Stories that Transcend Borders
Amidst the chaos of 2020 (cue the global pandemic), CinemaSHORT, a service extension of CinemaWorld, was established with a clear mission: to spotlight diverse Asian voices and stories.
Over the years, as we connected with film schools and independent filmmakers across the region, our belief in the creative power of emerging Asian storytellers only grew stronger.
This year marked a milestone—we launched our first-ever CinemaSHORT Asian Short Film Competition, a celebration of bold and unique Asian stories that resonated deeply with the filmmaking community.
With overwhelming support from across Asia, the competition was remarkably successful last month.
As we journeyed on in search of stories that transcend borders, we’re proud to have witnessed some of the region’s brightest talents step into the spotlight.
In honor of the challenging—but rewarding—work of our CinemaWorld team and partners, let’s rewind the whirlwind of the past few months.
Growing the Film Community
The competition’s theme set out to spotlight stories that reflect the interconnectedness of our region and celebrate our shared human experience, capturing the rich diversity of voices from every corner of Asia.
We immensely thank our competition ambassadors for lending their voices and showing unwavering support for the Asian filmmaking community.
With diverse filmmaking backgrounds, each ambassador generously shared insights from their journeys—thank you for your heartfelt encouragement to our participants and the next generation of storytellers.
The Selection Process
After a difficult selection, the Pre-Selection Committee finally released the 15 shortlisted films.
In Singapore, we worked to bring these outstanding short films to our young audiences through our voting events held at The Mind Cafe, and Yilin Likes Tea at NTU.
In Vietnam, an online ‘Watch and Vote’ party was organised. Our guests, Quan Phuong Thanh, Nguyen Duc Manh & Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong (Omai), enjoyed the shortlisted films and voted with fans.
With the winners finalised by the jury panel and the Audience Choice Award voted by the enthusiastic audience, CinemaSHORT hosted a livestream on 14 September on Facebook and Instagram, hosted by CinemaWorld’s Chief Entertainment Officer, Suarina Chua, and one of the judges on the panel Josune Hahnheiser.
The livestream was also joined by the prize winners from Vietnam and Indonesia.
Grand Prize: The Cloud is Gone by Nguyen Viet Anh (Vietnam)
Second Prize: Always Until Victory! by Deo Mahameru (Indonesia)
Audience Choice Award: Inhuman by Hung Tran (Vietnam)
Jury Awards:
Gossip – Adam Zainal (Malaysia)
Inhuman – Hung Tran (Vietnam)
Unexpected Passenger – Hsia Jui-Chien (Taiwan)
M.U.R.B.Y. – Jonyl Tan (Singapore)
A Night to Remember: Awards Gala Night
On 1 November 2023, CinemaWorld brought the celebration to Ho Chi Minh City, honoring the winners of the inaugural CinemaSHORT Asian ShortFilm Competition.
The night featured a screening of six outstanding short films, each showcasing diverse and powerful storytelling, followed by the awards ceremony.
We were joined by CinemaWorld’s Vietnamese distributor MSky, Sri Lankan director Ilango Ram, and representatives from our winning films—including the Grand Prize, Second Prize, and Audience Choice Award winners—who shared heartfelt speeches and reflections on their work.
Thank You
This first edition of CinemaSHORT spotlighted voices across Asia, exploring themes of social issues, mental well-being, and lived experience. The quality and range of submissions affirmed the vibrant creativity of emerging filmmakers across the region.
Once again, a huge thank you to our judges Josune Hahnheiser, Ilango Ram, Ryan Taufik, and Genevieve Sarah Loh, our streaming partners (mewatch, Huawei Video, Tonton, Cubmu), our Audience Choice Award voting partners (The Mind Cafe Singapore & Yilin Likes Tea), equipment sponsor Sachtler Systems, and Vietnam event partner Spring Auteurs.
Finally, thank you to the filmmakers and audiences who made this event possible. Your stories and support are the heartbeat of CinemaSHORT.
We look forward to discovering more voices in the next edition. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for updates and future showcases.
It’s a wrap—but only the beginning.
Till next time!
