Sio Roho Yangu - Not My Soul (United States) by Joe LoBianco

In 1807, a young enslaved woman is condemned to a sweltering hot box for her defiance, facing torment and uncertainty. Trapped in the oppressive heat, she struggles to survive, oscillating between fleeting hope and crushing despair. She draws strength from distant memories and spirituals. As her spirit is tested, the journey transforms from a desperate victim into a determined fighter, in a powerful testament to resilience and the unbreakable human will.

Running time: 00:14:29

Hawaii (United States) by Edouard Négiar - Out-of-Competition 

In a near future where the elderly poor are rounded up in kill shelters like stray dogs, a grumpy retiree forms an unexpected bond with the child who adopts him.

Running time: 14:52

Eva (Germany) by Laura Elisabeth Staab

“An action is causally connected if it cannot be thought away without the specific outcome ceasing to exist,” says Eva, a young prosecutor, quoting the cold logic of law texts. How does it apply to your life, your couple and your longing for motherhood? Drifting in the city from encounter to another, Eva confronts all the images of romantic and parental love that society has established as the status quo. Does she need this to be herself? (Léo Soesanto) 

Running time: 00:14:04

Stay (Belgium) by Nick Ceulemans

A young man fights alongside and against the love of his life, as she struggles with an elusive psychological condition.

Running time: 00:14:00

Sins of a Father (United States) by Nuekellar Hardy

Amidst echoes of his past, Bryan embarks on a heartfelt quest to rewrite his future, confronting his father to break the chains of generational trauma and carve out his own legacy of love and growth. "Sins of a Father" is now an Africa Movie Academy Award nominee for the Best Short Film category. 

Running time: 00:13:55

NMBR 1 FN (United States) by Rudy Weimer

Whitina is a struggling artist who makes ends meet by live streaming every day. Her mental health struggles worsen with this constant self-imposed isolation, and she longs for genuine connection. When one of her fans pays to meet her in person, Whitina must confront her deteriorating mental state and find the courage needed to be vulnerable in real life. 

Running time: 00:13:49

Arrested (Lithuania) by Indrė Juškutė

A young woman arrested following a traffic accident is forced to spend the night at the police station where the ultimate confrontation awaits her – that with herself. 

Running time: 00:15:00