ACMI & Chinese Independent Film Foundation present
Chinese-Australian Short Films
Tickets
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When
Thu 26 Mar 2026
Seven short films showcasing a new generation of Chinese-Australian filmmakers, selected by the Chinese Independent Film Foundation.
A new wave of Chinese Australian filmmakers is emerging as a bold generation of storytellers, ready to assert their place in both national and global cinema. This program brings together seven award-winning shorts spanning 2012 to 2024, previously shown at Festival de Cannes, Toronto International Film Festival, MIFF, BFI London and more. Featuring filmmakers from across the Australian diaspora, as well as directors from Singapore and mainland China who have lived and worked in Australia, the collection traces the ideas and experiences shaping contemporary Chinese Australian youth identity.
Rather than offering a single through line, these films embrace Chinese Australian diversity, touching on new migrant experiences, queer expression, stoner humour, generational conflict and more. Together, they bring Chinese Australian cinema into focus, revealing an identity that is both playful and profound, intimate and expansive.
At a time when Chinese speaking communities are too often framed as objects of fear in Australian cultural life, this program offers a vital counterpoint. It celebrates creativity, affirms belonging and places Chinese Australian stories at the heart of the nation’s evolving cultural imagination.
Featuring Alex Wu, Audrey Lam, David Ma, Johnathan Lo, Lionel Seah, Qiu Yang and William Duan.
Curated by Victor Tang of the Chinese Independent Film Foundation.
Program
Faraways
Dir. Audrey Lam, 2012, Mandarin Chinese, English, with English subtitles, 10 mins
Two international students wander through Melbourne’s urban landscape, sharing fleeting moments of companionship and solitude. A gentle meditation on distance, friendship and the fragile connections formed far from home.
Withered Blossoms
Dir. Lionel Seah, 2024, Cantonese, with English subtitles, 14 mins
In suburban Sydney, a young woman quietly conceals the end of a long relationship while caring for her ageing grandmother. Over the course of a single visit, unspoken grief and generational love surface in this tender portrait of the Chinese-Australian family.
A Gentle Night
Dir. Qiu Yang, 2017, Mandarin Chinese, with English subtitles, 15 mins
In a nameless Chinese city, a mother searches through the night for her missing daughter. Winner of Festival de Cannes’ Short Film Palme d'Or, A General Night is a haunting meditation on absence, maternal love and the quiet devastation of family tensions.
The Dancing Girl & The Balloon Man
Dir. David Ma, 2023, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, with English subtitles, 21 mins
In Sydney’s Chinatown, an unlikely romance sparks between a dancing-obsessed dim sum worker and a gentle street performer. A whimsical love story about chance encounters, loneliness and small acts of courage.
Bong Xi Fa Cai
Dir. Jonathan Lo, 2024, English, Mandarin Chinese, with English subtitles, 17 mins
After accidentally eating a weed cookie, a slacker is forced to face a chaotic Chinese New Year family gathering. A sharp comedy of manners about tradition, generational tension and youthful recklessness.
Tui Na
Dir. William Duan, 2022, Mandarin Chinese, English, with English subtitles, 15 mins
A boy struggles to reconcile his burgeoning queer identity with his filial duties and expectations from his Chinese immigrant mother.
Idol
Dir. Alex Wu, 2020, Mandarin Chinese, with English subtitles, 19 mins
A young Chinese pop star is called into an emergency meeting after a fan’s tragic death. Set behind closed doors, the film dissects fame, responsibility and the crushing weight of public image in contemporary celebrity culture.
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