ANIMAL INSTINCTS

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 3:00 PM CAMELOT 3, 85 MINUTES

Including pufflings off the coast of Iceland, tortoises in the Mojave, and newts at a conference, this collection of documentary and fiction shorts features fauna and the hilarious and moving ways their lives connect with human kind.

Chicken Stories

USA, Jonathan Pickett, 17 min. On a start-up farm outside Oakland, various flocks of chickens surmount daily obstacles while the newbie farmers attempt to Google their way to help.

Eco-Hack!

USA, Josh Izenberg, Brett Marty, 17 min. An unconventional field biologist wages a high-tech war against ravens in the Mojave — think laser cannons, exploding tortoises, and autonomous drones — in a lastditch effort to save the desert tortoise from extinction.

Late Night

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 5:00 PM

CAMELOT 1, 89 MINUTES

Identical twins, zombies and late night ramen feature in these surreal, off-center films best experienced under the influence of after-dark.

Wading

USA, Nada Bedair, 9 min.

Layla, a young Muslim Egyptian immigrant, bears witness to the patriarchal forces governing the women of her community when she questions the integrity of her sister’s fiancé.

The Newt Congress

Switzerland, Matthias Sahli, Immanuel Esser, 16 min. For years now, giant talking newts have been used for their labor and as laboratory animals. Participants are gathered at The Newt Congress to optimize the exploitation of the animals in this adaptation of Karel apek’s “War with the Newts”.

On Purpose

Lithuania, Adas Burkšaitis, 15 min. In a small village community, eight-year-old Méta will stop at nothing to find help for her injured dog.

Puffling

UK, Jessica Bishopp, 20 min.

Every summer 18-year-old Birta and 16-year-old Selma rescue pufflings (young puffins) at night on a remote island off the coast of Iceland. On the cusp of their own journey into adulthood away from their home, Birta and Selma take it upon themselves to counteract the human impact on nature, exchanging night-time parties for puffin patrol.

Claudio’s Song

UK, Andreas Nilsson, 9 min.

A young man faces the wrath of a family of criminals that target people who are famous on the internet and extort money from them. When their scheme fails, the plan to kill him takes an unexpected turn.

D.O.D.

USA, Paul Davis, 18 min.

When two survivors of the zombie apocalypse stumble across the remains of a demolished airplane, neither are prepared for what they find.

Death and Ramen

USA, Tiger Ji, 14 min.

A ramen chef spends his final night alive hanging out with the Grim Reaper.

Pennies From Heaven

USA, Sandy Honig, 11 min.

Two identical twins stumble upon a pickup truck filled with pennies, sending them on an absurd farcical adventure through the middle of nowhere that only lands them right back where they started.

Soon-To-Be a Zombie

Japan, Yuki Saito, 24 min.

Remi, a struggling underground idol who dreams of stardom but is too ordinary, gets infected with a zombie virus, which turns her into an overnight sensation.

Vibrator Girl

USA, Kara Strait, 13 min.

Marianne relies heavily on her vibrator for pleasure, unable to orgasm or connect with people. But when her body starts exhibiting mysterious symptoms and her vibrator malfunctions, she consults medical professionals and orgasm gurus to figure out what’s wrong.

Fever Dream

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 5:30 PM CAMELOT 2, 94 MINUTES

Vivid imagery, distorted realities, provocative and mesmerizing stories—like a dream that you can’t shake, these films are made for unpacking.

The Arrival of Aliens

China, Tian Guan, Junjie Lam, 14 min.

A group of people clean a spotless unknown space while a broadcast repeatedly warns about the coming attack of aliens. A sandstorm invades the space, foreshadowing their arrival. One person, however, accidentally discovers the mystery hidden in the sandstorm.

Chomp It!

Singapore, Mark Chua, Lam Li Shuen, 11 min. Two crocodilian men go to a swimming pool to cool off. One of them is seemingly of a different and special kind; the other is unable to control his desire.

Colors of the Jungle

Peru, Julio César Padilla, 10 min. When Tamara’s best friend goes missing in the Amazon rainforest she decides to immerse herself in the deep jungle to find him. Will she?

Coral

USA, Sonia Oleniak, 18 min.

The whales have swallowed the moon and without it, people and animals and things have trouble digesting emotions. On this night, a family of strangers pass through a restaurant where their nightmares and dreams become more vivid.

