Die Pretty (United States) by Sam Quinn
Arin Jacobs battles heroin addiction and the curse of 33- the age her mother and grandmother both died.
Running time: 00:29:55
The Discoverer of the Discoverers (Norway) by C. S. Nicholson
A family in West Africa tells the story of how their ancestor discovered the European explorers — to a European film crew. We get to see how this encounter is still remembered ritually. But do all the claims about the historic event bear a closer look? And to which degree can we trust the filmmaker’s white gaze? This short documentary explores how pride and conscience may affect collective memories.
Running time: 00:24:52
Across the River (United States) by Xingyu Huo
In a seemingly ordinary day, a Chinese immigrant mother encountered a stranger on her way while trying to find her friend.
Running time: 00:23:50
Of the Heart (United States) by Alicia Soller
Distressed by news of her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, a Filipina American filmmaker reacquaints herself with her mother in a deeper dimension, unearthing her mom’s core beyond her prescribed roles while revealing the spiritual and ancestral threads that connect mother and daughter.
Running time: 00:20:06
Kings of Taiwan (Taiwan) by Syrus Sadvandi
No one should have to ask what a drag king is. In Taipei, a unique community of drag kings has emerged and has been growing since 2019. Liting ‘LT” Tan is a drag king from Singapore who came to Taiwan to be in an environment that has allowed them to live authentically. Over the past few years, they have become a grounding force in the community, pushing for a space where kings can thrive. After a challenging marriage, Taile sought out a queer community to be a part of, and that is how they came to meet LT. Rose is a captivating performer whose persona sits successfully as a caricature of masculine tropes. Drag has allowed these individuals to push boundaries in ways they never thought possible. Follow a journey of freedom, empowerment, and self-discovery through these three.
Running time: 00:15:59
Butterscotch (United States) by Mayank Deogaonkar
Butterscotch is a story about acceptance. Dr. Maya Sharma, a single mother and physician by profession, has her daughter, Dia Sharma’s, life planned out for her. Dia is supposed to go to medical school and become a doctor, like her mother. One day, Maya is surprised to see an acceptance letter from an art school in the mail addressed to Dia. When she confronts Dia about this, they have a huge argument, where Dia finally lets out her frustrations with her mother’s controlling ways. After the argument, Maya reflects on her daughter’s words, and realizes that perhaps she had been too controlling due to her own insecurities and past experiences. As to not push her daughter further away, Maya decides to let her daughter pursue what she wants in life. Maya apologizes to Dia, and they reconcile. To celebrate, they partake in their usual tradition of movie night while they share a pint of butterscotch ice cream.
Running time: 00:14:00
Dust (United States) by Julia Rose Petrocelli
Dust is a film that emulates celluloid film processes using only Scotch packing tape and found objects. It was collected over the course of a year, dairying the artist's life through its abjection.
Running time: 00:09:36
The Car Is Outside (United States) by Joshua Kaufman
Taking shelter in a parked car, two young women revisit a shared past that threatens to swallow their tiny sanctuary.
Running time: 00:09:01
The Stone Putter (Sweden) by Nils Agdler
The Stone Putter is a cinematic portrait of a serious and physically strong middle-aged woman, deeply focused on throwing stones in a desert-like landscape. How did she get here? What do the stones symbolize – as alien in the landscape as the woman herself in her black dress? Here you can sense a story about both sadness, integrity and stubbornness, about intersecting paths and about continuing forward without bowing to others. Both the stones and the woman are filmed from a variety of angles, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience the event from different perspectives, and for a moment possibly drop the anthropocentric gaze.
Running time: 00:08:00
November (United States) by David Jonathan Orr
Official music video for "November," from Lyndsay Stone's album A Couple Seeds!
Running time: 00:03:40
The melody of ashes (Switzerland) by Jonathan Moratal
Being haunted by the past can lead to an inferno.
Running time: 00:02:20
The Consequences of Feeling Deeply (United States) by Hannah Grace Weinmaster, Thiago Dom, Cadu Millet
A dance film.
Running time: 00:05:00