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Student Shorts
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 24th at 12:00 PM
SYNOPSIS: What happens when you give young filmmakers from the DFW area the tools to tell their stories? You get something pretty extraordinary.
These aren't your typical student films. These are the works of emerging storytellers who are questioning, exploring, and pushing boundaries right here in our own backyard. Each short film represents a unique perspective, a fresh voice, and the kind of creative courage that makes you stop and think.
This showcase is about more than just watching films. It's about witnessing the next generation of creators as they discover their voice, challenge assumptions, and share what matters to them. These local students are doing what great storytellers do: they're showing us the world through their eyes and asking us to see things differently.
Come discover what the future of filmmaking looks like when young minds are given the freedom to explore, create, and share their truth. You might just find yourself inspired to see your own community in a whole new way.

You Are the Apple of My Eye (Women’s Showcase)
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 24th at 1:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Jin-woo gets caught goofing around during class. As punishment, he is forced to sit in front of class president Sun-ah and be monitored by her. Although Sun-ah is a model student and Jin-woo is a troublemaker, the two grow close. However, they are bad at expressing their feelings. Our first love is about to begin!
DIRECTOR: CHO Young-myoung | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 101 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Shorts Block: Narrative
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 24th at 3:45 PM
There's something magical about a story told in under 20 minutes. It has to grab you immediately, make you care deeply, and leave you thinking long after it ends.
This collection brings together storytellers from around the world who've mastered that art. From intimate character studies to bold experiments that challenge everything you thought you knew about storytelling, these films show what's possible when filmmakers take risks.
Come discover new voices and see how much power a single story can hold. You never know which one will stay with you forever.

My Sunshine
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 24th at 5:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: On a Japanese island, life revolves around the changing seasons. Winter is time for ice hockey at school, but Takuya isn't too thrilled about it. His real interest lies in Sakura, a figure skating rising star from Tokyo, for whom he starts to develop a genuine fascination. Coach and former champion Arakawa, spots potential in Takuya, and decides to mentor him to form a duo with Sakura for an upcoming competition. As winter persists, feelings grow, and the two children form a harmonious bond. But even the first snow eventually melts away.
DIRECTOR: Hiroshi Okuyama | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 90 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan/France | GENRE: Drama

Penalty Loop (Opening Night Film)
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 24th at 7:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Penalty Loop is a time-loop thriller and the second film by director Shinji Araki, known for his unique dystopian mystery debut, The Town of Headcounts. The story follows a man trapped in an endless cycle, reliving the same day to avenge the murder of his girlfriend. As he confronts his enemy in this looping world, his quest for revenge gradually turns inward, forcing him to face himself. Blending social themes with psychological tension, Araki explores the uncertain emotions of human nature within a haunting, repetitive reality.
DIRECTOR: Shinji Araki | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 99 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Sci Fi/Drama

Waterdrop
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 12 PM
SYNOPSIS: Thirteen-year-old Su-yeon is left alone after the death of her grandmother, her only guardian. Facing the threat of being placed in foster care, she sets out to secure a new home by ingratiating herself with her best friend's family—and even online influencers. As she navigates shifting households and uneasy relationships, Waterdrop unfolds into a haunting psychological survival story, exploring identity, trust, and the quiet desperation of a child determined to belong.
DIRECTOR: Choi Jong-yong | LANGUAGE: South Korea
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 108 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Drama / Mystery / Thriller / Coming-of-Age

Shorts Block: Experimental
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 2:15 PM
What happens when filmmakers throw out the rulebook and ask "what if?"
These aren't your typical stories with neat beginnings, middles, and ends. These are visual experiments, audio adventures, and creative risks that push the boundaries of what film can be and do.
From abstract visual poetry to genre-defying narratives that challenge how we think about storytelling itself, these filmmakers are exploring new territory. They're asking bold questions and finding unexpected answers through pure creative courage.
Come with an open mind and let yourself be surprised. You might discover a whole new way of seeing what cinema can become.

