PROGRAMME

Saturday, April 18th, 2026, at 12pm | IndiaIndie

Victoria | India | Dir: Sivaranjini J | 2024 | 81’ | VOSE | Drama  

Victoria, an aestheticist from a small town, challenges her Catholic family by running away with her Hindu boyfriend. Her life becomes even more complicated when she receives a rooster from a neighbor destined for religious purposes. While dealing with the rooster’s antics, unexpected clients, and her boyfriend’s uncertainty, Victoria faces contradictory emotions that lead her to a day of intense personal and spiritual revelations.

Sivaranjini J is an Indian director with a doctorate in communication design and a master’s degree in Video and Film Communication from the National Institute of Design (NID). With experience in short films with works such as Ritham (2016) and Kalyani (2014), this film marks her feature film debut, in which she handles writing, directing, and editing.

 

Saturday, April 25th, 2026, at 12pm 

The Aegean | Australia | Dir: Jacob Richardson | 2024 | 102’ | VOSE | Drama  

In a world that has begun to forget him, Héctor, a widowed fisherman, feels the weight of his solitude. Everything changes when he meets Theodore, a teenager seeking someone who can save him from a desperate situation. United by their shared struggles, they embark on a journey across the Aegean Sea, where, amid the blue waters, they discover new purpose and reason to move forward.

Jacob Richardson is an Australian director whose work has been awarded and recognized internationally. His first short film, Salt of the Earth (2022), premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival. His first feature film, The Aegean (2024), shot in Greece and Australia, was part of the official selection of the 2024 Brisbane International Film Festival. He is currently in post-production of the documentary feature A Moment in the Sun, while developing other projects.

 

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, at 12pm | IndiaIndie

Aalav  | India | Dir: Prabhash Chandra | 2022 | 123’ | VOSE | Drama  

It is the story of Bhaveen Gossain, a 63-year-old son who cares for his sick mother, Savitri, aged 95, in their home located in a quiet suburb of New Delhi. Bhaveen rarely leaves the house, as he is completely dedicated to caring for his mother. From the moment he wakes up until he goes to bed at night, Bhaveen is Savitri’s sole caregiver.

Prabhash Chandra is an Indian director who consolidated his place in the industry with his feature film I’m Not the River Jhelum (2022), which was acclaimed by critics, securing the award for best debut director in India at the Mohanan Awards. His minimalist and authentic aesthetic is accompanied by poetic and introspective narratives that encourage reflection on existence and its fleeting moments. Furthermore, Prabhash has ensured his influence in regional cinema through his work as an educator, conducting workshops and talks to inspire the next generation of filmmakers.

Saturday, May 9th, 2026, at 12pm 

Summertime | Iran | Dir: Mahmoud Kalari | 2024 | 108’ | VOSE | Drama     

Since going to live with their grandmother, cousins Atta and Masi adapted to the absence of their parents. Atta’s father was in prison and Masi’s father had died. Despite American intervention in Iran in 1953, these children lived an innocent childhood, unaware of what was happening around them. When their aunt, Marzi, accused Masi’s brother of stealing her jewels and forced Atta to identify him as the thief, their lives were upended. Years later, 77-year-old Atta returns to Iran to visit his old house, evoking the indelible memories of childhood, full of love, admiration, and betrayal.

Mahmoud Kalari (1951) has established himself as one of the most recognized filmmakers of the New Iranian Cinema, collaborating with other filmmakers and winning four awards for Best Film at the Fajr National Film Festival. He began his career in 1974, completed photography courses in New York, and worked at the Sigma Photo news agency, based in Paris. In 1980, Time magazine classified him as one of the “15 Best Photographers of the Year” and named him “The Eye of Iran.” In 1998, he made his feature film debut with The Cloud And The Rising Sun. His most recent work, Summertime (2024), won the Jury Special Prize and a Special Mention at the 2024 Fajr Film Festival.

 

Saturday, May 16th, 2026, at 12pm | IndiaIndie

Full Plate | India | Dir: Mahesh Naranayan | 2025 | 90’ | VOSE | Drama 

A housewife’s culinary skills become her means of livelihood after her husband’s accident, causing tensions and a process of personal growth as she tries to balance family responsibilities with her new path. Despite prejudices against her hijab and what it represents, Amreen gains recognition through her first job as a cook. This new confidence in herself and the external validation she receives put into question family hierarchy and present dilemmas in the family nucleus.

