Fresh Wave

Pledging to stay together in sickness and in health may be an ordinary marriage vow, but this commitment can be put to a great test. In this woeful tale of society inspired by a real event, the caring husband Cheung devotes himself in caring for his stroke-stricken wife after their seriously ill son committed suicide ten years ago. For Cheung, taking care of a stroke patient is physically exhausting and mentally draining. As his wife’s conditions deteriorate after a second stroke, Cheung is filled with despair and faces an unthinkable dilemma. The short highlights the helpless situations faced by grassroot seniors in the society and the severe lack of public support services available to them.

High school student Faye leads a lonesome life, being bullied at school and her family living abroad. She keeps a distance from people, including her classmate Yiu whom she secretly admires. Yearning for love and desperate to break away from her mundane life, Faye becomes a part-time girlfriend named “Sushi”. A delicate dish on the sushi conveyor belt, Faye is coveted and manipulated by the assortment of men who seek her services. Her life is further complicated when Yiu suddenly confesses his affection for her on the phone. Navigating the tumultuous journey of love, will Faye finally be able to lift herself up, take the lead and find her way?

People may say the wedding vow of having and holding each other “in sickness and in health”, but commitment is often tested. Emma takes her husband Ivan who is suffering from brain disorder to a distant beachside. Under the facade of camping, she contemplates something sinister, but is overwhelmed by memories of the husband before the illness kicked in, the sanctity of life, and the merits of mercy killing. Torn by emotions, she doubts her own intention.

The traditional image of a father is full of masculine charm—strong, brave, and proud—with the male eagle as its symbol. In the post-modern understanding of gender roles, how has the totem animal of a father evolved? Joan returns to Hong Kong to play matchmaker for her father, who happens to be afflicted by a foot injury and is taken care of by the mysterious Kit. Moreover, her father keeps avoiding her matchmaking attempts, leading Joan to suspect that he and Kit are harbouring a secret from her. Award-winning stage actor Simon LO teams up with What If (2025) actors Ernesto DE SOUSA and NG Wing-sze in this magical realist short film about family. The director fills the film with animal symbolism, adding a touch of colour to the gender spectrum.

Berlin, known for its freedom and inclusiveness of diverse subcultures, is a safe haven for many displaced people. But urban life may not provide the best living conditions. Idealistic traveller Moon struggles to find accommodation in Berlin but receives a helping hand from Anna, who is also a Hong Konger anxious about her unstable life. They temporarily stay at the 15-person co-living facility named Hausprojekt ‘K28’. However, this group of migrants—some have experienced social unrest back home and others just want to experience life in a foreign country—are facing eviction. Two women with very different personalities share what they have and face the hardships of life together. The Berlin-based director uses her perspective as an Asian woman to explore the clash between humanism and gentrification. Featuring Golden Horse nominee Elizabeth TANG and artist Sammi MAK in leading roles, the film deromanticises the situation of Hong Kongers living in a foreign land.

Sum, son of a policeman, is bullied at school and finds no comfort or care at home. As the demonstrations and violence in Hong Kong escalate, he suffers more violent and humiliating bullying. Wing, Sum's father, also faces enormous pressure under investigation of police brutality. The rift between father and son widens as the latter is increasingly abused and isolated at school. Things get out of control when the angry Sum unexpectedly finds a gun amidst the upheaval.

On a free day of school, a young girl joined her father and his colleague Ah Ching on the road to deliver goods to several companies. While eating the egg puffs she received at their first stop, she started questioning her dad about her mother in the car. At their next stop she secretly went back to the car to get more egg puffs, but ended up discovering her daddy’s secret.

When a dangerous alien creature attacks Hong Kong and disrupts our harmonious society, the People's Liberation Army sends out its greatest weapon - A giant Lei Feng robot controlled by elite operators from Mainland China, Macau, and Hong Kong. But when even the best of Mainland Chinese technology fails us, there's always one man we can count on: Gwangong, the legendary hero who stands for loyalty, justice, and righteousness. This ambitious, larger-than-life sci-fi action satire shows that faith is the greatest weapon we have against even the greatest evil.

In order to fulfill the expectation of her mom and her grandpa, Nam is raised as a boy since she was born. She dresses like a boy every day before going to school, gets changed back to a girl’s uniform, and puts on a boy’s outfit before heading home. Her hysterical mom anticipates the return of her husband, which is a dream never come true. Nam finds her only shelter at her childhood friend Yeung’s house, a place where she can finally be herself, i.e. doing laundry for her underwear. But her life changes on the day when Yeung disappears.

