Open Category - Silver Award

A Missing Scene from Floral Princess: An Untold Suicide of the Last Ming Emperor

Kitty Yeung

Hong Kong / Col / 25'24"/ In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Documentary

This experimental short film, blending Cantonese Opera and modern dance elements, re-enacts the episode from classic Cantonese Opera Floral Princess. The last Ming emperor Chongzhen and his faithful eunuch Wang Sing-yan are on a journey to the summit of Coal Hill to end their lives. Apart from inviting new perspectives towards their ambiguous queer overtones, it also explores the crossroads of life and death, authority and obedience, love and sacrifice, power and duty, that befall under the traditional patriarchy.

Open Category - Special Mention

15 years

Chan Ki Yan

Hong Kong / Col / 8'24" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Documentary

Time passes like flowing water. Not returning for three years, living abroad for fifteen years, what is the unit for alienation? The saxophone at the intersection 11 years ago, the Korean music on the street four years ago, the flight broadcasts after the epidemic, the voices of family members, the days and nights when Taipei and Hong Kong were at a standstill, some moments linger in my mind.

Youth Category – Gold Award

Underpalace

Chiu Ka Yin, Pak King Tai, Li Tsun Wai

Hong Kong / Col / 8'54"/ In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles

Drama

Youth is a sensational journey, after joy, what is left for us? Or we may never find the answer, or we may already have the answer in our hearts. Along the wet and sticky tunnel, step by step, we deconstruct the sorrow of the youth, sublimate pain and pressure, which pair up the codes between the unreal and the reality.

Asian New Force Category – Gold Award

Can I Hug You?

Elahe Esmaili, Hossein Behboudirad

Iran / Col / 30'00"/ In Persian with English subtitles

Drama

Hossein Behboudirad and Elahe Esmaili are filmmakers from Qom, an Iranian city known for having the highest rate of gender segregation, with many restrictions on human rights, particularly on women's rights to ensure "safety of the society". Hossein has suffered from same-sex sexual abuse during his childhood, which have brought great impact to his life. Toxic masculinity and the associated stereotypes made him not able to talk about it. With the support from his wife, Elahe, he can finally confront his trauma.

Asian New Force Category – Silver Award

Reclaim My Summer

Chen Hao Wei

Taiwan / Col / 29'00"/ In Mandarin and Minnan with English subtitles

Drama

At the age of 17, instead of enjoying her life, Xuan lives in a small bungalow built inside the yard with her mother and younger sister, surrounded by, in her opinion, all kinds of junk. Apart from having to help out in the recycling yard, she is also tasked with taking care of her indulged sister. One day, her crush from school asks her out on a ride. Tasked with collecting recyclables from the neighbourhood, Xuan decides to sneak away from her mother and finally experience a moment with friends as a normal teenager

Asian New Force Category – Special Mention

Mirage

Yash Sawant

India / Col / 11'48"/ In Hindi with English subtitles

Drama

A young man falls asleep on a train as it drifts through an unnamed island in rural Goa.

Animation Category – Gold Award

Monsoon Blue

Wong Hiu Kit Jay, Chan Ka Yin Ellis

Hong Kong / Col / 14'19" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Animation

When looking for the answer to the question "why do I exist", a storm is conjured up. There are times of darkness, changes, pain and suffocation, when heavy rain suddenly floods the fragile mind. The captive goldfish looks for answers and strives to return to its place of origin. However, it remains struggling in the bag, just like an oppressed individual who has nowhere to turn.

Animation Category – Silver Award

Our Uniform

Yegane Moghaddam

Iran / Col / 7'00" / In Persian with English subtitles

Animation

An Iranian girl unfolds her school memories through the wrinkles and fabrics of her old uniform. She admits that she's nothing but a "female" and explores the roots of this idea in her school years.

Animation Category – Special Mention

80db

Lam Tsz Ching

Hong Kong / Col / 5'19"/ In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Animation

The film follows the story of two friends, one of them has normal hearing, while the other is hard of hearing. The focus is on their interactions and conversations, and the ways in which their different hearing abilities impact their communication and social experiences.