★ (un)Imaginary Swords ☆

★ (un)Imaginary Swords ☆ is a multidisciplinary event combining artist films, moving image works, and an experimental sound performance that examines the interplay between mass media and fandom culture—how they shape, challenge, and subvert constructs of gender, identity, and power dynamics. From a mourning fairy to a love-struck Minotaur, from a chivalrous figure to a paper puppet traveller, these selected narratives drift between imagination and reality, balancing innocence, humour, and melancholy. Through avatars and fantasy roles, they reconstruct notions of intimacy and identity, blurring the boundaries between self and fiction.

The screening is preceded by The Gourmet Critics, a live performance by Zhuyang Liu and Lil Soap. The Gourmet Critics is a cheeky, grotesque, and brain-sizzling deep dive into what happens when two food critics sit down to critique a peculiar dish: each other’s brains.

Curated by 水哨 Shuǐ Shào (If Splash as your Whistle)

☆ ̷E̷T̷E̷R̷N̷A̷L̷̷D̷E̷A̷T̷H̷ ☆o | Dir. Yi Li | China\, Germany | 2024 | 14min

KungFu 功夫 | Dir. Shen Jinghao | China | 2022 | 17min

Minotaur has a crush | Dir. Liming Lin | China | 2021 | 3min

Run! Dorothy! Run!| Dir. Shen Jinghao | China | 2023 | 35min

Safe Trip | Dir. Yuyue He & Xiya Wang | China | 2024 | 12min

----

This is a pay-what-you-can event between £3 and £15. We suggest £9 as a general admission, but feel free to follow the list below to pay based on your circumstances.

How much should I pay?

£3: I am just about able to cover my everyday costs.

£6: I can cover my everyday costs, but I find it stressful occasionally.

£9: I can comfortably cover my everyday costs.

£12: Beyond my everyday costs, I have disposable income and financial security.

£15: I would like to contribute more to support the organisation’s work.