For its third incarnation, Fantastic Futures, SLASH’s showcase that celebrates the brightest up-and-coming talents, puts an exclusive spotlight on student filmmakers. Discover a total of eight distinct works from film schools around the world for a mouth-watering taste of how fantastic the future of genre cinema is. From culinary delights starring reluctant food to violent kitchen fights and dystopian tasting sessions, these student shorts cook up a storm of apocalyptic proportions and plummet the depths of nightmarish distress. Envy turns to gluttony in a surreal playground escapade that sees the strong consume the weak while an art gallery nude model must decide how to nourish his self-image without others forcing insecurities down his throat. To eat or not to eat? Pull up a chair, and see if you can resist what these future tastemakers have prepared.
REMOVE HIND LEGS BEFORE CONSUMPTION
Lukas Wind, Leslie Herzig, Finn Meisner | CH 2022 | 4′
Austrian premiere
In an insect food farm, millions of crickets are being bred, frozen, packaged and fried. One cricket heroically tries to escape his catastrophic fate.
CHEF GUSTAV
Luke Frangeskou | UK 2023 | 3′
International premiere
A proud chef is cooking a fancy meal but is forced to fight a mischievous cat who will stop at nothing to steal the food he is cooking.
THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE GYM
Yoon Hei cho | US 2022 | 6′
Lunchtime at a peaceful school. Children discover they can transform into animals. The only problem is when will they stop?
ON THE 8TH DAY
Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois | FR 2023 | 8′
World premiere
It took 7 days to create the world; it only took one to disrupt its balance.
PERFECT CITY: THE BRAVEST KID
Shengwei Zhou | US 2023 | 6′
Austrian premiere
Chased by his nightmarish knife-hand, a Paper Boy has to confront his real fear.
THE THIRD EAR
Nathan Ginter | US 2023 | 13′
European premiere
After seeing a botched depiction of himself, Sammy, a nude drawing model, sprouts an ear from the back of his head, spiraling his sense of self-image and life out of control.
THE HAND THAT FEEDS
Helen Hideko | AT 2023 | 24′
Austrian premiere
When forced to move in with her suffocatingly sweet, controlling mother-in-law, a single-mom is plagued by a creeping sense of unease. How long can she grit her teeth and swallow everything while denying the rage that is growing in her gut?
THE TASTER
Sophia Bierend | DE 2022 | 29′
Austrian premiere
In near-future Romania, Ozana is chosen to work as the new taster girl for the occupying forces. But already on her first day of work she breaks the most important rule: never look the leader in the eye.