Mars (United Kingdom) by Shelley Hopkins

‘Mars’ is inspired by the wonders of space travel and transports us to a cosmic realm where we witness the birth of supernovas and planets against a background of stars. The dynamic explosion of visual textures align with Sounding's ambient beats, transforming organic material filmed in a Petri dish into an imagined universe of shifting and evolving forms. The film moves between the intimate scale of its analogue origins and the vastness of an unknowable universe, evoking both cosmic forces and the tiny, beautiful rhythms of life.

Running time: 00:07:11

Figure in frame (United Kingdom) by Mel Steele

Lone figure next to ruin of castell tinboeth on a Welsh hillside.. One photo

Running time: 00:02:03

A Blink and A Whisper (United Kingdom) by Annamaria Pennazzi

A Blink and Whisper is a surreal, intimate exploration of the connection between an eye and a mouth. Through close-up imagery, evocative sound, and rhythmic gesture, a cautious eye meets a playful, seductive, theatrical mouth in wordless dialogue. Desire and fear unfold through vulnerability. When the eye withdraws, another blink in the shadows suggests quiet recognition and unexpected companionship.

Running time: 00:05:46

Equal (United States) by Tom Bessoir

‘Equal’ is a cinematic exploration of Richard Serra’s sculpture of the same name on display at the Museum of Modern Art. The sculpture consists of eight forged-steel blocks stacked in pairs. Each rectangular block measures 5 feet by 5 and 1/2 feet by 6 feet and weighs 40 tons. The blocks are rotated and stacked so that the top and bottom blocks align differently. Yet the four stacks are each 11 feet tall. This simple form makes me think about space, mass, weight, and time. Like the sculpture, my film seeks to both overwhelm the viewer and invite contemplation.

Running time: 00:03:47

Something Has to Give (United States) by Allison Fan, Fred Midgley

Redemption, rebirth, and the desire for salvation in times of profound loss. Set in the haunting, atmospheric confines of a stark, empty warehouse, the space becomes a canvas where bodies move between tension and release, seeking the answer to whether this earth is a sanctuary or a sterile, white room—a place devoid of life or full of it.

Running time: 00:06:26