Young directors from as close as the Bay Area and as far away as Spain and Taiwan bring empathy, awareness, and specificity to storytelling. Encompassing emotive composition, breathtaking drone footage, and playfully sleek editing, this collection includes a diverse range of animation, narratives, and documentaries. Experimental movement, dark political humor, and tales varied enough to embrace classroom romance and reflections on growing up and interdependence mark this introduction to an up-and-coming group of cinematic voices carrying us into the next generation of filmmaking.

Total Runtime 73 min.

Recommended for ages 11 and up

Titles are listed in order of play.  

Rational Functions
A lonely girl finds connection in class through understanding math as tragic love stories.
Esmé Nix (USA 2022, 6 min)

Our Days in Dongshi
Connect with the charming children of Dongshi, Taiwan, a coastline township famous for its oysters.
Hsiang-Yu Li, Tse-Ling Huang, Po-Wen Yen, Hsin-Yi Hung (Taiwan 2022, 10 min)

The Sound
Preparing for an upcoming performance, a young dancer begins to embrace her unrealized potential.
Cole Willis (USA 2022, 5 min)

My Sisters in the Stars: The Story of Lee Yong-soo
Meet one of the last surviving WWII-era Japanese comfort women through this multimedia animation.
Ian Kim (USA, South Korea 2022, 10 min)

Growing Up with Memory Loss | A Gift for My 16th Birthday
A young artist with an impaired memory reflects on what it means to grow up.
Keertana Sreekumar (USA 2022, 3 min)

Parental Orbit
Described as a gruncle dance extravaganza, two family filmmakers discuss life and creativity.
Dara Carneol (USA 2022, 9 min)

Hop Heel Drop
Tap dancer Sydney Barnas shares her story of encouragement and passion for movement.
Sania Bhatia (USA 2022, 3 min)

An Island in the Middle of the Sea
Students plan a surprise trip for their unwell teacher amongst the striking Galician landscapes.
Alberto Montull (Spain 2022, 5 min)

Shopworn
Stubbornness might be the downfall for an aging boxer unable to let go.
Athena Cheris (USA 2022, 6 min)

American Ball Game
With twisting dark humor, Dan uncomfortably tries to fit in with his friend’s white family.
Teja Mettu, Krish Mysoor (USA 2022, 9 min)
World Premiere

The External-Internal Monologue of an Interdependent Insomniac
Fraught with insecurities over sexuality, self-acceptance, and gender, a sleep-deprived teenager explains various smells.
Julian Felix Aaronson (USA 2022, 7 min)