BISFF2025｜NOVA Competition “新星”竞赛

Soul and Form

Youth, linear progression, narrative, form, interiority, representation, space, and temporality—what are the elements that coexist within the cinematic space, resonating with one another and generating new perspectives? When we discuss the manifold aspects of expression and storytelling, the momentum of habit often propels us to search for familiar patterns and symbols within our perceptual frameworks, transforming them into instruments of understanding.

If we take curation as a kind of vessel, with “coming-of-age” as its linguistic and thematic foundation, then the Nova Competition—established upon such a premise—naturally bears the weight of the concept’s inherited assumptions and meanings.

Over the four years since the founding of the Nova Competition, we have resisted the urge to define. Instead, we have allowed films from different cultures, times, and forms to guide the section’s ongoing self-transformation—each iteration leaving traces of personal, social, and historical time. When curation becomes a space of convergence, can we, through an introspective lens that constantly looks beyond itself, facilitate a perpetual process of dialogue and growth—one that extends beyond form itself?

Throughout history, expressive structures centered on the theme of “coming-of-age” have continually evolved. The Bildungsroman (novel of coming-of-age), once prominent in Western literary history, examined the destabilization among the individual, ideology, and society as it progressed through modernization. As literary critic and scholar Franco Moretti observes, against the backdrop of eighteenth-century industrialization, this narrative model of “coming-of-age” quietly shifted: it no longer portrayed the linear growth of a maturing apprentice, but instead confronted the rise of educational opportunities, generational tension, changing relationships with nature, and an emerging awareness of interiority. The coming-of-age narrative thus ceased to reflect merely biological maturity—it sought instead to articulate a “new epoch,” one that gave rise to modernity, mobility, and inner restlessness. This literary form gradually moved away from the trajectory of the European white male protagonist, opening itself to the experiences of women, minorities, and those beyond conventional age boundaries, creating alternative narrative modes. Within the continuum of history, this ever-shifting genre searches for meaning in visions of the “future,” embodying what Marx called "permanent revolution"—leaving, amid unease, the eternal imprint of becoming.

Tracing this cultural lineage, the Bildungsroman itself becomes what author Ursula K. Le Guin once described as “the natural, proper, fitting shape of the novel might be that of a sack, a bag”—a form that alters according to what it carries. If film curation is also understood as such a transformable vessel, then the theme of “coming-of-age” acquires renewed significance: it embodies the very capacity to contain change, to hold the shifting textures of introspection and self-inquiry that cinema renders visible. The moving image becomes both a container of lived experience and a medium through which to re-examine the relationship between the self and an ever-changing world.

In this year’s Nova program, we trace the threads that connect contemporary social dynamics with personal histories. +10k (2025) and The Uniformed (2025) focus on collective ideologies shaped by social and political contexts: the former, through an anthropological lens, observes a Gen Z spanish boy seeking “success” through self-improvement courses and online mentorship; the latter follows a 17-year-old German boy’s confrontation with discipline, environment, and self within the military system. Abortion Party (2025) employs techniques of desktop cinema and animation to address gender, race, class, and the hidden power dynamics that underlie these social interactions.

The Leopard (2025) and A Hundred-Headed Dragon (2025) take up the timeless question of humanity’s relationship with nature, using narrative and docufictional approaches to reflect on existential awareness and non-anthropocentric forms of expression. Set within Mumbai’s unique coexistence of the urban and the wild, The Leopard meditates on ecological violence and empathy, while A Hundred-Headed Dragon employs bio-sonification to let banana trees “speak,” translating internal vibrations into stories of enslavement, erasure, solidarity, and resistance—cycles embedded within soil and history.

Personal memory and trauma continually unveil overlooked details of culture, relationships, and one’s immediate environment. The Gods (الالهة) (2025), You Have No Mother! (2025), and No Mask (2025) delve into memory, dream, and surrealism, seeking reconciliation within the echoes of religion, culture, patriarchy, and marginalized identity.

Yet beyond grief and entanglement, the body and the senses remain eternal mediators of discovery and tenderness. In Honey, My Love, So Sweet (2025), a child’s curiosity leads him to his first lesson in love, while In the Valley (2025) transforms a cave into a sanctuary of sensation, guiding a girl through hardship toward flight and light.

