On September 21, NYU Shanghai’s sixth annual "One in 24" film race culminated in an award ceremony and film screening in the auditorium.
The competition, hosted by 24 Frames, NYU Shanghai’s student film club, brought together 18 teams of talented filmmakers who demonstrated their skill and creativity by crafting original short films within the challenging time constraint of 24 hours.
President of the 24 Frames club Nigel Dai '26 said that this year’s theme of “Intersection” was selected to encourage participants to interpret the theme in an innovative and vibrant way. "Intersection is such a broad concept that the blank after which can be filled with so many different words: the intersection of identities, genres, media, or even just people," he explained.
The submissions reflected the rich tapestry of backgrounds and cultures represented by the contestants. One standout team, led by Addie Nguyen '27, depicted a character trapped in a metaphorical net, symbolizing the barriers that hinder human interaction with the world. Their film, titled "Cleave My Dread," explored how individuals navigate real-life situations.
Nguyen, whose team won a prize for Best Concept, expressed his honor and gratitude for the judges’ positive feedback. “This competition offers a valuable platform for showcasing our creative ideas and filming techniques,” he said.
Winner of second prize in the competition, the film "The Letter" used montage and stream-of-consciousness techniques to portray two characters leading parallel lives that eventually intersected through a letter.
Behind the scenes of shooting and editing “The Letter” film, which won Second Prize.
Team member Peng Boyan ’27 saw a unique opportunity to dedicate themselves fully to a film project. “Not only did we enhance our filmmaking skills, but we also learned valuable lessons in teamwork and productivity," he said.
One of the judges, Assistant Arts Professor of IMA Eric Parren spoke highly of this year’s submissions, saying that he was impressed by the team spirit and dedicated cooperation by each team’s actors, writers, and filmmakers. “They are characterized by a wide variety of approaches to dealing with the assigned topic and an interesting mix of styles and technical executions,” he said.
“This year marks a special occasion as it is the first year we’ve hosted the competition at the New Bund campus and the first year of unrestricted travel for the participants since the [start of the] COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nigel Dai ’26. He said he was thrilled to witness some of the teams utilizing the new campus as film locations, as well as those who ventured throughout the city to shoot their films.
Awards List:
First Prize: To Kill a Shadow
By Chen Siwei ’26, Liu Jinnuo ’26, Huang Shiwei ’26, and Sheng Xinyue ’26
Second Prize: The Letter
By Peng Boyan ’27, Adelyn Li ’27, and Perla Dai ’27
Third Prize: The Surface of Time
By Mattis Nurit ’26, Amira Jacques ’26, Curran Mcderment ’26, and Rudraksha Bhukhanwala ’26
Best Story: Faith or Craziness
By Eason Dai ’27, Hughie Hu ’27, Eric Bai ’27, and Lewis Zhang ’27
Best Potential: Intersection
By Deng Yanran ’26, Rachel Li ’26, and Zhong Xiangyi ’26
Best Concept: Cleave My Head
By Addie Nguyen ’27, Royce Gopaul ’27, Yang Jiayi ’27, and Kevin Ji ’27
Audience Choice: Side by Side
By Sherry Qiu ’24, Selina Ju ’24, and Wendy Gao ‘24
Scan the QR code to watch all the films:
