MATA-ASYA I ASIAN-EYE
Mata-Asya showcases the vibrant voices and visions of contemporary Asian filmmakers, offering a diverse lens on stories from across the region. From intimate narratives to bold experimental tales, this section highlights the creativity, culture, and cinematic innovation defining fantastic Asia today.
A Shiny Day by William Ezekiel Rasher (2025) Indonesia 21min
Drama, Horror I World Premiere
​
Philip (16) believes he’s protecting his mother, Agita (40), from repeating the horrors of her abusive past. But on the eve of her wedding to a man he’s never met, her behavior grows eerily unfamiliar, and his unease turns to fear. As strange events unfold, Philip uncovers disturbing secrets about the groom and the darkness haunting their family. What begins as a son’s attempt to shield his mother becomes a descent into manipulation and dread. By dawn, Philip must face a devastating truth—and choose between accepting the unthinkable or losing the only family he has left.
Hirva by Utkarsh Ashok Bankar
(2025) India 14min
Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Animation I International Premiere
​
In Mumbai’s stark divide between skyscrapers and slums, Hirva, a young Warli girl, finds a mysterious map in her grandmother’s box. Guided by an unseen spirit through the city, she follows symbols to a magical forest where she meets a wounded leopard god and witnesses her people’s displacement. The encounter transforms her, sending her home with renewed strength. Told without dialogue, the film relies on vivid imagery and music to convey her journey.
Khoj by Rakshak Diwan (2025)
India 29:31min
Drama, Sci-Fi I Southeast Asian Premiere
Jeet, a man from rural Punjab, becomes consumed by the belief that his missing wife Rani was abducted by aliens, isolating himself with radios, antennas, and conspiracy notes. His obsession intensifies when an old man claims to share the same fate until Jeet discovers Rani alive, with a child, revealing she left to escape his unraveling mind. Heartbroken, Jeet destroys his delusions, but something strange happens next.
Serumba Silau (Towards the Dusk)
by Nicklaren Anak Rommie (2025)
Malaysia 11:38min
Indigenous, Drama, Horror I International Premiere
A young boy, Andau, disappears at dusk after playing outside, prompting the village manang to warn that a spirit has taken him to Dunia Sebayan. Desperate to save her child, his mother considers a dangerous ritual, while the grandmother, still traumatized by losing her own brother, struggles with her fragile grip on reality.
Setan Bercelana (The Devil Wears Pants) by Daffa Mangussara (2025) Indonesia 21min
Drama, Horror I International Premiere
IDharma, the antagonist in a theater play, is shocked to realize the corpse on stage has died for real, and as he and the five actors try to uncover the mastermind, they each hide their true intentions behind the characters they portray.
Shano U Adak by Khambor Batei Kharjana (2025) India
Folklore, Drama I Philippinel Premiere
IWhen Rothed, Klak and Adak were coming back from the forest, they stumbled upon a fireplace and as they sat there to rest, Rothet realised that Adak had gone missing.
Tether
by Roufy Nasution (2025) Indonesia 20min
Horror, Drama, Fantasy I Asian Premiere
Halim, a man with extraordinary healing abilities, helps those suffering from various illnesses. However, as he treats a man with deep emotional scars, Halim begins to question the true cost of his powers and the nature of healing itself.
The Witching Hour
by Junayed Alavi (2025) India 9:42min
Horror I Philippine Premiere
A struggling boy, routinely beaten by his harsh tutor, finds comfort only in his grandmother, who tells him stories of a child-eating witch. One evening, after failing to finish his lessons, he notices strange sounds and bloodied lemons falling from upstairs - an ominous sign in Indian folklore.