As Georg Lukács wrote, Soul and Form evokes a dialogue between two modes of existence: one dynamic—living—and the other conclusive—life. They dwell within human experience and memory, where we strive to understand the meaning of life even as we set the act of living in opposition to it. Within the vessel of cinema, and through the ever-renewing constellation of the Nova Competition, we immerse ourselves in fragments of life, time, and space—seeking, through open experience, new ways of perceiving, knowing, and being. (Iris Ni Sang)

灵与形

青春（Youth），线性时间的发展（Linear Progression），叙事（Narrative），形式（Form），内在（Interiority），表征（Representation），时空（Space and Temporality），是什么在影片中共振，创造新的视角？当我们谈论表达与叙事的多面样貌时，总无法避免去寻找我们认知中所熟悉的规律与符号，使之成为我们解析的密码。如果我们将策展作为一种容器，以“成长/启蒙”（Coming-of-age）这一在语言上具象化的概念作为其想象的基点，那么以此开始的NOVA新星竞赛也自然会承载起惯性所带来的预设和意义。

在NOVA新星竞赛设立的第四年间，我们不曾尝试定义，而是让来自不同文化、时间与形式的影片带领这一单元不断地自我重塑，在每一次的更迭中留下个人时间与时代的痕迹。当策划成为汇聚的过程，我们是否可以尝试演示一种不曾停歇的、在内省中远望并超越形式本身的对话与成长？

反观历史，可发现围绕“成长”这一核心展开的叙事形式及其演变的历程。如曾在现代化进程中审视着个体、形式与社会的冲突，在西方文学史中备受关注的“成长小说”（Bildungsroman）。文学批评家弗兰科·莫雷蒂（Franco Moretti）指出，18世纪工业化背景下的成长叙事不再是基于小作坊学徒重复师辈路径，而是面临增多的教育机会、代际冲突、与自然关系的变化，以及对个人精神世界的自觉。 “成长小说”不再仅反映生理意义上年轻人的成长，更试图阐释一个“年轻的时代”——及其所孕育的新文化、新动势与内心的喧嚣。 “成长小说“也逐渐脱离欧洲白人男孩的成长路径，以女性、少数群体以及超越年龄限制的体验构造着不同的叙事模式。在一个历史发展的时空中，这一不断变化更迭的文体，在“未来”的展望中寻找意义，经历着“永恒的革新”（Permanent Revolution, 马克思），在不安中留下永恒的留影。

回溯文化历史的发展，“成长小说” 形式本身成为了如作家厄休拉·勒古恩（Ursula K. Le Guin）所描述：“可随容纳之物改变形状的行囊”（natural, proper, fitting shape of the novel might be that of a sack, a bag）。若将影像策展同样视作可形变的容器，“成长”这一议题则更加凸显着其接纳变化与承载的重要性，探讨影像媒介如何反映当代社会中个体的内省与探寻。影像由此成为经验的容器，也是思考“自我与时代”关系的方式。

在新星单元的影片中，我们找寻当代社会动态图景与个人历史的线索。其中，《+10k》（2025）与《制服人》（The Uniformed, 2025）聚焦社会及政治环境下的集体意识形态，分别用人类学式的眼光去记录Z世代西班牙年轻人试图通过成长课程和网络导师的建议得到 “成功”，以及德国参军的17岁男孩在严格体制和规训下对于环境和自我的认知。《离别派对》（Abortion Party, 2025）则以诙谐的桌面电影及动画形式讲述当代社会关系与性别、种族、阶级和少数群体下的权力暗流。

《豹》（The Leopard, 2025）与《百头龙》（A Hundred-Headed Dragon, 2025）分别以叙事和虚实结合（docufiction）的方式，探讨人类生活与自然之关系的永恒母题，并折射着存在主义式的认知与被忽视的、非人类中心的语言体系。《豹》置身于孟买城市包容自然的独特环境以及对人类中心暴力的体验与认知。《百头龙》则使用生物生化技术（bio-sonification）让香蕉树张口“讲述”。植物内部发出的声响被翻译成语言，讲述在土地上不断轮回的奴役，抹去与代际间的团结与抗争。

