This is an English spoken/subtitled programme, which starts with a short introduction.

From the tenacious roars of 60s art subcultures in Tokyo, Japan to the spine-chilling, prayer-like whispers of contemporary Southeast Asian cinema, queer lives have always been found at the center of artistic reflections of cultures and histories. With this edition, Asian Movie Night is exploring how to engage with our (queer) pasts and what we see in the (queer) stories told by those that came before us.

Who has been made present and who has been left wanting by the sidelines? What happens at the intersections of queerness with national identity, culture, community and state?

Sanguine Specters Stick to the Skin is a reflection on past and contemporary cinematic depictions of queer lives and histories and the cultural heritages that we carry with us.

If You See Something That Doesn’t Look Right
Wong Ka Ki, Vincent Ip | 2024 | Hong Kong, Ukraine | 5’
Two girls from two different worlds – they meet in the underground and try to heal their wounds, both physically and mentally, via their fantasies towards one another.

Spring Will Come
Marion Hoang Ngoc Hill | 2024 | Vietnam, US | 15’
Vietnamese w/ English subs
Saigonese DJ Van Anh and her girlfriend Ly are struggling to end their relationship. Then a strange woman shows up to free the spirit of her long lost Father from their apartment.

Memori Dia
Asarela Orchidia Dewi | 2023 | Indonesia | 18’
Bahasa Indonesian w/ English subs
Triggered by an old family photograph, a young adult named Azka retraces their childhood – a sacred stage of life when they became aware of the external world around them and their inner self. While revisiting these long-forgotten memories, Azka discovers unresolved pains they never knew existed. This revelation marks a new beginning, one that unfolds the tapestry of profound self-embrace and acceptance, allowing Azka to move forward unapologetically into their truest essence.

The Deity Yet to Be Seen
Junn Zhou | 2024 | Netherlands | 14’
Mandarin w/ English subs
A re-enactment of the legend of the white serpent (白蛇传), an ancient Chinese folktale, the film traces a serpent spirit through its transformative states of gender and identity. It evolves from a formless being to a man, woman, both, and neither.