Relaxed: Ecosystems Not Empires

Sept 13, 2026
1 PM

Location
SFU - Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema

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Beyond cold concrete walls, there are lush worlds formed by queer communities, ready for a new tomorrow. Our worlds evolve differently: not by what we take, but by what we give. How we thrive is not drawn out in a blueprint, but an invitation to dance, shed skin, and become something wild.

Find your wings with these seven short films.

SHORT

In a haunting near future where borders are redrawn and belonging becomes a moral test, two women discover that love alone cannot shield them from the weight of collective complicity.

Content Notes: Racism and racial slurs

SHORT

A mesmerizing collision of dance, techno, and poetry, Abjad Ḥawaz (هوز أبجد ) transforms the Arabic alphabet into a fearless celebration of SWANA identity, language, and artistic liberation.

SHORT

A slice of life portrait on Bill Xū, a local Chinese medicine practitioner and community organizer, through seasons of healing.

SHORT

When a gay man (Alan Cumming) returns to Scotland with his partner to attend a wedding cèilidh, memories of a difficult coming out process resurface.

SHORT

An encounter with Adam shatters worlds in this striking animation. A sensorial exploration of healing from sexual trauma and radical joy.

SHORT

Hiwa reckons with outgrown friendships amid the glittery nightlife of Tamaki Makaurau. Deeply rooted in iawhiti (Māori trans) experiences.

Content Notes: Transphobia and trans misogyny, Swearing and strong language

SHORT

Skylar, a disciplined dancer, auditions for a breakout opportunity with a prestigious ballet company. As the pressure surmounts, their perfectionism is challenged by a fellow dancer.