Category: 2023 ARFF Amsterdam

Original Film Title: High Expectations

Director’s Name: Alx Suljic

Writer’s Name: Alx Suljic

Producer: Alx Suljic

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 11 minutes 56 seconds

Film Description:

Former heroin addict, Kat, finds herself in the spiraling back into substance abuse yet refuses to let her loved ones know. Her secrecy and lies result in a failed relationship and a reality check.

Original Film Title: 第31位同学

Director’s Name: Tian Jin

Writer’s Name: Tian Jin

Producer: Jiayue Yuan

Country of Origin: China

Country of Filming: China

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Runtime: 17 minutes 51 seconds

Film Description:

The father of the twins Li Yitian and Li Ertian only allowed one person to go to school. The two brothers decided to use the advantage of the same appearance to exchange identities and go to school one by one. However, because of an accident, the teacher learned the secret. In order to continue studying, the twins and their classmates planned an adventure together…

Original Film Title: Drops in Mind

Director’s Name: Seela Petra

Writer’s Name: Seela Petra

Producer: Seela Petra

Country of Origin: Finland

Country of Filming: Finland

Language: English

Runtime: 7 minutes 47 seconds

Film Description:

A solitary dancer embarks on a journey towards self-acceptance and belonging. 
Through movement and curiosity, she learns to embrace individuality. She notices that we each can belong only simply being ourselves.

Original Film Title: Remember It’s Christmas

Director’s Name: Sam Kite

Writer’s Name: Sam Kite

Producer: Sam Kite, Joel Sinderman

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 21 minutes 11 seconds

Film Description:

Between a lifelong career of playing Santa at private parties, and working a second job as a caretaker for a forgetful sundowner, a working class actor decides to hang up his red suit and make this his final holiday season. On his last day before retirement, a sweet non-binary kid reminds him the spirit of the holiday.

Original Film Title: Die Macht der Entscheidung

Director’s Name: Anton Algrang

Writer’s Name: Anton Algrang, Barbara Haker

Producer: Barbara Haker

Country of Origin: Denmark

Country of Filming: Denmark

Language: Danish

Runtime: 6 minutes 9 seconds

Film Description:

Onboard the ferry to Samsø, the middleaged couple, Tina and Lars, are preparing to meet Tina’s parents together, for the very first time. But something is troubling Tina; she needs to tell Lars that he is her first boyfriend – ever. Time is ticking on the ferry and Tina must face one of her biggest insecurities whilst learning that sometimes your biggest obstacle is yourself.

Original Film Title: Jomfrurejsen

Director’s Name: Amalie Wigh Sandegaard

Writer’s Name: Amalie Wigh Sandegaard

Producer: Bitten Sandahl Kjærgaard

Country of Origin: Denmark

Country of Filming: Denmark

Language: Danish

Runtime: 6 minutes 9 seconds

Film Description:

Onboard the ferry to Samsø, the middleaged couple, Tina and Lars, are preparing to meet Tina’s parents together, for the very first time. But something is troubling Tina; she needs to tell Lars that he is her first boyfriend – ever. Time is ticking on the ferry and Tina must face one of her biggest insecurities whilst learning that sometimes your biggest obstacle is yourself.

Original Film Title: Larry & the Boots

Director’s Name: Maria Pia Abou Jaoude

Writer’s Name: Maria Pia Abou Jaoude

Producer: Maria Pia Abou Jaoude

Country of Origin: Lebanon

Country of Filming: Lebanon

Language: Arabic

Runtime: 22 minutes 20 seconds

Film Description:

In a remote village, a curious lizard becomes an unwitting observer to the sexual tension and power struggle between a narcissistic prop master and her enigmatic ex-lover, a nature photographer, as they navigate a two-day work assignment that sparks old flames and ignites new desires.

Original Film Title: Pommes de Discorde

Director’s Name: Shaoul Benchimol

Writer’s Name: Shaoul Benchimol

Producer: Shaoul Benchimol

Country of Origin: France

Country of Filming: Israel

Language: French, Hebrew

Runtime: 8 minutes 5 seconds

Film Description:

Albert and his teenage daughter, Barbara, are French, they emigrated to Israel and live in Jerusalem. 
One day, Albert receives a letter from his daughter’s school. Albert does not know how to read it, worried, he asks for help of his neighbor, a cop named Israel. At first recalcitrant, Israel complies. From this moment their relationship will never be the same again.