私人的回忆和创伤中折射着文化、关系和生活环境中不曾被注目的细节。《众神》[The Gods (الالهة), 2025]、《你没有母亲! 》（You have no mother!, 2025）、《当面具卸下》（No mask, 2025）等影片钻入回忆、梦境与超现实，分别在文化，宗教、少数群体和父权社会的余音中寻找和父母、玩伴、手足、自我之间的看见与和解。

抛开纠葛与悲伤，我们仍应记得感官和身体是永恒的发现与触动的美好介质。《吾爱，蜜糖》（Honey, My Love, So Sweet, 2025）中，孩子细腻与好奇的眼光让他首次体会到了爱的滋味。而《鸟，飞行中》（In the Valley, 2025）将洞穴变成女孩与感官链接的秘境，带领她脱离现实的困境，在光影和美中飞翔。

如哲学家卢卡奇所写，灵与形（Soul and Form）来自现实的两种形态的对话：一种是动态的活着（Living），另一种是结论性的生活（Life）。他们存活于人们的个体体验与回忆中。人们总是尝试着去理解生活的意义，却将“活着”的过程放在了其对立面。在影像这一容器，和其所不断编织而成的新星竞赛中，我们将浸入生活、时间与空间的数个切面，以开放性的体验带领并发现新的认知与理解。（桑霓）

check here to see full 2025 nova competition list.

No mask, Rodrigo Dada Serrano, 2025

NOVA-1

The Leopard｜Waagh｜豹

Mukti Krishan 穆克提·克里尚

2025｜0:19:59｜India｜Marathi｜Asian Premiere

The Superintendent｜公寓管理员

Evan Dominguez 埃文·多明格斯

2025｜0:17:37｜US｜English｜World Premiere

Class｜Klas｜课堂

Rumi Kaul 鲁米·考尔

2025｜0:26:36｜Netherlands｜Dutch｜Asian Premiere

The Uniformed｜Die Uniformierten｜制服人

Timon Ott 提蒙·奥特

2025｜0:16:45｜Germany｜German｜Asian Premiere

More Than Happy｜幸福之上

Wei Keong Tan 陈威强

2025｜0:06:58｜Singapore｜English｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

NOVA-2

Last Snows｜Les dernières neiges｜最后的雪

Sarah Henochsberg 萨拉·亨诺赫斯伯格

2025｜0:27:50｜France｜French｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Oceania｜大洋洲

Valentin Noujaïma 瓦朗坦·努贾伊马

2024｜0:23:59｜France｜French｜Asian Premiere

I Hear it Still｜Je crois entendre encore｜我仍然听见

Constance Bonnot 康斯坦斯·博诺

2025｜0:16:06｜France｜French｜Asian Premiere

Yan’er｜妍儿

Yuzhe Zhu 朱钰喆

2025｜0:22:07｜China｜Chinese Dialect｜World Premiere

The Gods (الالهة), Anas Sareen, 2025

NOVA-3

you have no mother!｜유 헤브 노 마더!｜你没有母亲！

Yoonseo Lee 李允瑞

2024｜0:12:52｜US, Republic of Korea｜Korean｜Asian Premiere

It’s Easier to Dream of Her Alive｜Más fácil soñarla viva｜长梦伊人

Anne Thieme 安妮·蒂梅

2025｜0:10:18｜Germany｜Spanish｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Before the Sea Forgets｜沧海遗忘之前

Ngoc Duy Le 黎玉维

2025｜0:17:00｜Singapore｜Vietnamese｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

My House Got Burned｜Mi Casa se Quemó｜被烧毁的家

Rodrigo Baeza 罗德里戈·巴埃萨

2025｜0:18:53｜Chile｜Spanish｜Asian Premiere

Madonnas｜麦当娜与圣母

Pola Kapuste 波拉·卡普斯特

2025｜0:29:30｜Germany｜Italian｜World Premiere

NOVA-4

The Eldest｜L’aînée｜长女

Alma Jodorowsky 阿尔玛·佐杜洛夫斯基

2024｜0:19:01｜France｜French｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Only the Green Stayed｜唯绿犹存

