The 2021 Universe Multicultural Film Festival Selections 

 Feature Films

		News from Fukushima Japan | 75 min Feature | Art Director: Yoshiaki Tago Synopsis: The nuclear disaster in Fukushima set off three meltdowns. This film documents a theater piece, performed in San Francisco in 2017, by a multicultural cast, bringing together poetry, dance and music to explore the ideas of human error and suffering juxtaposed to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.			Toprak Turkey | 106min Feature | Drama Director: Sevgi Hirschhäuser Synopsis: TOPRAK is the dramatic story of a simple family in rural Turkey dealing with poverty, family traditions, and religious heritage. Since the death of his parents, the teenage Burak has lived with his uncle Cemil and grandmother in a remote Turkish village. The small family unit has been trying to make a living by selling fruits. While the religious Cemil is satisfied to live his life in poverty, Burak struggles to leave for the city and attend university
		Vision Quest United States | 90min Feature | Documentary Director: Tamara Bell Synopsis: This epic documentary examines the long and winding path that Canada’s Indigenous people travelled to achieve independence. Relying on discussion and detailed examination, the film establishes a “then and now” style narrative approach that considers historical events and their significance through the prism of contemporary, early 21st-century conditions			Who are We Australia | 105min Feature | Drama Director: A.Hassan Keivan Synopsis: The story of the film is about a man who is looking for his real identity and his constant question is, who am I?. And this can be the question of each of us, Who are we?. He misses the chance to live with a girl because of the Islamic revolution in Iran. After his mother's death, he discovers that his real parents are not those that have raised him.

Short Films

		AstroLOLogy - Libra - The_Pied-Piping Malaysia | 7 min Short | Animation Director: Ken Foong Synopsis: AstroLoLogy is our original comedy web-series of short skits based on the members of the Greek Zodiac and their wacky personalities and relationships. Gaze with wonder in this simple, dialogue-free, colorful, children's series featuring universal characters and plenty of physical comedy for people all over the world.			De Brume Et De Sang France| 24min Short | Horror Director: Roland Collin Synopsis: A famous novelist, winner of a prestigious prize, meets a journalist. Wanting to find out more about his personality, the journalist asks him about his latest books and where he gets his inspiration. As the time passes, the author starts to doubt the real intentions of the interviewer. The meeting quickly goes downhill, revealing the scars of a tragedy that happened four years ago.
		Kanda Bode (Don't Get Whipped) Ethiopia | 25min Short | Drama Director: Fekad Kiros, Cheryl Halpern Synopsis: This documentary focuses on the Hamar Tribe, a semi nomadic and rural people who live along the Omo River in Southwestern Ethiopia. Preserving the traditions of their ancestors is essential to defining Hamar life.			Wadayaze Belgium | 7min Short | Drama Director: Grohmann, Dieter Michael Synopsis: Two men meet by accident at the beach and have a vision of past and future life.

Youth Made & Student Films

		Bane of the Beasts United States | 5 min Student-made | Animation Director: Alexis Wong Synopsis: A young creature unlike any other is shunned by all the herds of the land. But little do they know, that the pup is meant for a far greater destiny.			Soul of the Lands Iceland | 16 min Student-made | Documentary Director: Fabio Del Percio Synopsis: In Iceland, the indigenous ritual of the sweat lodge, brought there by a Native American more than 25 years ago, has been adopted by the Icelanders, undoubtedly demonstrating the practice’s resilience to new cultures.
		Meat Soup China | 6min Student-made | Drama Director: Donglei Yin Synopsis: Dragon, who framed by the President of the Herbs club, decides to clarify rumors on her own.			One Touch Greece | 2min Student-made| Drama Director: Luca Acito Synopsis: Touching is the profound way of expressing ourselves. We will be in each other's arms again.

Music Video and  Film Songs

		Brave United Kingdom | 3min Music Video Director: Pia Toscano and Jon Altham Spent my time, trying to begin Synopsis: Changed my life, changed my sparkle within Echoing to the sound of my sin Holding my tears, now I won't give in			Saintfield: "Into the World” Canada | 20min Music Video Director: Adrian Smith Synopsis: A documentary/concert film performed by alt-World, neo-classical duo Saintfield. Features the performance of the 4 songs from their debut EP titled "Into the World"
		SAU SAU Chile | 3min Music Video Director: Isabel Custer Synopsis: A Latin American woman visits Easter Island, learns the traditional courtship dance and falls in love with the island, the culture and its people.			Summer of Girls United States | 3min Music Video Director: Nick Canton Synopsis: A lifeguard experiences her first real Summer lust from afar.

Special Screening Films