São João (United Kingdom) by Will Bentley

A fisherman looks forward to celebrating his 88th birthday on the Festa de São João. Shot on Super 8 in Foz do Douro, the film is a miniature portrait about the gentle wisdom of living.

Running time: 00:01:05

The Other Side of Despair (Switzerland) by Varsy Buchmann

"The Other Side of Despair" is a moving portrait of a young Armenian artist, Art Petrosyan, who sets fire to his own paintings. Shot during a time of profound loss and upheaval in the aftermath of the forced deportation of 110,000 people from Artsakh, it provides a unique and thought-provoking perspective on the relationship between art, identity, and the struggle for survival.

Running time: 00:08:30

Adult Child (Norway) by Hugo Francker

With humor and vulnerability, the director reaches out to their distant father as they experiment with a more masculine gender identity. A unique and personal film about growing up and longing for closeness. Dressing up in suits and acting out traditional masculine activities, reveals the potential of rebuilding a lost connection.

Running time: 00:24:35

The Hold (United Kingdom) by JD Donnelly

A real-time journey into the mind and story of champion free-diver Alice Hickson as she performs her record breath hold.Running time: 00:09:57

Still, life (United Kingdom) by Priya Woods

Grief has many unsuspecting customers. A stoic Scottish father and his daughter sit down for a pint, 18 summers after a life altering diagnosis which changed everything and nothing at all. Through the use of interview and archive, the film contrasts between a past life of warm chaos and the cold, still, reality of the present. This short is the story behind the “local” in the pub, exploring the crippling effects of love and loss, of which we all hold within.

Running time: 00:07:29

Pappas Poppy (Norway) by Johanne Wilbrink

*** Nordic/Docs, New Voices, Norway

Dolls, cunts and daddy issues – a personal portrait of being a woman.

Running time: 00:07:00

Freshman (Poland) by Michał Edelman, Tomasz Pawlik

*** Millenium Docs Against Gravity

Freshman" is a two-year observation of fifteen-year-old Jędrek. Cut off from his family and loved ones, the boy gets locked up in a juvenile prison. Now he has to adapt to a new, harsh environment. At first, he is scared and lonely, but later, he meets a friend - Wojtek. The juvy slowly becomes their new home.

Running time: 00:27:00