Category: Films in Competition

A short story of betrayal, as told by the object left behind.
Directed by Marc Barrett (Australia)

31-year-old Aida Satybaldinova left her native Kazakhstan and now trains in the US to become a world champion in a professional boxing. There she was told that she was old, here she gets friends and support.
Directed by Asem Nurlanova (USA)

Greg is a painter. His job is to cover graffiti with white paint. Greg hates his job. Greg hates his life. One day, he discovers a wall with strange properties, and everything changes. 
Directed by Yi Cheng (USA)

Samuel Pepys, amateur scientist and Navy Secretary, has lost his wife, Elizabeth, to the London plague of 1666. Margaret Cavendish’s anti-plague julep is a sure remedy for this scourge, but it requires generous amounts of Sam’s blood. The plan is to employ Robert Boyle’s pump to drain the poor Navy Secretary dry — after Sam’s carnality has been brought to a boil by the blandishments of Aphra Behn and others. Elizabeth Pepys, looking much the zombie, rides to the rescue of her beleaguered husband and a flurry of neck biting ensues, ending in a relaxing evening at the famed Hell Fire Club.
Written by James Fitzmaurice (UK)

A man stalks his prey on the streets of Los Angeles, but on this occasion picks the wrong person to mess with.
Directed by Kevin Beauchamp and Mando Lopez (USA)

When an 8-year old girl fails to dunk an insulting clown at a county fair, her father steps up to avenge her loss. The clown needles the father, and his remarks become more cutting as the game goes on, including belittling the father for having given up on the dreams of his youth. The confrontation escalates until finally the ball strikes the target and the clown dunks. The crowd cheers wildly, the father and daughter embrace in celebration, and submerged underwater, the clown smiles, enjoying his victory as well.
Directed  by Sinclair Rankin (USA)

While trying to enjoy her first night of marriage, Melinda, a first generation American, feels burdened by her Iranian grandmother’s impossible request that she prove her virginity.
Directed by Lauren Merage (USA)

A journey to space using archival footage from NASA and audio recordings of a microwave, water kettle, heater, and chimes.
Directed by Jackii Chun and Quandong Yu (USA)

A true believer Santa and his jaded Elf are faced with a troubling question: has Santa become just another marketing tool?
Directed by Lauren Richards and Eli Mizrahi (USA)

Plagued by violent nightmares, a distressed Italian woman seeks professional help from a therapist. But as her dreams begin to bleed into real life, she realises these aren’t echoes of her past but warnings of her future.
Written by Mike Waugh (UK)