ROOTS in Motion #7

Supporting local filmmakers is at the heart of what we do. In addition to the annual ROOTS Film Festival, we're expanding our efforts with ROOTS in Motion—a year-round platform dedicated to film screenings, dynamic discussions, Q&A sessions, and valuable networking opportunities.

THE FOLLOWING FILMS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR ROOTS IN MOTION #7

The Queen Who Was Actually a Fish (Fenne Maurer)
In this fairytale-like animated short, a newly crowned queen suppresses her true nature in an attempt to gain her kingdom’s acceptance. Inspired by Millais’ Ophelia, the film explores people-pleasing behaviour in women and reclaims the figure of the ‘fallen woman’. It offers a quiet but pointed reflection on the emotional cost of self-erasure.

She Cries (The Holy Water) (Panida Petchara)
Moving between wakefulness and dream, the film drifts through memories of mermaid folklore at Samila Beach, endless rain abroad, and a grandmother slowly losing her grip on time. Fragments of pop music weave through images of sea, rain, and tears, dissolving the boundaries between past and present. In this fluid landscape, longing remains.

The Motion (Lisa Danilkovych)
Through fragmented perspectives and overlapping voices, this experimental short examines how traumatic experiences are recalled and reconstructed. Its non-linear structure and layered montage mirror the chaos of memory, while reflecting on how women’s bodies, movements, and voices are shaped and distorted by societal perception. Conscious and subconscious states intertwine, forming an intimate landscape of thoughts, dreams, and suppressed experiences.

Regen in Augustus (Ashley Röttjers)
While the world continues to move around her, Jasmine’s life appears to stand still in her Rotterdam apartment. Isolated and emotionally adrift after the absence of her partner, she navigates a day in which visions subtly seep into reality. A brief encounter at a tram stop sparks a quiet shift in this understated film about loneliness and human connection.

After the screenings, a Q&A will take place with the selected filmmakers, and the audience will be invited to vote for their favourite film of the evening. The winning film will be automatically selected for the Best of ROOTS in Motion programme at the ROOTS Film Festival 2026.