Experiencing Interruptions?

Dream Rift

Dreams are illogical, perhaps fragmented, requiring no words, no explanations. Everyone is free to interpret, because, this is a dream.

This fantasy animated short film is born from seven vivid and real dreams the director experienced one fateful night. The dreams were so vivid that upon waking, the director felt compelled to weave them into a story, exploring the boundaries between reality and dreams. Seven dreams, seven lives—a journey both familiar and unknown. In the spaces between time and space, where past and future intertwine, consciousness drifts. Are dreams more real than reality itself? And if we could remember every dream, would there be any difference between dreams and life?

Without narration, without explanation, this is the presentation of dreams. The film takes the audience through the depths of the soul, blurring the line between dream and reality, seeking the true meaning of memory, identity, and existence.

  • MFX Films
    Producer
  • Chih Hao Shen
    Director
  • Chih Hao Shen Shen
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Music Video, Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
  • Genres:
    Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Narrative, Epic, Dreams, Soul, Surreal, Reincarnation, Illusion, Memory, Self-Discovery, Unreal, Visual Spectacle, Apocalypse, Biochemical Crisis, Catastrophe, Mutation, Virus, Horror, Survival, Dystopia, Futuristic World, Monstrous, Genetic Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Post-apocalypse, Dark Sci-fi, Sci-fi, Human, Zombies, Superpowers, Rebellion, Escape
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 28, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    Taiwan
  • Country of Filming:
    Taiwan
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • First-Time Filmmaker
    England
    United Kingdom
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Chih Hao Shen

As a new director, I am still in the process of exploration and learning. However, being selected for Official Selection by multiple international film festivals and receiving awards such as Best Animated Short Film and Best New Director has been an immense encouragement, strengthening my commitment to continue on this creative path.

In addition to filmmaking, I have published several digital art books across Asia (especially in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and China), and gained substantial teaching experience. These experiences have inspired me to share my insights and filmmaking journey with others. Furthermore, with over 20 years of experience in film-related product design, I have had the privilege of contributing to the design of merchandise for the Chinese-language release of The Lord of the Rings. These experiences have deeply influenced my approach to blending Eastern and Western cultural elements in my film creations.

Looking ahead, I hope to bring small yet meaningful changes to the world, continuing to explore the universal values of human emotions, life, and destiny, while reflecting on the challenges our world faces today, such as anti-war sentiments, human rights, and environmental issues.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Are dreams merely illusions? We often dismiss them upon waking, thinking of them as fragments of unconscious thought. But during the making of this film, I began to wonder—what if dreams are memories? What if, in different dreams, we are actually living different lives?

The filming process felt like a journey between reality and illusion. Each dream sequence was built upon real emotions, past experiences, and that unexplainable sense of déjà vu. As the images took shape, I realized these dreams didn’t just belong to the characters; they belonged to me, and perhaps to every viewer who has ever dreamt.

Visually, this film blends surreal storytelling with elements of fantasy, aiming to create a sense of both detachment and familiarity—so that viewers might feel they have "been here before." My hope is that this is not just a film about dreams, but a reflection on self and memory.

And if our dreams are real, then what we call reality—could it just be a longer dream?