Our #SubmitYourFilm program continued in the same path as the previews years, with more than 70 entries from all over Asia, with ASEAN, Indian and Asian-American entries having the lion’s share. An increasing number of entries opted for a video interview, also a part of the program, while the submission of feature films was significant this year too, even if the majority were shorts. As such, we would like to thank all the filmmakers who submitted their work and we hope that they continue to do so for many years to come.
At the same time, we also felt the need to celebrate this initiative by listing the movies we considered the best. Without further ado, here are the best #SubmitYourFilm Movies of 2024, in random order.
1. Fish Balls (Anwar Johari Ho, Malaysia)
Expectedly, the film leans significantly to its visuals, and DP Kiefer Yu, with the help of SFX does a great job in presenting all the aforementioned elements, including the voyeurism one, which is particularly intriguing in its presentation. The scene with the hands, both the many and that of the female protagonist, will definitely stay on mind as the ones that fully encompass the aesthetics of the movie. Andrew Joseph’s editing adds to the overall atmosphere here with the occasionally rather abrupt cuts, while the relatively fast pace suits the movie to perfection.
2. KL Limbo (Adam Taufiq Suharto, Malaysia)
Although evidently rather low-budgeted, “KL Limbo” highlights Suharto’s ‘one-man-show’ prowess once more, as much as his ability to create narratives minimalistically, just through a collage of photos and the use of sound.
3. Listen to the Poems I Will Whisper (Elvert Bañares, Philippines)
As an experimental film, the film strays away from the traditional convention of storytelling and uses a non-narrative way of conveying its theme. The director opts to shift focus from human interaction to the environment, positioning nature as a silent observer, yet a key player, in explaining the link between the characters. They are related, not by their words or actions, but by their surroundings—the wind, the trees, the open roads. The whole four minutes are delivered with minimal dialogue and actions; instead, it invites the audience into a sensory space where emotions and bonds are mended by the landscape.
4. Morlam (Tanaseth Tulyathan, Thailand)
Overall, “Morlam” is an excellent short, both well shot, directed and acted, and contextually rich, with its only issue being that it would definitely benefit from feature length, since both the story and the characters definitely deserve it.
5. The First Film (Piyush Thakur, India)
What becomes immediately evident here, is that “The First Film” soars with a love for cinema, with every scene and every frame highlighting the fact in the most obvious fashion. The various types of film references is just the beginning, as the girl’s eagerness to actually watch a movie is the one that truly dictates this aspect.
6. Willow and Wu (Kathy Meng, USA-China)
Kathy Meng follows the film-about-film meta trope in her short, in order to present her comments. Loss, and how difficult it can be for people to express it is the main one, but there is more. That people who appear being difficult or even unlikeable can actually have reasons for being that way is also commented upon, as much as how opening up can help overcome psychological issues. That both protagonists benefit from this last aspect adds to the particular remark. Lastly, one could say that Meng also comments on how acting works, and how directors can cooperate with the actors in order for the latter to perform they way they expect them to.
7. Anywhere the Wind Blows (Jay Liu US-Hong Kong)
Through a rather economical approach, Jay Liu manages to present his two narrative axes, of the Hong Kong fugitive in the US and of a queer relationship quite thoroughly, essentially with nothing being left out. The cinematic elements he implements into this goal are the biggest trait of the film, with the narration, the slightly surrealistic scenes, and most of all, the flashbacks being excellently implemented throughout the movie, with the job done in the editing by Thomas Wang and Jay Liu being top notch. The visual flair in these scenes in particular, is a treat to the eye, with the music video, dream-like approach working excellently, also highlighting Elisabetta Fox Piantoni’s job in the cinematography.
8. Yes Sir! (Mudit Singhal, India)
Shailendra Sahu’s cinematography captures the office building with realism, while the pleasant coloring overall adds to the entertainment the movie offers. The 4:3 ratio also works well, as much as the aforementioned widening, while Arnold Swamy’s editing induces the film with a relatively fast pace that also adds to the entertainment it offers. “Yes Sir!” is a well-shot, quite smart film, that manages to eloquently present its comments while entertaining for the whole of its duration.
9. Three (Nayla Al Khaja, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Overall, “Three” doesn’t come off as original but is certainly enjoyable enough. Among its positive points is Nayla and co-writers Ben Williams, John Collee, and Masoud Amralla Al Ali’s solid setup, offering just enough twists on the usual formula to be a worthwhile entry point into the film. Featuring the tell-tale build-up points where the signs of possession become immensely clear, this part is quite familiar overall but still manages to come across as a decent way to build the suspense of the situation. This becomes obvious when compared to the concurrent work on the rest of the family during this point. We get to see Maryam care for and try to comfort Ahmed with the increasing series of outbursts and disturbing ticks that hint at something going on but yet nothing medically viable is shown to be responsible.
10. A New Year’s Dance (Szu-Wei Chen, USA-China)
Apart from context, “A New Year’s Dance” also thrives on its aesthetics, with the combination of Lee C. Zhang’s cinematography, the overall coloring, and Chen’s own editing resulting in a series of very appealing images, that mirror the context to perfection. Sherry Li as Yu is quite good both in highlighting her inner struggle and her agony later on, even without that many lines. Jing-Tao Chang as Mr. Wang is also good in his cheeky kind-heartedness, with their chemistry being on rather good level too. “A New Year’s Dance” is a very meaningful, well-shot and well-acted film, that manages to eloquently present its comments while remaining entertaining from beginning to end.
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