April 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM PT

“Two People Exchanging Saliva” + “Budget Paradise” + “1:10”

TRT: 68 min

In a dystopian society where kissing means death and currency is measured in slaps, a woman’s growing bond with a…
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Two People Exchanging Saliva
Directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh France, USA | Mid-Length Film | 36
In a repressive society where kissing means death and currency is measured in slaps, an unhappy woman’s growing bond with a salesgirl sparks desire, jealousy, and dangerous consequences.

Two People Exchanging Saliva

Budget Paradise
Directed by LaTajh Simmons-Weaver USA | Short Film | 14
Black, non-binary painter Chester searches for space and belonging in their rapidly changing hometown, navigating identity, creativity, and the struggle for permission to exist on their own terms.

Budget Paradise

1:10
Directed by Sinan Taner Switzerland | Short Film | 18
In a chilling microcosm of chaos, a harmless argument between two children at an elementary school sports day escalates into threats between their fathers.

1:10

Program Description

In a dystopian society where kissing means death and currency is measured in slaps, a woman’s growing bond with a salesgirl sparks desire, jealousy, and dangerous consequences. Vicky Krieps narrates this bold and absurdist tragicomedy that stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Holy Spider) as unhappily married Angine. When she becomes infatuated with naïve young Malaise (Luana Bajrami, Portrait of a Lady on Fire), their secret connection grows into a dangerous romance that tests the limits of their repression-fueled world. Shot mostly in striking black-and-white, the film creates an atmosphere both surreal and chilling, reflecting a culture that polices intimacy while encouraging violent exchanges. As the duo’s bond raises suspicions, Two People Exchanging Saliva becomes a sharp critique of control, desire, and resistance, balancing its bleak premise with moments of dark humor and unexpected tenderness. —Amir George