Tannishtha Chatterjee (1980) is a recognized Indian actress, writer, and director known for her work in numerous independent films in both Hindi and English. Tannishtha has managed to establish herself as both an actress and director in India and Europe, accumulating a variety of nominations and awards for her performances in films such as Dekh Indian Circus and Shadows of Time, as well as for her directorial work in her debut Roam Rome Mein in 2019.

Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, at 12pm

Karst | China | Dir: Yang Suiyi | 2024 | 107’ | VOSE | Drama  

Long Ziying is a shepherd in a small village in the rugged karst region of southwestern China. When her cows inexplicably stop eating and the local veterinary clinic offers no solution, Ziying is forced to turn to a specialized agricultural pharmacy. As she navigates her rural community and interacts with its inhabitants, her story begins to become known through conversations and encounters, building a portrait of her resilience and determination. Ziying’s journey to save her livestock becomes a path to confront her own past.

Yang Suiyi (1997) graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, specializing in art theory. During her studies, she shot several short films. Her debut feature, Karst (2024), was released to great critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Fei Mu Prize for Best Film in the Hidden Dragon section at the 8th Pingyao International Film Festival.

 

Saturday, May 30th, 2026, at 12pm | IndiaIndie

Shadowbox | India | Dir: Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi | 2024 | 93’ | VOSE | Drama  

A woman’s world crumbles when her husband, a war veteran, becomes embroiled in a murder case. While struggling with his post-traumatic stress disorder and growing suspicions around him, she and her son take drastic measures to prevent her family from falling apart.

Tanushree Das (1980) is an Indian theater director and actress graduated in editing from the Film and Television Institute of India. Her work as an editor has been presented at festivals around the world, and now presents her debut as a director in this feature film.

Saumyananda Sahi (1986) is an Indian director specializing in cinematography who studied together with Tanushree at the Film and Television Institute of India, a director with whom he would go on to found the production company Skreen Films. With years of experience in the editing and photography departments, this duo comes together to co-direct Shadowbox.

Saturday, June 6th, 2026, at 12pm 

Longer than a Day | Kazakhstan | Dir: Malika Mukhamejan | 2024 | 112’ | VOSE | Drama 

The lives of Karlygash (in Kazakh “swallow”) and Ilyas, a young couple living on a horse ranch in a remote settlement on the Kazakh steppe, change dramatically with the arrival of a French traveler named Louis. Karlygash transitions from being emotionally dependent on Ilyas to fleeing and eventually venturing into an uncertain future. The film explores how women face solitude through a story of love and passion that ends in marriage dissolution.

Malika Mukhamejan (Shu, 1993) is a Kazakh filmmaker who graduated in directing from the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in 2021. Her work focuses on stories of women and their solitude and isolation. She is the founder of QYZQARAS, a platform that supports female filmmakers in Kazakhstan. Her first feature film, Longer Than a Day (2024), was selected for Asian New Talent at the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).

 

Saturday, June 13th, 2026, at 12pm  

Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director | Japan/Spain | Dir: Jonathan Bellés | 2024 | 70’ | VOSE | Documentary   

Documentary that explores the life and cinematographic career of Ishiro Honda, father of Kaiju Eiga (Monster Movies) and one of the most important Japanese directors of his generation. This portrait is articulated through the analysis of his filmography from a historical and personal perspective, including his experiences in war and his obsession with the atomic bomb, recurring themes in his films, and his friendship with Akira Kurosawa.

Jonathan Bellés (1988) is a filmmaker specializing in documentaries about Japanese culture and monster cinema, known for The Dawn of Kaiju Eiga (2019). This Spanish director completed a doctorate at the Universitat Politècnica de València, where he also graduated in Artistic Production and Fine Arts. With this intensive training and experience acquired in a great diversity of productions including documentaries, shorts, and audiovisual content for major companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Bellés has established himself as a multifaceted creator in the international sphere.

 

Saturday, June 20th, 2026, at 12pm  

Co-Love | Philippines | Dir: Jill Singsong Urdaneta| 2025 | 115’ | VOSE | Drama  

Two popular social media content creators realize they have personal problems with their respective partners. This ends up uniting them as a result of the unexpected professional collaboration that emerges between them. Both the protagonists and their immediate surroundings show the energy of a young world in continuous change in a country like the Philippines.

Jill Singson Urdaneta is a Filipino director, actor, and editor. He has directed several films, including Partee (2016), #Labyu (2014), and Co-Love (2025), presented at the 2025 CinePanalo Film Festival. Having worked in both the television and film industries, this director accumulates a great deal of experience that leads him to explore new themes and styles with each new creation. From the seriousness of Partee to the relaxed comedy of #Labyu, each Urdaneta film is an interesting shift in style and tone.