The Playwright's Lover (2025)

The Female Side Effect

After the death of a patient, Crimera Pharmaceuticals, assigns the task of finding out what happened to Dr. Elena Pizano, a clinical trial analyst. She must do this with the help of the efficient and reliable artificial intelligence entity: KODA. During her findings she will come across data gaps in one of the drugs being studied, uncovering a darker truth in the world of medicine. As the organizations try to hide the information, she must decide how to handle the secrets she's just uncovered.

III

By a hot summer day on the lakeshore, three siblings face death for the first time through their contact with nature.

Smog

Thick, deadly smog blankets the globe, reducing visibility to less than a few metres. In a secluded farmhouse, a woman and her overbearing husband attempt to find resources and survive using a series of walking trails crafted from ropes and stakes. One night, the woman is alerted to the presence of someone or something else deep in the smog. Desperate to escape the farmhouse, the woman attempts to meet the unknown and risk everything to leave her loveless and abusive relationship behind.

Raids

Based on the treatment of Pacific Island families during the New Zealand Dawn Raids of the 1970’s, this short is an intimate look into a police raid, as told through the eyes of a young girl Losa and her father Lupematasila.

Fear

Fear is a story of Christian a 17 year old neo-nazi and event that will forever change his life.

Why Won't You Dance?

Anna, a shy girl, sits alone at a party. Vasilis, a shy guy, also sits alone at the same party. Vasilis really doesn't want to talk to Anna. Anna is burdened by something. Their reluctant meeting will bring forth memories Anna would much rather ignore.

White Man

A white-collar South Korean man discovers a severed human finger and keeps it.

7 Bananas

Dara and Sophie's once close friendship is now only sustained by likes, memes and ever-delayed meet-ups. When Sophie commits suicide, Dara is forced to look behind the surface of Sophie's last messages.

Wolf and Dog

Ana was born in São Miguel, an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean ruled by religion and traditions. Growing up as the middle child of a family of three with her mother and grandmother. Early Ana realized that girls and boys were given different tasks. Through her friendship with Luis, her queer best friend who loves dresses as much as pants, Ana questions the world that is promised to her. When her friend Cloé arrives from Canada, bringing with her the glowing days of youth, Ana embarks on a journey that will take her beyond the horizon.

I Will Always Love You Conny

It’s minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees F) and 20 y/o Conny walks around like a restless criminal with his hoodie up in a small forgotten village in northern Sweden. He's not welcome anywhere and the whole village seems to hate him. Yesterday he panicked and drove away from his girlfriend’s delivery of their baby - but now he has repented and wants to come back. But what will it take for her to forgive him?

Screengrabbed: BBC Introducing Arts

Janina Ramirez presents a screengrab of inspiring, beautiful and urgent stories from emerging and established film-makers with their interpretations of life's big topics. A Fashion Show; Birdcage; Body to Body; Ffasiwn, The Film; Folk; Light Noise; Through a Screen Darkly; Be Different Today; Palm Tree; Shiner; Demons Before Breakfast; How Do You Know You're in Love?; Sensational Simmy; What Does It Mean to Be British?

Dance on Film: BBC Introducing Arts

Acclaimed dancer Carlos Acosta introduces a new generation of film makers who use b-boying, ballet and contemporary dance to tell their stories. Subjects range from dancing in a bingo hall, acid attacks, body image and wellbeing and the mystical world of baby eels. Each is a remarkable fusion of dance and film. Anatomy of a Crooked Spine; Blast; Elver; Full House; I Am Soldier; I Dance Best with You; Inside; Inside We Break; Manmade; Petals and Pain; Scapelands; We Are Ready Now; We Are Always Here; Do I Have Free Will?

Drama Shorts: BBC Introducing Arts

Actor, writer and producer Chizzy Akudolu presents a collection of dramatic short films from the best new filmmakers. Subjects include secrets, love and family, from awkward conversations about sausages to how to deal with zombies. Skinny Fat; Backbone; Expats; Finger Prick; Hold the Sausage; Jigging; Madly Involved; Nakato; Sentient; Voodoo in My Heart; Best Served Cold

Animated Shorts: BBC Introducing Arts

Explore exciting, strange and thought-provoking worlds with broadcaster, gamer and animation fan Elle Osili-Wood. Through abstract designs, 2D animation and stop motion techniques, Elle showcases the next generation of makers with this collection of new short films. Stories of wellbeing, grief, lockdown and climate change make us think about today’s society and find shared experiences in unexpected places. Feeding Grief to Animals; Bearly Functional; Birth of the Telephone; Blodeuwedd's Gift; Confessions of an English Ant-Eater; Everyone Has My Jacket; The Flood; Growing Plains; Mental Roots; Misophonia; Sensory Chaos; Silence and Her Roommate; Unbound; Urban Fox; wūûūwūûū; Rawr; Worlds Apart

Female Filmmakers Too: BBC Introducing Arts

Cultural historian Janina Ramirez presents a collection of intriguing and exciting short films by emerging female directors and artists. Each film gives a female perspective on modern-day topics from friendship and identity to freedom and belonging. Silent Pride; 0.5%; After the Break; Black. British. Muslim. Other.; Exhale; Hung Out to Dry; I Asked for Wonder; Midday; Sapphire of the Valley; The Skin I Move In; We know a better word than happy; Being Black in Northern Ireland

