2CIFF 21 - 23 AUG 2026
SATUrday 22nd skyroom
This is My Heart
Director - Viktor Jakovleski
"This Is My Heart" is a short documentary that delves into the captivating public art installation by Berlin-based Australian artist Joseph Marr. Unveiled during Berlin Art Week 2024, the centerpiece of this project is a monumental, anatomically accurate human heart sculpture, meticulously crafted from 800 kilograms of sugar. Standing at 3.5 meters tall, the sculpture was displayed in a transparent, climate-controlled glass chamber at Park am Gleisdreieck in Berlin. However, the heart's preservation was uniquely dependent on public interaction: visitors were invited to ride stationary bicycles connected to a generator, supplying the necessary power to maintain the sculpture's environment. The documentary explores themes of impermanence, community engagement, and the cyclical nature of life and decay. Drawing inspiration from Buddhist concepts like Samsara-the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth-Marr uses sugar, a material both alluring and transient, to symbolize the fleeting nature of existence. The act of pedaling to sustain the heart becomes a metaphor for collective responsibility and the interconnectedness of human actions. As the sculpture gradually melts without communal effort, it serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between creation and dissolution. Through poetic behind-thescenes footage and intimate narration from the artist, the film offers viewers a profound meditation on the intersections of art, life, and shared human experience.
If This Is It
Director: AJ Chohan
A John Hughes inspired 80s short film about a comic book artist who gets left in limbo when his girlfriend asks for space,
but then Lina & The Lions come into his life.
Director Statement
Inspired by my personal experience, this film explores the emotional uncertainty of being “in limbo” within a relationship, reimagined through the lens of 1980s coming-of-age cinema. Influenced by the work of John Hughes, the story is set in a pre-digital era where limited communication heightens emotional isolation and unresolved endings.
The production placed a strong emphasis on period authenticity, with extensive pre-production dedicated to costumes, props, and locations to recreate an 80s aesthetic based on the John Hughes world vs a UK setting. Cinematographer Sam Beckley drew visual inspiration from The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and Say Anything, employing static framing, wide lenses, and clean compositions to create an immersive, character-driven experience.
A key creative challenge occurred during production when the actress playing Tyra had car troubles on the day of her shoot, meaning a significant scene being revised on the day of shooting. The film also features original music by Lina & The Lions, who were integrated into the narrative after a fortuitous meeting, at a Comc Con and their live performance, inspired a reimagining of the second love interest.
Representation was an important consideration for me as a filmmaker of Indian heritage, particularly within a genre and era that historically lacked diversity. I also chose to include behind-the-scenes footage in the end credits as a way of acknowledging the often-unseen work of film crews, whose contributions are vital yet frequently under-recognized, especially in short filmmaking.
The film’s title references ‘If This Is It’ is from a Huey Lewis and The News song, underscoring its themes of emotional ambiguity and unresolved connection. Conceived as proof of concept for a potential feature-length project, the short is designed to leave audiences with a sense of longing for more rather than closure.
Tidy Away
FIlm Maker: Christopher Cosentino
If you’d lost your husband of 40 years, how would you cope? Would you cry? Would you scream into the void? Or would you just keep busy with housework and try not to think about it?
Saturday sky room
Julia and Josie's Story
Director - Daniella Holde
A heartfelt documentary about two grandmothers living with Alzheimer's disease .
Director Statement
This documentary was born from a deeply personal place. I am a passionate, hard-working, and first-time filmmaker who understands the importance of creating personal documentaries that focus on real, human stories that raise awareness.
Nothing But The End
Director : Tanguy Pichon
As the end of the world seems to loom, Dax, a young man living in a remote trailer park, must choose between staying with his paranoid mother, who wants to turn their trailer into a bunker, or finally living his own life.
Director Statement
With Nothing but the End, I wanted to capture the quiet anxiety of a generation raised on the idea that the future is already lost. Between climate collapse and social fracture, the question feels unavoidable: do we still believe in tomorrow, or just live before it’s too late?
Through Dax, torn between escape and surrender, I explore the psychological weight of growing up at the edge of extinction. Blending raw realism with dark irony, the film speaks to a youth caught between rage, paralysis, and the fragile instinct to keep going anyway.
Mutton
Director: Sam and dad 32q
Liz knows the score. Even when the behaviour pattern emerges again, she offers a gentle reminder to save him from his actions rather than save herself.
