Asian Pop-Up Cinema Film Festival: Shorts Series #2: Pan-Asian Perspectives

Blacky the Metal Arm Cat (鐵臂貓黑別)

Hong Kong | Animation | 2025 | 16 minutes

Cantonese with English subtitles

Director: Nic Ho

In a world where alien technology has rendered martial arts obsolete, a black cat with a mechanical arm sets out to avenge his slain master. Blending kinetic action with sly humor, this inventive animation illustrates fight to remain relevant in a rapidly changing era.

Memory (메모리)

South Korea | Sci-Fi/Drama | 2024 | 30 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

Director: Jang Ha-won

Against her mother’s wishes, Siwoo brings home a humanoid replica embedded with her late father’s memories. Featuring superstar actress Bae Doona, this intimate sci-fi drama explores the fragile boundaries between remembrance and letting go.

The Hanging Heart (心悬)

Mainland China | Drama | 2024 | 29 minutes

Mandarin with English subtitles

Directors: Jiaang Dong, Yi Zhao

Reuniting at a diner after graduation, a group of friends find their idle afternoon upended when they suspect a family of strangers may be involved in a kidnapping. What begins as a clumsy act of civic heroism spirals into a sobering reckoning about the dangerous ease of believing what we want to see.

Bleat! (கத்து!)

[Official Competition]

Malaysia, Philippines | Comedy/Queer | 2025 | 15 minutes

Tamil with English subtitles

Director: Ananth Subramaniam

Faith and tradition collide in unexpected ways when an elderly couple discovers that their male goat, destined for ritual sacrifice, is pregnant. Winner of the Cannes 2025 Queer Palm, this satirical comedy playfully challenges belief and gender norms.

SPECIAL GUESTS: Nic Ho (Director) and Ivana Lai (Producer) of BLACKY THE METAL ARM CAT are scheduled to introduce the short film and participate in a post-film Q&A.

Nic Ho, Director
Nic Ho is an animation director from Hong Kong, known for his animated shorts Blacky the Metal Arm Cat, Ngau Chau Is Coming to Town, Mountains and Seas – Village of Muds and Behind the Schoolbag. His works have received the Animation Gold Award at ifva and the Silver Award at TBS DigiCon6 ASIA, and have been selected for festivals such as the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the USA Film Festival and the San Diego International Film Festival.

Ivana Lai, Producer
Ivana Lai is a Hong Kong–based animation producer and co-founder of Intoxic Studio. She has produced animated shorts including Blacky the Metal Arm Cat, Mountains and Seas and Behind the Schoolbag, which have received animation awards in Hong Kong and Asia and screened at international festivals such as the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, the San Jose International Short Film Festival, the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) and Athens Animfest.

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