“Delta Airline Saftey Video

USA, Jordan Michael Blake, 4 min.

Welcome Aboard!

Drifting

Switzerland, Marion Reymond, 13 min.

A young caregiver reverts to a fantasy world to cope with the grief of losing her mother and to escape from the drudgery of the care home where she works.

Mystic Tiger

Spain, Marc Martínez Jordán, 15 min.

After suffering a mysterious accident, a man acquires the ability to traverse time and space. However, the unbridled use of this gift will inevitably lead him to discover the true reason behind his power.

Tomato Kitchen

China, Junyi Xiao, 9 min.

Li Yang’s dinner with his colleagues is bizarrely interrupted when the plight of a strange “tomato man” reveals a dark, surreal truth inside the restaurant’s kitchen.

The History Of Us

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 6:00 PM CAMELOT 3, 91 MINUTES

From personal to shared histories, this collection of films looks at the stories that shape us—the choices, the moments, the people.

Agustina

Mexico, Luciana Herrera Caso, 17 min.

When Agustina realizes that the trip to the moon her teacher had promised her is just imaginary, she is torn apart. As conflict develops in Chile, Agustina must find a way to cope with reality.

Between Her

Israel, Bar Cohen, 29 min.

Aya is a young trans girl, frustrated by love life and men. One evening, she goes out to a bar and meets there by chance, a guy from the distant past. This meeting causes her to face her biggest fear: herself.

David Se Va

USA, Joel Villegas Saldaña, 14 min.

David begrudgingly left Tijuana for Los Angeles when he was 12. Years later, he learns of his estranged father’s passing and returns to a place he once thought was home.

Four Nights and a Fire

USA, Alex Nystrom, 12 min.

Robert, a young Ojibwe photographer, stubbornly takes on the responsibility of keeping a sacred fire alive for four consecutive days and nights in mourning of his father. His father’s spirit tries to reach him from the other side.

GAYLA THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 8:00 PM CAMELOT 1, 83 MINUTES

A celebration of queer life on the big screen from stories of love and heartbreak to tales of self-discovery and empowerment.

100% USDA Certified Organic Homemade Tofu USA, Gbenga Komolafe, 14 min.

Nikki spices things up at her mom’s struggling tofu restaurant while working to afford her breast augmentation surgery.

OUTSIDERS & UNDERDOGS

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 11:00 AM

CAMELOT 1, 89 MINUTES

Facing dilemmas and with the odds stacked firmly against them, the protagonists in these shorts must surmount tough obstacles and take charge of their own destinies.

Beautiful, FL

USA, Gabriela Ortega, 20 min.

Determined to win an ice cream competition with a flavor inspired by her late Tia Abuela’s Puerto Rican treats, a teen girl turns to her trailer park neighbors to help figure out the winning recipe.

Big Bang

Brazil, Carlos Segundo, 14 min.

In Uberlândia, Brazil, Chico earns his living repairing ovens, into which he enters easily thanks to his small size. Faced with the contempt of a system that relegates him to the ranks of the marginalized, he gradually enters into resistance.

Endless Sea

USA, Sam Shainberg, 19 min.

Christopher at Sea

France, Tom C J Brown, 20 min. After embarking as a passenger onboard a cargo ship returning to Europe, Christopher begins to question his sanity and the very understanding of his perception of time in this romantic psychological thriller at sea.

Gold and Mud

USA, Conor Dooley, 9 min. A sprawling story of love and loss, as reflected on a single face observed through the decades. Centuries, even.

Idiot Fish

France, Hakim Mao, 24 min. A couple on the way home for the holidays decides to role play their first meeting. Jimmy becomes a lost hitchhiker, Guillaume a lonely driver. Pretending they are strangers, they hope to seduce each other again. Until a third player joins the game…

Insta Gay

re-record

Ukraine, Kyrylo Zemlyanyi, 7 min.

A family celebrates the birthday of their son. After a warm birthday greeting, their usual feast takes place.

Still Waters

USA, Aurora Brachman, 12 min.

A daughter asks her mother a question about her mother’s childhood. Her answer begs them to wade through its rippling effects throughout their lives.

Canada, Simon Paluck, 12 min. A millennial Torontonian reels after breaking-up with a popular gay influencer.

Pipes

Switzerland, Jessica Meier, Kilian Feusi, Sujanth Ravichandran, 4 min.

