ACMI presents

Reclaiming Tomorrow: Myth and Modernity

Unclassified (All Ages)

Film

Tickets

When

Sat 15 Feb - Sun 16 Feb 2025

Rethink the future and explore new visions of identity, technology, and survival.

Films screening in the program:

Crazy Lotus
Dir. Naween Noppakun, 2024, 15 mins

Naween Noppakun’s Crazy Lotus is a vibrant and visually arresting film that merges mythological symbolism with contemporary narratives. Set in a future where spiritual forces intertwine with technology, the film reflects on the intersection of modern life and ancient beliefs in Southeast Asia.

Club Ate Ex Nilalang (From Creature ~ From Creation)
Dir. Justin Shoulder, Bhenji Ra, 2017, 14 mins

This collaboration between Justin Shoulder and Bhenji Ra blends Filipino mythology with queer futurism, creating an extravagant world where mythical creatures come to life. Ex Nilalang is an exploration of hybridity, identity, and decolonization, reimagining cultural narratives in a space where history meets the future.

The Fortress
Dir. Sin Wai Kin, 2024, 21 mins

In The Fortress, Sin Wai Kin conjures a speculative future where digital avatars and fragmented identities merge. This experimental film dives into themes of identity construction and the influence of virtual worlds, blending body horror with digital aesthetics to question the boundaries of selfhood.

Beast Type Song
Dir. Sophia Al-Maria, 2019, 38 mins

Beast Type Song is a visually dense, haunting film by Sophia Al-Maria that confronts the violence of history and the exhaustion of living in a world on the brink of collapse. Combining archival footage, performance, and poetic narration, the film presents a visceral examination of humanity’s relationship with its own destructive impulses.

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Reclaiming Tomorrow

Each short film in Reclaiming Tomorrow offers a unique perspective on the world to come, merging glimpses of speculative futures with the pressing challenges and transformations of today.

Curated by Dr. Victoria Wareham from the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA, these works were selected from the ‘Asia Pacific Triennial Cinema: Future Visions’ program.