dvorkin
Writer: Tomás Dvorkin
Producer: Nicolás Alan Medina
Cast: Matías Ignacio Acosta, Agustín Iannone, Luis Rivera López
Synopsis: Roberto is a writer who has a fierce competition with another writer, Alberto. Roberto can’t publish anything because Alberto always finishes before him. Roberto will have to find an alternative. Based on the story “The Anticipator” by Morley Roberts.
Can We Go Again? | Lebanon | 2022 | 14’
Director: Lourdes Francis
Writers: Lourdes Francis, Amir Sarkis
Producer: Bina Sakr
Cast: Yara Nehme, Maria Douaihy, Tony Roumanos
Synopsis: Leah, a cinema student, decides to tell her brother’s story through her final film project.
Friendly Fire | Israel | 2022 |07’
Director: Tom Koryto Blumen
Writer: Tom Koryto Blumen
Producer: Tom Koryto Blumen
Synopsis: A friendly soccer game between an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian boy that takes place on the West Bank barrier starts to escalate into an uneven battle. The film was painted frame by frame on the wall and become part of the ongoing conflict by staining the wall with over a hundred liters of paint.
Feng.Liu | China | 2022 | 04’
Director: Krono Cao
Writer: Jiyuan Zou
Producer: Jiyuan Zou
Cast: Jiyuan Zou
Synopsis: “Wind” and “Flow” （In Chinese, write FENG and LIU）are universal and common natural images that exist in different forms in all corners of the world. Turbulent, placid and extended, this language of naturalness is not to be over-translated. In China’s unique cultural and ideological system, combining the two words has fused into a transcendent spirituality and an expansive attitude toward life. When we focus our attention on the Wei and Jin dynasties, taking medicine and drinking wine, singing and drinking furiously, resting in the spiritual corners of the self and seeking the ultimate expression of individual pleasure, we again reach a coincidental consistency with the spirit of Dionysus in ancient Greek mythology. We have attempted to present a culturally penetrating body language in a readable and comprehensible expression, inquiring into and exploring the traditional Chinese intention of “Feng” and “Liu”.
