The fourth competition screening, on Friday, August 22nd, starting at 7:10 PM at Theatre 21, brings seven short films and a lavish overview of all cinematic genres, which, through different techniques and approaches, portray the question of existence.
The experimental “Memories in Polaroids” by Luka Duvančić uses a Polaroid camera to capture places tied to memories, and then manipulates the photographs using artificial intelligence software. The film explores the reliability of memory, how it changes over the years, and how it shapes our perception of the past.
The documentary “Ama” by Claudia Chau examines the ways identity can be lost through names that are part of the heritage in Chinese culture. In the film, the author herself begins researching her family’s surname and the real Chinese name of her grandmother, whom she knows as Ama.
The protagonist of the animated film “The Cycle” by Sanja Račić explores the stages of her life she must overcome, only to discover in the end that she actually needs to find herself.
Existential themes are also present in the film “Reincarnation Hairstyle” by Izidor Bistrović, whose main character, Miro, longs for a different life.
The animated “The Big Bad Wolf” by Leo William Wright tells the story of a little pig named Richmond who befriends a not-so-big, bad wolf named Billy, much to his father’s great dismay. Set in the Black Country, this film speaks about friendship and not judging a wolf by his cover.
Hannah Koselj Marušič is the director of the documentary “Split Ends”, which tells a story about fragility and insecurity, even when it comes to the most ordinary things, such as appearance.
“Dragon Hunt” by Marko Gutić Mižimakov, an experimental film inspired by the tradition of dragon hunting described in Samuel Delany’s novel “Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand”, combines machine learning, dance, and a queer journey through the unusual landscapes of the Dalmatian Hinterland in an exploration of mimicry, media translation, and friendship.
