Ca’ Foscari Short Film Festival

South Italy International Film Festival

I Edition

Works from universities and film schools selected by the Ca' Foscari Short Film Festival to participate in a competition parallel to the next "South Italy International Film Festival" in Barletta

Contest Finalists 

Jiěkě – Thirst

Director: Zheng Yue
China, 25’26”
Communication University of China

Synopsis: Delivery girl Xiaofei falls in love with fake photographer Chen Lan. When she unexpectedly discovers Chen Lan’s true identity, she realizes that her nude photos have appeared in an art exhibition.

Profile: Director Zheng Yue was born in 1998 in Shandong. She completed her undergraduate studies at Communication University of China, majoring in Photography and Film and Television Production (major in Film and Television Cinematography), and graduated with an MFA in Film Creation from Communication University of China. Moving from photography to video shooting and then film creation, she strives to push the boundaries of her multidimensional capabilities and continuously explores and creates in the realm of visual images.

Qiǎo méi – Struggling beneath mud

Directed by: Hou Jun Yi
China, 27’55”
Nanjing University of the Arts

Synopsis: Qiaomei’s husband unfortunately got injured while working on the construction site and returned home, leaving Qiaomei to work alone and wait for compensation. Qiaomei relied on the foreman to open a small shop to earn a living. As a newcomer to the construction site, Liang Liang has developed mutual feelings with Qiao Mei. With the replacement of the team leader, the relationship between Qiao Mei and Liang Liang is put to the test.

Profile: Born in Pingyao County, Shanxi Province, China, he is currently pursuing a master's degree in film and television directing at Nanjing University of the Arts. He believes that good films can reflect social phenomena and promote social development. His first work, Qiao Mei, set in his hometown of Pingyao, was the starting point of the film's creation journey, as well as the point of divergence in using cinematic thinking to observe society.

Monorisu – Monolith

Director: Sota Fukushima
Japan, 3’50”, animation
Tama Art University

Synopsis: A photographer is traveling in the wilderness when his companion is kidnapped by an unknown ethnic group. While aimlessly wandering to save her, he sees a towering monolith. The man moves forward with two conflicting feelings: he wants to save his companion and he wants to immortalize the beautiful scenery in front of him with a photograph. Then a mysterious old woman with a disturbing smile appears before the injured man…

Profile: Sota Fukushima was born in 2001. Director, animator and illustrator. Resides in Tokyo. Currently enrolled in the Department of Graphic Design at Tama Art University. He also works under the name “fusso”. He usually creates animations and illustrations using digital techniques. He creates works that evoke a sense of exoticism and nostalgia with his unique color schemes and settings that uniquely interpret folklore and indigenous culture.

Kijeulaendeu – KidsLand

Director: Won-u Gim
Republic of Korea, 22’30”
Korea National University of Arts

Synopsis: Surim and Jungwoo are cousins ​​born and raised together in a small rural village. After initiating the construction of a thermal power plant in the village, things continue to get in the way of the two’s friendship.

Profile: Won-u Gim was born in Korea in 1997. He graduated from Korea National University of Arts with a degree in TV Series Directing. He directed the short films Vladi (2019) and Ichon-dong (2021).