Director Statement
This is my first attempt at producing and directing. I have always loved writing, taking a reader on a little journey. I decided to take the plunge and produce a piece of work that I had completed from start to finish. I wanted to produce something which felt like it was loaded with history and backstory, something that has come from something much bigger cinematically. I would love to continue with the script to a full short. I hope you enjoy the short. I love bringing truth, subtext and authenticity. Almost living real time, exactly there in the moment. My passion for creating is my oxygen. I am currently organising a film making day in Doncaster for women and have the support of the local council. I meet to discuss funding options next week and have more experienced contacts in the industry who would like to support my venture empowering women to create. Best wishes. Sam
Saturday sky room
On The Same Bench
Director : Aaron Leonard
An ordinary bench becomes the sanctuary of a blossoming friendship between Danny, a young introverted man overcome with grief and anxiety, and Daisy, an eccentric elderly woman determined to fulfil one final promise. United by shared loss, the two form an unlikely bond that transforms their lives and the world around them.
Invincible
Director : Emma Croft
Set in June 2012, against the backdrop of the recession and the Afghanistan conflict, Emily and Oliver leave behind their comfortable middle-class life in London to start anew in a small northern town in England. Emily is eager to immerse herself in the lives of what she calls "real people," while Oliver seeks relief from mounting financial pressure.
To foster a sense of community, Emily invites their new neighbours Alan and Dawn over for a gathering. However, what begins as an attempt at connection quickly spirals into a clash of ideologies, particularly around art, war and culture. The evening culminates in a shocking revelation that sets the stage for unforeseen consequences.
As tensions rise, the lives of these four neighbours begin to unravel. Emily's idealistic pursuit of solidarity falters, Oliver's increasingly dubious behavior creates fractures, and the mysterious disappearance of Alan’s cat adds to the growing chaos. Meanwhile, Emily faces a relapse into old habits, oblivious to the dramatic shift unfolding around her.
By the story's end, a tragedy shatters the fragile balance: Dawn and Alan’s marriage is on the brink of collapse, with Dawn spiraling into mental distress after a devastating loss. Amid the turmoil, Oliver is determined to move his family back to London, seeking escape from the mess and turmoil they have unwittingly created.
Mein Surname
Director: Adam Cowie
David J. Hitler, burdened by his notorious surname, attempts to prove he's a good person but quickly discovers that redemption is a harder sell than infamy.
Director Statement:
Mein Surname was made to explore the tension between identity and performative goodness. On the surface, it’s a comedy built on awkward encounters, over the top reactions and social discomfort. Beneath that, it’s about a man searching for purpose and belonging in a world that's already made it's mind up.
David J. Hitler is hell-bent on proving he’s a good person. His refusal to shed the surname, paired with his need to be seen as virtuous (even though he's a bit of a dick), creates a constant state of contradiction. That friction fuels the comedy, but it also expresses a desperation and stubbornness to be accepted on your own terms.
While the film leans into on the nose humour and uncomfortable laughs, it’s kept grounded by Carmichael’s performance, which keeps David (somewhat) sincere even when his actions veer into the absurd.
The result is a portrait of someone trying and often failing to define himself beyond a label he never chose. Ultimately my hopes for the film are that it makes you laugh and makes you think.
saturday skyroom
Celestiale
Director : Nicola Garzetti
In a convent on the verge of closing, Sister Celeste decides to confront the fear that has ruled her entire life. What begins as a painful confession turns into a mystical, hallucinatory, and deeply human experience — enriched with MDMA.
