Bright Futures: The NYAFF Narrative Shorts Showcase

Ateh
North American Premiere
Kristie Ko, Hong Kong, 2021, 23m
English, Tagalog, and Cantonese with traditional Chinese and English subtitles
A Filipina domestic worker in Hong Kong struggles to gently part with her impressionable 8-year-old ward and embark on her own journey of motherhood back in her homeland.

Black Goat
New York Premiere
Tang Yi, Nepal, USA, 2019, 12m
Nepali with English subtitles
In this sublime allegory, a novice Buddhist nun is haunted by the spirit of the black goat of adulthood when she gets her first period.

Double Happiness / 喜喜
New York Premiere
Scarlett Li, China, USA, 2021, 11m
Mandarin with English subtitles
This hilarious satire of Chinese weddings employs a novel role-reversal device to turn dysfunctional traditions on their proverbial ear. 

Honekami (A Bite of Bone) / 骨嚙み
Honami Yano, Japan, 2021, 10m
Japanese with English subtitles
A little girl living on a small island recalls moments with her father in this impressionistic, pointillist-style animated work that reflects beautifully on loss and impermanence.

Natsuko
Shuna Iijima, Japan, 2020, 16m
Japanese with English subtitles
Natsuko awaits her husband’s return when he goes to visit his daughter from a previous marriage, and tries to quell her feelings of frustration and despair.

The Sea Between Us
Yuga J. Vardhan, Singapore, 2021, 13m
English, Mandarin, and Tamil with English Subtitles
When the pandemic closes the border between Singapore and Malaysia, two sisters are prevented from returning home, although they can see it across the water.

S.Q.A.G. (Short Quiet Asian Girl)
World Premiere
Benedict Chiu, USA, 2022, 8m
English
The eponymous character takes on an easy-in-and-out mission to prove that she doesn’t look like every other Asian girl, with unpredictable results.

Tank Fairy / 桶妝仙女
New York Premiere
Erich Rettstadt, Taiwan, USA, 2021, 10m
Mandarin with English subtitles
A sassy gas tank delivery woman turns out to be a queer young boy’s fairy godmother when she makes his dreams of becoming a hip drag queen come true in a fabulous explosion of glitter and glamor.

Visitors / 往訪
Kenichi Ugana, Japan, 2021, 17m
Japanese with English subtitles
When former bandmates go to visit Souta in the countryside, things get creepier by the minute… and survival is a game that only the hardiest can win!

Wax and Wane
New York Premiere
Beidi Wang, USA, 2022, 15m
English and Mandarin with English subtitles
Immigrant Wu Sui has emergency surgery to remove the IUD implanted under China’s One Child Policy, and must come to terms with her past suffering.