K26 Student Shorts in Competition

During a sweltering summer, a queer teen’s first love fractures, and her subconscious becomes a dreamscape where she fights to set herself free.

While directing a Caravaggio film, a filmmaker becomes quietly drawn to his lead actor, observing a romance bloom between his cast. Heartbroken and yearning, He retreats into fantasy, casting himself in the role of the model loved by Caravaggio, until the lines between cinema and desire begin to dissolve.

Vivek exploits the desires of others to mask his own, using seduction to pickpocket men in crowded buses. His emotional control crumbles when he meets Kartik, who offers quiet, genuine intimacy. As their bond deepens, the boundary between hunting and vulnerability blurs, forcing Vivek to face his true desires.

Set in 1970s Kozhikode, Zuhra and Nila secretly run an independent publication from their neighbouring houses, until a letter addressed to Zuhra threatens the life they have built together. The film reimagines marginalized stories, celebrating their joy, while inviting us to reconsider whose voices have been left out of history and what happens when they write their own.

A Chinese gay father tries to go to his heterosexual son’s wedding in Paris, but his trip gets unpredictably delayed.

Ibu charts the journey of the original showgirl, entertainment legend and drag mother to all, 57-year-old Kak Nina Boo. One of the first trans women in the scene, Nina has made a name for herself as a recurring performer at Singapore’s only regular drag revue, RIOT!, where she has gained significant visibility and acceptance by the local drag and LGBTQ+ communities. Ibu explores how Nina grapples with her relevance and legacy, and the importance of community in a scene saturated with newer, bolder acts.

Celine, a young singer, finds herself devastated by an unexpected loss. In a mysterious twist of fate, she is given the chance to finally say goodbye and find solace in the only person who could help her: the very one who hurt her.