Director Statement
The film is not intended to promote the recreational use of drugs, but it’s clear that it also speaks to those who have taken them (or still do), and who recognize that euphoria. Each character in Celestiale expresses a different relationship to the substance. Sister Celeste knows it well. In her confession, she admits that she “used to do everything.” She has no intention of returning to a life of addiction, but she’s a coward and believes that the courage she lacks can only be found in MDM — and for it to work, the experience must be shared. For Sister Lucrezia, I drew inspiration from the theory that many Catholic mystics — and mystics in general — were actually deeply religious people who, unknowingly, consumed bread made from rye contaminated with ergot, the parasitic fungus from which LSD was later synthesized. Being a “Jesus hooligan,” she was the perfect victim for this kind of expressed mysticism. But Sister Lucrezia also represents those who, after taking MDMA, believe that “the whole world should feel this way.” This state is well described in How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, in the passage where he writes about Timothy Leary — the man who helped spread LSD across the United States in the late ’60s. Pollan is sharply critical of Leary and of how such a powerful substance ended up in the hands of people utterly unprepared to handle the emotional and spiritual weight of the experience. One thing I’ve always hated is the stereotypical way altered states under ecstasy are depicted: usually open shutter effects, blurry visuals, distorted images, acid-saturated colors, muffled sound followed by noise. So boring. Fifteen years ago, I accidentally caught Altered States by Ken Russell late at night on Rai 4, and I think the echo of that film reached all the way into Celestiale’s hallucination scenes. I didn’t want to depict proper “visions,” but thoughts and sensations — a fusion of Catholic mythological icons with more or less recognizable elements of rave culture. Everything you see in the film was shot live — no special effects, no AI, at most some masking. And then there’s Don Marco: a “prudish, lying progressive,” a rather “classic” figure I encountered frequently in Sodoma by Frédéric Martel (an investigative book on the state of homosexuality in the clergy over the past 50 years). I felt deep pity for him and for his tragic love story with Dario. I didn’t feel like judging them, so I gave them something like a happy ending. In the end, I tried to portray these characters without moralism and without pretending to save anyone. Celestiale is a lopsided parable that offers no solutions, makes no proclamations — it simply wants to stage the exact moment when three people stop lying to themselves and become “one.”
Throwing Fruit
Director: Alex Bell
A grotesque yet chucklesome physical manifestation of Rachel’s thoughts won’t leave her alone.
Director Statement
Throwing Fruit is a fast-paced comedy exploring Pure OCD, also known as Intrusive Thought OCD, a condition Rachel has experienced since childhood. It involves intrusive, distressing thoughts that trigger internal mental compulsions rather than visible behaviours. Because the thoughts can be violent, taboo, or socially inappropriate; many sufferers feel unable to speak about them, often unaware they are living with a recognised condition.
Our film highlights both the humour and the challenges of the condition. In the story, Rachel is interrupted by an intrusive version of herself who represents OCD derailing everyday encounters. Some moments are comic (imagining the postman naked or wanting to throw fruit at the greengrocer) while others are more troubling, causing her to withdraw from the world out of fear that these thoughts reflect her character.
This film was made possible through funding from ReelBrum's Open Door Film Fund.
Cy Gregory: This Ones For You
Director: Lee Blaise Malone, Mark Kidsley
The Story of one of Bedfordshires most prolific Pro Wrestlers, Cy Gregory, as he juggles the fight between fatherhood and following his passsion.
saturday sky room
The Fight
Director - Antony Petrou
In a North London boxing gym ruled by boys, an 11-year-old girl trains with fierce resolve. When she’s shut out, she makes a bold, heartbreaking gesture that forces everyone to see her, a raw, poetic portrait of girlhood, grief, and resilience.
Dirty Change
Director: Tibor Tasi
Richie must repay a crippling loan shark debt, inherited from his father, by fighting in illegal bouts. Just one final match stands between him and closing the past once and for all to start a new life with his girlfriend. But when he finds himself in the crosshairs of rival gangs, Richie is forced to make life-altering decisions.
Director Statement:
Dirty Change was made as a graduation film for the 2nd Unit Director master’s program at the University of Theatre and Film Arts.
I had long wanted to make a film with a martial arts theme that would cut deep into the flesh and grab the soul, where every punch and every kick would carry weight, where the characters’ struggles would almost burst through the screen, and where their decisions would have fatal consequences, leading them toward an uncertain outcome.
Despite the low budget by action movie standards, we set ourselves the goal of striving for the maximum in terms of both technique and dramaturgy, to create a film that stands out somewhat from the range of domestic action and sports films, while also holding its own as a drama.
One Last Show In Taghmon
Director: Alan Walsh
One Last Show in Taghmon is a true Story. It follows three stuntmen as they embark on their final stunt show together. Among them are John, Mike, and Frankie, clinging to the edge of obscurity. In 1982, in a small rural village, These threee stuntmen, down on their luck and having never made it into the big league, embark on a journey to the village of Taghmon to perform One Last Show. A decision that changes their lives forever.
saturday skyroom
DISCONNECT
Director - Teymour Tehrani
Here HE (27) is. A disappointment! As he observes himself in the gloomy light of his living room mirror, the young man starts to hear intensifying voices from his past. He has failed everyone – especially himself. He envisions himself as a strong, ambitious, masculine version but these vibrant images of an unfulfilled self-idealisation do not hold any truth anymore, nor do they offer perspective to go on in the same manner. At the brink of a mental breakdown, he just manages to tear himself away from the living room mirror.
