Still from Nani
Directed by: Mainak Dhar
BIFF Shorts: Family Matters
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center
Family portraits from around the globe.
Runtime is 84 minutes.
“Nani”
Mainak Dhar (Dir), 10 minutes, USA, New York State Premiere
In Bengali, Spanish, and English w/ English subtitles.
As Ramadan draws to a close, a young woman returns home, stirring up buried tensions and unspoken truths that refuse to stay in the past.
“A Little Regret in Helsinki”
Haohao Qiaoshi Liu (Dir), 14 minutes, Finland, North American Premiere
In Finnish, French, Mandarin Chinese, and English w/ English subtitles.
A Chinese girl returns home to Helsinki to reassess her feelings about home, perfection, friendship, and regret.
“When Everything Was Blue”
Christina Chironna (Dir), 14 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere
Director Christina Chironna in attendance.
The tender and immersive story of Luke, a firefighter, and his family, as they navigate the heartbreaking aftermath of September 11th. Capturing the family's everyday moments, juxtaposed against the backdrop of Luke's declining health due to 9/11-related illnesses, the film captures the challenges of a tragedy that continues to shape their lives.
“Blackout”
Ahmed ElZogbhy (Dir), 15 minutes, Egypt, Western New York Premiere
In Arabic w/ English subtitles.
During Eid, three generations of a very conservative family come to believe that their elderly grandfather’s illness has been brought on by a young woman who has recently moved into the building and set out to punish the woman for her “impure” ways.
Many thanks Manifest Pictures.
“These Yellow Stars of Ours”
Vinh Nguyen (Dir), 22 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere
Director Vinh Nguyen in attendance.
An experimental documentary film chronicling two individuals fleeing war-torn Vietnam, falling in love, and the subsequent inheritance of diaspora bestowed upon their two sons in Rochester, New York.
Still from A Little Regret in Helsinki
Directed by: Haohao Qiaoshi Liu
Still from When Everything Was Blue
Directed by: Christina Chironna
Still from Blackout
Directed by: Ahmed ElZogbhy
Still from These Yellow Stars of Ours
Directed by: Vinh Nguyen
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