Bench Talkies

Lust Stories

An anthology of four stories that sheds light on modern relationships from the viewpoint of the Indian woman.

Tropical SOV

Tropical SOV is a Brazilian anthology that brings together 23 independent filmmakers who bring to life 21 hilarious, strange and bizarre stories that could only happen in Brazil. From brains that produce cocaine to the incredible human videocassette, including the secrets of synthetic meat, baldness cures, castration of rapists, nihilistic fruits, magical sweets and the poop king of Evangelistão.

Especially on Sunday

Four lighthearted stories set in the idyllic Italian countryside: an old grouch is befriended by a stray dog; a lonely widow spies on her newly-wed son and daughter-in-law; a German tourist tries to seduce a younger nurse. The fourth segment was cut in the US by its distributor Miramax.

LAUNDRY DAY

Roots

Four independent stories based on writer Francisco Rojas Gonzáles's work, depicting the reality of Mexican indian people: Las Vacas (The Cow), Nuestra Señora (Our Lady), El Tuerto (One-Eyed) and La Potranca (The Filly). In El Tuerto, a one eyed boy is relentlessly bullied by his mates. His religious mother asks God to make the boy's eyes equal. The outcome is tragic.

Bioscope

Bioscope is an anthology film having 4 short films inspired from 4 poems.

The Story of Three Loves

Passengers on an ocean liner recall their greatest loves.

Trzy kroki po ziemi

Three stories about life problems, each rooted in contemporary reality through newspaper reports and a “Polityka” magazine survey, crafted by documentarians Jerzy Hoffman and Edward Skórzewski.

If You Were Me 2

Commissioned by South Korea's National Human Rights Commission, If You Were Me is an innovative omnibus film project to promote tolerance and human rights and shed light on the hardships disadvantaged people face in Korea. After the success of the first anthology, a second series, If You Were Me 2, was released this year. Five notable Korean directors - Park Kyung Hee (A Smile), Ryoo Seung Wan (Crying Fist), Jung Ji Woo, Jang Jin (Guns & Talks), and Kim Dong Won - participated in the second installment, creating shorts on human rights issues of their choosing.

Vowels

A romantic anthology of five love stories exploring different dimensions: Attraction, Emotion, Intimacy, Obsession, and Unconditional love, each reflecting diverse emotional experiences.

The Lost Memories of Slumber

The sun sets over the countryside leaving its inhabitants lost in nightmares masquerading as slumber. Three stories are shown, each one a twisted narrative about death and the aftermath of it.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More

Four tales unfold in Wes Anderson's anthology of short films adapted from Roald Dahl's beloved stories, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", "The Swan", "The Rat Catcher", and "Poison."

Horrorween

Some young entrepreneurs strike it rich and then move into a high class neighborhood. They try to impress their new celebrity neighbors by having a haunted house.

May Stars

May 1945. On the outskirts of Prague, ordinary people meet Soviet soldiers-liberators with tears of joy in their eyes. In the early days of the lull, someone sadly recalls a pre-war life; someone unexpectedly meets his love; someone is returning from enemy dungeons looking hopefully into the future; and someone, having moved from a tank into a Czech tram, warmly recalls his craft as a car driver... These days, all those who survived the Great War fire swear an oath to keep peace on Earth forever, honoring the memory of those who gave their lives for simple human happiness.

Ten Years Thailand

A collection of short films by five Thai directors imagining their country ten years into the future.

COOL (News from Belarus)

In this cinematic zine, directors scattered all over the world adapt to screen hilarious and poignant Belarusian news stories. Featuring phone thieves, TikTok storks, the tiniest castle in the world, and victims of the depression epidemic.

Boty plné vody

Three short stories ("Zelenáči 1945", "Silvestr 1948" and "Zimní vítr 1951") about members of the SNB units guarding the Šumava border in the post-war years. Ivo Toman had artistic supervision over the debutants. The theme of the third short story was made in 1959 for the film "Entry Forbidden" by František Vláčil, who was also starting at the time.

Pearls of the Deep

A quintet of vignettes based on short stories by Bohumil Hrabal: an eventful trip to the motorcycle races results in drunkenness, long-winded discussions, and death; two elderly men create false biographies; insurance agents visit an eccentric painter/goat farmer and his mother; guests at a wedding reception remain oblivious to outlying misery; and a working-class boy romances a Roma girl.

Daisy Petal Game

A three episode film consisting of three short films: "Promenade", "Poacher" and "Tattoo". The action of the films takes place in the 1930s in Estonia.

Tryst With Destiny

A billionaire learns there is something money can't buy, a lower-caste couple attempts to build a new life, a corrupt city cop finds himself far outside of the law and a man, who takes law into his own hands as he embarks on revenge in an anthology on class divide in contemporary India.