Shorts: Block C

1.  THE WALL I (Taiwan, 09:57) I Director: Tseng Yu Chin I Art & Experimental

The soundtrack in this experimental work by video artist, photographer and director Tseng Yu Chin were recorded during a 2014 student demonstration in Taiwan, against growing government censorship of free speech and restrictions on democratic freedoms, are even more apparent today. The overlap of sounds from near and far and the youth caged in by an invisible wall combine to create a state of physical claustrophobia and alienation. In the moment of impact with the wall we can feel the presence of the physical body and the presence of ‘self’ as a sovereign being that desires to be free from tyranny of any kind. Tseng has won numerous prizes for his work which has been exhibited internationally. In 2020 he won no less than 11 awards including Best Experimental Short at the Dreamers of Dreams Film Festival.

2. ALL OF US IS ONE I (France, 3:54) I Director: Xavier Zahra, Artist: oof I Art & Experimental

Music video for artist OOF which celbrates the ide of love like it’s 1969! Director Xavier Zahra lives between Paris and London. After graduating from animation school, he worked in Los Angeles as a visual effects artist and worked with Alfonso Cuaron as a digital cinematographer on the film GRAVITY. He then joined HBO’s GAMES OF THRONES, to pre-visualise seasons 2 and 3. His work on the show was considered for two Primetime Emmy Awards. Alongside this, he is part of the Kino filmmaking movement.

3. REMINISCENCE I (UK, 3:57) I Director: Jo An Li I Art & Experimental I INSTAGRAM

The tale of one old woman’s past emotional journey, which is intrinsically linked to feelings of joy and regret, and the passing of time. Her young self begins physically filling the empty spaces with anything and everything she can. Jo-An Li is a London-Based art director working in photography, short film, interactive design and installation. Drawing upon philosophy, contemporary social and environmental issues, her works explore the connection to an unseen power.

4. THE BOKS I (China, 16:35) I Directors Ziyang Chen and Sishan Chen I Spiritual and Philosophical

Composed of five different stories, “The Box” tells five romantic with a dark twist. The film adopts a classic stop motion approach to 2D motion animation, 2D. Ziyang Chen is a graduate of Parsons New School for Design and currently studying an MA in Animation at the London College of Communication. Sishan Chen has studied filmmaking at Goldsmiths, University of London.

5. FEARFULLY MADE I (UK, 19:27) I Director: Jamie Foreman I Sci-Fi

When Arthur’s wife, Maggie, is taken into a nursing home, his daughter buys him a care robot. Frustrated by his lack of independence, Arthur is no fan of his new ‘carer’, but things take a darker turn when she begins to block his attempts to call Maggie. Desperate to make contact and feeling like a prisoner in his own home, Arthur plans to escape to the nursing home to be with Maggie again. Writer-Director Jamie Foreman states that a borrowed camera and some truly awful stop motion animation were his first steps into film making. He is now a freelance film maker based in the north of England. He loves left field ideas, his most recent preoccupation being the effect of artificial intelligence on relationships.

6. THE SPRAY I (Germany, 11:39) I Director: Uwe Flade I Sci-Fi

When Jenny and Robert return late at night they find their flat being broken into. The police uses a magical spray to have all missing items reappear as glowing holograms. After they forget the spray, Jenny uses it to reveal a secret of Robert’s past. She wished she hadn’t… With more than 60 videos for bands like Depeche Mode and A-HA and Franz Ferdinand to name just a few, Uwe Flade is one of the most successful German music video directors.

7. VENUS I (UK, 14:12) I Director: Andrew McGee I Sci-Fi I WEBSITE

Iris, torn out of her idyllic digital world and uploaded into a stolen synthetic body by her grieving mother, must face her body’s objectification and violent potential in a dark future. Writer-Director Andrew McGee is professional editor and independent filmmaker based in the South East of England. He has written, edited, and directed short films nominated for major awards, and has a passion for all things sci-fi.

Total Streaming Time: 01.10. Foreign language films will have English subtitles. Please note, some content may be unsuitable for children under 15 years of age. VIMEO links will go live from 12am ET (Eastern Time) on the 19th November 2021.