The Other Side of Despair (Switzerland) by Varsy Buchmann

"The Other Side of Despair" is a moving portrait of a young Armenian artist, Art Petrosyan, who sets fire to his own paintings. Shot during a time of profound loss and upheaval in the aftermath of the forced deportation of 120,000 people from Artsakh, it provides a unique and thought-provoking perspective on the relationship between art, identity, and the struggle for survival.

Running time: 00:08:30

Eva (Germany) by Laura Elisabeth Staab

“An action is causally connected if it cannot be thought away without the specific outcome ceasing to exist,” says Eva, a young prosecutor, quoting the cold logic of law texts. How does it apply to your life, your couple and your longing for motherhood? Drifting in the city from encounter to another, Eva confronts all the images of romantic and parental love that society has established as the status quo. Does she need this to be herself? (Léo Soesanto) 

Running time: 00:14:04

The Taming of soft machines (Finland) by Christian Luoma

A machine made to need. A body trained to give. A visual hymn to submission, desire, and synthetic devotion.Inspired by the vampire cyborg folklore and the architecture of programmed love. Where pleasure is protocol, obedience is worship and the line between wanting and being wanted is blurred or never existed.

Running time: 00:03:18

Tony (United States) by Ben Marlowe

After finding a fortune, a man embarks on a hallucinatory quest for truth, as a plea for humanity and reverence for nature resounds.

Running time: 00:09:00

Quietus (United States) by Marissa Hernandez

Quietus is a visual poem about the invisible you. The thing that separates us from life the moment we die. It's a stream of consciousness that provokes unanswered questions of the unknown the moment you fade into darkness or perhaps light? 

Running time: 00:03:10

Shifting Roots (Lebanon) by Angie Mrad

An 81 years old woman had to flee her home as Hezbollah and Israel bomb around her.

In the midst of war between Israel and Hezbollah, Nouhad an 81 years old woman had to leave everything behind to seek refuge as they bomb around her. She has a hard time talking about the human tragedies, but the thing she talks about most is her olive orchard, a symbol of resilience in the middle of chaos. But when white phosphorus rains down, Nouhad is forced to confront the brutal reality of loss once more.

Running time: 00:08:30

Georgie (United States) by Jennie Butler

An ex-mobster reflects on life, love, and loss after spending 32 years in prison.

Running time: 00:14:20

Filicide (France) by Christophe Ideal

A disabled dancer meets a spectral creature.

Running time: 00:05:40

Unscarred (Belgium) by Théo Roland

This is the story of the evolving relationship between a mother and her son. The mother is bipolar and has violent outbursts. After years, the mother becomes stable, and they decide to make a film together, playing themselves in it. This move symbolizes the end of their chaotic journey.

Running time: 00:21:35