WALL UNIT, 10min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak A ramshackle wall unit is a symbol of the monotonous life of a certain 40-year-old man living in a grey, dirty post-communist block of flats district. Right after his birthday, suffering from the midlife crisis, the man decides to change his dull and routine-based existence. Alas, his wife stands in the way.
Lagom Svensk (Swedish Just Right), 18min., Sweden Directed by Jamil Walli After experiencing xenophobia, a Syrian guy re-enacts a verbal attack on a Swede and gets caught in a fight over what it means to be Swedish.
ALIADAS, 27min., USA Directed by Juan Diego Ramirez Laura, a college professor, is contemplating participating in a Pro Palestinian demonstration during commencement as an act of solidarity. Her coworker’s approach her with concern what that might do to her job security. Laura, now must decided whether to follow her beliefs or keep her job.
LARIAT, 5min., India Directed by Komalankutty Methil Any companion becomes an unwelcome companion at times
BATTLE, 11min., Ukraine Directed by Olga Samolevska Poetic interpretation of the russian war against Ukraine. There are no actual fighting in the film. Three poems by Olga Samolevska. Song based on a poem by Vasyl Stus. The film is based on documentary footage of the results of the battle.
RIVER, 26min,. Hong Kong Directed by Lap Fung Cheung Based on the inescapable karma of the eight sufferings, assassin Fuk Kin Dai Ho runs and hides in the home of an eccentric old man Chung Ha Gong after being injured in the firefight during a mission. Could it be simply chance or fate that brings these two men together since they are both suffering from personal angst relating to the loss of loved ones and does this meeting help them in resolving some of that pain?
Stan’s Plan, 14min., Canada Directed by Barry Nerling, Baille Reid Stan, Izzy and Rip, three drug fuelled low life criminals return after a botched robbery of a local gangster. In the process, Stan is shot in the stomach and in a panic, they take one of the Gangster’s men as a bargaining chip only to find out they have taken the Boss’s oldest son.
Crisis Point, 3min,. Romania Directed by Valentin Raileanu As a result of resource depletion, a virus outbreak stripping the afflicted of what makes them human and finally, war, humanity’s sovereignty has fallen. In dwindling numbers, the survivors have been driven out of their homes in the search for safety, while a former soldier travels through the toxic environment in search of a cure.
Emerging from the Shadows, 15min., Belgium Directed by Mark Stas Takeda was forced to leave Asia after a tragic incident. He travelled but stayed close to the woods in order to remember his heart, but also to live a new life in Europe and tries to forget his past. After three years this peace is suddenly disturbed. While he goes running in the woods
HELLBOUND FUGITIVE, 5min,. USA Directed by Christopher Patrick Vallone In a desperate bid for freedom, a convict seeks refuge in a decaying fortress within the mountains. He inadvertently enters a nightmarish arena where ancient demons punish the wicked, and survival means fighting hell itself.
Phantom Quartz, 12min., France Directed by Marc David Nolan Le, a former DGSE agent, aspires to lead an ordinary life with his daughter after several years of service, but fate intervened differently
RIVER, 26min,. Hong Kong Directed by Lap Fung Cheung Based on the inescapable karma of the eight sufferings, assassin Fuk Kin Dai Ho runs and hides in the home of an eccentric old man Chung Ha Gong after being injured in the firefight during a mission. Could it be simply chance or fate that brings these two men together since they are both suffering from personal angst relating to the loss of loved ones and does this meeting help them in resolving some of that pain?
Stan’s Plan, 14min., Canada Directed by Barry Nerling, Baille Reid Stan, Izzy and Rip, three drug fuelled low life criminals return after a botched robbery of a local gangster. In the process, Stan is shot in the stomach and in a panic, they take one of the Gangster’s men as a bargaining chip only to find out they have taken the Boss’s oldest son.
Crisis Point, 3min,. Romania Directed by Valentin Raileanu As a result of resource depletion, a virus outbreak stripping the afflicted of what makes them human and finally, war, humanity’s sovereignty has fallen. In dwindling numbers, the survivors have been driven out of their homes in the search for safety, while a former soldier travels through the toxic environment in search of a cure.