He finds himself in the solitude of nature. It is bright day and it seems to be a different time and a different place. After a moment of disorientation he locates a shiny structure in the distance. Attracted by its mystical appearance he approaches the unknown. The erecting mirror columns in front of him reflect his image and feel in this environment alien-like. He enters and gets absorbed by the sheer size of the unreal surroundings. It is at the heart of the structure where he discovers HER (27), an embodiment of femininity. But it is her aura that he is immediately drawn too. This familiarity and her gentle smile provides for him the comfort to face her from close range. The energy of this close encounter transfers them away.
A pink bedroom. Yet another unknown and artificial place. The mattress camp he finds himself on reminds him at first glance of his dark state. He just recently had spent a lot of time not able to engage in reality. However, now he is not alone. He receives and accepts her comfort, feels cheerfulness alongside her and learns to enjoy the beauty of a relaxt moment with her again. It is the influence of her female soul that provides him with a new sense of self-acceptance. Through her he is able to transform to an inspired being as he incarnates to a complete human, ready to be born again into the world.
He wakes up on the hard wooden floor of his living room. As he gets up, morning has broken. He looks into the mirror in front of him and is greeted by her smiling reflection. He is for a moment unsure since he alone occupies the room, just before he finds himself smiling back at her out of the mirror.
Where Are All The Gay Superhero's
Director: Tom Paul Martin
Professional superheroes Sterling and Meridian have just finished saving the day (again) when suddenly, they find themselves in a rare moment alone. The suits come off, but when old tensions and old enemies return, our “heroes” learn the dark truth about who they are underneath.
Starring Rory Fleck-Byrne (This Is Going to Hurt, BBC) and Imran Adams (Hollyoaks, Channel 4).
Director Statement
I’ve been second guessing myself all year: is it really fair to ask “where are all the gay superheroes?” when technically…they exist? Or do they? Stay with me.
First, I had to remember this story isn’t just about superheroes. It’s about what it means to have power and be gay. Power takes many forms; in this story it’s super-strength and telekinesis, but in real life it can be anything that gives you an edge. Money. Influence. Fame. Whatever form it takes, people are drawn to power. And that’s where being gay can be a problem.
Because the sad truth is, most queer people spend a period of their life hiding their true identity. And secrets are a vulnerability, especially to the powerful. So why not just come out? Ask premiere league footballers and A-list actors. Ask them why coming out threatens their careers. I’ll tell you why: because we’re not used to seeing queer people in power. Not at the top. And that perpetuates the belief we aren’t allowed up there. That’s what this story is about.
So yes, Marvel is slowly introducing queer characters to the screen. But their queerness is hidden in plain sight, relegated to throwaway lines or scenes which can easily be cut for foreign markets. It’s never part of the story, because Marvel fears the backlash. And we need to acknowledge that, or it’s never going to change. This story is necessary. And telling it is the most powerful thing I can do.
The Correction Unit
Director: Derry Shillitto
A group of violent and misguided teen criminals is sent to a mysterious facility where an AI (played by Bella Ramsey) can make their wildest dreams come true, but also bring them face-to-face with their darkest fears.
Director Statement
I wanted to create a film that explores the pathway society is pursuing with AI. In an idyllic world, there is potential for AI to help society flourish, but there are a lot of obstacles to overcome. Chief amongst them, the distinct lack of empathy and compassion - which are themes we explore in The Correction Unit. The eye of nTrac is ever-present throughout the film, absorbing and learning from behaviours.
saturday skyroom
In Half
Director - Jorge Morais Vall
Through a child's imagination it tells the journey of a man who after falling prey to his fears, he must cross a strange world, a universe full of magic, where he will be confronted with his own fears and conflicts from the past and where he must find solutions for the future to discover his self-identity.
In Half unfolds through the eyes of a child whose imagination becomes the lens through which we witness one man's unraveling. Crushed beneath the weight of his own fears, he finds himself pulled into a world at once enchanting and deeply unsettling, a place that obeys not the logic of the waking world, but the hidden logic of the psyche.
