Who am I? What is my “self” when I am haunted by a past life, an afterlife, or even, an unborn life? CinemAsia partners with the Berlin NewGen Film Festival once again to share four stories of hauntings. From a wacky Hong Kong ghost movie to magical realist coming-of-age dramas, each film describes a phantasmatic adventure of encountering one’s own ghostly being: some of them are “real” ghosts, while others are metaphorical ghosts of memory and trauma long suppressed.

The Kowloon Emperor
Willis WONG Man-chak | 2022 | 29′ | Hong Kong
One day, the Kowloon Emperor, Tsang Man-choi, pays a visit to the Community Improvement Bureau with an incredible story. According to Tsang, the Bureau’s plan to redevelop the To Kwa Wan district will unleash a vengeful spirit who was trapped there 400 years ago. To save themselves, a young Bureau staff reluctantly joins forces with Tsang on a spirit-hunting journey mixed with equal parts fantasy and martial arts.

Hourglass House
HU Yinghai | 2022 | 21′ | China
A little boy wants to take an adventure in the desert, but his mother cannot leave the family behind. Meanwhile, sand is continuously flooding into the house, burying the boy’s family. This is when he realises that the house is an irreversible hourglass of time…

A Roadside Banquet
PENG Peiqi | 2022 | 16′ | China, US
An eleven-year-old Chinese girl turns into a feather duster at her baby brother’s first birthday party, soon after learning that her parents have only ever wanted a boy.

Rest in Peace
CAI Kunyu | 2023 | 28 | China
When craftsman Dummy learns about his impending death, he seeks a traditional burial in the ground, which conflicts with China’s funeral reforms to promote cremation. His friend Roach aids his quest, but it leads them into unexpected trouble…