Thomas Moore, film curator, describes his selection (Eventbrite):
"Random Headache presents a diverse selection of films from its own collection, featuring both distributed and produced works alongside a curated lineup of titles from underrepresented filmmakers, particularly spotlighting rising Chinese directors. Our programme showcases several distinguished films, including "Will You Look At Me" by Shuli Huang, which premiered at the 61st La Semaine De La Critique Cannes Film Festival in 2022 and was awarded the Queer Palm for Best Short Film, as well as the Short Film Jury Award at Sundance Film Festival 2023. "When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad" by Bohao Liu had its world premiere in the Generation section of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, a category renowned for highlighting emerging filmmakers.
Additionally, "Is There a Pine on the Mountain" by Chongyan Liu made its European debut at IDFA 2022, one of the foremost documentary film festivals globally. Dedicated to amplifying voices and stories that often go unheard, this program offers an eclectic mix of progressive moving image storytelling, blending genres and styles that reflect the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary cinema. Audiences can expect a thought-provoking experience celebrating artistic vision, cultural diversity, and the future of filmmaking—introducing high-quality independent films to viewers who might not typically engage with Chinese cinema and culture."
Short Film Programme
Doll+: Body Transmigration in its Ideal Fantasy (身体进化幻想) | Ran Zhou | 13mins
In a posthuman world, a Chinese factory creates an ideal figure from orange-yellow plastic, devoid of gender and biological limits. Set in a virtual realm, the film explores the absurdity of sickness, death, and beauty, while reflecting on capitalism and the essence of the human body.
Will You Look At Me (当我望向你的时候) | Shuli Huang | 20mins
As a young Chinese filmmaker returns to his hometown in search of himself, a long due conversation with his mother dives the two of them into a quest for acceptance and love.
Is There a Pine on the Mountain (山中无树) | Chongyan Liu | 38mins
When filmmaker Chongyan Liu’s boyfriend's mother visits from China, tensions rise in their small Parisian apartment. Liu documents the escalating arguments, uncovering the roots of her boyfriend's violence and revealing the cycle of domestic abuse passed from one generation to the next.
When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad (火箭發射時) | Bohao Liu | 12mins
It is summer in the mountainous Liangshan region. Fang, 15, who just graduated from middle school, talks about her dreams. But life never stops, it moves too fast – like a game of basketball. Or a swaying skirt. Her phone fell into water and now she tries to find a way to dry it. The clouds pass by above her and there are too many stairs to climb. Meanwhile, the adults seem to decide her future. And the rocket keeps being launched every month.
Format Error Occurred at Offset (格式化错误在偏移量处) | Zirui Chen | 11mins
The film navigates the tangled bureaucracy that forces the director to move between countries, uncovering the fragile nature of identity within rigid systems. It explores how administrative mechanisms shape who we are, driven by the need to uphold sacred beliefs or discard baseless superstitions. In an era dominated by artificial intelligence, humanity begins to fade, giving way to efficient global exploitation masked as the future. As creation and destruction intertwine, the film questions what remains when the human essence disappears beneath the promise of progress.
Total Runtime: 94 minutes