Within this realm, suspended between dream and reality, every creature, every landscape, and every obstacle reflects the wounds, losses, and unresolved conflicts he has spent a lifetime trying to outrun. To move forward, he must turn toward the parts of himself he buried long ago and understand that fear is not an adversary, but a threshold to be crossed.
In Half is a visual fable about human vulnerability and our capacity for transformation, a reminder that even what seems broken still carries the quiet possibility of renewal.
Merkurio
Director: Sébastien Pesle
In the Basque Country, a gigolo flirting with very old women has no idea what kind of evil forces he will deal with...
The Ruthless Guide to BDSM - WORLD PREMIER
The Ruthless Guide to BDSM is a 59-minute feature documentary that explores one of society's most misunderstood communities through the eyes of author and professional dominatrix Kaz B. Inspired by her book of the same name, the film follows Kaz as she introduces presenter Jennifer Hopkins to the realities of the BDSM world, offering unprecedented access to professional dungeons and the people who inhabit them. Rather than seeking to sensationalise its subject, the documentary examines the importance of trust, consent, communication and mental wellbeing, challenging stereotypes while giving a voice to those who live alternative lifestyles.
Directed by Kaz B., Jennifer Hopkins and Jason Impey, the film aims to educate, destigmatise and encourage open conversation about a community rarely portrayed with such honesty and authenticity.
The Ruthless Guide to BDSM is a bold and compassionate documentary that dares to go where mainstream media rarely ventures — into the real lives, relationships and communities of people who practice BDSM.
With empathy, humour and remarkable candour, director Kaz B — herself an author, dominatrix and filmmaker with unique lived experience — guides viewers through a world often misrepresented by tabloids and sensational drama.
This is a film about consent, community, identity and freedom — told by the people who live it.
The Director’s Vision
“I made this documentary to give a voice to those who lead alternative lifestyles — to destigmatise the BDSM scene and to create understanding and safe spaces. These are real people with real stories, and they deserve to be heard.”
— Kaz B, Director
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Wheel Gone Kid 5 - Suspisious Minds
Director: Wayne Kelly
With Detective Spanners stranded on Jersey, Houdini has to rely on Tuppence’s underworld tip-off, to pursue Aki and his mum at the pair’s precarious Flamingo Club. Can going undercover in the club’s Elvis contest help Houdini and Tuppence finally catch The Wheel Gone Kid? Or will his suspicious mind leave them all shook up?
The Last Gunfight.....Yet!
Director: Pablo Tréhin-Marçot
Over 100 International selections and prizes !
The Far West, its merciless universe, its heroes from another time... Main Street under a blazing sun. Two creatures face off in a duel under the wide-eyed gaze of bystanders and of the sheriff. It's the last gunfight... yet!
Bird Drone
Director: Radheya Jang Jegatheva
A heartfelt story of unrequited love explored through a lonely seagull struggling to accept that his newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with a limited battery life.
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Dobrina
Director: Hannes Rall
Lotte Reiniger meets Sergio Leone in this animated short,
where desire burns as bright as the desert sun. A brand-new animated short that premiered in June 2025, successfully touring the festival circuit now.
Ruminant Reviews
A dissatisfied cow navigates lush landscapes, reviewing the quality of the grass.
Cast & Crew
Director: Jason Taylo
In the midst of a creative crisis after years of making short films, a group of friends foolishly endeavor on the best possible way to break out of their seemingly hopeless situation: make their first feature film with no money, credibility, or talent.
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The Trans Script
The Trans Script explores what it means to be a Trans or non-binary person in Milton Keynes today.
The filmmaker worked alongside 10 interviewees to co-produce this film, facilitating both candid and heartfelt accounts of each person’s journey, to create a mosaic of the varied and extraordinary lives of those involved.
"The film was created as part of the Q:alliance's MK Q:mmunity Tales LGBTQ+ Heritage Project which explored the history and heritage of the LGBTQ+ community in our city over the last 50 years. It surfaces the experiences, joys and challenges of life as a Trans+ person, helping us to understand that there is no right or wrong way to be trans and that we all need to find our own way to be our true authentic selves.