Freud once said dreams are disguised fulfilments of repressed wishes. Some recurring dreams may have awakened the unfulfilled desires buried deep inside one’s heart. Ceci has passed away at a young age. At night, when her soul wanders and encounters sleepers deep in their thoughts, she will enter their dreams and listen to their hearts. One night, she meets Kate, who is bothered by mundane matters. She finds Kate’s dreams familiar. As she recalls fragments of her memories, can past regrets between the two of them be fulfilled in dreams? The film connects the dimensions of dreams and reality with the girls’ delicate emotions and sings an elegy of lost youth.

Single-gender schools allow few chances for campus romance. Will inter-school activities provide the right opportunity? Ryan is both eager and afraid of mingling with the opposite sex after studying in an all-boys school for years. One day his friend Jayden makes him join a mixed choir formed with an all-girls school. There, he meets the enthusiastic singer Carol. Unexpectedly, Cupid’s arrow carries more than love itself. Ryan will also have to face life lessons such as a test of friendship and the unfairness of the school system. The film’s manga-like style and humourous scenes establish perfect comic timing. The innocence and ignorance of youth come alive while the ending suddenly turns into an anti-climax that reveals the bitterness of growing up amidst shattered ideals.

Exceeding all his expectations, Ming is chosen to represent his school at running. He treasures this last opportunity in his secondary school life and does his very best to prepare for it. However, on the eve of the competition, he decides to give the opportunity to his best friend. There is more to competition than just the end result. Pride, dignity, dreams and friendship are put to the best.

Gay partners Chan Yui and Ka Wing are happily in love, until Chan Yui enters a marriage of convenience with his lesbian friend Fung Ming to appease his parents. Under great pressure, Ka Wing is forced to accept this sham marriage but can things ever go back to normal?

“Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.” Inside an after-hours bowling alley, a counselling session is underway with the attendances discussing the various merits and drawbacks of execution strategies and the prevention of occupational hazards. A man offers to play the flute and all hell breaks loose from there. The weapon is a folded chair, the victims his fellow professionals and the crime is predestined by karma. As the camera lingers on the gory actions, set to offbeat music and at times muted and occurring out-of-frame, a foreboding, dark and somewhat sinister overtone hangs heavy in the air. In a profession such as his, life is predestined by karma and choice is not an option.

A man in his forties might have settled down in life, but Kit has a long way to go. After spending twenty years in prison, he struggles to transition back into society. Scorned by his father and having difficulties in finding work, Kit’s life is hardly one of reintegration portrayed in advertisements. In more ways than one, his days of freedom are eerily similar to those in prison. Kit finds work at a convenience store. Yet, his life spirals again into turmoil because of rejection by the society as well as his criminal impulses. On his quest to regain normalcy, he finds ruthless irony ahead.

One day, the Kowloon Emperor TSANG Man-choi pays a visit to OR Siu-yat, his guard dog of previous life and a current staff of the Community Improvement Bureau, with an incredible story and request. According to TSANG, the Bureau’s plan to redevelop To Kwa Wan will destroy an ancient seal and unleash a vengeful evil spirit, Princess Kwong Tak, who was murdered by TSANG’s ancestor 400 years ago. To save themselves OR must assist TSANG to destroy the evil spirit. In this rare gem of a martial arts/fantasy short film, the impossible battle between human and spirit is playfully visualised.

Single father Tsui meets university student Gigi who works at an old-fashioned barber shop that Tsui frequents. They bond immediately and begin a profound exchange. The fleeting friendship is a pleasant surprise during times of vulnerability, but does not help to overcome their individual challenges and demons. Tsui continues to put off dealing with a pressing matter that has long been eating him. Amidst the social unrest, Gigi’s outlook and musings on life lead Tsui to reflect on the unsolved matter and he eventually makes an important decision.

The Umbrella Movement rocked the entire city of Hong Kong and rewrote the lives of many. After taking part in the Movement, the daughter of a middle-age couple decided to look for a Burmese girl in exile at Thailand due to political persecution. The couple’s world shattered when their daughter’s flight went missing. Grief-stricken but undeterred, the couple followed their daughter’s plan in searching for the elusive Burmese girl. Their journey reveals different paths to cope with grief and to reach closure.

Janet is expecting her first child. As Lum Lum makes preparations for the new baby, Janet's guilt pushes her to play along, and the lie snowballs. How will Janet come to terms with leaving one child behind for the other?

Bible of Kong Girls takes a look at three women exploring their lives and dilemmas within the space of a year. Splitting the film segments into the four seasons of the year, we follow Asther, Sai B and C-fu. The three modern, spirited and quirky women are introduced to an article, ‘The 37 Self-help Guidelines from Lee Ka-shing’s Private Secretary’ that serves as a sort of bible for the woman of today. With each passing season the women encounter another challenge life throws at them whilst following the rules of the article, but are these guidelines tearing the friends apart instead of helping them?