Boong (Women’s Showcase Selection)
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 3:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: In the valley of Manipur, Boong (a little boy) fights to reclaim his innocent childhood from the warring world of adults. The film poignantly captures the loss of childhood in conflict zones, and the resilient spirit of a child who resists being shaped by the violence around him.
DIRECTOR: Lakshmipriya Devi | LANGUAGE: Manipuri (with English subtitles)
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 93 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: India/France | GENRE: Coming-of-Age Drama

Ghost Killer
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 5:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: Fumika Matsuoka, a struggling college student, inadvertently becomes possessed by the vengeful spirit of Hideo Kudo, a hitman betrayed and murdered by his own organization. Bound together, Fumika and Kudo embark on a quest for revenge, with Kudo granting Fumika supernatural strength to confront his killers.
DIRECTOR: Kensuke Sonomura | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 105 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Action/Comedy/Crime

The Mother and The Bear (w Q/&A) (Centerpiece Film)
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 8 PM
SYNOPSIS: In a snow-swept Winnipeg, school teacher Sumi (Leere Park) is hospitalized after a fall. On hearing the news, her anxious mother, Sara (Kim Ho-jung, Revivre), flies over from Seoul to be with her comatose daughter — and once Sara sets herself up in the young woman's apartment, she discovers she doesn't really know Sumi at all. Sara despairs about her daughter's single status, so she immediately starts catfishing the pleasant Min (Jonathan Kim) to be Sumi's boyfriend — once she wakes up, of course — and also gets unwittingly entangled with Min's estranged father, Sam (Won-Jae Lee), who runs a Korean restaurant in the city. As Sam and the widowed Sara connect over their mutual melancholies, a chance meeting with Sumi's co-worker Amaya (Amara Pedroso Saquel, Cha Cha Real Smooth) leads Sara to learn more about the life from which her daughter has chosen to exclude her. In a departure from his previous films, filmmaker Johnny Ma (Old Stone) embarks in a bold new direction, using suburban Winnipeg as the stage for a unique mash-up of genres - a stylized, whimsical narrative of crossed wires, secret lives, and conflicting agendas.
DIRECTOR: Johnny Ma | LANGUAGE: English/Korean
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 100 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Canada/Chile | GENRE: Comedy/Drama

The Shrine
SHOWTIME: Friday July 25th at 10:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Yu-mi and her university friends travel to a small Japanese town to prepare for an exhibition on religious artifacts. When one of them, Hee-jung, goes missing after visiting a mysterious shrine depicted in her painting, the group decides to investigate. Their exploration leads to unsettling occurrences, prompting Yu-mi to seek help from her former classmate, Myung-jin—a reluctant shaman capable of communicating with the spirit world. Together with Pastor Han-ju, a local spiritual leader, they confront a malevolent entity threatening the town.
DIRECTOR: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 98 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea/Japan | GENRE: Horror

Blue Sun Palace (w/pre-recorded intro)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 26th at 12 PM
SYNOPSIS: Within the confines of a massage parlor in Flushing, Queens, three women’s lives intersect: one driven by survival, another by hope, and the third by the pursuit of a different future. Beneath the fluorescent lights, they find humor and tenderness in unexpected places, revealing a quiet resilience. Constance Tsang’s striking debut examines labor, migration, and female friendship through restrained storytelling and luminous visuals.
DIRECTOR: Constance Tsang | LANGUAGE: English and Mandarin
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 116 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China/USA | GENRE: Drama

25 Cats from Qatar (w/Q&A)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 26th at 2:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Qatar is one of the world’s wealthiest nations, and its luxurious surface and rapid growth are powered by migrant workers who make 89% of the population. And they also feel compelled to help its struggling street cats. When an American flight attendant and cat cafe owner becomes aware of the crisis, she hatches a plan to fly 25 cats to Milwaukee, where her cat cafe provides a pipeline for adoption. Presenting a microcosm of a global crisis, the film asks searching questions about animal welfare, all within a ticking-clock narrative about the nuts and bolts of a rescue mission. It is both an urgent wake-up call and a heartwarming story of overcoming international barriers for a common goal.
DIRECTOR: Mye Hoang | LANGUAGE: English
YEAR: 2025 | RUNNING TIME: 95 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: USA | GENRE: Documentary

Don’t Cry Butterly (w/Q&A)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 26 at 6:15 PM
SYNOPSIS: Tam, a hardworking wedding venue staffer, learns of her husband’s affair while watching live TV. Instead of confronting him, she turns to a powerful spell master in a desperate bid to reclaim his love. Her daughter, Ha, channels her anger into vibrant fantasies of escaping to a better life abroad. All the while, a mysterious House Spirit—seen only by the women—lingers beneath their crumbling, leaky ceiling, silently bearing witness to their unraveling world.
DIRECTOR: Duong Dieu Linh | LANGUAGE: Vietnamese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 15 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Vietnam | GENRE: Animated Short

