These are our eight recommended short films from the CinemAsia Film Festival, which is taking place from March 5 – 10, 2024 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

27 by Erica KWOK – Hong Kong | 2022 – 29 minutes

Yumi and her record store co-worker are experiencing the existential dread of turning 27 years old, the age that many Western rock stars pass away. Between daydreaming and questioning their life’s direction, the two supervise the record store and its quirky cast of customers, getting up to their own shenanigans in the process.

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Alif Wants a Girl, Yuli Wants a Ride by Fazrie PERMANA – Indonesia | 2023 – 11 minutes

Alif falls in love with Yuli, a girl who prefers a man with a motorbike. When a handsome man appears, Yuli tricks Alif into getting cilok—a Sundanese tapioca dumpling, so she can flirt with the man. After being disappointed, Yuli returns home and sees Alif patiently waiting for her while holding the cilok she ordered. Alif wordt verliefd op Yuli, een meisje dat een zwak heeft voor mannen met een motor.

Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes by Sein Lyan Tun – France, Myanmar, Indonesia | 2023 – 15 minutes

Two months after fleeing Myanmar, Phyo awaits for his asylum status to be granted in Paris with the hopes of starting a new life. Dreaming of romance and intimacy, he discovers the joy of dancing freely along the Seine. After a chance encounter with a man, however, the past continues to haunt Phyo and his desires.

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Gayau by Joey KWAN – Belgium | 2023 – 16 minutes

A touching and heartwarming film about family, life and death through the lens of a father-daughter relationship. This film is dedicated to the filmmaker’s father. Jennifer and her family’s life are turned upside down when her father is suddenly diagnosed with cancer. Will the Wong family be able to put aside their cultural and generational differences for the sake of their father’s well-being?

Lykke Til by Bobby YU Shuk-pui – Hong Kong, Norway | 2023 – 30 minutes

A story about settling and struggling in a foreign land. Ann is a young Hong Kong migrant in Norway. Facing different issues like visa, employment, cultural differences, racism, and a difficult situation with her partner, Ann tries to make the right decision for herself and reclaim her life.

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Midnight Rising by Aileen YE – UK | 2024 – 8 minutes

An intimate portrait of London’s East and South East Asian clubbing community, a world in which the allure of raving, extravagance, and hyperpop becomes an affirmation of love, acceptance, and joy. This world-within-a-world is instantly familiar, filled with ambitions, desires, and yearnings that reflect the joy and resistance of today.

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Saigon Kiss by NGUYỄN Hồng Anh – Vietnam, Germany | 2024 – 22 minutes

Mơroams through the rush hour traffic to avoid an unwanted phone call. When she meets Vicky by the side of a street with her broken motorbike, a visceral chance encounter unfolds between the two young women on the loud streets of Saigon.

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The Performance by Claire ZHOU – Netherlands | 2023 – 20 minutes

An authentic, beautifully made film that narrates the autobiographical story of the filmmaker from the perspective of the mother. As the festive New Year celebrations of the Chinese church approach, it becomes increasingly difficult for chorister Lin to hide her trans daughter from the community.

More information: https://cinemasia.nl/en/