In The Middle (Iran) by Saba Khatami
"In the Middle" is a short dance film captured in the streets of Tehran and London, exploring the emotional experience of living between two worlds. In Tehran, where dance is prohibited, movement becomes an act of quiet resistance—a gesture of freedom within restriction. In London, dance is free, but this freedom can feel anonymous and isolating. The film traces a dialogue of the body with two cities, capturing how it navigates urban spaces and reflects the tension between belonging and dislocation. Through shifting cityscapes and expressive movement, it explores the internal push and pull of being caught between past and present, home and elsewhere. It is a personal reflection on what it means to exist “in between,” where nothing fully fits, but everything leaves a mark.
Running time: 00:08:00
Clam Diving for Beginners (Germany) by Clara Marshall
Coach “Daddy” trains a late-blooming lesbian, Carmen, before her big date.
Running time: 00:18:45
Stimulants & Empathogens (Poland) by Mateusz Pacewicz
Antek (18), a a closeted teenage gay from a wealthy family, invites a drug dealer - Kuba (18) - he has a hopeless crush on - to his villa under the pretext of another drug transaction. However, he does not know that Kuba has a mission that he received from his superiors - his Father and his Brother. The dealer's family suspects that Antek resells their mephedrone at a profit at his school, so Kuba is supposed to investigate the situation. The story begins as a romantic comedy of errors, turns into a social satire to end, after various adventures, with an emotional plot twist.
Running time: 00:25:00
Blind Canvas (Iran) by Sepand Rezazadeh
Danial, a talented and skilled painter, tries to overcome his depression and find peace by returning to painting. He hopes reconnecting with his art will help him regain a sense of normalcy and improve his situation. However, the difficulties of life and the pressures of his surroundings constantly push him closer to the edge.
Running time: 00:21:54
Basilisk (Germany) by Carsten Saeger, Zuzanna Krysta
Four people meet. Their voices tell each other about the loss they have experienced, discrimination, the resistance they have overcome and the strength and courage they have gained from it. The roots of a tree in the water provide solace, its strong bark becomes an armour. The rustling of leaves joins the flapping of the wings of an imaginary magical animal that stands by their side. Hands touching the encrusted landscape of a former open-cast potash mine. The legend of the Basilisk of Halle was once told near this wounded landscape. The creature blocked the town's salt well when the salt workers refused to give their share of the exploitation of nature to the poor.
Running time: 00:14:12