Navigating through childhood innocence to teenage angst to adulthood responsibilities,
these series of shorts explore the journey to self-expression and self-discovery.
Total Runtime: 74 minutes
Reyna | DEFY | Found | w(HO) | de Closin Night | SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW | Gem & Shaz
All Shorts Program available on-demand in the U.S. from October 20, 12:00AM until Monday, October 31, 2022, 10:00PM ET. The content must be started within the designated viewing window. Once started, you have up to 24 hrs to finish playing the content or until the end of the viewing window – whichever comes first.
reyna
Directed by Jenielle Ramos Salarda
Animated | 6 mins | English, Tagalong
Reyna is a 2D animated short film about Vina, this year’s lead Queen in the Santacruzan festival, who struggles to get ready after members in the community make negative comments about her appearance. Joy, Vina’s supportive sister, helps her to get ready and encourages Vina to embrace herself as she is by discussing the historical context and origin of these harmful comments before leading the festivities.
Defy
Directed by Jon Jon Augustavo
Experimental, Docudrama | 8 mins | English, Mandarin Chinese, Tonga with English Subtitles | East Coast Premiere
“DEFY” is a visual poem made in celebration of AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) heritage and meant to unlock perspectives that many have never seen or understood. Voices across the diaspora share their words on inherent value, personal worth, and owning what it means to be AANHPI.
Found
Directed by Reena Dutt
Narrative | 10 mins | English, Korean | East Coast Premiere
Tabitha is stuck between two worlds. When the Artistic Director of her theatre company tokenizes her for his Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiative, she faces her reality of living in two skins as a Korean adoptee.
w(HO)
Directed by Candace Ho
Coming of Age | 5 mins | English | Boston Premiere
Growing up with the last name Ho, jokes came with the territory. And naturally, shame and resentment towards the word grew as a kid. w(HO) explores the growing pains of a young woman through five different eras of varying relationships with the word.
de Closin Night
Directed by Shicong Zhu
Drama | 20 mins | English, Chinese with English Subtitles | New England Premiere
Siyi, a Chinese student in an American theater school, has been putting in more effort than her American peers to practice for the first role she gets in college. Yet her professor is rescinding the offer because of her accent. To win back the opportunity for the closing night, Siyi determines to rid her accent by speaking English only from now on, even when she video chats with her mom. As she grows obsessed with the accent practices, Siyi’s attempt to better her craft has shifted into the faltering of her identity.
Subscribe/Follow
Directed by Faroukh Virani
Drama, Comedy | 15 mins | English | East Coast Premiere
After the unfortunate murder of an unarmed Black man by the police, an Indian social media influencer code switches up his online platform to present solidarity, but gets challenged by his peers when they find faults in his messaging.
Advisory: Some Strong Language
Gem & Shaz
Directed by Chloe Hung
Comedy | 10 mins | English | New England Premiere
Two Asian-Canadian teenage girls are given one hour at the school dance by their strict immigrant parents and are determined to make the most of it
Advisory: Drug use.
