Kafka (Austria) by David Schalko

This six-part miniseries delves into the life of arguably the greatest and most famous writer of the twentieth century. The storyline primarily focuses on the points of view of the people closest to him while basing the narrative on the three-volume biography by Reiner Stach. At its heart are Kafka’s remarkable love affairs with Felice Bauer, Milena Jesenska, and Dora Diamant, as well as his difficult relationship with his tyrannical father. But also his close friendship with Max Brod, who would ultimately come to betray his terminally ill friend, yet assured his enduring fame in the process. 

Running time: 04:30:00

Alone (United States) by S. Columbus

Documentary about the difference of being alone and feeling alone.

Running time: 01:42:11

Silent Trilogy (Peru) by Daniel Rodriguez-Risco

A current of thought unites the three episodes in a coherent way, embodied with few elements which make space, time and movement purely cinematographic modes of expression. Voice is not needed. Yes, there are sounds, music, but not human voices, as in primitive cinema. There are faces, slow or fast movements, despair, fatality, a barely glimpsed horror, desire and fear of freedom. There is also love, perhaps as an illusion, rather than as a reality.

Running time: 00:40:00

Six (United States) by Diana Cignoni

Mental Health. Depression. Grief.

Running time: 00:13:00

The Stone Putter (Sweden) by Nils Agdler

The Stone Putter is a cinematic portrait of a serious and physically strong middle-aged woman, deeply focused on throwing stones in a desert-like landscape. How did she get here? What do the stones symbolize – as alien in the landscape as the woman herself in her black dress? Here you can sense a story about both sadness, integrity and stubbornness, about intersecting paths and about continuing forward without bowing to others. Both the stones and the woman are filmed from a variety of angles, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience the event from different perspectives, and for a moment possibly drop the anthropocentric gaze.

Running time: 00:08:00

Omens (Belgium) by Maya Wuytack

In a rough, deserted no man's land, seven bodies are washed ashore. The desolate landscape reveals glimpses of an unpredictable era. When they gain consciousness they find themselves between a visible and invisible world. The poetic journey unfolds between what seems to be a dream and their dreaming bodies. In their entangled destinies they seek shelter with each other and find refuge in the caves of the rocky coast. The rough landscape reflects their existential barrenness. Exposed to the forces of nature, surrender is their only defense. In the eye of the storm, their listening bodies breathe silence. Omens is a mystical quest for self-discovery, belonging and connection.

Running time: 00:05:58

Day of the Dead (Belgium) by Peter Bracke - Out of Competition

"Day of the Dead"  is a short film that delves into the unique blend of life, death, and celebration during Mexico's Day of the Dead. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the mesmerizing migration of millions of Monarch butterflies to Mexico, believed to embody the souls of the departed. The film explores the profound Mexican tradition of not just commemorating the dead but reveling in the coexistence of life and death during these sacred days.

Running time: 00:03:11