Empire Waist

The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, follow the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth.

Benoit turns 13 and develops an intense crush on his godmother, Marion. As they lie on beaches in the summer, she humors him by talking about the mysteries of women.

Erik, a 13-year-old boy, has a platonic crush on Sheila and, to get closer to her, claims to have a tape at home with the legendary “last episode” of the cartoon Dungeons & Dragons. With the help of his friends, he seeks a way out of the mess he has gotten himself into, experiencing an intense coming-of-age story.

A Mexican teenager whose dreams of becoming a soccer star are disrupted when his mother dies. He's smuggled across the border with the promise of a better life but is instead sold to a sweatshop in downtown LA.

A hypersensitive wind turbine tech encounters an activist and a special child in Romania, leading her into a fight against bus-dismantling criminals and forcing her to confront her own growth.

15-year-old deep-thinking Welsh schoolboy Oliver Tate struggles to initiate and maintain a relationship with Jordana, his devilish, dark-haired classmate at their Swansea high school. As his parents' marriage begins to fall apart, similar problems arise in his relationship with Jordana.

Two 13-year-old boys spend an idyllic summer together, but their connection is put to the test when they become the subject of speculation at school.

Will, a small goat with big dreams, gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will's new teammates aren't thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that 'smalls can ball'!

Showcasing the earlier years of Chan Ho Nam and Chicken, this prequel tells of their time during their willingness to follow Hung Hing's Uncle Bee.

A wealthy businessman shows his young adult kids how tough life can be.

17-year-old Monica is left to take care for her exuberant younger sister, Sarah, for the week. As the girls rush to school one morning, the tornado sirens suddenly wail outside.

13-year-old Pablo is a quiet, lonely boy with a troubled past. His only friend is Julia, a shameless 15-year-old girl who is more than willing to help Pablo with his transition from childhood to adolescence, and give him some advice on sex, love, and life in general. On a quiet country road just outside of the village, Pablo meets Paco, an oddly calm, well-dressed stranger whose car just broke down. Nevertheless, he seems more interested in the boy than fixing his problem.

Saudade

Nudes Julia once sent to her ex have been leaked. The only one that supports her is her best friend Chloë. Together they try to figure out who is behind the scandal. Julia suspects her ex boyfriend. Then she finds out something horrible that changes everything.

Teenage boy Tom lives with his single mum in a flat in South London. Into the flat below moves Steve, an anti-social former Rock God who faked his death 8 years ago. Tom agrees not to reveal his secret on condition that he teaches him the dark arts of Rock Guitar.

Dennis feels different - an ordinary boy in an ordinary house in an ordinary street, playing football with his mates and living with his dad and brother, but frustrated by the boring grey world he inhabits. Life has never really been the same since his mum left. However, transformation can happen in the most unexpected places. Aided by Lisa, the coolest girl in school, Dennis creates a whole new persona and puts it to the ultimate test - but can a boy wear a dress, and what will the headmaster, his dad and his friends on the football team think if they find out?

In 1975, the long slog of civil war has recently begun in Beirut. Two friends, Tarek and Omar, suffer during the Lebanese civil war. Conflicts arise when they decide to cross from West to East, crossing the Muslim-Christian line that divides Beirut.

It's Friday night and five friends on the cusp of adulthood gather at a house to celebrate the end of another school week. They drink. They flirt. They laugh. They shoot the breeze. As the night grows later, the teens reach a state of alcohol-induced openness. They reveal secrets, crushes and an unintentionally cruel streak.

This is the story of a day in the life of Mani, a 12 year old boy, who is in love with his family's personal driver, whom he finds out is having a secret affair with his mother.

After a party gone awry, Melody wants nothing more than a pack of cigarettes. What was meant to be a quick stop on her way home turns into anything but after a chance encounter with her high-school boyfriend, Jonathan. Over the course of a single night, the pair are forced to ask what went so wrong with their relationship and what would happen if they tried again.