We present the list of Asian Short Films that will be screened at the Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival Davao which will take place October 25th – 29th, in Davao City, Philippines.

About the festival:
Ngilngig Asian Film Festival Davao, the only fantastic film festival in Southeast Asia, it is an annual gathering of films and filmmakers organized by filmmakers for filmmakers, who understand the struggles of filmmaking, who recognize the importance of film as a voice to be heard or an experience to be shared, and who celebrate a convening community of artists and not just a glamour portrayed in festivals.

“Ngilngig”, or its derivative “ngiga” (from ngilngiga), has been more commonly used by the Bisaya-speaking population to refer to something that is “kuyaw” (awesome). But the word originally refers to something that elicits horror or alluding to the macabre. Here are some words that might define the “ngilngig” factor in you: Gruesome, awesome, dreary, dreamy, dread, eerie, scary, ghosts, fantastic, bombastic, grim, goosebumps, gore, horror, terror, amazing, fear, weird, smelly, spirits, legend, myth, punk, metal, experimental, fairies, memories, visceral, mind-fuck, macabre, town tale, superstition.

Asian Shorts Section:

About My Mother by Yumi Otsuka – Japan | 2016 – 18 minutes

This is the offbeat story of a woman named Yumiko, a serious, yet apprehensive and honest single mother of a son and daughter, both in their twenties. After observing the mother meticulously sew up a hole in her son’s sock, the daughter urges her to “live a little.”

Trailer:

Arch-Rival by Liu Qiang – China | 2019 – 5 minutes

On War with Yourself

Blue Sides on the Blue Sky by Rachmat Mustamin – Indonesia | 2018 – 15 minutes

Trailer:

The Darkness by Lim Heng – Cambodia | 2018 – 3 minutes

An experimental short about darkness, meant to offer a positive message for people living in tough situations.

Hawa by Tan Ce Ding – Malaysia | 2017 – 15 minutes

Hawa is a short film set in post-apocalyptic Malaysia. The story is about two children tries to befriend one another.

Teaser:

Hamster Wheel by Azeez Danial – Brunei | 2018 – 6 minutes

Struggling to deal with his break-up Rahim undergoes an unlikely experience having to keep killing look-alikes of himself in the process of moving on.

Kingdom by Tan Wei Keong – Singapore | 2018 – 5 minutes

A lost man falls apart in a forest.
The quiet, atmospheric terrain of the forest is undisturbed until a man comes along. Seemingly lost, he enters the unknown space, observing and exploring the area, before he starts to fall apart. Beneath the deceptively simple actions of the character lies a layered approach to his psyche, which hinges on isolation and a sense of belonging.

Life of Death by Jason Kiantoro & Bryan Arfyandi – Indonesia | 2018 – 8 minutes
While struggling to balance his work and family life, Death talks about his existence, his job, and his opinions on human beings as part of a documentary interview.

Trailer:

Qinglang de Tiankong by Thamsatid Charoenrittichai – Thailand | 2018 – 20 minutes

A young woman is pulled in two directions by her mother and the reappearance of an absentee father.

Return by Kim Hwigeun – Korea, Japan

Tachi and his friends plan to steal cash from an abandoned ATM in the neighboring town of Fukushima. The Self-Defense Forces Misaki, who is dispatched to Fukushima, is quarantined and detained for questionable reasons.

Trailer:

Llop Mougn by Oktivani Anggia Rachmalitta – Indonesia

A girl lets her imagination drift away to suppressed aspirations of self-certainty.

A Room With a Coconut View by Tulapop Saenjaroen, Thailand

Kanya, an automated audio tour guide, leads foreign guest Alex through a beach town called Bangsaen. Alex, however, decides to ditch Kanya’s overly regimented tour to explore the town himself.

Trailer:

Summer Behind the Door by He Qiuyao & Hu Yinghai – China | 2019 – 7 minutes

A girl with a secret crush on her teacher has to face others’ sneer and doesn’t dare to make a love confession. She starts a magical journey in her inner world before she makes the choice.

It’s Easier to Raise Cattle by Amanda Nell Eu – Malaysia | 2017 – 23 minutes

Two teenage outcasts form an uncanny friendship in their remote village. As one discovers the other’s dark secrets, she observes the changes in her new acquaintance to the point of violence, monstrosity and affection.

Trailer:

Overtime by Jamie Kassler – Japan

A frustrated office worker finds out her routine job is hardly her worst nightmare. The Love 愛 Project // Stories of love told without words.

Trapped Ghost by Hanny Hsieh – Taiwan | 2019 – 10 minutes

Memory is elusive and decay finds personal dimensions in Hui-Yung Hsieh’s propulsive whirlwind of sound and image.

Eye Test by Sudha Padmaja Franci – India

The Vanishing Children by Abdul Zainidi – Brunei