These shorts explore the intersection of race and sexuality/gender in all its emotional highs and lows. Both queer hardships and joys are portrayed in these films, painting a diverse picture of queer experiences.&nbsp;This screening features 8 films. Toggle between film descriptions by scrolling and clicking on the buttons on the top right.

Ebony finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a U-Haul marriage and must referee between her new wife, August, and her best friend-turned-child’s father, Justin - all while finding her footing as a mother-to-be. Director Biography -&nbsp;Sunyin Zhang<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/592/762/original/91e5664b0e-headshot.jpg?1704319392" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/592/762/thumb/91e5664b0e-headshot.jpg?1704319392" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>SUNYIN ZHANG is a Chinese queer filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Her short film, Wild Seed, presented by Nowness China, won the Marlyn Mason Award Grand Prize in Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, Best Cinematography in a Short Award in Vancouver International Women in Film Festival, Alison Doerner Award for Women Pioneers in Filmmaking, nominated for International Shorts Program Best Short Film in DokuFest, screened at the Film Independent Project Involve Showcase and was selected by over 15 OSCAR and BAFTA qualified Film Festivals. Zhang received her MFA in Film Directing Program from CalArts in 2020.

August & Ebony

Ethan leads a double life: a socially awkward college student by day and a bold, glamorous drag queen by night. However, when his school crush, Kekoa, enters the picture, Ethan's carefully balanced existence unravels. As his two worlds collide, he must confront his fear of change to win the heart of the boy of his dreams. Director Biography -&nbsp;Tony Dia <a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/811/686/original/d88e6b014f-headshot.jpg?1725554701" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/811/686/thumb/d88e6b014f-headshot.jpg?1725554701" width="122" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Tony Dia is a first-generation Filipino-American living in Hawaiʻi. His mission in life is to serve as a platform for the stories of local POC and queer communities through film. Director Statement I find that LGBTQ+ media is heavy on the trauma of growing up queer. Though I believe it is necessary that those important topics are covered, I had also yearned for something hopeful and lighthearted as a teen. That is why my partner Von Kaʻanāʻanā and I wrote this film. Our community is so vibrant. The art of drag, the unconditional love of chosen family, and the wonderful feeling of belonging. Yes, it is a story about romance, but it is also about the beauty of our people wrapped in the gayest little package of rhinestones and stilettos.There is one more thing.At its core, I AM is a love letter to the feeling of a first experience. Whether it’s your first performance, your first friendship, or your first love… this short film aims to capture the magic of a first. And that is something that connects us all, no matter who or where you are.

I Am

A Filipina former actress battles the societal stigmas and personal challenges of living with HIV, while nurturing her bond with her gay son, who was born HIV positive. Against a backdrop of prejudice and hardship, their journey is defined by unwavering tenderness, resilience, and the profound strength. Director Biography -&nbsp;Timothy Guion Smith <a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/109/762/original/2e3390a437-headshot.jpg?1668667073" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/109/762/thumb/2e3390a437-headshot.jpg?1668667073" width="121" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Typing my bio in third person for a project you have already gleaned I am spearheading feels weird. I'll try first person! NEXT OF KIN marks my first time directing. Although LA is my current home, my real home will always be NYC, where I was born at Staten Island University Hospital (yes, we used to drop my mom off at the Staten Island Ferry to the tune of Carly Simon's Let the River Run for her commute in the 1990s) and went on to receive my BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. As an actor, previous credits include multiple New Media Series and Short Films that have played at film festivals throughout North America, Europe, and Africa--including Nashville FF, Shriekfest, and Rincón International FF. Previous stage: INCITATION TO DANCE at Theatre West in LA and originating the role of Toddy in the then Broadway bound musical AMAZING GRACE. Absolutely thrilled and honored to be sharing a story near and dear to my heart. Endless gratitude to the rest of the NOK Team. Director StatementTwenty six years after the advent of lifesaving antiretroviral therapies, the seminal stories about HIV/AIDs still dwell overwhelmingly on the darkest and most acute phase of the pandemic. Although an HIV diagnosis had long ago ceased to be a death sentence, Hollywood seems almost reluctant to break new ground. We find in contemporary film and television few examples of work that reflects the social progress of the intervening quarter century while scrutinizing the persistence of HIV stigma as experienced in the 1980s - 1990s, in our era. Furthermore, the changing and diverse faces of the “poz undetectable” —those living with chronic and managed HIV—should also include depictions of poz women and children born with HIV, who are not merely surviving but thriving. Fulfilling a promise I made to myself when I came out about my own HIV status to family, friends, and coworkers over social media, NEXT OF KIN offers one story of what it means to be living with HIV in the early 2020s, and the Poz-phobic stigma that still pervades queer, trans, and straight spaces today.Timothy Guion Smith, Filmmaker and Actor

Next of Kin

Anywhere the Wind Blows follows Alex, an activist who flees Hong Kong for the US to escape political persecution. As he rebuilds his life, the unexpected arrival of his ex-boyfriend Brandon rekindles unresolved emotions and threatens to derail his carefully laid plans. Director Biography -&nbsp;Jay Liu<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/465/145/original/7675077c80-headshot.jpg?1691484216" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/465/145/thumb/7675077c80-headshot.jpg?1691484216" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Jay Liu is a film writer, director, and editor hailing from the embattled city of Hong Kong. He holds a B.A. in Communication (Radio/TV/Film) from Northwestern University, and recently obtained his Master of Fine Arts in Film/TV Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. His passion lies in telling stories of queer romance and domestic realism. He is a UK citizen currently based in Los Angeles.

