Perfect Anna
Yana Klimova-Yusupova
Russia. 2024. 21 min

Dr Anna’s cosy evening is disrupted by a sudden visit from a female stranger. The stranger is her husband’s lover, who has come for a bracelet left in the family sheets. Anna’s life is changed not only by the instant destruction of her long-standing marriage, but also by the terrible choice between life and death that she has to make.

Sasha
Maria Viktorova
Russia. 2023. 24 min

Sasha was absolutely satisfied with his life. He left his city with the goal of never returning there again, but fate had other plans. Once in a compartment with a silent neighbor, Sasha tries to guess her name. Unexpectedly, the conductor invites him to “smoke” in her compartment. Having left the compartment for a short time, Sasha will never return there.

Without You
Feyrouz Serhal
Spain. 2023. 19 min

Once upon a night in Galicia where the vast ocean exchanged roles with the vast sky, a group of stars jumped down and took a dip in the Atlantic. And while the stars happily swam in the ocean, the black sky still had one star shining alone up there. That star had different plans for the night; she will wait till the very last end of the dark and sneak down to earth to meet her lover.

Chai Coffi
Sanjoli Malani
India. 2023. 22 min

After her husbands demise, Lata a 60 year old homemaker embarks on a solo trip to a tea estate in Kerala, leaving the comforts of her village behind for the first time ever. The film follows her extraordinary adventure as she navigates feelings of wonder, grief and surprises. The film takes a turn when she meets 12 year old Mira who is carefree, independent and lives life to the fullest. Chai-Coffi is a heartwarming tale that weaves together themes of friendship, loss, courage and self discovery.

This is not Norway
Alicia Albares, Paco Cavero
Spain. 2023. 18 min

Jorge’s father’s last wish is to have a viking funeral: to be cremated at sea in a drakkar. And fulfilling that wish is crucial for Jorge: not only will it honor his memory, but it will prove to himself and his family that he is capable of anything, that he is already well and has overcome the slum he was going through.
However, the lack of means and the mistrust of his mother, brother and sister-in-law will not help at all. But sometimes persistence, a bit of luck and the love of a family can change everything.

MYDEAR
Kim Sohee / Jeon Dohee
Korea. 2023. 24 min

In 2027, Ga-eul, a hearing-impaired college student, learns about the app MYDEAR and becomes immersed in conversations with an AI presence. The app’s features easily help her overcome her disability, and the AI is affectionate and considerate, like a boyfriend. Director Jeon Dohee’s performance, woven into the film’s steady rhythm, amplifies the audiences’ sense of empathy.

Journey to the Sun
Ansgar Schaefer, Susana de Sousa
Portugal. 2021. 109 min

Journey to the Sun reflects on children in situations of conflict and post-conflict, and the potency of their gaze in revealing the realities obfuscated by official narratives.

Just after the Second World War, 5,000 young children were sent from Austria to stay with host families in Portugal, where they could recover from the violence of war. They were often welcomed in by well-to-do families with domestic staff living in sunny villas, and for most of the children this was a holiday in paradise. The contrast with their living conditions at home, and the huge difference between the lives of rich and poor in Portugal in this period, made a deep impression on the young Austrians.