Growing Up Fast – A Coming-of-Age Shorts Showcase
Adolescence is awkward, unpredictable, and sometimes even magical. In the “Growing Up Fast” short film block at HAAPIFEST 2025, eight powerful coming-of-age stories explore what happens when youth meets pressure—from family, society, and within. These films, directed by a diverse group of emerging talents, reveal what it means to grow up too soon—and how young voices find their truth.
📅 June 1 @ 5:15 PM
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton – 10609 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77042
🎟️ Get tickets/passes: haapifest.org/tickets
🌟 Featured Short Films:
👩👦 AMMA
📽️ Director: Rishi V Datla
🕒 15 minutes
A South Indian man must navigate his overbearing mother’s presence while preparing for his long-distance girlfriend’s arrival—leading to a heartfelt tug-of-war between family duty and independence.
🤖 PUBERTY FOR HUMANS
📽️ Director: Wester Demandante
🕒 13 minutes
Set in a bizarre future, a teenage boy feels out of place when his robotic classmates enter “cybernetic puberty” while his body refuses to change—raising questions about identity, belonging, and adolescence in a mechanized world.
📚 TE SEGUIRÉ A LA OSCURIDAD
📽️ Director: Nicholas Luciano
🕒 10 minutes
In this charming and nostalgic short, a determined high schooler obsessively studies Spanish all year just to level up into her crush’s class—blending romance, coming-of-age anxiety, and 2000s teen vibes.
📸 SHUTTER BIRD
📽️ Director: Réi Talas
🕒 20 minutes
A teenage photographer and a juvenile delinquent yearn to escape their stifling California farm town—bonding over rebellion, grief, and the desire for something more than what life has offered.
🏠 PASTOR’S KID
📽️ Director: Becca Suh-Hee Han
🕒 17 minutes
Returning to his childhood home, a young man confronts a traumatic memory long buried in his past—sparking a journey toward healing, faith, and acceptance.
🛹 SUNFLOWER GIRL
📽️ Director: Holly M. Kaplan
🕒 13 minutes
Thirteen-year-old Rosie skips out on babysitting her little sister to impress a crush on a skateboarding adventure through NYC—only to realize what she left behind.
😡 TANTRUM
📽️ Director: Soomin Choi
🕒 15 minutes
When her mother forgets her big choir competition, 7-year-old Moa unleashes an emotional meltdown in hopes of regaining attention—capturing the raw chaos of childhood disappointment.
✈️ DREAM WEAVER
📽️ Director: Davide Gentile
🕒 17 minutes
Based on the true story of Lush Decor CEO Jenny Jun Zhu, this inspiring short follows her childhood in rural China and her relentless pursuit of a dream that took flight from the fields to the skies.
🎟️ Don’t miss this thought-provoking and emotionally rich collection of shorts about growing up, growing apart, and growing into yourself.
🎫 Get your tickets: haapifest.org/tickets
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