Spectre of the Bear

Director: Puzhen Zhang

Year: 2026

One summer in early 2000s China, a shy preteen girl confronts her fear of water — and human connection — when she forms an unexpected, magical bond in the deep end of the pool.

Director: Kieran Bourne

Year: 2026

Arthur, a Black filmmaker struggling with his sense of identity and external expectations, retreats to a remote farmhouse with seven days left to finish his script. His solitude is quickly interrupted by Clara, a high-profile actress on the run from her press tour, seeking an escape from a life defined by words on a page. Searching for distance from the pressures that have led them here, Arthur and Clara initially resist one another. But as their fragile egos attempt to connect, their shared vulnerability leads them on an accidental journey of self-discovery, revealing what it truly means to be seen. Set against the quiet isolation of the British countryside, Arthur & Clara is an intimate exploration of identity and genuine connection. This is not a story about two people finding each other, but about two people finding themselves. Official Selection, Austin Film Festival 2026 - WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Adam Lavis

Year: 2027

Thomas and Anje have been struggling to conceive, but neither knows how to talk about what they’re going through. Anje pours herself into her family and caring for her demanding mother, while Thomas retreats into work and the purchase of their dream home. To Thomas, the house represents a chance for them to build a life away from Anje’s overbearing family, particularly her brother Hemming, a man seemingly incapable of tact, grace or decorum. But just as they are preparing to complete on the house, Thomas unexpectedly loses his job. With only fourteen days to find new employment before the bank withdraws their mortgage, he keeps the news from Anje, convinced he can solve the problem himself. When Hemming discovers Thomas’s secret, he immediately takes it upon himself to help. His increasingly bizarre solutions draw in dubious acquaintances, eccentric family members and, eventually, the attention of the law. What begins as a quiet domestic crisis gradually descends into farce, as Thomas’s determination to solve everything alone threatens to sabotage the family and future he has been trying so desperately to protect.