Pierce (w/Q&A)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 26th at 9 PM
SYNOPSIS: Set in Taipei, the story follows Jie, a young fencer who reconnects with his estranged older brother Han, recently released from juvenile prison after serving time for killing an opponent during a fencing match. As Jie trains for the national championships under Han's guidance, he grapples with the resurfacing of Han's violent tendencies, leading him to question his brother's true nature.
DIRECTOR: Nelicia Low | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 109 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Singapore / Taiwan / Poland | GENRE: Psychological Thriller

Bushido
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 27 at 12 PM
SYNOPSIS: A man is separated from his daughter by a false accusation and risks his pride as a samurai to seek revenge. Kakunoshin Yanagida, a ronin, is accused of a crime he does not commit and mourns the death of his wife. He is forced to leave his hometown, the Hikone domain, and lives with his daughter, Okinu, in a poor tenement house in Edo (Tokyo). Even under such circumstances, he does not lose his pride as a samurai. His only pleasure is to play the game of Go, which he plays without pretense. His way of playing Go reflects his sincere character. One day, Kakunoshin finds the truth behind a tragic false accusation by an old clan acquaintance and decides to take revenge. To support her father, Okinu chooses to sacrifice herself. A father and daughter's battle for pride begins.
DIRECTOR: Kazuya Shiraishi | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 129 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Historical Drama

Paper Marriage (w/Q&A)
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 27 at 2:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Fanny (Effy Han), a Chinese immigrant facing deportation, pins her last hopes on staying in the U.S. by paying Jeff (Jeff Man), an unemployed lost soul, to marry her. During this year-long charade, they tiptoe around each other's differences. As quiet moments turn into clashes, they navigate through their awkwardness and are forced to learn to work together.
DIRECTOR: Jeff Man | LANGUAGE: English
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 91 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: USA | GENRE: Comedy/Drama/Romance

The Last Woman on Earth (w/Q&A)
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 27 at 4:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: Han-ah is a blunt blue-haired woman taking a liberal film art class. No one gives her sincere feedback on her screenplay, which is full of anger toward men. But only one person, Cheol, an aspiring director who wishes to make a feature film, approaches her and says, “Hey, isn’t this screenplay hatred of men?” He believes a sponsored enterprise didn’t select his screenplay because it didn’t receive the ‘extra points from woman’s film.’ He ridiculously suggests that Han-ah team up with him.
DIRECTOR: Lee Jong-min and Yeum Moon-kyoung | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 78 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Drama/Comedy

Baby Assassins: Nice Days (Closing Night Film)
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 27 at 7 PM
SYNOPSIS: Teenage assassins Chisato Sugimoto (Akari Takaishi) and Mahiro Fukagawa (Saori Izawa) are back—and so are their conflicting personalities. Trying to live normal lives while working for a crime syndicate, they’re quickly targeted by another deadly duo. Between long shifts at minimum wage jobs and unhinged shootouts in stairwells and offices, the girls have each other’s backs, knives, and handguns. A lean, stylish action comedy with characters worth rooting for.
DIRECTOR: Yugo Sakamoto | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 103 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Action/Comedy

Method Acting
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 27th at 9:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: LEE Dong-hwi, a washed-up comedy actor, aspires to change his image to a serious drama actor. Fortunately, he lands the role of a majestic king in a historical drama, but unexpected challenges begin to unfold for him. Will he be able to pull off method acting and succeed in changing his public image?
DIRECTOR: LEE Ki-hyuk | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 92 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Comedy/Drama

TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 28th at 9:00 PM
SYNOPSIS: Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In follows Chan Lok-kwun, a troubled youth who accidentally enters the Walled City and discovers a unique sense of order amidst the chaos. As he navigates this treacherous environment, he forms close bonds with other key figures, including Shin and Twelfth Master.
Under the leadership of Tornado, a legendary and feared underworld figure, Chan and his allies strive to protect the Walled City from the villain Mr. Big, a crime lord hired by the colonial government to destroy their sanctuary. The film features intense action scenes and explores themes of survival, friendship, and resistance against oppression.
DIRECTOR: Soi Cheang | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 125 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Hong Kong | GENRE: Action

