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Mid-Length Film
Short Film
Short Film
Two People Exchanging Saliva
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
Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh (France, USA 2024, 36 min)
Bay Area Premiere
Budget Paradise
World Premiere
LaTajh Simmons-Weaver (USA 2025, 14 min)
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.
1:10
North American Premiere
Sinan Taner (Switzerland 2024, 18 min)
In a chilling microcosm of chaos, a harmless argument between two children at an elementary school sports day escalates into threats between their fathers.
Total Runtime 68 min
Natalie Musteata is a writer, curator, and film producer. She makes her directorial debut in collaboration with Alexandre Singh with Two People Exchanging Saliva, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short Film at AFI Fest and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival’s Audience and Canal+ Awards.Natalie Musteata is a writer, curator, and film producer. She makes her directorial debut in collaboration with Alexandre Singh with Two People Exchanging Saliva, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short Film at AFI Fest and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival’s Audience and Canal+ Awards.
Alexandre Singh is an artist, performance artist, playwright, and filmmaker. He has exhibited and performed all over the world. He previously made The Appointment (2019).
Aarau, Switzerland native Sinan Taner graduated from the Zurich University of the Arts in 2024 with a Bachelor in Film. His graduation film, 1:10, premiered at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, winning a Special Mention.
LaTajh Weaver is a screenwriter born and raised in Oakland, CA, focused on telling stories of nostalgia, feeling othered, and all the quirks within. They were a 2023 SFFILM FilmHouse resident where they worked on their feature project Queerling.
