Saleeg invites us to embark on a gastronomic adventure where the connections we forge with strangers serve as the very soul of the narrative. Through sizzling pans and simmering pots, Saleeg reveals the power of a shared table, where diverse individuals come together, not only to savor the flavors that grace their plates but also to exchange stories, cultures, and laughter.
A year after a young girl’s mysterious disappearance at Camp Kona, a reluctant boy is sent to the same camp by his parents, and he is far from thrilled about it. Unbeknownst to him, within the camp’s secluded woods lies a dark secret that will serve as the backdrop for a tale full of suspense and nostalgia.
The spirit of a young girl descends from the heavens to celebrate her birthday with her family. This heartwarming tale beautifully portrays the lasting connections we share with our loved ones even after we pass on.
The six shorts in this program represent distinct modes of storytelling through film, while reflecting the diversity and creativity of our region. Featuring works by Dustin Nakao-Haider, McKenzie Chinn, Linh Tran, Tetsuya Mariko, Ian Kelly, and Brian Zahm.
In Ethan Lim: Cambodian Futures (U.S.), we follow a chef with a mission to share and elevate Cambodian food using his family’s recipes. Two friends living on the south side of Chicago find their friendship tested when one reveals a tightly-held secret in A Real One (U.S.). In Video Funeral(U.S.), two Vietnamese sisters bond over their father’s death and funeral. Two small-time thieves encounter an abandoned car with a small child in the backseat in Before Anyone Else (Japan, U.S.). A grandson uses animation to reconstruct a loved one’s lost memories in the documentary Soft Lights and Silver Shadows (U.S.). Photosynthesis (U.S.) takes the viewer on a 3D journey in the form of a 1960s perceptual art-inspired experience.
Sean Wang visits his maternal and paternal grandmothers who live as roommates during the pandemic. The resulting, roving portrait of Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó’s lives together and their shared love for him is hilarious, moving, and full of the hard-won wisdom of later years.
Closed Captions
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