ASHIMA + Q&A
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 28th at 2:30PM
SYNOPSIS: ASHIMA follows elite rock climber Ashima Shiraishi as she travels to South Africa to attemptto become the youngest climber to master one of the world’s most challenging climbs.Accompanying Ashima is her father and coach Poppo, a former avante-garde dancer who bringsan eccentric, tough-love approach to Ashima’s training. Examining the sacrifices required toachieve at the highest level and the complex relationship between immigrant parents and theirchildren, ASHIMA is an intimate coming-of-age story about climbing, family, and the pursuit of the American Dream.
DIRECTOR: Kenji Tsukamoto | LANGUAGE: English
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 86 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: United States | GENRE: Documentary

STOLEN
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 5PM
SYNOPSIS: In the wee morning hours at a remote railway station in rural India, a chance encounter changes the lives of a few young people forever.
Gautam Bansal is there to pick up his brother Raman for an extravagant destination wedding. Their already tenuous relationship and the thin veneer of familial love is challenged when they chance upon Jhumpa Mahato. An already broken woman with little to her name, Jhumpa is beside herself with panic when she wakes from her slumber to discover her infant daughter missing.
A series of unfortunate incidents embroil the two brothers into Jhumpa’s pitiful endeavor to be reunited with her young child.
Raman, ever on a crusade for justice and righting the world’s wrongs, believes it's their moral duty to come to the helpless women's aid. Gautam, believes more in the pleasures of a privileged life, and hardly cares to know more about what does not concern him.
This perilous journey through the unforgiving hinterlands thrusts the young men out of their sheltered existence, compelling them to confront the harshness of reality. The Bansal brothers and Jhumpa are forced to navigate the dark underbelly of society, testing their resilience, trust, and ultimately, their humanity.
DIRECTOR: Karan Tejpal | LANGUAGE: Hindi
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 94 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: India | GENRE: Thriller

ONE-PERCENT WARRIOR
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 28th at 5PM
SYNOPSIS: After his devastatingly fast, samurai-style combat approach sets filmmakers against him, a legendary action star (Tak Sakaguchi) films his own movie—on turf claimed by feuding yakuza gangs, including Japan’s deadliest martial arts assassin.
DIRECTOR: Yamaguchi Yudai | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Action

MOSCOW MISSION
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 9:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: Tough Chinese detectives go on a mission to Moscow to hunt down ruthless robbers who have been plaguing the trans-Siberian railway with violence and chaos.
DIRECTOR: Herman Yau | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 128 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China | GENRE: Action

THE GUEST + Q&A
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 7:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Someone is watching you behind the screen.
Min-cheol, who works at a motel, makes dirty money by filming illegal sex videos of the guests. Although feeling guilty, he has no choice but to continue the job to pay loan shark debts. On one rainy night, he witnesses a guy strangling a drunk woman to death through the hidden camera. Still debating between selling this provocative footage and reporting a crime, Min-cheol now has to make a decision.
DIRECTOR: Yeon Je-gwang | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 76 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Thriller

A LONG SHOT
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 28th at 7PM
SYNOPSIS: In the early 1980s in Northeast China, factories were in decline and thefts were occurring one after another. After the sharpshooter Gu Xuebing retired for some reason, he became an ordinary officer in the factory security department. He admires Xiao Jin, a single mother, and accidentally finds that Xiao Jin's son, Geng Xiaojun, is wandering on the edge of crime, Gu Xuebing is determined to bring him back to the right path.
DIRECTOR: Gao Peng | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 117 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China | GENRE: Crime Drama

ART IS LOVE: NEPAL + Q&A and BENKYODO: The Last Manju Shop in J-Town
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 12PM
SYNOPSIS: Art is Love: Nepal is a documentary directed by the creative duo Daniel Driensky and Sarah Reyes from Exploredinary. The film features Texas artist Sean Starr on a journey to Nepal, where he explores and documents traditional and handcrafted arts that are at risk of disappearing.
The documentary showcases a variety of Nepali artisans, including Thangka painters, woodcarvers, singing bowl manufacturers, paper makers, basket weavers, and traditional musicians and dancers. These artists share their craft and the cultural significance behind their work, which has been passed down through generations.
The project aims to highlight the importance of preserving these art forms in a rapidly changing global landscape dominated by technology. The film was shot in early March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic caused international lockdowns, and captures the vivid experiences and connections between the artists from Texas and Nepal.
DIRECTOR: Daniel Driensky and Sarah Reyes | LANGUAGE: English
YEAR: 2024 | RUNNING TIME: 71 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: United States/Nepal | GENRE: Documentary

