Michael Thede

A young girl in search of creativity receives a visit from the King of Ideas in the short fantasy film, Ennoi. We talk with writer-director Federica Marchese about moving to China, the struggle to find new ideas, and chasing her dream to be a filmmaker.

Upon discovering he is a robot, a man is sent spiraling into madness in the sci-fi short Within. Writer-director Evan Kimball Plochmann gives his thoughts on the pressures of modern society, the challenges of making a film in China, and finding inspiration in the experience of everyday life.

We chat with producer Luo Tong, director Andrej Iliev and actor Nick Xu about their new crime-comedy, The Killing Game. They share their thoughts on working as a team, take us behind-the-scenes on their latest production, and let us in one of the best indie film hacks ever.

Following the death of his wife, an elderly widower goes in search of a special taste from his youth in the Chinese-language short, Bittersweet. Director Jeffrey Chu talks about his early fascination with movies, the Shanghai film collective he helped start, and the making of his latest project.

Laisuotuo juxtaposes the stories of a Chinese shop owner in Lesotho and an African doctor in China who face prejudice from those around them. Filmmaker Carl Houston McMillan talks about the challenges of working on the project and the need for greater empathy in today’s global village.

The Passport tells the dark tale of an amnesiac on a desperate attempt to figure out who he really is. Director Olivier Hero Dressen and actor Michael Koltes share their thoughts on what makes for a good story and the making of their award-winning short film.