SPECIAL GUESTS: Nic Ho (Director) and Ivana Lai (Producer) of BLACKY THE METAL ARM CAT are scheduled to introduce the short film and participate in a post-film Q&A.
Shorts Series #2:
Pan-Asian Perspectives
Discover the future of Asian cinema in this diverse selection of short films from up-and-coming filmmakers! Featuring titles from South Korea, Hong Kong, mainland China, and Malaysia, this program highlights innovative styles and compelling perspectives.
Date: Sunday, April 5
Time: 4:00 PM (Doors open at 3:30 PM)
Location: AMC NEWCITY 14
BLACKY THE METAL ARM CAT is part of the SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG CINEMA series supported by HKETO NY.
Blacky the Metal Arm Cat (鐵臂貓黑別)
Hong Kong | Animation | 2025 | 16 minutes
Cantonese with English subtitles
Director: Nic Ho
In a world where alien technology has rendered martial arts obsolete, a black cat with a mechanical arm sets out to avenge his slain master. Blending kinetic action with sly humor, this inventive animation illustrates fight to remain relevant in a rapidly changing era.
VISITING GUESTS FOR BLACKY THE METAL ARM CAT:
Nic Ho, Director
Nic Ho is an animation director from Hong Kong, known for his animated shorts Blacky the Metal Arm Cat, Ngau Chau Is Coming to Town, Mountains and Seas – Village of Muds and Behind the Schoolbag. His works have received the Animation Gold Award at ifva and the Silver Award at TBS DigiCon6 ASIA, and have been selected for festivals such as the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the USA Film Festival and the San Diego International Film Festival.
Ivana Lai, Producer
Ivana Lai is a Hong Kong–based animation producer and co-founder of Intoxic Studio. She has produced animated shorts including Blacky the Metal Arm Cat, Mountains and Seas and Behind the Schoolbag, which have received animation awards in Hong Kong and Asia and screened at international festivals such as the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, the San Jose International Short Film Festival, the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) and Athens Animfest.
Memory (메모리)
South Korea | Sci-Fi/Drama | 2024 | 30 minutes
Korean with English subtitles
Director: Jang Ha-won
Against her mother’s wishes, Siwoo brings home a humanoid replica embedded with her late father’s memories. Featuring superstar actress Bae Doona, this intimate sci-fi drama explores the fragile boundaries between remembrance and letting go.
The Hanging Heart (心悬)
Mainland China | Drama | 2024 | 29 minutes
Mandarin with English subtitles
Directors: Jiaang Dong, Yi Zhao
Reuniting at a diner after graduation, a group of friends find their idle afternoon upended when they suspect a family of strangers may be involved in a kidnapping. What begins as a clumsy act of civic heroism spirals into a sobering reckoning about the dangerous ease of believing what we want to see.
Bleat! (கத்து!)
COMPETITION FILM
Malaysia, Philippines | Comedy/Queer | 2025 | 15 minutes
Tamil with English subtitles
Director: Ananth Subramaniam
Faith and tradition collide in unexpected ways when an elderly couple discovers that their male goat, destined for ritual sacrifice, is pregnant. Winner of the Cannes 2025 Queer Palm, this satirical comedy playfully challenges belief and gender norms.