PULSE/DRIFT Shorts 1: Frequencies of Self

There will be four short films in this screening. TikTok dances, radio waves, and record-store dreams trace how sound shapes identity and resistance across Asia. A sonic collage of youth, memory, and defiance moving through Thailand, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong. The Rise and Fall of Absolutism (2025) Directed by: Tanat Teeradakorn Runtime: 17 minutes Country: Thailand Language: Thai with English subtitles Rating: TBC Synopsis TikTok-style dance routines intersect with Thailand’s political sites, accompanied by a soundtrack composed by Director Tanat Teeradakorn that reimagines five activist songs in his distinctive musical style. Softshell and Feeders (2023) Directed by: Elsa Wong and Zon Chan Runtime: 2 minutes Country: Singapore Language: No dialogue Rating: TBC Synopsis A visual narrative exploring memory and the senses, where Mervin Wong’s music and sound shape the characters’ experiences, transforming perception into vivid, immersive moments. Stream It If You’ve Got It (2020) Original title: 我要当主播 Directed by: Renxiu Zhao Runtime: 12 minutes Country: China Language: Mandarin and English with English subtitles Rating: TBC Synopsis This documentary traces Shanghai’s experimental music scene through Shanghai Community Radio founders, with sound and music framing both the city’s fragmented underground and the challenges of censorship in 2020. 27 (2022) Directed by: Erica Kwok, Chung Yee Runtime: 27 minutes Country: Hong Kong Language: Cantonese with English subtitles Rating: TBC Synopsis A coming-of-age short follows Yumi and her record store co-worker as they confront existential dread about turning 27, scored by Amy Chan Tsz Kwan and directed by Erica Kwok Chung Yee.