The suicide Shift
Director Biography - Paul Laight
Banished to the “suicide shift” for breaking spirit call centre regulations, CARMILLA FERRY, now deals with the most tortured of souls moving from this world to the next. After being blasted by her line manager on the phone, Russell, Carmilla is feeling even more isolated and demoralised than usual. After a series of heart-crushing calls, culminating in a particularly stressful shift, Carmilla is then faced with the most heart-wrenching call of all.
Life is 4 1/2 Metres
Director: Jeevan Singh
Facing the biggest challenge of his life, Jaydeep relives the trials and tribulations of a turban wearing Sikh growing up in the 80s and 90s.
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Chasing Adonis
Director: Tom Gordon
Danny has always struggled with his reflection. After being rejected for a major acting role for not having "the right look," his insecurities spiral into obsession. Fixated on transforming his body, he follows the extreme fitness regime of social media influencer Rex, pushing himself beyond his limits. As his dangerous fixation deepens, his physical and mental health suffer, straining his relationship with Rachel and distancing him from the world around him. Even after achieving his dream physique and landing his big break, he remains at war with his own image. Chasing Adonis offers a haunting look at the silent struggles of muscle dysmorphia and the pressures placed on men to attain an impossible ideal.
Director Statement
CHASING ADONIS is the story of the often untold and unspoken about pressures associated with men's mental health to look a certain way - big muscles and zero body fat. The pursuit of a certain type of physique can become all consuming. This is not vanity, it's a deep rooted insecurity. Vanity makes you believe you look good. Body Dysmorphia makes you feel that you are never good enough.
The film explores how destructive and corrosive social media and societal influences can be - how algorithms push the impossible versions of male beauty -
All using words like Cut, Shred, and Bulk. As if these were natural things to do to your body. These are words of harm. These words tell us we are not enough as we are, we have to change to be happy. How much we have to change is not specified, and therein lies the road to despair. No matter how much you add or subtract it's never enough, there is always more that can be done. This constant chasing is so detrimental to our mental health, because we can never be present. We are always looking to our future selves, wishing them to be either bigger or smaller.
It was only during a chance conversation with writer Micky David that I discovered that the feelings of inadequacy and the way I felt about my body not only had a name, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), but was something experienced to some degree by 1 in 2 men, and 80% of those with BDD report that they have experienced suicidal thoughts. My hope is that we can move the dial on discussions about body - I believe our bodies should function for us and us alone, they should never be a reason to feel judged
The MoneyShot
Director: Phillip Darlington
"The Moneyshot" is a character-driven dramedy set in 2005 Los Angeles that follows a talented cinematographer's unexpected journey into adult filmmaking after being blacklisted from Hollywood. When his high school friend presents this unconventional career pivot, the story explores themes of reinvention, friendship, and discovering that professionalism and dignity have no boundaries—even in the most unlikely circumstances.
Piping Hot Throughout
Director : Richard Jackson, Liam Taylor
What would you do if you had 4 minutes to live? Find your loved ones? Scramble to survive? Tell your boss what you really think of them?
Piping Hot Throughout is a short film about one man's determination to fulfil his innermost desire, before his time is up.
A dark comedy, with almost no dialogue.
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Satisfaction Guaranteed
Director: Sarah Hedar
After failing to fix her broken life and bad habits with self-help books, a desperate woman returns to the New Age bookstore and demands a refund for her wasted life. The store manager however, offers her a more lucrative option. Accept death and while in purgatory, write a self-help book.
Director Statement
“Satisfaction Guaranteed” is an absurdist comedy that takes aim at our culture’s obsession with self-improvement—the books, the apps, the cleanses, and the endless pursuit of becoming our “best selves.” Beneath the humour is a deeper reflection on what we lose when we’re constantly chasing the next fix: real connection, presence, and the messy, meaningful moments that make life worth living. I wanted to explore how our desire to feel whole can actually pull us further from each other—and ourselves—especially when we treat personal growth like something we can buy. This film is both a playful jab at overzealous self-help culture and a reminder that maybe we don’t need to be upgraded, optimized, or enlightened—maybe we just need to be human, together.
The Haven
Director: Christopher Roberts
Atmospheric drama, centred around Eva and Nick, a couple who are grieving, barricaded in their home, hiding from the violence outside. As those dangers draw nearer, and their home risks being breached, they are forced to confront a devastating choice.
Un Grain De Sable
Director: Romain Gautier
In a middle of a french civil war, a soldier from the resistance wakes up in a car, surrounded by infertile fields.
