Short Narrative
Studio 3 | Sunday, 2nd June | 16:30 — 17:45
The Lake
10m — China
World Premiere
A young shepherd grapples with the unfulfilled wish of his grandmother to see the lakes of Lhasa. Strange dreams seem to guide him, and in a spontaneous moment, he pushes his grandmother’s wheelchair towards the distant goal but fails. One night, overwhelmed with despair, he sings a folk song and the lyrics provide him with a glimmer of inspiration.
Yangkyi Tsering
Writer/Director Yangkyi TSERING was born in 1997 in Lhasa, Tibet. She majored in Journalism in Beijing Foreign Studies University and later gained her master degree in Film&TV/Digital Media Production at Hong Kong Baptist University.
And That’s For This Christmas
14m — Bulgaria
World Premiere
While preparing the details for his own funeral, an elderly man realizes that he will be celebrating Christmas alone. Unable to fall asleep, he decides to spend the holiday at the grave of his deceased wife.
Peter Vulchev
Peter Vulchev is a Bulgarian director, writer, photographer, and producer. He studied photography and cinema at The National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts “Krastyo Sarafov”. For the past ten years as a director and writer Peter created three short films – “Shh… Sing to me!” (2013), “A Monologue in the Intermission” (2018), and “Good Night, Lily” (2021). The films have strong international recognition and have been presented at prestigious film festivals.
Dragonflies 蜻蜓
19m — Singapore
International Premiere
Filmmaker in attendance.
In 1980s Singapore, Yu Qi, a young secret society member, abandons her fellow members after a failed hit on their client. As discord amidst the gang brews, she is directed to undertake a particular job as a penultimate act of loyalty towards the gang. Yu Qi’s devotion lies between her blood-forged family or her estranged mother.
Angeline Klarissa
Angeline’s interest in film stemmed from a young age where her imagination wanders in possibilities as her mind continues to explore. Through her works, she likes to challenge society’s view and construct of normality, leaving an impact to those who consume her creation, in hopes to awaken emotions and sentiments.
Huma
11m — Indonesia
Asian Premiere
Filmmaker in attendance.
The exposure of human’s relationship with spirituality through an abstract representation of higher power.
Kezia Alexandra
Travels between the lucid world & reality, Kezia often portray the silver lining of the two worlds in her creations. Born Indonesian — after her travel & living in San Francisco for 7 years, she is now residing in Bali. Her work often revolves around the dream world, narrating melancholic darkness & engaging with philosophy, spirituality, fantasy, and a touch of science. She embodies the use of symbolism to create her narration that communicates between the known and unknown.
Primetime Mother
14m — Philippines
The audition process for an exploitative game show becomes the latest test of a long-suffering mother’s fortitude and tenacity in Sonny Calvento’s bold satire.
Sonny Calvento
Sonny Calvento is a director, writer and producer based in Manila, Philippines. At the age of 19, he worked as a drama writer for ABS-CBN – the largest broadcasting network in the Philippines.
His first short film “Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss (2019)” became the first Filipino short film in Sundance Film Festival. It also premiered in Locarno Film Festival, Palm Springs ShortFest and Shanghai International Film Festival to name a few. The same film won the Audience Award in Locarno Shorts Week 2023.
The Masterpiece
20m — Spain
Asian Premiere
Leo and Diana, a rich couple, bring a broken TV to a recycle point. They meet Salif and his son, two scrap dealers. Diana asks them to come to their house to get more objects. Once there, Leo looks at them collecting objects with mistrust, until they see the scrap dealers have something they want.
Àlex Lora
Àlex Lora is a director, screenwriter and editor, winner of 7 Emmys, 2 Gaudí Awards, Nominated for the Goya and the Oscars Student Academy Awards. He has screened his work at Sundance at official competition 3 times, and has won more than 100 awards at international festivals. His works include: Enterrados (2009); Us (2011), Odysseus’ Gambit (2012); Only Solomon Lee (2013); Godka Cirka (2014), Thy Father’s Chair (2015); Ways (2016); The Fourth Kingdom (2019), Savage Land (2020) -screenwriter and editor-; We Are Living Things (2021) -screenwriter and editor-; Unicorns (2023), and The Masterpiece (2024).
The Steak
08m — Iran
Asian Premiere
Preparations for a special birthday celebration turn upside down as something horrible takes place.
Kiarash Dadgar Mohebi
Kiarash Dadgar is an award-winning Iranian film and theatre artist with an MA in Dramatic Literature from Soore Art University. He worked in various Iranian short films, series, and theatre productions. Kiarash first work as a producer, “Jouissance,” premiered at the 27th BUSAN International Film Festival. His debut film, “The Steak” (2023), has been screened in +105 Film Festivals, such as the 30th Slamdance and won +30 titles globally, including the AGBO Award from Slamdance 2024.