Reality doesn’t always match up with fantasy, instead manifesting in even stranger ways. Whether a fleeting brush past an enigmatic stranger at the chime of a clock, or a belief that having sex with unattractive people yields good karma, mixed signals and scrambled meanings can complicate the path to love. In this atypical programme, unfulfilled encounters and crushes are just as transformative as romance itself.

Programme of films:

Goodbye First Love 

The director and his first love reflect on their memories together. 

Dir. Shuli Huang | China, France, USA | 2024 | 13min    

Saigon Kiss 

Two women meet during rush hour in Saigon. 

Dir. Hồng Anh Nguyễn | Vietnam | 2024 | 22min   

Flesh Offer 

A teenager sleeps with unattractive men for good karma. 

Dir. Chung Che Hung | Taiwan | 2024 | 13min   

One to Ten 

Four high schoolers perform a ritual to make their wishes come true. 

Dir. Kun-Hou Teng | Taiwan | 2019 | 35min   

The 5 O’Clock Chime 

Seiji meets a stranger who mysteriously disappears. 
Dir. James Cooper | Japan | 2024 | 15min 

Total running time: 98 mins

Language: Various with English subtitles