Day of the Dead (Belgium) by Kris Curtiz De Meester, Peter Bracke (Out of Competition)

***** Venice Art Biennale 2024

"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

Dearest Ghost (Estonia) by Margaret Mäses

How to deal with the overwhelmingly unbearable absence of someone who was an integral part of your life for a long time? When the physical embodiment of unconditional love has transformed into nothing but memories, a ghost, it might be wise to try and make friends with this new everyday companion. Dearest Ghost is a poetic journey through the inner world of a grieving filmmaker who tries to find solace in talking to her Ghost. Different stages of grief are visually linked to seasonal changes in nature. The filmmaker finds reflections of her mindscape in the surrounding scenery and wildlife.

Running time: 00:14:46

Maslenitsa (United Kingdom) by Polina Kulbachevskaia

Costume designer Anna Sverdlova reveals her artistic connections with the cultural heritage behind her historical headpiece reconstructions, inviting viewers on an exciting journey through the world of fashionable folklore.

Running time: 00:03:21

Hayastan (Armenia) by Silvia Sarsano

In October 2023, I attended an artist residency in Yerevan, arriving less than two weeks after the most recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.  This conflict had forced 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee the enclave of Artsakh within Azerbaijan, leading to a significant humanitarian crisis. I stayed at the Masoor Art House cultural center, which had become a hub for supporting refugees.  The local community was diligently working to provide food and assistance to the influx of displaced individuals. 

Running time: 00:13:02

The Untranslatable Forest (United States) by Ivan Miguel, Andy Camou

A journey through a surreal airport where nature and untranslatable words unexpectedly reveal on the way.

Running time: 00:02:30

Koka (Poland) by Aliaksandr Tsymbaliuk

An intimate story of the relationship between father and son, living on the edge of the earth near the Bering Sea, imbued with the harshness of local reality and unpretentiousness of childhood years, the strictness of paternal education and love, which always finds its place in any part of this planet and in any of the hearts, even in the one that at first glance is harder than stone.

Running time: 00:47:00