Doha Film Institute
  • Log in
International Short Films Programme 4: By Reflected Light
Our short programmes at DFF 2025 champion new and established voices in equal measure. Curated with care, each selection offers bold craft, fresh perspectives and the pleasures of discovery, from Qatar to the wider region and beyond. Short in length, expansive in thought.
International Short Film Competition

A young Roma boy is lifted into the spotlight for his mysterious gift, only to find that light fades in unexpected ways.
A young Roma boy’s rare gift attracts the attention of a television crew, propelling him into a world of mounting expectations beyond his control. As admiration turns into public spectacle, his innocence, identity, and sense of self face relentless scrutiny. The piercing piece is a quietly haunting exploration of the fragile boundary between wonder and exploitation, and of how the pursuit of recognition and glaring spotlight can overwhelm those unready for its intensity, leaving both him and his world transformed.

Credits

Director
Bálint Kenyeres
Screenwriter
Bálint Kenyeres
Producer
Anna Bartók, Zita Kisgergely, Tamás Hutlassa, Jeremy Zelnik, Judit Romwalter
Co-Producer
Daniel Mulloy, Ilan Amouyal, David Zerat, István Török, Gábor Ferenczy
Cinematographer
Thimios Bakatakis
Editor
Anna Vághy
Production Company
Anabanana
Production Designer
Sandra Sztevanovity
Sales Company
Salaud Morisset
Sound
Jan Schermer
Cast
Vilmos Jónás
Jolika Józsefné Oláh
Tímea Udvari-Kardos
Soma Sándor
Gábor Váradi

About the Director

Bálint Kenyeres
Bálint Kenyeres, born in 1976, Budapest, is a Hungarian filmmaker and member of the European Film Academy. His shorts ‘Before Dawn’ (Cannes, 2005) and ‘The History of Aviation’ (Cannes, 2009) earned international acclaim, while his feature debut ‘Hier’ premiered in Competition at Locarno (2018). His latest short, ‘The Spectacle’ (Cannes, 2025), continues his exploration of power, perception, and h