OLD FOX
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 12PM
SYNOPSIS: In 1989, eleven-year-old LIAO Jie and his father have been saving money, hoping that they will be able to buy a house of their own in three years. However, they fail to notice that the world is rapidly changing.
The property prices have rocketed, and in the blink of an eye, their savings are not enough anymore. In frustration, LIAO comes to realize the harsh reality of being poor. In contrast to his father, their landlord, whom people call “Old Fox,” emerges as a winner, and he seems to be a better mentor to LIAO. Old Fox teaches LIAO how to survive in this cruel society, and that is something his father has never taught him.
Nonetheless, LIAO ends up hurting Old Fox with what he has learned from Old Fox. On the other hand, just like his father, LIAO is someone who always empathizes with others, and it is this quality that stops LIAO from becoming another “Old Fox.”
DIRECTOR: HSIAO Ya-Chuan | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 112 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Taiwan | GENRE: Period Family Coming-of-age Drama

THE TENANTS
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 10:30PM
SYNOPSIS: The Tenants is set in a dystopian future Seoul, plagued by severe environmental pollution and exorbitant living costs. The protagonist, Shin-dong, is an office worker who faces eviction by his landlord. Unable to afford a new place, he follows a friend's advice to rent out part of his current home to complicate the eviction process. He ends up renting his bathroom to a peculiar newlywed couple, leading to a series of bizarre and unsettling events.
DIRECTOR: Yoon Eun-Kyoung | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 88 minutes | BLACK & WHITE
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Psychological Horror

TOKYO COWBOY + Q&A
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 27th at 7:15PM
SYNOPSIS: Brash businessman Hideki arrives in Montana having convinced his Tokyo bosses he can turn a profitless US cattle ranch into a premiere-performing asset. Yet when his Hardee’s-burger-loving Japanese Wagyu-beef expert fails him, Hideki is poised to misfire magnificently unless he identifies a missing element that’s key to the transformation... himself.
DIRECTOR: Marc Marriott | LANGUAGE: English/Japanese
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 118 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Dramedy

MS. APOCALYPSE
SHOWTIME: Friday July 26th at 5PM
SYNOPSIS: Ms. Apocalypse is set in the winter of 1999 and follows the story of Yeong-mi, an accounting manager at a factory, who is often ridiculed for her dowdy appearance and nicknamed 'Ms. Apocalypse' by her colleagues. The only person who shows her kindness is Do-yeong, a delivery driver, whom she secretly admires.
As her feelings for Do-yeong grow, Yeong-mi discovers that he has been embezzling company money. Despite this, she strives to protect him, which leads to her being arrested for aiding his crime. This dramatic turn of events coincides with the societal panic over the impending turn of the millennium. After serving her time in prison, Yeong-mi encounters Do-yeong's wife, Yoo-jin, who presents her with an unexpected and compelling offer, leading to an unlikely friendship between the two women.
DIRECTOR: Lim Seon-ae | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 116 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Drama

SHORTS BLOCK 2
SHOWTIME: Friday July 26 at 3:30 PM
LINEUP:
Newspapers
For Roy
Champion
Floor
Cuppa Chai

ROSE & SAMURAI 2
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 25th at 2PM
SYNOPSIS: The Movie Emperor is a satirical comedy directed by Ning Hao. The film centers on Lau Wai-Chi, a former Hong Kong film star, who takes on a role in a modest indie drama to revive his career. To prepare for his role as a peasant farmer in the 1960s, Lau immerses himself in rural life in mainland China. His journey is marked by a series of comedic mishaps, highlighting his struggle to adapt to the common people and their way of life due to his arrogance and detachment from reality.
DIRECTOR: Ning Hao | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 126 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China | GENRE: Satire

THE MOVIE EMPEROR
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 25th at 2PM
SYNOPSIS: The Movie Emperor is a satirical comedy directed by Ning Hao. The film centers on Lau Wai-Chi, a former Hong Kong film star, who takes on a role in a modest indie drama to revive his career. To prepare for his role as a peasant farmer in the 1960s, Lau immerses himself in rural life in mainland China. His journey is marked by a series of comedic mishaps, highlighting his struggle to adapt to the common people and their way of life due to his arrogance and detachment from reality.
DIRECTOR: Ning Hao | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 126 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China | GENRE: Satire

