back

Children's Day

Berlinale Shorts 2025
© Potocol
Xuan is a quiet Primary Two student at an all-girls school. Her father is authoritarian and distant, while her mother is consumed by the demands of caring for the new baby. Self-effacing and reserved, Xuan is often bullied and overlooked by her two older sisters and her peers. One day, she befriends Maggie, a kind yet privileged girl, and the two form a quiet bond. As Children’s Day approaches – the one day when they are not required to wear their school uniform – Xuan looks forward to matching outfits with Maggie. For the first time, she feels seen.
To view this content, you must enable third-party cookies. >
by Giselle Lin (Director, Screenplay), Nicolette Lin (Screenplay)
with Emma Lim, Adele Tong, Shu An Oon, Edward Choy Singapore 2025 20' Colour World premiere

With

  • Emma Lim (Xuan)
  • Adele Tong (Maggie)
  • Shu An Oon (Mummy)
  • Edward Choy (Papa)

Crew

Director Giselle Lin
Screenplay Giselle Lin, Nicolette Lin
Cinematography Clyde Kam
Editing Gan Bai Lin
Music Wey Yinn Teo
Sound Design Ernie Goh
Production Design Shilin Lim
Producers Sam Weishi Chua, Bambby Cheuk, Macarius Chia

Produced by

Potocol

Photos

Giselle Lin

The work of the Singaporean writer and director, which is inspired by the impermanence of memory, connections and nature, has been selected for several international festivals. Her short film Yi Yi (Time Flows in Strange Ways on Sundays) and her documentary I Look Into the Mirror and Repeat to Myself both screened at Locarno while Things featured at the Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg. She is currently developing her debut feature film, Midnight Blue Spring, with which she won the prize of the 2022 Locarno Residency.

Filmography (short films)

2021 Yi Yi (Time Flows in Strange Ways on Sundays) 2023 I Look Into the Mirror and Repeat to Myself 2024 Things 2025 Children’s Day

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025