Phoenix Park - 18
CA, USA

“This texture-rich and visually-intriguing animation follows a bored kid caught in the battle between malaise and inspiration. This film draws us through something as mundane as an air conditioner and into a vivid stream-of-consciousness world, prompting us to reflect on such a crucial question: how do we breathe life back into the death of passion? As an artist myself, I deeply relate to the elusiveness of motivation, the suffocation of complacency, and the gnawing pressure to create and thought this displayed that pressure creatively.”

Breaking the Mold

Yukako Fujimori - 21
CA, USA

“In this beautifully-crafted cult thriller, the young heroine, Rebecca, attempts to break away from the cult’s powerful leader Amos and escape to the real world. I LOVE a uniquely eerie and unsettling film, and Amos’ Bride was exactly that!! I was completely immersed from the first to the last shot.”

Immense Immersions

Kevin Jin Kwan Kim - 23
Canada

“This film meditates on both the fragility and power of family. Through the interplay of somber slices of life and wistful vignettes, we feel the impact of physical and cross-cultural distance on Minseo and his yearning to reconnect to his family, especially his brother. This film communicates an immeasurable depth of emotion, not only throughout Minseo’s journey, but through the viewer’s own emotional experience bearing witness to it.”

Familial Frames

Xinchen Ella Zhang - 22
CA, USA

“Beautifully intricate, Cocoon Lover, is a narrative that has no direct spoken dialogue. But words are completely unnecessary in this visually captivating tale of a woman whose lover appears to have abandoned her. Cocoon Lover is so visually and thematically arresting, it’s a feast for the eyes and the heart at the same time.”

Friday Night Spotlight

Gabrielle Selnet - 24
France

“In this French animated short, a young woman– and her cat– are kicked out of their home by the young woman’s mother. The animation vividly shows the chaotic bustle of the city, as well as the hectic hustle facing the young woman and her cat, as they scramble to find a new place to live in Paris. The bright colors and potent characters are undeniably fun and captivating.”

Centerpiece