THE SPEECH

Under the pressure of WHO, the Chinese government announced that the SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak is real. The city is closed. Most students have been sent home. During a lockdown inside a private boarding school, three eight-year-old girls have to find a way to make sense of the world.

Set in the era of the SARS virus in China, THE SPEECH is perhaps the most topical film in our lineup. But rather than focusing on the epidemic itself, this stunningly crafted short is more about the experience of being a child. While adults fret about the state of the world, children’s minds are stuck on peculiar things, like a stupid costume you have to wear for your dance recital, or whether the mercury inside a thermometer can actually kill you. This film lingers on like a fine cocktail, sophisticated and unforgettable. — Kath T (Programmer)