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. 

 

Aicha, Sanaa El Alaoui
Morocco, 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, dir. Aaron Kilercioğlu
UK, 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, dir. Basile Khatir
France, 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, dir. Ebba Gustafsson
Sweden, 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, dir. Anu-Laura Tuttelberg
Estonia, 10 min

A folkloric tale of winter’s embrace, where nature hides, birds flee, and a porcelain girl wanders with no escape.

 

Retirement Plan, dir. John Kelly
Ireland, 7 min

A bittersweet yet playful reflection on life’s fleeting joys, this humorous meditation explores the happiness retirement might bring.

 

Farmers!?, dir. Freddie Leyden
Ireland, 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)

 

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