Puek, a boy from the slums, had no choice but to endure his circumstances, feeling that he could never have the same worth as others. He remained silent, accepting the bullying of others just to survive in society.
Inspired by true experiences of grief, girlhood, and growing up, Jessie Barr’s SOPHIE JONES provides a stirring portrait of a sixteen-year-old. Stunned by the untimely death of her mother and struggling with the myriad challenges of teendom, Sophie (played with striking immediacy by the director’s cousin Jessica Barr) tries everything she can to feel something again, while holding herself together, in this sensitive, acutely realized, and utterly relatable coming-of-age story.
Following the arrival of an unwanted guest, the tightly-knit bond between two sisters is put to the test when their idyllic playdate takes a dark turn. Supported by The Future of Film is Female, ALBION ROSE is a late bloomer's coming-of-age drama with hints of magical realism and dark fairytale elements that paint a delicate, yet emotionally charged portrait of sisterhood, loss, and the healing powers of fantasy.
Free-spirited university student Rafaela’s carefree life is shaken when she falls pregnant. Desperate to get an abortion in a country where doing so could land her in jail and unable to fund one illegally, her situation shakes her world. But thankfully, she doesn’t face it alone by virtue of her best friend and sidekick, Gabriela. In her directorial debut, Hyland skilfully captures the incongruity of the inseparable duo’s lives as they move between their fuzzy pink apartment and the rough and raw backstreets of Santiago.
When Amalia breaks a friendship spell, her best friend Daniela disappears from her life and memories. Now, Amalia must redo it before it's too late.
In the heart of a Dominican family’s home, the youngest daughter’s thirteenth birthday is being celebrated. Balloons, cake, and music cannot hide the tension that lingers in the air. Amid the party, between music and applause, Minerva receives a special gift from her father. What seems like an innocent gesture turns into a silent revelation of the fear that has long resided in her heart. Through glances, restrained gestures, and meaningful details, the short film portrays domestic violence from a child’s perspective, where joy and horror coexist in the same space.
In middle school, Futaba Yoshioka was madly in love with Tanaka Kou but he moves away with his mother. She is reunited with him later in life but he is not the same person anymore.
Spanning seven short stories - each taking place in a different city around the globe, “All the Lonely People” showcases a slice of life from various strangers while they try to face their regular, everyday problems. From New Zealand to New York city, the assortment of strangers deal with modern day anxieties that slowly spiral out of control.
Thrown together under incredible circumstances, two strangers must discover courage and strength when they begin a journey across the treacherous African desert! Equipped only with their wits and the expertise of a native bushman who befriends them, they are determined to triumph over impossible odds and reach their destination. But along the way, the trio face a primitive desert wilderness.
After a revitalizing experience on his way to work , Charlie is driven to reconnect with his past.
Amy is taken on a impromptu camping trip by her Dad on her 15th Birthday. Along with her little brother, the endless summer turns into an inescapable future.
Dior and Kenzo are simmering. Captives of a city stuck between mountains and sea, they dream of running away. When the wildfires devastating the region threaten the local zoo and its animals, their rebellion breaks out of their imagination.
Sixteen-year-old Diane exists exclusively through her mother's gaze. But this intensely close bond between Diane and her mother, Sophie, is becoming increasingly problematic for the teenager. At high school, she would like to be loved like she is at home and expresses it in an awkward way like when she exchanges a favor for a look, in the toilets. A loudmouth, provocative, and seeking attention, Diane tries to stand apart from her mother and wishes, during a weekend, to live like an adult.
When her sister runs away from the Christian community where they've lived, Clara decides to set off to Montreal in search of her, and discovers the world, doubt, and price of freedom.
Golf never wanted a brother. Bank just wanted to be loved. What grew between them changed both boys forever.
Mounia searches for her lost cat among the ruins of the Beirut port explosion. Joined by her best friend Ghady, they navigate the remnants of their city on a quest to recover what's been lost.
A bloodstain on a sheet triggers a great transformation in Tina, an eleven-year-old girl. As she spreads out the laundry with her mother, she will have to silently face all those unknown feelings she thought would never come.
It is the last day of school for Christian and his younger sister Sophie. They are heading to a party at his friend Trina. High school graduation is just around the corner and after the freedom and future. But behind the idyllic facade lurks tragedy and secrets. That evening Sophie commits suicide.
Jérôme was sexually abused as a child by a priest. In a deeply personal film, he tries to search for clues in his memories and come to terms with the complicity of his former social environment.
As college graduation nears, Hira struggles with Kiyoi's growing fame as an actor, while Kiyoi just wants an equal relationship. Can their love survive?