The car driver, who just came back from the front line, will tell him his doubts regarding the conflict.
For the soldier, the journey will be a way to finally think of his own actions.
But at the end of the road, his terrifying mission is waiting for him.
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NIGHTFACES
Director: Martin Winter, Stefan Langthaler
In the rain-soaked streets of Vienna, a frustrated taxi driver and a determined homeless woman embark on an unexpected nocturnal journey and try to find the courage to meet the dawn.
Mahan is a taxi driver in Vienna, but his job frustrates him. He longs for his family and a normal life. One rainy night, a homeless woman gets into his taxi. She urgently wants to see her son, whose birthday it is. Mahan tries to get rid of her and accidentally breaks her present. To make up for the damage, he takes the strange woman on one last trip through the dark city.
A psychological drama unfolds that in all its heaviness is intended to give a spark of hope.
Director Statement
NIGHTFACES is set at night, that time when people open the door to their inner selves and offer glimpses into the depths of their souls that remain hidden by day. In rainy Vienna, the city of Sigmund Freud, a psychological drama unfolds which, for all its heaviness, nevertheless carries a faint glimmer of hope.
The film tells the story of two people, scarred by life, who meet by chance and in this very encounter, against their will, become allies. Their confrontation reflects the question of what humanity truly means at its core.
Created in times of growing uncertainty and social division, we wanted to focus on characters who often find themselves on the margins of society. Mahan, our protagonist, works at night to support his family whilst his loved ones sleep, he bears the burden of existence. This reality of life, marked by invisibility and sacrifice, is emblematic of many.
For us, the night became a mirror of inner states: it reveals what the brightness of day conceals. In the interplay of darkness, rain and light, a visual world emerges in which emotions refract across faces like reflections on wet asphalt. Thus, NIGHTFACES becomes a film about loneliness and connection, about harshness and tenderness and about the quiet, defiant glow of humanity in the dark.
A Girl Called Alice
Director: Tristan Loraine
In the middle of London's mobile phone theft epidemic; a young woman with the reputation of one of the most gifted phone thieves is challenged by a notorious street gang leader to see just how good she really is, but is it a wise choice?
Director Statement
So many people have told me how they had the phone stolen in London. Consequently, our team decided to play a part in raising awareness of the issue by making this short film. We are grateful to Crimestoppers and a number of police officers who in their private capacities provided technical input to help produce the film.
Sheltered Spaces
Director: Danny Cotton
After joining a newly established rehoming programme for the homeless, a young woman, looking for a way off the streets is shown around her new surroundings… But soon sees that her new life is not quite what she imagined.
Director Statement
With Sheltered Spaces, I was looking to showcase a current social topic within a Science Fiction World, and through this explore its themes and our technological impact on humanity.
It centres around current social issues of homelessness and immigration, and how people in these situations are in desperate need of help in a world which doesn’t seem to care. In a divided world, many look inward to themselves and choose to ignore, or even actively appose others who they feel may detract from what they have.
The film then twists these issues into something darker, using the science fiction element to keep certain members of society isolated from the rest of the world - masquerading as the solution to these people’s problems.
To create a dream like feeling, and break the sense of reality for both the main protagonist and the audience, various techniques were used - camera movements and editing show the impossible moves Jacob can make within this world, and even his performances are deliberately up/down in tone leading to disruption and confusion. When the realisation of where they are dawns, the colour palette becomes faded and worn, as a dream begins to slip away. The location itself is barren and empty, creating the initial idea of a new, yet to be fully furnished home but also shows a mind near empty ready to be filled with ideas.
All of this juxtaposes the first exterior scene, which is designed to keep Charlotte grounded - it is full of background sounds and atmosphere, something which the opening scenes lack. It is the only scene without some form of music to give a heightened sense of reality, and is full of texture against the barren interiors.
This leads us back to the themes present within the film. With the inclusion of newer technologies and advancements in artificial intelligence, are we headed down a path of isolation and a reality away from what we currently have…
…and in this modern climate of division and escapism, would people fight back against this as Charlotte does, or would they perhaps embrace this prison gladly with open arms?
