While I'm Away (2026)

"While I’m Away" is a debut animated short from a first-year student. It explores the ache of never truly belonging anywhere—longing for one home while living in another. The story dives into the quiet guilt of leaving your country behind, especially when you’re the first in your family to do so. It captures that endless inner pep talk: telling yourself you’re not making a mistake, even when you’re completely lost navigating the aftermath. Themes of rebirth, alienation, growth, guilt, renewal, and envy pulse through every frame.