Presented in partnership, as part of CINECITY The Brighton Film Festival. Supported by MET Film.

Programme approximately 77 minutes. Running order may vary

A GENTLE APOCALYPSE

DIR: BELLA ECHEVERRI. 9 MINS.

Consumed by a world of setbacks and expectations, Juno navigates the struggles of love, work and loneliness. As her entire world crumbles, a strange encounter changes how she sees everything. Presented through a coming-of-age story with a magical realist twist.

BLOWN IT

DIR: JESS CURTIS. 10 MINS.

Kevin is obsessed with the world's most hated instrument, the kazoo. After his refusal to "grow up" costs him his relationship, he must go on a journey of self-discovery to see if he can kick his kazoo addiction – or has he Blown It? A bittersweet, surrealist comedy about the noise we make to keep from being heard.

CHASER

DIR: JESSE WILLIAMS. 10 MINS.

When Sophia crosses paths with the seemingly charming Callum, she realises he may not have her best interests at heart… This relentless thriller/drama, fearlessly delves into the anxieties and dangers of gender, nightlife & dating culture, told from the passionate perspective of a trans woman.

THE BRIGHTON JAZZ CO-OP: THE SOUND OF CONNECTION

DIR: ANASTASIIA NEMESH. 6 MINS.

At the Brighton Jazz Co-op, musicians of all ages and abilities come together each week to rehearse, perform and share their passion for jazz. Through the stories of its members and the excitement of live performance, the film explores how one community has built lasting friendships, confidence and a place where everyone belongs.

SAW A TELESCOPE IN THE STATIC

DIR: JIAER CHEN. 10 MINS.

Prisoners in a re-education cell must report what they see in TV static. Say the wrong thing and you disappear. When a newcomer insists he sees Ultraman — the childhood superhero — and refuses to stop, his terrified cellmate must find a way to save them both before imagination gets them killed.

SHRINKAGE

DIR: FRANCHESCA CHINHUNDU. 13 MINS.

‘Hairdressing in itself is emotional. You have your hands at the head of someone’s crown.’ This short documentary explores personal feelings and experiences with Black hair: sharing intimate experiences relating to self-image, community and belonging.

WAYS THAT I HAVE DIED

DIR: JESSIE IRVIN ROSE. 5 MINS.

‘When I was six, I fell into a well. Whether I ever got out, I couldn’t say.’ Based on a surrealist prose poem, Ways That I Have Died is one life story told through multiple deaths, following a melancholic and mortality-ridden road towards what it means to be alive.

WILD CAMPING

DIR: TOMOS HARRISON. 14 MINS.

Two estranged friends trek through the Welsh wilderness to scatter their childhood friend's ashes. What begins as a simple farewell soon descends into drunken mishaps, mounting frustration and old resentments, forcing them to confront how much they've grown apart – and how much they still care for one another.