Shorts Block 2: Hopes, Fears, and Dreams

Deep Fears

A sea otter who is afraid of the ocean is challenged to face his fears when he loses his precious pink shell necklace at sea.

Sleepwalker

In 2014, the Sunflower Movement took place in the filmmaker’s hometown, Taipei, Taiwan, where activists occupied the parliament in protest of the government signing a trade deal with China. Half a decade later, while living abroad and feeling homesick, she came across some archival footage of it, which forced her to confront her complicated feelings for home, ignorance about politics, and failure to be fully present no matter where she was. Through this intimate essay film, she tries to answer the question, "What does it take to stay awake when the reality is tough and home is far away?"

Bai Bai

Bai Bai is the story of Chih-Wei, a kid who wants nothing more than to go to University, but whose father forces him to follow in his family's footsteps and go into the military. Four years later, Chih-Wei returns home for the first time and discovers that his father has died. Now, he has to make amends with his past, or leave his family name behind forever.

Second Parent

When Kat's wife Julia returns to work, Kat assumes the role of the stay-at-home mom, but she soon starts to worry she'll never be close with her daughter when Becca shows signs of preferring Julia over her. She begins to attribute these feelings to the fact that Julia is Becca's birth mother. Kat's fears only deepen when her brother Dylan, who is Becca's sperm donor, seems to have an instant connection to Becca that she feels she is lacking.

Stranger Dreams

Everyone dreams. Among all the dreams, nightmares are the most uncomfortable ones. There are three nightmares in the story: The fear and darkness of a certain space; the fear of death in a touchable reality; the fear of invisible things that happen in life.

In the world we are living in, what’s the most terrifying thing?

Tammy

When an Asian-American skateboarder, who’s either stereotyped or ignored by everyone in her life, is invited to a skateboarding contest, her rare opportunity to shine is ruined by the presence of another Asian-American skateboarder.

ISAAC

A kid from Queens tries landing his first hip-hop gig in NYC, but must decide at what cost. Original lo-fi music and lyrics by Asian-American artists.

Director's Bio –

Ja-Ann Wang has worked as a sound editor for six years assisting on films from Spotlight to Ocean's Eight. As a storyteller, she brings her perspective as a Taiwanese American who grew up in a mostly white neighborhood in the New York suburbs. ISAAC is her second short film.

Shorts Block 2 Intro

WELCOME TO KINDRED