Block 2. Short Films

Au Revoir, Pugs

Recasting his newborn son and dog as himself and his childhood pets, a filmmaker confronts his own false memories through a collage of film, digital and video game footage.

Behind the Mask

After enduring torture at an internment camp for Uyghurs in China, Abduweli and his family seek refuge in Bergen, Norway. This documentary follows Abduweli’s journey to Germany, where he intends to confront a former internment camp prison guard. However, just before his departure, his daughter experiences a panic attack. Now faced with a profound dilemma, Abduweli must decide whether its best for his family to continue his mission of shedding light on the Uyghur genocide or to leave the past behind to avoid bringing up traumatic memories for himself and his family.

The Ghost

Andrzej has completed a two-year course at the center for former prisoners in Silesia, the mining region in Poland, which was intended to bring him back into the society after detention. However, it turns out that the society does not forget about the past. The landscape outside Andrzej's room window and repeating sound of the voicemail intensify his loneliness.

Phobos

Employing a poetic and experimental cinematic language, ”Phobos” attempts to transcend the fear of war and destruction. Director Mina Keshavarz grew up in the city of Bushehr, on the Persian Gulf. In the 1980s it was a target in the Iran-Iraq war. Embarking on a journey of getting lost in a place known to her, Keshavarz’s surrealistic search for her home, family and friends reflects her recurring nightmare of an abandoned coastal city.

Bob's Funeral

Searching for the root of generational trauma, the director takes a camera into his estranged grandfather’s funeral.