Asian Pop-Up Cinema Film Festival: Shorts Series #3: Diasporic Perspectives

Shorts Series #3: Diasporic Perspectives

Total runtime: 89 minutes

Year of the Dragon

[Official Competition]

Canada | Drama | 2025 | 13 minutes

English and Mandarin with English subtitles

Director: Giran Findlay-Liu

A devoted immigrant mother sets out to deliver a birthday cake for her son, only to be confronted with the harsh realities of his current situation. This intimate drama is a moving love letter to mothers and the sacrifices of immigrant life.

We Were the Scenery

Canada, United States | Documentary | 2025 | 15 minutes

English and Vietnamese with English subtitles

Director: Christopher Radcliff

Powerfully reclaiming stories erased from the master narrative, this documentary tells the story of Hoa Thi Le and Hue Nguyen Che, Vietnamese refugees who were cast as extras in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now.

Mixed Feelings

Canada | Sci-Fi/Comedy | 2025 | 10 minutes

English

Director: Devin Lee

A mixed-race student meets the “full Asian” and “full white” versions of himself from parallel universes and hopes for acceptance… But can he even accept himself? This charming comedy explores identity and belonging through a sci-fi lens.

Loneliness Can Be M**der

United States | Sci-Fi/Comedy | 2025 | 23 minutes

English

Director: Vincent Xiaofei Zeng

An introverted young man struggles to survive after a mysterious global catastrophe causes lonely people to spontaneously explode in this surreal, darkly comedic tale of existential crisis and unexpected friendships.

Glodok ’98

United States | Drama | 2025 | 16 minutes

Indonesian with English subtitles

Director: Nicholas Tjen

During Jakarta’s 1998 crisis, convenience store owner Asiung struggles to protect his pregnant wife amid financial hardship and a destructive riot. As tragedy closes in, he discovers unexpected meaning in helping a young boy.

Tenderness

[Official Competition]

Canada | Drama | 2024 | 28 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

Director: Helen Lee

As 16-year-old Yumi braces for an awkward encounter with her father’s new girlfriend, the unfolding Sewol Ferry disaster transforms her personal story of youthful love into a powerful reflection on the enduring legacy of a national tragedy.

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