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My Boyfriend a Mannequin
Director: DMITRY NIKOLENKO
Vika is an unusual girl. Only she can see the enchanted guy in the mannequin, the son of the mall owner who disappeared a year ago. By putting a magical mask on him, she brought Radmir back to life, but even he didn't believe Vika. Let alone the people around them, who, under the influence of ancient magic, can't see or hear Radmir. Vika proves to him that magic is real, and they team up to break the spell.
CASUS
Director: William Eguienta
To save the care center he works for from collapse, Akram, a driver for people with disabilities, finds himself drawn, against his will, into the world of drugs.
Caught between easy money and constant danger, his moral compass begins to crack: can the people he loves be worth the loss of who he is ?
The Prison
Director: Shaam Joli
Amid the unrest and protests in Syria, numerous people were arbitrarily arrested, including women, men, and even children. The number of detainees rose to over 220,000, including 9,000 children under 18 and about 4,500 women. To accommodate the large number of prisoners, schools, sports stadiums, and other buildings were converted into prisons.
The situation for women in these prisons was particularly tragic. They were often treated inhumanely, viewed as sexual objects, and abused.
This story is based on the experiences of a 21-year-old woman who still doesn't understand why she was arrested. For a year, she was daily abused, raped, and humiliated. She recounts her horrifying experiences and the loss of her identity.
One day, she was taken to a room, tied to a bed, and told she would be raped. She was given five minutes to pray and ask for help. The guards told her that if the rape occurred, it would mean that God was on their side.
She describes how she often felt like she was losing herself during her imprisonment. The guards exploited her deep religiosity to further humiliate her by playing loud verses from the Quran during the abuse.
Many prisoners in Syria die under torture. People witness others dying from the regime's torments every day. It is difficult to maintain hope in such a situation.
After their release, female prisoners were often met with shame and contempt, unlike male prisoners who were celebrated as heroes. Society tends to blame these women for something they are not guilty of.
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Nagasaki
Director: Dominic Higgins, Ian Higgins
Told through the eyes of his spirit looking back, Nagasaki recounts the inspiring true story of Dr. Takashi Nagai — scientist, Catholic convert, and survivor of the atomic bombing.
Born into a samurai family, Takashi's restless search for truth leads him from scepticism to faith, and to Midori, the woman whose love transforms his life. But as Japan is drawn into war and finally devastated by the atomic bomb, tragedy strikes: Midori is killed instantly, and Takashi, now stricken with leukemia, must raise their children alone.
From his sickbed, he transforms suffering into hope, writing words that inspire a broken nation to rediscover the healing power of love.
Director Statement
Nagasaki has been one of the most personal and demanding projects of our careers. Several years ago, we set out to tell the story of Dr. Takashi Nagai - a scientist, a father, and a man whose life speaks across time and culture.
After the atomic bombing, Takashi lived in a small hut known as Nyokodō, meaning “loving others as oneself.” What began as a quiet, personal act of faith became something more. That small place grew into a point of connection between Nagasaki and the wider world - a place that spoke softly at first, then with gathering force. In many ways, this film is our response to that call.
Revisiting the film for 2026, we didn’t want to simply refine the original. We wanted to reimagine how Takashi’s story could be told for a new generation - following his voice through devotion, doubt, loss, and startling hope.
At its core, Nagasaki is a love story: the quiet, unwavering bond between Takashi and Midori. Their relationship endured war, illness, grief, and the unimaginable - and became a force that turned anger toward forgiveness, helping a broken city begin to heal.
The film explores faith without dogma and tenderness without sentimentality. It asks how beauty survives when everything else has been taken. Every frame draws from diaries, memories, and the quiet humanity of those who lived through it. It is both a tribute to Nagasaki and a meditation on the light that endures in the human spirit.
Both Takashi and Midori have been formally recognised by the Church as Servants of God, the first step toward sainthood - a fitting honour for a man born into a samurai family, where samurai means “one who serves.” Takashi’s life was an act of service: to truth, to love, and to his wounded city.
Nagasaki stands as a testament to resilience, faith, and the enduring need for compassion in a fractured world.
— Ian & Dominic Higgins
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Directed by: Ian Reddington
A writer struggles again writers block
Screenplay taken from an article written by Oscar winning screenwriter Stephen Gagahan
Poste Restante
Director: Anastasia Lavrenteva
A year after her daughter's death, Anna begins receiving letters written in the girl's name. As she tries to uncover the sender's identity, she navigates all the stages of grief — and learns to live with her loss.