Hired to fix a broken pipe, Bob the plumber lands much to his surprise in a gay fetish club.

Carol, 70, just discovered her heart medication has doubled in price. She hustles to find money, attempting to borrow from her weary family, and pleading with Social Security for assistance. Desperate and reeling, she takes matters into her own hands.

Merv

USA, Sam Roebling, 21 min.

Following his latest romantic humiliation, Simon is unexpectedly summoned to his grandmother’s house to meet her new boyfriend, Merv. The man he encounters there upends his understanding of love, loss, and Chinese takeout.

Porter

Norway, Lisa Enes, 15 min.

Mai Linn is a shy porter at one of the biggest hospitals in Oslo, Norway. Her colleagues hardly notice her and take her for granted. She feels that she is standing still, a bit like moss

Growing Pains

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 11:30 AM

CAMELOT 2, 87 MINUTES

Sensitive, fantastical and authentic, these coming-of-age shorts cover the wide spectrum of experiences of being young and growing up.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 12:00 PM CAMELOT 3, 87 MINUTES

Home is so much more than a dwelling. Home is our collective pasts, our memories, our loved ones and our shared hopes for a better future.

I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry

USA, Luis Fernando Puente, 13 min.

Maria Luisa is ready to escape immigration limbo, but when her green card interview takes an unexpected turn, she faces the anxiety of losing the life she had planned.

Ptitsa

Poland, Alina Maksimenko, 30 min. During the pandemic, a mother and her adult daughter live their lives in the same home but separate from each other. However, when tragedy strikes their friend, their relationship is put into a different perspective.

Science Around Us

Grown

USA, Jamila Meloche, 16 min.

Left home alone one weekend, 14-year-old Isa tags along with her crush, 18-year-old Telly. She competes for his attention, gets into mischief, and is finally confronted with the reality of the adult world she wants so desperately to be a part of.

Infantry

Brazil, Laís Santos Araújo, 24 min.

Joana longs for her first period. Her brother Dudu yearns for his absent father. With the arrival of a mysterious guest, both will find out that fulfilling your dreams is possible, but may not come without a price.

Make or Break

Germany, Mike Plitt, Falk Schuster, 8 min.

When his mother publicly criticizes the GDR, Alex is sent to a children’s home. He longs for his family and makes several attempts to escape. As punishment, Alex is sent to the Torgau Closed Juvenile Detention Centre. He is suddenly overcome by dark thoughts...

Matapang

France, Lea-Jade Horlier, 23 min.

Mary Ann, a twelve-year-old child born from sex tourism, survives in the slum of Angeles City, Manila. Determined to make it out, she is ready to do anything to find her father.

Weapons and Their Names

USA, Melina Valdez, 16 min.

Struggling to connect with her grieving family after the sudden death of her stepfather, a teenager sneaks off to shoot guns in rural Florida with her best friend.

Netherlands, Arif Abdillah, 20 min.

Budi, a closeted Indonesian transplant to The Netherlands is attempting to clean up the AirBnB he owns as last night’s tenants trashed it and tonight’s are incoming quickly. Worse, he gets a call from his brother that their father is ill and refusing treatment.

Brief Encounters

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2:00 PM

CAMELOT 1, 90 MINUTES

From a surprising knock at the door to the chance encounter on a beach, our most profound and memorable experiences occur in the shortest of time spans. These films examine the abiding impact of terse exchanges and fleeting interactions.

Anthony’s

USA, Sabrina Greco, 13 min.

After a fight with her ex-boyfriend, Aimee runs into her old English teacher, Anthony, and learns about his eccentric new enterprise.

Immaculate

UK, Villo Krisztics, 13 min.

Angela, an 11-year-old precocious Catholic schoolgirl, comes to believe she is pregnant after witnessing something strange in a swimming pool.

The Pass

USA, Pepi Ginsberg, 15 min.

While on holiday, Ben misreads signals from a handsome young man whose friends recommend they explore a private beach called The Pass. Going alone, Ben swims and meets an older man who grows aggressive as he struggles to mask his desires, leaving Ben afraid to get out of the water.

Spring Roll Dream

UK, Mai Vu, 9 min.

Linh is a Vietnamese mother who lives with her son in America. When her father visits and insists on cooking a traditional Vietnamese meal, Linh is confronted with the past and culture she left behind.