Anywhere the Wind Blows

When Joseph returns to his recently sold childhood home one last time to gather the remainder of his belongings, he is faced with a decade-old traumatic memory and must persevere to rediscover joy and heal. Director Biography -&nbsp;Becca Suh-Hee Han<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/04532567635b0450a702b37c597c1de6.jpg" width="131" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Becca Suh-Hee Han is a graduate of the Film &amp; Television Production MFA program at the University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts. Before taking a hiatus from the entertainment industry to pursue her MFA at SCA, Becca was a special effects technician and eventually, a special effects on-set foreman. Some of her previous credits include: TAG, The Walking Dead, Amazing Stories, The Outsider, and Watchmen. While attending graduate school, Becca continued to work in the entertainment industry as an assistant director, producer, and director. She currently works as a physical production administrator and assistant director by day and is an aspiring writer-director by night. Director Statement﻿Throughout my life, I’ve found myself at the intersection of various communities and have always been unable to condense my entire identity into a singular category. Having spent parts of my life in two different countries, while navigating two starkly contrasting heritages, my voice as a filmmaker aims to highlight narratives that bring together humanity in universal ways and simultaneously creates specific spaces for BIPOC stories to flourish. Out of all of the screenplays that I’ve had the opportunity to bring to life with other creative artists, Pastor’s Kid has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging. Not due to the page length or technical elements within it, but rather because the heart of it was crafted by some of the multifaceted truths within my life that have remained untouched. As the daughter of two Christian Korean immigrants that dedicate their careers and lives to a religion, discovering my heritage, faith, and sexuality and the intersections of it all has been an ongoing journey that often feels impossible to navigate.

Pastor's Kid

This tender story explores the complex relationship between a South Asian immigrant woman and her queer American daughter. This film prompts us to re-examine our expectations of our loved ones. Can we accept them for who they really are, not who we want them to be? Director Biography -&nbsp;Reena Dutt<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/909/934/original/35a892e6ea-headshot.jpg?1729389215" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/909/934/thumb/35a892e6ea-headshot.jpg?1729389215" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Reena Dutt (SDC) is a Drama League New York Directing Fellow, the first South Asian Community Liaison at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles and served on the board of Theatre of NOTE. She produced panel discussion connecting 99-seat theater to regional houses in the LA area at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and acted as an Associate Producer for Directors Lab West/Connects during the pandemic.

Crossing The Desert

A late-blooming trans woman grapples with a life-altering, assigned-male-at-birth dilemma. With the support of her besties, she determines her path on her own terms. Director Biography -&nbsp;Sally Tran<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/058/956/original/0f6b95f497-headshot.jpg?1709323635" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/058/956/thumb/0f6b95f497-headshot.jpg?1709323635" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Sally Tran is a writer and director from New Zealand by way of Vietnam, living in New York City. Tran’s filmmaking expertise focuses on creating unique stories through her multicultural experiences. Her film career started in New Zealand, she has directed three short films, and a feature funded through the New Zealand Film Commission, and Creative New Zealand.

Clementine

When a queer Chinese girl discovers evidence of her grandmother's forbidden love story, she embarks on a journey to connect what has been separated. Director Biography -&nbsp;Alice Wang <a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/353/187/original/edbaa4b156-headshot.jpg?1737896682" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/353/187/thumb/edbaa4b156-headshot.jpg?1737896682" width="99" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Alice Wang is a queer Chinese-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. Alice has worked as a story coordinator, a production coordinator at CBC Kids, Industry Producer at Canadian Film Fest and now a programmer at Regent Park Film Festival. ¼ of Videatur Collective, they’re passionate about supporting youth from underrepresented communities in film. An RBC Emerging Director’s Award recipient, a participant of the BIPOC TV and Film Episodic Lab and part of the 2023 Reelworld Emerging 20 cohort, Alice gravitate towards telling stories about loss, acceptance, and belonging with nuanced perspectives on family dynamics and self actualization. Director StatementWhen I said goodbye to my grandma before getting on the taxi headed to the airport, I didn’t know it would be the last time I would see her. But I guess, we never know these things.Even though the plot of the story isn’t based on real events of my life, the main character’s relationship with her Nai Nai is based on my own with my grandmother, who I call Lao Lao (maternal grandmother). Our relationship was special. My mom was often busy with work, so I spent most of my childhood with my Lao Lao. We would play cards together, she would be my goalie as I practiced soccer, and we’d watch her favourite Chinese dramas while she cooked dumplings. And then one day, my mom and I immigrated to Canada. Leaving her behind.Even though my bond with my Lao Lao was unbreakable, between us lied language and cultural barriers, intergenerational gaps, and the many secrets we both chose to not share with each other. You might be thinking - why hide these things? How could one love someone so much and not be able to share their deepest desires or who they really are? The simple answer would be because of their cultural upbringing. One that touts family harmony, patriarchal views, and to not bring shame upon your family. But there is no simple answer. In some ways, holding these secrets is an act of love itself. To want to preserve a relationship so badly that you’re willing to hide aspects of yourself. I want to tell this story in hopes that it provides comfort and companionship to anyone going through something similar. Because I know I needed it when I was younger. Perhaps the desire to tell this story partially fulfills my own fantasy of wanting to see older queer Asian representation and Asian elders that will accept their queer children and grandchildren.At its core, Don’t Forget Me is a story about grief, an especially timely and relevant topic given current events. In the face of rising hate towards our communities, I want to tell my story. A story from a distinctly Asian Canadian perspective. A queer perspective. One rooted in feelings of isolation, longing for belonging, and pride for my heritage and who I am.

Don't Forget Me

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