Emerging from the Shadows, 15min., Belgium Directed by Mark Stas Takeda was forced to leave Asia after a tragic incident. He travelled but stayed close to the woods in order to remember his heart, but also to live a new life in Europe and tries to forget his past. After three years this peace is suddenly disturbed. While he goes running in the woods
HELLBOUND FUGITIVE, 5min,. USA Directed by Christopher Patrick Vallone In a desperate bid for freedom, a convict seeks refuge in a decaying fortress within the mountains. He inadvertently enters a nightmarish arena where ancient demons punish the wicked, and survival means fighting hell itself.
Phantom Quartz, 12min., France Directed by Marc David Nolan Le, a former DGSE agent, aspires to lead an ordinary life with his daughter after several years of service, but fate intervened differently
Bang Bang, 14min., China Directed by Guan Yi Chongqing, a city built on mountains in Southwestern China, remains a stronghold of porters known as “bang bang” who move goods along streets on the rugged terrain. But the porters are slowly fading from view in the face of modernization. From 400,000 people working as bang bang in the city in 2010, they have shrunk to fewer than 2,000, mostly elderly.
CHAPPILANA, 23min., India Directed by Komalankutty Methil Pudiyankom-Kattusseri Vela Festival of Palakkad District has many unique features, one of which is a Chappalana, an elephant made of wood, bamboo and dry grass, with an ancient and fascinating story behind it.
Deferred, 18min., Sri Lanka Directed by Lanka Bandaranayake Ambitious and academically successful young Sri Lankan women, who have long dreamed of studying abroad, now find themselves at crossroads due to new UK immigration policies that prevent them from bringing their spouses along. Deeply personal and emotional journey, also, Sociopolitical explanations of academics unfold how they have to navigate the harsh reality of choosing between their educational goals and their familial bonds.
Sayad Capello, 24min., Iran Directed by Rostam Nazari Teenagers from the outskirts of the city have dreams in their heads. Sayad, despite his physical disability and his love of coaching football, is trying to make the dreams of the children to be fulfilled!
Mimas, 5min. Turkey Directed by Ervim Inci Alican Peker, who takes on the task of bringing water to the goats who live alone on an island and have no drinking water sources, also does not remain silent about the problems of other creatures in the area where he lives.
On Village Community and the Digging of Turf in Bobry, 2min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Film about the olden village tradition of digging for turf.
On a Mysterious Rock in a Mysterious Forest, 2min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Film about childhood spent in a forest which children saw as Paradise.
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On My Great-Grandmother Julia’s Orchard, 2min., Poland Directed Directed by Joanna Polak Film about an orchard where deer came to live, and stayed the year round.
the sky is the limit, 25min., UK Directed by Mirka Anderson Despite all social, physical and psychological adversities she is a symbol of success as a prolific artist and emanates positive energy with calm, humour and affection. She is a genuine star !
Mimas, 5min. Turkey Directed by Ervim Inci Alican Peker, who takes on the task of bringing water to the goats who live alone on an island and have no drinking water sources, also does not remain silent about the problems of other creatures in the area where he lives.
On Village Community and the Digging of Turf in Bobry, 2min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Film about the olden village tradition of digging for turf.
On a Mysterious Rock in a Mysterious Forest, 2min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Film about childhood spent in a forest which children saw as Paradise.
On My Great-Grandmother Julia’s Orchard, 2min., Poland Directed Directed by Joanna Polak Film about an orchard where deer came to live, and stayed the year round.
the sky is the limit, 25min., UK Directed by Mirka Anderson Despite all social, physical and psychological adversities she is a symbol of success as a prolific artist and emanates positive energy with calm, humour and affection. She is a genuine star !
Poperratic: Zero Hero, 4min., USA Directed by Jammes Luckett “Zero Hero” is a layered new indie music video animated by the solo artist behind alternative rock project Poperratic. The clip marks the song’s 25th anniversary (after multiple appearances in film and TV soundtracks). The video offers a visually dynamic and layered exploration of the human condition through a metaphorical superhero origin story.
