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Emma's Birthday

Emma closes her eyes, falls asleep, and enters the indecipherable world of dreams. In her dream, the „film of her birthday” unfolds before her, while the dream acts as a mirror, confronting her with her true self.

  • László Bús
    Director
  • László Bús
    Writer
  • László Bús
    Producer
  • Klára István
    Key Cast
    "Emma"
  • László Bús
    Cinematographer
  • László Bús
    Sound design
  • Zoltán Bognár
    Sound design
  • László Bús
    Editor
  • Klára István
    Production Assistant
  • Zoltán Bognár
    Production Assistant
  • Péter Menráth
    Production Assistant
  • Nikolett Fanni Bús
    Production Assistant
  • Zoltán Bognár
    LPZ intro designer
  • László Bús
    English subtitles
  • Péter Menráth
    English subtitles
  • Busi
    "Dream voice"
  • László Bús
    Poster
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Emma születésnapja
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Arthouse, Hybrid, Dream-like
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 24, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Hungary
  • Country of Filming:
    Hungary
  • Language:
    Hungarian
  • Shooting Format:
    BMPCC 6K PRO / SIGMA LENSES
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Crown Point International Film Festival (April 2026)
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    Best Editing Short Film
  • Crown Point International Film Festival (April 2026)
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    Best Experimental Short Film
  • New Jersey Film Awards (April 2026)

    United States
    Best Experimental Short
  • New Jersey Film Awards (April 2026)

    United States
    Best Sound Design
  • New Jersey Film Awards (April 2026)

    United States
    Nominee: Best Cinematography
  • New Jersey Film Awards (April 2026)

    United States
    Nominee: Best Editing
  • New Jersey Film Awards (April 2026)

    United States
    Nominee: Best Actress (Short) - Klára István
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival (April 2026)
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention: Best Experimental Film
  • Atlanta Experimental Fest (2026)
    Atlanta, GA
    United States
    July 10, 2026 at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia
    Official Selection
Director Biography - László Bús

László is a Budapest-based Hungarian filmmaker, director, editor, and cinematographer. In 2017, he co-founded the creative studio LPZ Experience to push the boundaries of cinematic and musical storytelling. Moving away from traditional narrative structures, László specializes in arthouse (experimental) and musical short films where plot takes a back seat, giving way to a powerful, visceral fusion of striking imagery and immersive soundscapes. His unique visual language is heavily inspired by legendary masters of cinema, including Ingmar Bergman, David Lynch, and Lajos Koltai. László’s award-winning filmography includes the critically acclaimed short films LISA & EMMA (2020) and Girls, Angels, Melodies (2024). He returns to the festival circuit with his highly anticipated latest short film, Emma's Birthday.

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Director Statement

An atmospheric audio-visual essay exploring the fragments of a woman's dream during a birthday. Driven by images, soundscapes, and a haunting voiceover rather than traditional plot, the film captures a fleeting emotional state on a micro-budget.
I have always wanted to make a short film about a dream. Dreams can help us understand our inner desires, fears, and the subconscious. Often, like mirrors, dreams confront us with ourselves. In this short film, we follow Emma’s weird, irrational birthday dream. After Emma drifts off, her birthday film begins to play. Her dream-mirror becomes a movie screen, forcing her to confront herself. We love our dreams, but not always. And don't forget, dreams are basically irrational and indecipherable.
This short film is the concluding chapter of a film trilogy. The preceding parts include Lisa and Emma (2020) and Girls, Angels, Melodies (2024). Although each part is standalone and stylistically unique, the central focus of the entire trilogy remains the concept of 'woman'.