WORLD SHORTS – ORIGINS & BECOMING
Wed 9 July | 13:30 | Pálás Screen 3 | 84’
From inherited legacies to self-forged identities, this collection explores who we are and who we dare to become. With stories from Canada, Zimbabwe, Estonia, USA, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the UK, these films examine family divides, cultural borders and grief, revealing how identity is shaped the choices we make.
Films in our programme can include mature themes/adult content. Viewer discretion is advised.
One Day This Kid
As told through a deftly composed array of small, yet pivotal moments, a first-generation Afghan Canadian man takes steps toward establishing an identity of his own, while always conscious of his father’s shadow.
Director/Writer: Alexander Farah
Producer: Joaquin Cardoner
TWAIN
Twin brothers face each other in a prison visiting booth. Separated by glass, but bound by blood, they confront childhood memories and buried secrets that still shape their fate.
Director/Writer: Pip
Producers: Benjamin Smith, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Tom Allen, Sylvie Briggs
Rise
A charismatic young boy, who lives on a rubbish dump in Zimbabwe, must convince a reclusive boxing coach to teach him to fight in order to find safety and strength in a world that has left him behind.
Director/Writer: Jessica Rowlands
Producer: Joe Njagu
Sauna Day
An invitation into the world of Southern Estonian men who go to the dark, intimate space of a smoke sauna after a hard day’s work. Beneath their tough exteriors lies a desire for connection, veiled in secrecy.
Directors/Writers: Anna Hints, Tushar Prakash
Producers: Johanna Maria Paulson, Evelin Pentillä
Synthesize Me
The young daughter of a widowed electrical maintenance worker retreats to her mother’s neglected workshop to play music. When she causes a widespread power cut, tensions rise, bringing their grief to a boiling point.
Director/Writer: Bear Damen
Producers: Salim El Arja, Po Wei Su