Counting Drops, 19min., Canada Directed by Kalina Nedelcheva “Counting Drops” is an audio-visual sensory poem that explores themes of intimacy, sexuality, and love through symbols, gestures, and textures. The experimental film’s three cantos depict different relationships to love—sensual love, sustainable love and heartbreak, and self-love, respectively. The first canto, filmed in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park (Nova Scotia), is a visual sequence of the awakening body as it morphs into the sensual shapes and textures of cliffs at low tide. The second canto, shot at Tommy Thomson Park (Toronto), works through themes of sustainable romantic love and growing apart on the background of the industrial lakeside. The third canto, filmed in the artist’s bathtub, presents a more contained picture of self-discovery and confronting the practice of self-love on a deeply intimate level.
Attic Reverie, 1min,. USA Directed by Mattie Wilson A Child wonders into her families attic, only to watch the world come to life around her
Puppets, Video and Synthesizers, 6min., Portugal Directed by Leonel Vieira Coelho Puppets, Video and Synthesizers is a surreal meditation on mimicry, media ritual, and recursive identity. Set in a hyper-stylized, dollhouse-like world of glistening surfaces and analog devices, the film loops through layers of screen-bound selves, where puppets watch puppets watching television. With ritualistic mantras, flickering broadcasts, and an eerie stillness pierced by absurdity, the film becomes both stage and screen, performance and playback.
Doctor Abdoctor, 5min., Portugal Directed by Leonel Vieira Coelho Doctor Abdoctor is a poetic meditation on identity, perception, and the porous boundary between embodiment and thought. The film blurs the line between alien abduction and philosophical awakening. Visually arresting and philosophically charged, Doctor Abdoctor explores the strange beauty of being—when memory flickers, and consciousness drifts between the imagined and the unknown.
In Warsaw, 1min., Poland Directed by Dominika Machel “In Warsaw” uses the unique, historic interiors of a traditional stucco workshop as the backdrop for a fashion film. The main shot, captured in a heritage stucco studio in Warsaw, serves as a tribute to material culture and architectural heritage. The installation blends aesthetics, history, and new media, creating a bridge between physical and digital space, while the fashion-driven narrative brings a contemporary context to the classical setting.
Wall unit, 10min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak A ramshackle wall unit is a symbol of the monotonous life of a certain 40-year-old man living in a grey, dirty post-communist block of flats district. Right after his birthday, suffering from the midlife crisis, the man decides to change his dull and routine-based existence. Alas, his wife stands in the way.
WOOLDWORLD, 10min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Have you ever wondered what live would be in a world made of wool? In Woolworld, people, animals and everything that surrounds them is made of wool and all is closely tied together. The only person capable of making sure that Woolworld functions smoothly is Mr. Wooly. He is, however, old and tired and he wants his life to change. Unfortunately… his wish gets granted.
Poperratic: Zero Hero, 4min., USA Directed by Jammes Luckett “Zero Hero” is a layered new indie music video animated by the solo artist behind alternative rock project Poperratic. The clip marks the song’s 25th anniversary (after multiple appearances in film and TV soundtracks). The video offers a visually dynamic and layered exploration of the human condition through a metaphorical superhero origin story.
Counting Drops, 19min., Canada Directed by Kalina Nedelcheva “Counting Drops” is an audio-visual sensory poem that explores themes of intimacy, sexuality, and love through symbols, gestures, and textures. The experimental film’s three cantos depict different relationships to love—sensual love, sustainable love and heartbreak, and self-love, respectively. The first canto, filmed in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park (Nova Scotia), is a visual sequence of the awakening body as it morphs into the sensual shapes and textures of cliffs at low tide. The second canto, shot at Tommy Thomson Park (Toronto), works through themes of sustainable romantic love and growing apart on the background of the industrial lakeside. The third canto, filmed in the artist’s bathtub, presents a more contained picture of self-discovery and confronting the practice of self-love on a deeply intimate level.