NAMESAKE
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 26th at 5:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Namesake follows the lives of multiple characters sharing the same name, exploring the unique stories and emotional struggles that come with their shared identity. Each character navigates personal challenges, social expectations, and their search for self-identity, all while being linked by their common name. The film delves into themes of identity, connection, and the impact of names on one's life journey.
DIRECTOR: Yung-Chi Chen | LANGUAGE: Mandarin
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 79 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Taiwan | GENRE: Romantic Drama

A CHILDLESS VILLAGE
SHOWTIME: Thursday July 25th at 3:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: A Childless Village is set in a remote village where, twenty years ago, an old filmmaker named Kazem made a film about the sterility of the women villagers. To protect their dignity, the women stole and burned the footage. Now, it is revealed that the men are infertile, not the women. Kazem, with his assistant, attempts to record interviews with the infertile men to uncover the truth. The film explores themes of women's rights, superstitions, and rural life through a comedic lens.
DIRECTOR: Reza Jamali | LANGUAGE: Azerbaijani
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 81 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Iran | GENRE: Comedy

SHORTS BLOCK 1
Film Name | Filmmaker | Length | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Happy Doomsday | Sol O | 13 minutes | A dark comedy where two women, rejected from a job interview, meet online and plan to end their lives together. As the night progresses, unexpected obstacles arise, leading to a surprising turn of events. |
Captured | TBD | TBD | TBD |
MIDORI | Dohyun KIM | 13 minutes | A young woman with crippled legs receives white shoes from her deceased mother. Her maid, Midori, desires the beautiful shoes. |
Voiceclub | Taeyoung Kim | 26 minutes | Dana, a telemarketer, joins "Voice Club" to pursue her dream of being a voice actor. She lies about her background to gain attention, but her deception is threatened when a real Berkeley graduate joins the app. |
VIRAL | Al Chang | 11 minutes | A group of young women seeking viral fame find their social media session turning deadly when they're stalked by an internet serial killer. |

STUDENT SHORTS
Film Name | Filmmaker | Length |
---|---|---|
Hawkshaw Swing: Caravan of Dreams | Andrew Cai and Ali Agha | 8:41:00 |
Bright Eyes and Steady Hands | Cane Wilson | 8:06:00 |
Caught in Her Web | Thien-An Nguyen | 1:57:00 |
Woman on the Moon | Xoe Rae Cano | 16:57:00 |
The Little Witch's Trip | Holly Evans | 2:01:00 |
Wrong Number | Madison Harper, Ismael Valenzuela, and Gabriel Ibarra | 6:06:00 |
Reyna | Sabina Arcila | 6:28:00 |
Soft Launch | Michelle Hoang | 8:03:00 |
Final Screening | Sean Nguyen | 1:27:00 |
Payphone | Aubren Kazee | 5:00:00 |
Singing in the Lifeboat | Grace Wijaya | 14:42:00 |

NEW RELIGION
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 16th at 9:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: Miyabi, a woman grappling with the grief of losing her daughter, finds solace in working as a call girl following her divorce. Her life takes an unusual turn when she encounters an eccentric client interested in photographing her spine. In a subsequent appointment, he insists on photographing her feet.
As Miyabi continues to permit her body parts to be photographed, she makes a startling discovery: each photograph taken brings her deceased daughter's spirit nearer to her. As the series of photos near its culmination with only her eyes left to be captured, unforeseen consequences ensue. The entire society spirals into chaos in this audacious, imaginative, and unparalleled fantasy narrative.
DIRECTOR: Keishi Kondo | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Drama / Horror

DRIVE + PLEASE HOLD THE LINE (SHORT FILM)
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 16th at 7:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Renowned YouTube personality Yuna is notorious for belittling others. During a social gathering, she consumes a few alcoholic shots and falls asleep after calling a designated driver. To her horror, upon waking up, Yuna discovers that she is confined in the trunk of her own car.
The abductor demands a ransom that includes not just money but also insists that she live-stream the kidnapping and plead with her viewers for financial assistance. However, everyone believes this is just another one of her staged antics.
DIRECTOR: PARK Dong-hee | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 90 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Thriller

