Fragments (United Kingdom) by Mélodie Roulaud

When we discuss and depict the body, we refer to something both tangible and imagined, with unclear boundaries and a complex relationship to the 'self'. A portrait of trans non-binary artist Fleur Bloemsma, the short film Fragments takes an introspective journey into their understanding and experience of their own body, and the meanders of their mind. Directed by Franco-British filmmaker and photographer Mélodie Roulaud, the film examines the language used to express the body, the self, and their representation, highlighting the connection between physical features, bodily experiences, and identity.

Running time: 00:03:38

Caleb & Sarah (United States) by Matthew Kyle Levine

A young couple decides to live out of their car for the foreseeable future.

Running time: 00:17:00

Tidal (United States) by Katrina Lillian Sorrentino (Treen)

In the wake of divorce and alone in a new country, Treen matches with the “one.” Months later, in what seems to be a fairytale romance, she discovers a huge lie. Who really is the man she loves? Isolated from friends and family, in an exclusive relationship with a volatile stranger, she gets pulled deeper and deeper into a toxic cycle. Will she ever get out and how? Treen finally finds the courage to leave and with the support of other survivors of narcissistic abuse, she beings to heal.

Running time: 00:18:06

The Itch (United States) by Emma Hamel

The desire to create overshadowed by a desperate desire to be good. A frantic state of wanting and the paralysis that accompanies it.

Running time: 00:03:00

Hotel Centaur (Greece) by Lino Kafidas, Dimitris Kafidas

The absolute absurdity and meaninglessness of life are explored in this dark piece set in a Greek mountain hotel, with a cast of unlikely characters. At the centre of its enquiry into the absurd is a disenchanted hotelier whose last concern is the management of his establishment. Rather, he engages with his guests and staff as though they exist as proof of his torment, each day repeating a series of eccentric and pointless actions. His staff put up with his behaviour. Each guest that arrives at the Hotel Centaur bears a particular existential burden. From the suicidal boy who reads Kafka and watches his distracted parents dance, to the artist tormented by his blank canvas, to the story’s most  unexpected guest, a Japanese man who for the past ten years – inexplicably – has written a polite weekly letter enquiring after the mythical centaurs of the area, and wishes to be shown these creatures. Each character searches, each search is shown to be absurd, with the story culminating in a brutal tragedy that is fallout of a bad joke, and the confirmation that life provides us with no easy answers.

Running time: 00:24:10

Nature Attack (France) by Erik Semashkin

A bird decides to hunt crickets, but his crossing will be more complicated than expected.

Running time: 00:03:15

The Feast (Georgia) by Mariam Bitsadze

"The Feast" portrays the life of a Georgian housewife who spends a day preparing a sumptuous supper for her husband's friends. Despite her efforts, she feels like an outsider and struggles to integrate into the group. As the day progresses, she confronts the societal expectations placed upon her as a woman and begins to question her own sense of identity. Through her journey, the protagonist experiences a range of emotions and obstacles that ultimately lead her to a realisation about her own destiny.

Running time: 00:24:00