Unlock the Vault Graduate Film Festival 2026
The 21st Edition | Presented by the Langara Film Arts Program

For its 21st edition, Unlock the Vault returns to the Rio Theatre for an evening celebrating the newest voices
emerging from Langara College's Film Arts Program.

This year's writing, directing, and acting students joined forces to create eleven original short films, each
approximately nine minutes long. Developed and produced through an intensive collaborative process, the
program showcases a wide range of genres, perspectives, and cinematic styles.

The 2026 lineup moves from intimate drama and dark comedy to supernatural horror, psychological
suspense, and high-stakes revenge. Across the program, the films explore grief, faith, addiction, obsession,
friendship, mortality, and the unexpected ways people search for connection.

Join the filmmakers, cast, crew, faculty, friends, family, and Vancouver film community for a one-night-only
presentation of the complete graduating-film program on the big screen.

The evening's festivities will include a short intermission.

Wednesday, August 19
Doors 5:00 pm | Event 5:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets and entry is FREE and available to the public on August 12.

2026 FILM LINE-UP
Films are listed in alphabetical order. Running order is subject to change.

4 OF A KIND
Directed by Ian Butcher | Written by Adam Beal | Produced by Yanni Tsung
Starring Jordan Nelson, Liam Markus-Nguyen, Lilou Maillot, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Evan Hsu.
A vengeful widower tracks the man responsible for his wife's death to an underground poker game, where the
stakes are more than the money on the table.

BITING THE HAND
Directed by Tony Huang | Written by Sabrina Desbois | Produced by Liam Markus-Nguyen
Starring Yanni Tsung, Martina Angelie Ogali, Liam Markus-Nguyen, Dylan Arruda, Evan Hsu, and ƒ.
A young woman becomes obsessed with being blocked on social media, using the mystery as another way to
avoid confronting herself and the people closest to her.

BLUE BRUISER
Directed by Mozi Mayaleh | Written by Azlan Chaudhry | Produced by Evan Hsu
Starring Christian Asimakos, Lilou Maillot, Lee Jung-mi, Liam Markus-Nguyen, and Evan Hsu.
An insecure young artist mistakes a stranger’s admiration for romantic interest after debuting his, “The Blue
Bruiser,” at a local gallery, only to discover that the person who truly understands and supports him has been
beside him all along.

BURN OUT BRIGHT
Directed by Edemilson C. Morais | Written by Carter Persowich | Produced by Ren Danis Kavvrin
Starring Jordan Nelson, SiQi Hao, Dylan Arruda, Christian Asimakos, Lee Jung-mi, and Evan Hsu.
On the biggest night of his career, a stand-up comedian battles anxiety, alcoholism, and the fear of failure
backstage - while a life-changing opportunity waits just beyond the curtain.

GOD IS DOG
Directed by Adrian Chao | Written by Nicolas Leininger | Produced by Martina Angelie Ogali
Starring Jordan Nelson, Yanni Tsung, Evan Hsu, SiQi Hao, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Lilou Maillot.
After a miscarriage shakes their faith, a couple searching for meaning and healing finds an unexpected sense
of grace and companionship when they adopt a local dog.

ISLE OF THE DEAD
Directed by Ariana Jurado | Written by Danilo Baffini | Produced by SiQi Hao
Starring Dylan Arruda, Lee Jung-mi, Yanni Tsung, Martina Angelie Ogali, and SiQi Hao.
In a world cursed with a solar apocalypse, an isolated survivor shelters two refugees in his remote cabin. As
fear, dwindling supplies, and a mysterious figure lurking outside erode his sanity, he must decide whether to
connect with the strangers or to keep himself safe.

MURDERED MEMORIES
Directed by Angela Nevy | Written by Kaniel Jacob-Cross | Produced by Dylan Arruda
Starring Liam Markus-Nguyen, Christian Asimakos, Lee Jung-mi, Lilou Maillot, Ren Danis Kavvrin, and Yanni Tsung.
After summoning an entity, a group of friends must recover their missing memories and determine who
among them must be sacrificed before time runs out.

NAUTICAL DISASTER
Directed by Alex Baptista | Written by Susan MacRae | Produced by Lilou Maillot
Starring Christian Asimakos, SiQi Hao, Martina Angelie Ogali, Lee Jung-mi, and Liam Markus-Nguyen.
A man dying of HIV/AIDS, abandoned by his family, rediscovers human connection, friendship, and comfort
through the home-care aide who enters his life.

SEMI-PLATONIC LIFE PARTNERS
Directed by Janin Palahicky | Written by Adonis Adam | Produced by Christian Asimakos
Starring Evan Hsu, Martina Angelie Ogali, and Lilou Maillot.
A promising date is repeatedly interrupted by the mischievous ghost of a young man's dead ex-girlfriend,
forcing him to juggle romance, grief, and a past that refuses to leave him alone.

THE FLICKERING
Directed by Logan St. Germain | Written by Natalie Brobbel | Produced by Lee Jung-mi
Starring Evan Hsu, Lilou Maillot, Jordan Nelson, Dylan Arruda, and Lee Jung-mi.
Four friends drive down an abandoned road toward a college party, but a supernatural figure appears in their
path - and one by one, they begin to vanish.

TOUR AVEC PRETZEL
Directed by Preston Schwartz | Written by Indiana Patterson | Produced by Jordan Nelson
Starring Liam Markus-Nguyen and Ren Danis Kavvrin.
Tour Avec Pretzel follows Todd as he goes on a surreal art tour where he is forced to confront and overcome
his childhood trauma.