White Ant

UK, Shalini Adnani, 15 min.

A middle-aged businessman returns to his abandoned childhood home, where he finds a colony of termites destroying the house. Profoundly disconnected from his past self, he watches on solemnly, as the house caretaker and an exterminator deal with the infestation.

Snow in September

Mongolia, Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir, 20 min.

Davka, a teenager living in the decaying Soviet buildings of Ulaanbaatar, chats with a classmate about manga and they tease each other about sex. When Davka encounters an older woman, his ideas about intimacy and relationships are forced to change.

Soleil de nuit

Canada, Fernando López Escrivá, Maria Camila Arias, 13 min. While training in an abandoned mine for an important mission to the moon, a crew of Canadian astronauts is interrupted by an Atikamekw elder. He agrees to leave on one condition: the astronauts must deliver a sacred message to the spirits of his community on the moon.

Sèt Lam

France, Vincent Fontano, 23 min.

A frightened girl listens to her grandmother tell the strange tale of Edwardo, the first of his kin to have seen and fought death. The child is captivated, feeling that there is a reason her grandmother is recounting this story.

Sprout

USA, Zora Kovac, 8 min.

After an agoraphobic scientist accidentally creates a babylike plant creature, their connection threatens to upend his reclusive way of life.

Walk of Shame

USA, Dane Ray, 16 min.

A mourning widow suspects a stranger in town is wearing her late husband’s Army jacket. She cautiously stalks the man into the night in an attempt to find closure.

Strictly Business

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2:30 PM

CAMELOT 2, 87

Minutes

At turns hilarious and penetrating, the hustle never ends in this program about engaging in the art of commerce.

Alpha Kings

USA, Enrique Pedráza-Botero, Faye Tsakas, 15 min.

From a rented mansion in suburban Texas, a group of young men sell a hyperbolic, alpha male version of themselves on the internet.

Call Me Mommy

USA, Haley Alea Erickson, Taylor Washington, 13 min.

A pedantic mother-to-be hires a stranger to role-play as her unborn daughter.

Halmoni’s Pot

USA, A. Lauren Lee, 10 min.

Grandma Mee-Yung reluctantly agrees to go buy pot for her grandson. But pay full price? Never!

The Launch

USA, KK Apple, 9 min.

When a ruthless tech uber-nerd is faced with pushback right before a big launch, he must find a way to hype up the team — and himself — before going onstage.

Side Hustle

USA, Abby Harri, 15 min.

Eden, a dancer in New York City, pays the bills with financial support from her sugar daddy. Documentary interviews with sugar babies and sex workers weave into Eden’s fictional story through her consumption and interaction with social media, contextualizing her experience within a community of voices.

Step Into the Mattress

USA, Erin Vassilopoulos, 14 min. Up against a deadline that could cost them their jobs, rivaling mattress store employees find common ground in latex.

Walk Out Nice and Smooth

USA, Kerry O’Neill, 11 min.

Thirteen-year-old Dani and their mother embark on an allday odyssey to flip a stolen laptop. Pressures mount as the day runs long, forcing Dani to take drastic measures that unexpectedly bring the two of them closer.

PARABLES, FANTASIES & FABLES

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 3:00 PM CAMELOT 3, 92

Things That Disappear

Minutes

Suspend belief and lose yourself in the stories of these imaginative and expressive shorts.

Aikāne

USA, Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, 14 min. Wounded in battle, an island warrior falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescues him transforms into a handsome young man, they fall in love and an epic adventure begins.

South Korea, Kim Changsoo, 10 min.

An elderly person living alone in a redevelopment area holds a funeral for a dead cat they find in the street.

Untitled Floating Mom Short

USA, Aidan Guynes, 9 min.

A girl’s mother has started to levitate unconsciously. At the same time, the girl grapples with an unusually optimistic doctor’s visit.

The Melting Creatures

Chile, Diego Céspedes, 18 min.

Nataly, a trans woman, is visiting her former lover Leon with her daughter Secreto in a mysterious reclusive community hiding from the sun. These reunions will bring back the memory of a toxic and abusive relationship to Nataly.

Zeb’s Spider

Canada, Alicia Eisen, Sophie Jarvis, 10 min.

An eight-legged force of fate spins a complex web in a superstitious homebody’s life. What begins as a way of coping with an uninvited arachnid soon takes on a monstrous life of its own.