Drifting between reality and reverie, Dream States brings together films that blur the lines between waking life and the subconscious. From a teenager lost in a coma’s surreal stream of thought to a grieving mother drawn into a hypnotic ritual, these stories explore memory, grief, and identity in unexpected ways. Whether through a folkloric winter landscape, a Finnish island steeped in nostalgia, or an Irish farm where ghosts linger, each film offers a playful, haunting, or cathartic glimpse into the unknown. Step into the liminal space where dreams take shape, and nothing is quite as it seems.

Programmers: Becca Selby, Camilla Baier, Varun Raman

Runtime: 95 Minutes

Aicha Filmmaker: Sanaa El Alaoui Country: Morocco Runtime: 26 min A mother, consumed by grief, turns to a mystic ritual weaving a hypnotic path guiding her through her loss. [Content Warnings: Depictions of death, sexual assault, blood, animal sacrifice, discussions of domestic abuse]

Getaway Filmmaker: Aaron Kilercioğlu Country: UK Runtime: 13 min A witty and offbeat tale of self-discovery, as a heartbroken camper unexpectedly finds himself at a liberating swingers’ retreat. [Content Warnings: Sexual innuendo, nudity]

My Teenage Blackout Filmmaker: Basile Khatir Country: France Runtime: 10 min A teenager in a coma drifts through a surreal, darkly funny stream of consciousness, where adolescent worries linger despite his unconscious state. [Content Warnings: Cartoon medical imagery]

Constructing an Island * Filmmaker: Ebba Gustafsson Country: Sweden Runtime: 14 min A masterfully crafted, evocative journey through memory, as a family’s tales of a Finnish island unravel into something more elusive. [Content Warnings: Discussions of mental health]

On Weary Wings Go By FIlmmaker: Anu-Laura Tuttelberg Country: Estonia Runtime: 10 min A folkloric tale of winter’s embrace, where nature hides, birds flee, and a porcelain girl wanders with no escape.

Retirement Plan Filmmaker: John Kelly Country: Ireland Runtime: 7 min A bittersweet yet playful reflection on life’s fleeting joys, this humorous meditation explores the happiness retirement might bring.

Farmers!? * Filmmaker: Freddie Leyden Country: Ireland Runtime: 15 min A group of farmers grapple with grief and masculinity after a friend’s death, until his ghost’s return sparks an unexpected, cathartic release. [content warnings: Depictions of death, some strong language]