From the simple pleasures of an ice cream to the realization of our deepest and darkest wishes, desire has many names and faces in this shorts programme.

A Ceremony for a Friend, Kaveh Ebrahimpour | Iran

Having decided that their comrade Mansour has "gone too far," a group of friends resolve to hang him. As they discuss details of the coming execution, the condemned is graciously allowed the time to make a few last requests and accept his fate. A subversive, deadpan comic attack on the absurdity of moral policing.

GROWING PAINS, Tor Fruergaard | Denmark

Fabian’s awkward adolescence is made all the worse by his domineering mother, a no-nonsense veterinarian who castrates male dogs as soon as possible to "calm their urges" — and when fun-loving Felicia visits the clinic, Fabian gets his first peek at what those "urges" might be like. A twisted coming-of-age tale about being your true self.

I'm in the Corner with the Bluebells, Ako Mitchell | United Kingdom

Amid the cheery chaos of a family gathering, Julie, happily married and a loving mother, meets her half-brother for the first time. Julie’s unexpected feelings towards him are surprisingly not altogether unwelcome — a predicament not lost on anyone present.

Ice Cream, Serhat Karaaslan | Turkey

In this delightful tale of desire and dogged determination, the rare arrival of an ice-cream man in his small village spurs eleven-year-old Rojhat into action: dodging his angry mother at every turn, Rojhat is set on securing the coveted sweet treat no matter what.

Papa Machete, Jonathan David Kane | USA

Haitian farmer Alfred Avril is one of the last remaining masters of tire machétt, the indigenous martial art created by Haitian slaves to defeat Napoleon’s armies. Teaching about the practical and spiritual value of the machete — which is both a weapon and a farmer’s key to survival — Avril provides a bridge between his country’s traditional past and its troubled present.

Seven Boats, Hlynur Pálmason | Denmark/Iceland

In a single, black-and-white 360-degree shot that traverses seven boats surrounding a man lost at sea, director Hlynur Pálmason crafts a simple yet potent statement about mankind’s struggle to survive.