Five Films for Freedom

Synopsis

I Hate Helen (Short film/UK/English/2025/7 mins) Dir. Katie Lambert. Priya hates Helen. She hates her in the canteen. Hates her in science. Especially hate  her at swimming. Mostly, Priya hates the way Helen makes her feel. 

Rag Dolls (Short film/USA, Mexico/English, Spanish/2026/12 mins) Dir. Amy Adler. Married couple Rosalinda, born with spina bifida and Diana,who has cerebral palsy navigate life in Puebla, Mexico, where disability intersects with discrimination and  poverty. Abandoned by family, underserved by government support systems, and facing  persistent homophobia, the women have built a life centred on mutual care and  protection. Observing a single ordinary day, the film follows their routines, a romantic date, and moments of reflection on their enduring love. 

Room 206 (Short film/France/French/2025/16 mins) Dir. Laurie Bisceglia. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery, Clair no longer cares what the world thinks.  Reclaiming his body becomes a path toward self-recognition for the first time in his life.  This documentary accompanies him not only through physical change, but towards  emotional renewal and a new beginning. 

Sweat/Mô Hôi (Short film/Vietnam/Vietnamese/2025/15 mins) Dir. Edward Nguyen. On the eve of leaving rural Vietnam, farm worker Hung prepares to illegally cross the  border in search of refuge abroad. Defined by routine and labour, his final day with  Hoang, a fellow worker, reshapes his understanding of desire, intimacy and selfhood.  

Theo (Short film/Brazil/Portuguese/2025/15 mins) Dir. Monica Palazzo & Joana Galvão. Brazil, 1986, during the World Cup, seven-year-old Theo quietly navigates school life  while defying rigid gender expectations. Between silence and rebellion, they begin  inventing their own way of existing.