SIREN IN THE SHADOWS
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 16th at 4:50 PM
SYNOPSIS: In the wilderness of the Kanto region, a striking beauty and Geisha named Gokuraku Tayu (played by Yuki Amami) emerges. She was once the most trusted and cherished sniper under the service of Nobunaga Oda.
Meanwhile, a group known as the Kanto Skulls, led by the enigmatic Tenmaoh (played by Arata Furuta), who conceals his face with a skull mask, constructs the impenetrable Skull Castle. The Kanto Skulls assert their dominance over the Kanto region to hinder Hideyoshi Toyotomi's unification efforts.
Tayu rescues Sagiri (played by Kurumi Shimizu), a young girl from the Kumaki clan who the Skulls are pursuing. With assistance from Hyogo (played by Seiji Fukushi), leader of the Kanto Daredavils clan, they make their way to Mukai village, a bustling hub frequented by travelers, commoners, and individuals from various walks of life. The village is overseen by the highly sought-after Geisha, Yumesaburo (played by Ryo Ryusei).
In the village, a wanderer named Jiroemon Mamiana (played by Akira Yamamoto) approaches Tayu with a mission to assassinate Tenmaoh. It is revealed that Jiroemon is actually Ieyasu Tokugawa, who had shared a close relationship with Tayu through Nobunaga. As Hideyoshi amasses an army to defeat Tenmaoh, Tayu plans to take him down before a large-scale conflict erupts in Kanto. As part of this plan, Tayu sends Sagiri to a gunsmith, Gantetsusai, and his apprentice Kantetsu (played by Hiroki Miyake), to collect a specially-crafted gun capable of penetrating impenetrable armor.
Upon learning of Tayu's assassination plot, Tenmaoh confronts her and reveals his true face by removing his mask – he is none other than Nobunaga Oda. As Tayu aims her gun at him, Tenmaoh divulges a startling revelation.
The narrative unfolds as a tale of a woman who walks a warrior's path and a man with ambitions of creating his own empire. Their intertwined past resurfaces, setting in motion a series of gripping and poignant events.
DIRECTOR: Hidenori Inoue | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2019 | RUNNING TIME: 127 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Inoue-Kabuki

WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE + Q&A
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 16th at 2:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: Over the course of a week-long beach side getaway, Amy, having recently undergone dramatic weigh loss, finds herself wrestling between loyalty to her best friend Kim and her attraction to Kim's new boyfriend.
DIRECTOR: Linh Tran | LANGUAGE: English
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 89 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: USA | GENRE: Drama

PEAFOWL + EY YOU! (SHORT FILM)
SHOWTIME: Sunday July 16th at 12 PM
SYNOPSIS: Shin, (played by Hae-jun), is an exceptionally skilled dancer specializing in waacking – a dance style akin to voguing that emphasizes striking poses. She is gearing up for a dance battle final, which holds enormous significance for her. The prize money would be sufficient to fund her gender-affirming surgery if she was victorious.
However, Shin's life takes a turn when her estranged father passes away. Being the only child, she must perform a traditional dance ritual at his memorial service. This necessitates an uneasy return to the rural community she left behind.
Intriguingly, Shin is not alone on this journey; she is guided by a mystical peacock that serves as her spirit guide. With a mix of defiance, poise, and self-assuredness, she confronts the challenges ahead. Along the way, she remains true to her identity while softening some of her guarded exterior.
DIRECTOR: Sung Bin Byun | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 115 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Drama/LGBTQ+

LIMBO
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 15th at 10 PM
SYNOPSIS: Rookie police officer Will Yam is a recent graduate of the police academy. Due to a wave of serial killings, Will is partnered with veteran officer Cham Lau, who was recently reinstated on the force. However, the duo cannot solve the cases and instead causes a series of incidents. Later, Cham re-encounters a drug-addicted street urchin, Wong To (Cya Liu), who ran over his wife and daughter in the past, and his anger makes him spiral out of control and continuously abuse her. Will clumsily loses his pistol, which the serial killer finds. With the killer lurking in the city, a crisis grows closer.
DIRECTOR: Soi Cheang | LANGUAGE: Cantonese / Japanese / Chinese
YEAR: 2021 | RUNNING TIME: 118 minutes | BLACK AND WHITE
COUNTRY: Hong Kong | GENRE: Gritty Crime

