Shorts Program: Spirited Away
New York Asian Film Festival 2026
July 10 - 23
This program of short films includes Jen Nee Lim’s Buah (Fruit), Yijian Shan’s Si Shui (Still Water), Xinhui Ma’s Flamingo in the Garden, Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero’s Agapito, Linjie Sheng’s A Dream Like a Dream, Sari Arambulo’s Cookie, Love, and Soojeong Son’s Cecilia Is Only Eight Years Old.
Showtimes
Fri, July 10
Buah (Fruit)
Jen Nee Lim, 2025, Singapore/Malaysia, 15m
Malay with English subtitles
New York Premiere
In a time and place where abortion is illegal, a pregnant woman’s repeated attempts to end her pregnancy fail until she crosses paths with a strange bus driver.
Si Shui (Still Water)
Yijian Shan, 2025, China/Japan/U.S., 23m
Chinese with English subtitles
U.S. Premiere
In the summer of 2008, less than a hundred days after one of the most devastating earthquakes in China’s recent history, the nation basks in Olympic glory. Xi, a domestic worker, remains haunted by the loss of her younger sister in the disaster. She becomes drawn to her employer’s unborn child, convinced it is her reincarnated sister. As her obsession grows, the tranquil household turns uneasy.
Flamingo in the Garden
Xinhui Ma, 2025, U.S., 13m
Arabic and Chinese with English subtitles
North American Premiere
A young Chinese woman is stuck in a hospital bed in Morocco after a surfing accident. Despite language barriers and physical limitations, she finds solace in the garden outside her window.
Agapito
Arvin Belarmino, Kyla Romero, 2025, Philippines, 15m
Tagalog with English subtitles
New York Premiere
It’s the last day of the month. Bowlers flock to the lanes of a bowling alley that has seen better days. Mira, the manager, decides to close early. She’s awaiting the arrival of a special visitor.
A Dream Like a Dream
Linjie Sheng, 2026, China, 13m
Chinese with English subtitles
North American Premiere
A man finds his soul lingering in the remnants of daily life. Unaware of his own death, he feels no particular concern for his destination. An unexpected phone call forges a brief connection to the living world—a bond as fleeting as his mortal existence, where genuine engagement always eluded him.
Cookie, Love
Sari Arambulo, 2025, U.S./France, 10m
Part love story, part American-in-Paris dream: Taiwanese-American baker Jean Hwang Currant operates a specialty cookie shop in Paris, France, breaking through the cutthroat world of patisserie while centering on identity, authenticity, love, and of course—cookies.
Ceceilia Is Only Eight Years Old
Soojeong Son, 2026, U.S., 9m
Korean with English subtitles
World Premiere
Cecilia is about to turn 68 and has never been creative in her life. Spurred on by her curmudgeonly and competitive best friend, she enters a talent competition.
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