Adam Zheng Yuan 袁铮

2025｜0:20:09｜China｜Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese｜World Premiere

Yo Yo｜悠悠球

Mohammadreza Mayghani 穆罕默德雷扎·迈加尼

2025｜0:14:49｜Iran, France｜Persian｜Asian Premiere

Urdo on the Dead Wood｜枯木上的乌尔朵

Han Bowen 韩博文

2025｜0:36:59｜China｜Chinese Dialect｜Asian Premiere

Honey, My Love, So Sweet, JT Trinidad, 2025

NOVA-5

With Tapes and Toasts in the Car｜Im Auto Tapes und Butterbrot｜录音带与吐司之旅

Kiana Naghshineh 基亚娜·纳格希内

2025｜0:14:18｜Germany｜German｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

A Hundred-Headed Dragon｜Un Dragón De Cien Cabezas｜百头龙

Helena Girón, Samuel M. Delgado 海伦娜·希龙，塞缪尔·M.德尔加多

2025｜0:14:50｜Spain｜Spanish｜Asian Premiere

Blue Bird｜Pássaro Azul｜蓝鸟

Miguel Munhá 米格尔·穆尼亚

2025｜0:29:42｜Portugal｜Portuguese｜Asian Premiere

That Summer I Got Accepted to University｜Тем летом я поступил｜考入大学的那个夏天

Aleksandr Belov 亚历山大·别洛夫

2025｜0:29:34｜Sweden, Russia｜Russian｜Asian Premiere

NOVA-6

The Gods (الالهة)｜Les Dieux (الالهة)｜众神

Anas Sareen 阿纳斯·赛任

2025｜0:15:00｜Switzerland｜Arabic, French｜Asian Premiere

A Sky So Low｜Un ciel si bas｜如此低沉的天空

Joachim Michaux 若阿基姆·米肖

2025｜0:32:00｜Belgium, France｜French, English｜Asian Premiere

The Knife, the Wound｜Le Couteau et la plaie｜刀与伤

Lucas Minier 卢卡斯·米尼耶

2025｜0:21:48｜France｜French｜World Premiere

+10k｜+10k

Gala Hernández López 加拉·埃尔南德斯·洛佩斯

2025｜0:32:00｜Spain, France｜Spanish, Catalan (Valencian)｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Urdo on the Dead Wood, Han Bowen, 2025

NOVA-7

Forced Symphony｜سمفونی اجباری｜与迫和鸣

Parisa Tavassoli 帕丽萨·塔瓦索利

2025｜0:14:23｜Iran｜Persian｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

In the Valley｜鳥，飛行中｜鸟，飞行中

LIM Han Loong 林汉龙

2025｜0:21:13｜Malaysia｜Chinese Mandarin｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Abortion Party｜告别派对

Julia Mellen 茱莉亚·梅伦

2025｜0:13:18｜Spain｜English｜Asian Premiere

The Tobacconist｜贩假烟的人

Keifer Nyron Taylor 凯弗·奈伦·泰勒

2024｜0:22:23｜UK｜English｜Asian Premiere

Anatomy of a Lost Sound｜Anatomija izgubljenog zvuka｜失声剖析

Zuko Garagić 祖科·加拉吉奇

2025｜0:19:30｜Czech, Bosnia and Herzegovina, US｜Bosnian, German, Czech, French｜Asian Premiere

NOVA-8

Honey, My Love, So Sweet｜吾爱，蜜糖

JT Trinidad JT·特立尼达

2025｜0:20:00｜Philippines｜Tagalog｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

Dreams of My Father｜梦与父亲

Jonathan Seungjoon Lee 李勝俊

2024｜0:15:07｜Republic of Korea, Netherlands, US｜Korean, English, Spanish｜Chinese Mainland Premiere

No Mask｜Sin máscara｜当面具卸下

Rodrigo Dada Serrano 罗德里戈·达达·塞拉诺

2025｜0:35:06｜Mexico｜Spanish｜World Premiere

Thundergod｜激雷｜激雷

Umi Ishihara 石原海

2024｜0:18:16｜Japan｜Japanese｜Chinese Mainland Premiere