30 Short Films you cannot miss at the 19th Kaohsiung Film Festival (Part 1)

By Asian Film Festival on October 7, 2019 • ( 1 Comment )

We present a list of thirty short films you shouldn’t miss at the 19th Kaohsiung Film Festival, which will take place from October 10th – 27th, in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

About the festival:
The Kaohsiung Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Established in 2001, the festival screens both locally produced and international films, in all genres and lengths. The festival also has an international competition section where it hands out awards for outstanding short films. (Wiki)

Selected Films:

A Trip with Mom by Sophie Shui – Taiwan | 2019 – 25 minutes
In Competition

In order to take care of his old mother, who has amnesia and is disabled, Xia Changming remains unemployed at home. A family of four have been relying on the wife Xiaoling for many years. Finally, when the police brought the mother back, and his wife took his son away, Changming decided to take his mother to on a trip…

Adam by Shoki Lin – Singapore | 2019 – 20 minutes
In Competition

Tired of his turbulent family life, Adam seeks out an alternative arrangement in hopes of finding his place.

Bangkok Dystopia by Patipol Teekayuwat – Thailand | 2017 – 29 minutes
Out of Competition

One night, Noth desires to share a ride with a prostitute.

Screenings:
October 23rd (Wednesday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 21:40 pm
October 26th (Saturday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 14:10 pm

Between Us Two by Tan Wei Keong – Singapore | 2017 – 5 minutes
Out of Competition

A gay son talks to his dead mother.

Screenings:
October 23rd (Wednesday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 21:40 pm
October 26th (Saturday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 14:10 pm

Bewitched by Inoue Hiroki – Japan | 2019 – 24 minutes
Out of Competition

In the 3rd grade of high school, Masato falls in love for the first time with Maria. With a sudden spiritual awakening, Maria falls victim to being called a witch. A love story unfolds before graduation.

Screenings:
October 10th (Thursday) | Kaohsiung Main Public Library 7F | 21:00 pm
October 11th (Friday) | Kaohsiung Main Public Library 7F | 13:00 pm

Cloudy Days (Dao Yu Yun Yan) by Chuang Yung-Hsiang
Taiwan | 2019 – 25 minutes
In Competition

A-Yun (Cloud), a middle-aged woman from Vietnam, remarries an old man with her little son from her first marriage. In their suffocating marriage, there is no love but daily routine. Repressed desire makes her turn to her stepchild, a considerate and amiable young man. Something starts to stir within her lonely heart.

Driving Lessons by Marziyeh Riahi – Iran | 2019 – 13 minutes
In Competition

According to the laws of Iran, Bahareh must have her traditional, chauvinistic husband accompany her to driving lessons so she and her instructor will not be alone.

Fireworks by Shih Ho-Feng – Taiwan | 2018 – 4 minutes
In Competition

At the end of 2018, Taiwan’s nine-in-one local election was in full swing, The collective fanaticism of the Taiwanese people reflected on religion and politics, where lively temple fairs met with passionate elections. However, after the wave recedes, everything was like a flash of the fireworks, a dream, nothing was left, nothing was changed.

Ghosting by Horanai Hiroki – Japan | 2019 – 23 minutes
Out of Competition

Baku, a young man who passed away from a traffic accident, travels back in time as a ghost. It’s spring of ’99, the day Mei, the girl he loved, died. Carrying regret in his heart, Baku’s ghost follows Mei.

Screenings:
October 10th (Thursday) | Kaohsiung Main Public Library 7F | 21:00 pm
October 11th (Friday) | Kaohsiung Main Public Library 7F | 13:00 pm

Gold Fish by Fish Wang – Taiwan | 2018 – 17 minutes
In Competition

A boy with a special talent discovers that he may never grow up. The authorities are devouring dreams so everyone is under their control and willing to serve. Can he break the rules and free the people?

Home Sick by Sun Chieh-Heng – Taiwan | 2019 – 25 minutes
Out of Competition

On one deep-sea fishing ship, a seasoned captain; a chief engineer who is retiring soon; a experienced Filipino worker who speaks a bit of Taiwanese and English; an unskilled Indonesian comes working on the ship because the agency told him that he could earn money faster. Everyone on the ship has his own purpose and longing. In the ocean, their world is only made with the deck, and the cabin. Emotions can be magnified, collide and intertwine with each other in this cramped space, and no one can escape from it.

Screenings:
October 20th (Sunday) | MLD Cinema 6 | 16:20 pm

Jump Off or Live On by Wu Ke-xi – Taiwan | 2014 – 17 minutes
Out of Competition

At New Year’s Eve, a woman who plans to suicide runs into a once murderer chef. The woman has made her mind to die and tells her tragic story about being abandoned by her boyfriend. The chef tries to talk her out of her suicidal plan. It turns out that they both have something else in mind.

Screenings:
October 25th (Friday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 19:00 pm
October 27th (Sunday) | Kaohsiung Film Archive 3F 3 | 11:30 am

Lichao by Chen Ting-ning – Taiwan | 2018 – 25 minutes
In Competition

Xiao An is forced to return to her hometown because her mother has decided to sell the house. Xiao An keeps her pregnancy a secret. People from the moving company arrive. Two trucks are heading towards different directions. Is it possible to repair this broken relationship?

Morning of the Dead by Lee Seung-ju – Korea | 2018 – 29 minutes
Out of Competition

Sungjae has released more than a thousand DVDs he has collected in the internet market. A high school girl comes to his house to buy his DVD in the morning.

Natto by Yoshida Kota – Japan | 2018 – 25 minutes
Out of Competition

Enatsu, a designer, has a visitor, Kurita, on his day-off while his wife has gone to work. Kurita says the reason why he’s there is to apologize to Enatsu for having an affair with Enatsu’s wife.

To see the second part of this article please go here: PART 2
To see the Feature Films we recommend for this festival please go here: FEATURE FILMS

For more information about the programme please visit the official website of the festival: Kaohsiung Film Festival