International Competition 2
In these films, everyone is on a quest. Some are just out for kicks, while others are searching for their missing brother, their own past, or the knowledge of who they really are. Along the way, they meet people who can help them, but unfortunately, one can’t always count on the empathy of others.
Accident – Director: Angelika Spangel · Austria · 30 min · German (OmeU)
A village is rocked by a series of strange events. What caused the man on the bench to keel over? Why won’t anyone offer help at the scene of an automobile accident? And why does the farmer’s son feel responsible for pigs having died in their stall? Guilt and shame are the common denominator, raising the question of where fiction ends and real harm begins.
Gender Studies – Director: Jamie Kiernan O'Brien · USA · 11 min · English (OF)
Maisie, a college student, is fascinated by her classmate Rachel. As a trans woman, she is seeking out new experiences and sees Rachel as a female role model. Since Rachel is having an affair with their teaching assistant, Maisie wants to seduce him, too. But is Rachel’s life really something to aspire to?
Rabbit Years – Director: Raquel Tamayo Gutiérrez · Colombia · 9 min · Spanish (OmeU)
Raquel had a happy childhood in Mexico before her family abruptly left everything behind. Now an adult, she uses a collage of photos and animations to give voice to her inner child, attempting to piece together the few memories she has of that time and preserve them for eternity.
nafron – Director: Daood Alabdulaa · Germany, Syria · 14 min · Arabic (OmeU)
Syria, December 2024. Just a few weeks after the fall of the Assad regime, an unnamed woman suffering from memory loss wanders through the ruins of Damascus. Along the way, she meets Amira, who is searching for her missing brother. The two women help each other to find comfort and the answers they are both seeking.
Rike – Director: Sophia Schachtner · Germany · 11 min · German (OmeU)
A young woman is crying. A new day begins. Rike is a painter and varnisher. Her every movement is controlled and precise; each day is like every other. When Rike buys a bouquet of flowers after work and walks through the streets with it, something changes: the world gives something back to her.