Screening
Open Group Finalist
Burning in Dreams
Benson Koo
Hong Kong / 11'43'' / No dialogue with English subtitles
Memories of dreams are like a piece of paper filled with words in our minds, leaving only burnt fragments upon waking. If these memory snippets are edited together, would it be a documentary of nightmares? Or a stream-of-consciousness short film akin to collage art?
The short film is based on director Benson's personal series of nightmare paintings, extending into flowing imagery designed to challenge our taboos surrounding fear and death, allowing audiences to briefly traverse through nightmares like travelers, confronting shared fears and reflecting on the impact of darkness.
The work lasts 12 minutes, transforming nightmare memories into a visual poem. Benson takes on the roles of director, cinematographer, editor, and animator, while his friend, musician Olivier Cong, composes the score.
