Five Short Film Tips for the Shortest Day of the Year

In Freedom Swimmer, a man tells his granddaughter about his failed attempts to flee from China's mainland to Hong Kong in the 1970’s. This era is marked by the Cultural Revolution and many conflicts, which affects Chinese society to this day. The risk of being caught at that time was high, but the price of freedom was higher. The film alternates poignant animation with found footage of the recent protests in Hong Kong.

Pilar, a young mother in Bogotá, receives an internship opportunity in the USA and the news comes as a big surprise to her husband, Alejandro, who is tied down to his responsibilities in Bogotá. Set in 1992, as Colombia faces an era of drug violence, car bombs, and daily power outages, Pilar and Alejandro must deal with their conflicting desires and the danger and darkness around them. With just three days to respond to the offer, Pilar must decide between being a mother and a wife in Bogotá or leaving everything behind to revive her fading professional dreams.

Beast portrays the life of a secret agent in the times of the Chilean military dictatorship. Her relationship with her body, her fears, her frustrations, and her dog reflect the ominous fractures in her homeland and her own consciousness. The use of porcelain dolls, wool and paper create a beautiful vulnerable animation style.

Salewa left Nigeria to live in London, where she married her wife. When she returns to Lagos on the occasion of her mother's funeral, she meets an acquaintance with whom she has a complicated past. This confronts her with memories and difficulties from her childhood in Nigeria. Will Salewa find a way to accept everything that happened?

Diana finds letters her dad wrote her fifteen years ago when he was in prison. The short documentary consists of beautiful collages with images, drawings and pieces of paper that retrace the time of her life when her dad was still present. Diana reflects on what happened in the past and writes her father a letter.