Midnight Shorts
There is nothing inherently horrific in the act of eating, but ASIAN GIRLS is a horror film with a lot of food. From a raw yolk on a steak tartare to the fermented black of a century egg, food and other banalities of daily life can evoke fear as long as there is an element of foreignness and unfamiliarity. Much like the worlds of racism and divisive politics, the ASIAN GIRLS universe is a comfortable consumer society where fears are not driven by evil, rather, by ordinary things and people that are simply different, whether they be foreigners, working class, middle class, or a next-door neighbor. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
This music video for Australian artist Brendan Maclean draws its inspiration from Hal Fischer's iconic photo series 'Gay Semiotics'. Flipping Fischer's work on its head, 'House of Air' is a sexually explicit study of hanky codes, visual signifiers, and gay fetishes set against the backdrop of 1970s San Francisco. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
A man, who is having an affair with a young woman, gets home late as usual. But that night, he finds something wrong with his wife Satomi. Since then, he gets strayed into her dark side, the "labyrinth"... A dark tale about a woman's grudge, mixed with comedy, horror, and a homage to the 80's - 90"s. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the staff are preparing to leave for the day when Cami, a regular, bursts in. She recounts a horrifying experience: while shopping at the nearby beauty supply store, an unknown white woman approached her and yanked out a tuft of her hair. To Cami’s horror, this woman, Rebecca, enters the salon at that very moment, interrupting her story. Rebecca is intent on getting braids put in her hair, and against Cami’s protestations, the shop owner lets Rebecca in. One by one, the salon residents undergo a terrifying metamorphosis as Rebecca grows stronger, draining them of their conviction in black power and leaving Cami in a fight for black lives. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
A story about a man, a woman, and a brain. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
A brief story about a gentleman who's obsessed about having sex with ETs. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
On a late night, a young teen goes into the kitchen for a glass of milk. Upon encountering his sleepless mother, he quickly realizes things are not as they seem. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
A reclusive Michael Jackson impersonator dedicates his whole life to the perfection of his act. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
In search of perfection a city obeys to selection. A constant struggle. Trying and trying again. Where is the difference between endurance and madness? [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
Blake is having relationship problems. His older brother Sebastian has an unorthodox solution that has been used for generations. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
A weekend Vegetarian. A devoted atheist. A Tinder tragedy. An unexpected child. A journey finding my root of shame. [Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]