Screengrabbed Too: BBC Introducing Arts

Huw Stephens presents an exciting selection of short films from emerging artists and film-makers from across the UK. Topics are fresh, varied and thought-provoking, including a behind-the-scenes look at a zoo closing for the night, an honest account of farming the land, and a powerful love letter from a son to a mother who has cancer. Expect to be moved and challenged by these short dramas, observations and dance, made by a new generation of storytellers. Yew; Echdo; King of the Pit; Two B or Not Two B; Lucky House; Everything Is Fine; The Jacket; Cages; It's Always Been; Mary Lost Her Battle; Between the Dog and the Wolf; From His Perspective

Five Steps to Accept Farewell

YeJoo and EunMin spent two years as a couple so far. One day, YeJoo wants to finish the relationship that she had with EunMin. EunMin gets angry and asks if there's another girl. Yejoo says she got a boyfriend.

Parallel Novel

A writer tries to force his character into suicide, but the character fights back.

Gay Jesus

Once upon a time in a cheap Jerusalem hotel room, Jesus and Judas are spending their time away from Nazareth between hot, sweaty, carnal love and preparing sermons for Jesus' growing fanbase. Enter Mary Magdalene, jealousy, Satan, and the Romans, and the once-perfect love affair between Judas and Jesus becomes a hellish ring of fire, leading Judas to betray his beloved Christ and the Romans to punish everyone for trying to turn everyone gay.

Pria

Caught between the traditions of his upbringing in rural Indonesia and his idealization of Western freedom, a teenager struggles with the expectations of imminent manhood.

Pedro

Pedro gets home at dawn. Before the young boy falls asleep, his lonely mother drags him to the beach.

Shabbat Dinner

Shabbat Dinner is boring as usual for William Shore. His mother has invited two crazy hippies and their son and is doing her best to show off, his father is drunk and berating their oddball guests, and he doesn't have much in common with their son Virgo. That is, until Virgo tells him that he has just come out as gay.

Mille scudi

South of Italy, XIX century. A couple of brigands are chased in the woods. The man has a bounty on his head and is terrified by everything, while the woman takes care of her newborn. They will be safe beyond the river, where they are going to abandon their son to some gang members in order to run faster. But the woman secretly hides the desire to keep the baby...

A Family Affair

A woman makes a powerful connection with a surprising stranger on her 30th birthday.

Funfair

In order to make a quick buck, Majid must make his wife fake a car accident injury – but is she already the victim?

A Tale of the Laundry Game

A night ride, a few beers with an old friend, memories of better times. One seemingly ordinary drive reveals the dark truths of men’s past and a sinister web of strange events.

Hysterical Sisters

"Hysterical Sisters" is an artistic and abstract poem about the chronic menstrual illnesses Adenomyosis and Endometriosis, that visualises the daily struggles of affected people. Adenomyosis is often described as the "evil sister" of Endometriosis - and vice versa. Two personified illnesses, that cause immense suffering and debilitating pain. Since loneliness, shame and a lack of understanding shape the lives of many affected people, the short film aims to raise awareness, break taboos and ultimately show sufferers they're not alone.

Shackles

The discharge of the nuclear sewage has brought great crisis to the environment. A particular mermaid becomes victim to it all.

Infinito

Silence is absolute and time dilates as we lose ourselves in an unpredictable space among non-existent places.

Nightwatching

An extravagant, exotic and moving look at Rembrandt's romantic and professional life, and the controversy he created by the identification of a murderer in the painting The Night Watch.

El Triste

On the backstage of a marionette show, El Triste, a poorly crafted marionette, is going through an existential crisis and decides to do all it takes to prove to himself and his fellow poppets that he is valuable but, as in life, not everything turns out the way he expected.

Debut

Ivan has just scored a goal and rushes to kiss Marko.

Sugar Salt and Love

Three women navigate their way through life and love.

The Burning Boy

A closeted teenage gay boy shares a swim and an afternoon together with his straight best friend. When his looks and longing let his secret out, his friend pleasantly surprises him but an accident occurs and tragedy ensues.

Brick

Jeffrey lives in a small Dutch town with his father and his girlfriend. He is about to become a dad. Working in the local brick factory, he gets to supervise newbee Kevin. When Kevin tries to become intimate with him, Jeffrey knocks him to the ground. Yet he can't seem to get Kevin out of his head and starts to question everything that he was once so sure of.

Bully

When a video of Toby being brutally humiliated at school appears on the Internet, Toby's high school and parents take action. However, with an overbearing father and a willfully unaware mother, Toby soon learns that his demons are not just in the classroom.

Me + Her

Creating a universe between two small pieces of Cardboard. When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's torrid illness, Jack must think outside the box to assure they will be together again.

Lamento

Plot unavailable

Diwa

An unflinching look at the plight of immigrants victimized by violent crimes and the obstacles they face as they seek justice - told thru the eyes of one victim.