THE ACCIDENTAL GETAWAY DRIVER + Q&A
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 15th at 7:15 PM
SYNOPSIS: Long, a Vietnamese driver in Southern California, answers a late-night call for a ride. Already in his pajamas, he reluctantly accepts, picking up a man, Tây, and his two companions. But the men, recently escaped convicts from an Orange County jail, take Long hostage at gunpoint, thrusting him into their getaway plan. When complications arise, the fugitives and their hostage hole up at a motel, and a tense waiting game unfolds.
DIRECTOR: Sing J. Lee | LANGUAGE: English/Vietnamese
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 109 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: USA | GENRE: Drama/Thriller

THE CORD OF LIFE
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 15th at 5 PM
SYNOPSIS: Alus, an electronic musician from Mongolia, is grappling with uncertainty regarding his life’s direction. He is deeply distressed by the sight of his mother, who is battling Alzheimer’s, living confined in his brother’s urban apartment.
Driven by her longing for the grasslands, he resolves to take her back in search of the home she so desperately misses. As her condition deteriorates, Alus takes the drastic measure of using a rope to tether himself to his mother in a bid to prevent her from wandering off. This rope symbolizes a reborn connection, akin to an umbilical cord, linking him not only to his mother’s fading memories but also to the land of his origins and the rich tapestry of his cultural heritage.
DIRECTOR: Sixue Qiao | LANGUAGE: Mongolian / Mandarin
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: China | GENRE: Family Drama

NAKODO -MATCHMAKERS- (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 15th at 2:45 PM
SYNOPSIS: Akio Akabane, a middle-aged salesman at a prominent real estate firm, is melancholy. He nostalgically clings to his former triumphs as a star salesman, though his leadership approach is marred by intimidation, harassment, and sexism. Unexpectedly, he is reassigned to a matchmaking agency called "Toi et Moi," which Yui Tokita manages. Yui inherited the agency from her mother, who was a masterful matchmaker.
Initially, Akabane arrogantly believes that matchmaking is no different from selling properties. However, he quickly finds himself overwhelmed by the distinctive quirks and preferences of the clients, such as an individual who never makes it past a third date or another who is resolved to marry by a particular deadline regardless of the partner.
On the other hand, Yui is devoted to her work but struggles with self-doubt. Their contrasting values and approaches initially cause friction. Yet, as they complement and compensate for one another's weaknesses, they orchestrate a series of small wonders.
DIRECTOR: Naoki Maeda | LANGUAGE: Japanese
YEAR: 2022 | RUNNING TIME: 110 Minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: Japan | GENRE: Comedy

APORIA + PASSENGER SEAT (SHORT FILM)
SHOWTIME: Saturday July 15th at 12PM
SYNOPSIS: Escaping the civil war in Syria, Harim finds refuge in a camp in Korea. There, he is devastated to learn of his son's death. In a desperate bid to secure refugee status in Korea and provide a safe haven for the rest of his family, Harim renounces his religious beliefs and endures humiliating circumstances. The question remains: will his sacrifices and struggles ultimately lead to a better life for him and his family?
DIRECTOR: Ju-hyoung Lee | LANGUAGE: Korean/Arabic
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 120 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Drama

THE CHILDE
SHOWTIME: Friday July 14th at 9:30 PM
SYNOPSIS: The Childe follows Marco, a boxer with a complicated past. He is of mixed descent, with a Korean father and a Filipino mother, and has been wandering around illegal stadiums in the Philippines. Marco lives with his sick mother in the Philippines. Marco then decides to travel to Korea in search of his estranged father to pay for his mother's surgery.
Upon his arrival in Korea, Marco quickly discovers that he is being relentlessly pursued by a dangerous group of individuals for reasons unknown. Among his pursuers is a mysterious and unidentified man known as the "nobleman," who creates chaos and severely restricts Marco's movements. In addition to the nobleman, Marco is also being pursued by Han Yi-sa, a wealthy heir seeking to claim his father's vast fortune, and Yoon-ju, a mysterious woman Marco unexpectedly reunites with in Korea. Marco finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of unpredictability and madness. Amid this chaos, Marco is forced to confront a shocking truth that will change everything he thought he knew about his past and present.
DIRECTOR: Park Hoon-jung | LANGUAGE: Korean
YEAR: 2023 | RUNNING TIME: 118 minutes | COLOR
COUNTRY: South Korea | GENRE: Action