Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival 2025 - Network Round Shorts

2. CHAIN
Director/Producer: LING HAN
Producer: TZU-YING HO
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis:
"Chain," directed by Ling Han, is a 3D animated short film featuring charming characters and a sophisticated environment. It uniquely tells the story of the mantis catching the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. "Chain" is visually stunning and emotionally rich, expressing nature's survival instincts and prompting viewers to ponder life's deeper questions. We sincerely recommend this film to fans of animation and proverbs.

3. Gigóia – Navigating a Legacy
Director/Writer/Producer: Pedro Patricio
Producer: Fábio Scalon
Country of Origin: Brazil
Synopsis: Located in Rio de Janeiro, Ilha da Gigóia holds a legacy built by the boatmen of the Carioca Venice. Once settled by fishermen seeking access to abundant marine life, the island became home to a tradition that continues to this day: the crossing to the mainland.

The boatmen, the protagonists of this story, share their journeys, challenges, and dreams passed down through generations—from the first wooden canoes to modern chalanas and motorboats. However, rapid urbanization and poor sanitation threaten the local biodiversity, endangering the survival of this cultural heritage.

With resilience, the boatmen keep this tradition alive, fostering social, cultural, and tourism initiatives in the region. Yet the question remains: how long can this legacy endure?

4. Word
Director: Deivison Fonseca Fiuza
Producer: KARLA CAJAIBA
Country of Origin: Brazil
Synopsis: Mrs. Solange leads a group of women artisans in a small village in the interior of Bahia. The matriarch keeps indigenous and African traditions alive through her routine practices in search of raw materials in the forest, her relationship with nature and the ancestral teachings passed on to the youngest. At 78 years old, Dona Solange is a source of inspiration, respect and wisdom expressed in poetic form through her actions.

5. cycling against ghosts
Director: Livia Giuliani
Country of Origin: Germany
Synopsis: During the annual Sternfahrt in Berlin, thousands of cyclists ride on the highway—ringing bells, waving, and celebrating as they take over space usually reserved for cars.
This story is about activism and loss. The short movie portrays two courageous women, Susanne and Sabine, fighting against the overwhelming dominance of car culture in Berlin, advocating for the rights of cyclists. Their lives are intertwined by the ghost bicycles—white-painted memorials placed at the sites of fatal accidents, marking where cyclists have lost their lives. Originating in the U.S.A., these ghost bikes have been a haunting presence in Berlin since 2009, standing as reminders of the dangers cyclists face. If they weren't collected each year, the city would look like a "bicycle graveyard."

7. Half an Orange
Director/Writer/Producer: Loukia Hadjiyianni
Producer:Andros Achilleos
Country of Origin: Cyprus
Synopsis: It's summer on a farm in Cyprus. Valeria, a reclusive young writer, spends her days focused on her work. One evening, she meets Antigone at a party. Antigone is outgoing and carefree, contrasting with Valeria’s reserved nature. Amid the sunlit fields and beaches, Valeria and Antigone grow closer, discovering the beauty of a newfound desire. This bond helps Valeria grow and find new inspiration for her writing.

13. From the Office
Director, Writer, Producer: Jon Stout
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis: An absurd dark comedy with a sci-fi twist.

The last, unfortunate, day in the life of a minor bureaucrat. Attacked by a strange, gooey blob, he is slowly eaten alive as the bureaucracy spins out of control around him.

Shot in 16mm in black and white, this film features an inspired score by Dario Forzato, a not-so-lovable blob and cast of quirky characters. It is a loving gesture towards those who inspired it, Franz Kafka, Terry Gilliam and David Lynch.