Attic Reverie, 1min,. USA Directed by Mattie Wilson A Child wonders into her families attic, only to watch the world come to life around her
Puppets, Video and Synthesizers, 6min., Portugal Directed by Leonel Vieira Coelho Puppets, Video and Synthesizers is a surreal meditation on mimicry, media ritual, and recursive identity. Set in a hyper-stylized, dollhouse-like world of glistening surfaces and analog devices, the film loops through layers of screen-bound selves, where puppets watch puppets watching television. With ritualistic mantras, flickering broadcasts, and an eerie stillness pierced by absurdity, the film becomes both stage and screen, performance and playback.
Doctor Abdoctor, 5min., Portugal Directed by Leonel Vieira Coelho Doctor Abdoctor is a poetic meditation on identity, perception, and the porous boundary between embodiment and thought. The film blurs the line between alien abduction and philosophical awakening. Visually arresting and philosophically charged, Doctor Abdoctor explores the strange beauty of being—when memory flickers, and consciousness drifts between the imagined and the unknown.
In Warsaw, 1min., Poland Directed by Dominika Machel “In Warsaw” uses the unique, historic interiors of a traditional stucco workshop as the backdrop for a fashion film. The main shot, captured in a heritage stucco studio in Warsaw, serves as a tribute to material culture and architectural heritage. The installation blends aesthetics, history, and new media, creating a bridge between physical and digital space, while the fashion-driven narrative brings a contemporary context to the classical setting.
Wall unit, 10min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak A ramshackle wall unit is a symbol of the monotonous life of a certain 40-year-old man living in a grey, dirty post-communist block of flats district. Right after his birthday, suffering from the midlife crisis, the man decides to change his dull and routine-based existence. Alas, his wife stands in the way.
WOOLDWORLD, 10min., Poland Directed by Joanna Polak Have you ever wondered what live would be in a world made of wool? In Woolworld, people, animals and everything that surrounds them is made of wool and all is closely tied together. The only person capable of making sure that Woolworld functions smoothly is Mr. Wooly. He is, however, old and tired and he wants his life to change. Unfortunately… his wish gets granted.
Pied-à-terre, 30min., Nigeria Directed by Badewa Ajibade When Florence receives a letter from her lover, Agnes, she tries to process its contents in a way that only her subconscious can help her. As she reads on, the lines between her conscious and subconscious mind start to blur until she finds it almost impossible to tell them apart.
Warriors Beyond The Battlefield: African Americans in the Armed Forces, 26min., USA Directed by Dave Messick A documentary highlighting the untold stories from multiple generations of brave African American soldiers who have served in the United States military since the Civil War.
The Power Of One, 17min., USA Directed by Cortez Mack A story about a community coming together to save the life of a broken teenager.
Creating Memory Lane, 5min. USA Directed by David Carroll Justin “XO Valentine” Smith CEO of XO Records; takes us behind the scenes and gives insight to his creative process of his Memory Lane single. Mr. Smith also gives us some sound advice that could potentially help change the music careers of indie artists.
Pied-à-terre, 30min., Nigeria Directed by Badewa Ajibade When Florence receives a letter from her lover, Agnes, she tries to process its contents in a way that only her subconscious can help her. As she reads on, the lines between her conscious and subconscious mind start to blur until she finds it almost impossible to tell them apart.
Warriors Beyond The Battlefield: African Americans in the Armed Forces, 26min., USA Directed by Dave Messick A documentary highlighting the untold stories from multiple generations of brave African American soldiers who have served in the United States military since the Civil War.
The Power Of One, 17min., USA Directed by Cortez Mack A story about a community coming together to save the life of a broken teenager.
Creating Memory Lane, 5min. USA Directed by David Carroll Justin “XO Valentine” Smith CEO of XO Records; takes us behind the scenes and gives insight to his creative process of his Memory Lane single. Mr. Smith also gives us some sound advice that could potentially help change the music careers of indie artists.
Festival Reviews 