Babylon Kreuzberg 01.06.2025 – 20:30

These shorts unearth hidden truths, forbidden desires, and moments of quiet revelation—stories that unfold in secrecy, between what is spoken and what is left unsaid. In Julian and the Wind, a sleepwalking episode unsettles the boundaries between reality and dreams for two boarding school roommates. Fieras (The Rage) captures the weight of unspoken feelings as young Fabián experiences the first stirrings of desire, ignited by the older boys around him. In Saigon Kiss, the chaos of a city’s rush hour provides the backdrop for an electrifying, chance encounter between two young women, where a broken motorbike leads to something unexpected. Before Then plays with language and memory—where a Chinese poem can sound like an English letter, and secrets are both unveiled and buried in the same breath. This programme explores the power of what remains hidden, from the quiet intimacy of a boarding school night to the unacknowledged pull of first desire and the fleeting intensity of a chance meeting. In a world where secrecy is both protection and constraint, these stories reveal what lingers just beneath the surface.

Julian and the Wind

Two boarding school roommates share a strange experience with sleepwalking.

Content Notes:
none
Connor Jessup

Canada, 2024

English. Subtitles in –

15 min

The Rage

Fabián, a preteen who lives in the marginalized outskirts of Bogotá, is forced to walk the streets with the group of friends of his older brother led by the most developed of the guys, nicknamed "La Comadreja". It rains and the boys bury a dead dog, Meanwhile, Fabián finds himself alone with an unknown impulse; the first bud of his desire provoked by another man; the leader of the group.

Content Notes:
none
Andrés Felipe Ángel

Colombia, 2023

Spanish. Subtitles in English

19 min

Saigon Kiss

Mơ roams through the rush hour traffic to avoid an unwanted phone call. When she meets Vicky by the side of the street with her broken motorbike, a visceral chance encounter unfolds between the two young queer women on the loud streets of Saigon.​​

Content Notes:
none
Hồng Anh Nguyễn

Vietnam, Germany, Australia, 2024

Vietnamese. Subtitles in English, German

22 min

Before then

A Chinese poem may also sound like an English letter. Secrets are briefly revealed, but at the same time the door to them is closed forever. We linger at the door, and I just want to stay with you longer.

Content Notes:
none
Mengzhu Xue

Germany, China, 2024

Mandarin, English. Subtitles in English

30 min