International Premiere
In the borderlands of Northern China, 10-year old Amu is determined to save his beloved horse from castration.
Content Considerations: Animal violence
Aban, Yang Yang, Si Feng
China/USA
2026
In Chinese with English subtitles
This short is featured in:
Short Forum 2: Anthropomaxx
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Credits & Director
Producer
Zichen Zhao
Screenwriter
Yue Zhang, Zichen Zhao
Cinematography
Junxiong Zhu
Editor
Zichen Zhao, Yue Zhang
Production Design
Jingru Song
Original Music
Haozheng Liu, Zijian Guo
Zichen Zhao
Zichen Zhao was born and raised in Kalgan, China. He earned a bachelor’s degree in screenwriting from Beijing Film Academy and a Master of Fine Arts in film from Columbia University in New York. The short films he has directed and produced have been selected for prestigious film festivals, including VIFF, Palm Springs ShortFest, HollyShorts, FIRST International Film Festival, and Cleveland International Film Festival. His work focuses on the margins of contemporary life, critically examining gender, historical experience, and collective memory, while exploring a distinctive and expressive cinematic language.
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