A Very Straight Neck
A film by Neo Sora
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After waking from a haunting dream with debilitating neck pain, a woman struggles through a day where ordinary movements become an unbearable challenge. As she attempts to navigate her morning routine and care for her lively young daughter, memories and dreams begin to intertwine, pulling her into a surreal exploration of the past and present. Vivid recollections of a childhood friend, now deceased, surface alongside a haunting dream of figures endlessly bowing and the reality of people rushing to work. These fragments of memory and imagination echo the weight of loss, motherhood, and the strain of existence. Unable to lift her head, even to glimpse the sky above, the woman is forced to confront the delicate balance between the routine of life and the pain of holding herself upright, as others are able to, in a crumbling world.

Neo Sora is a filmmaker, artist, and translator living in Tokyo and New York. As a filmmaker, Neo has directed, shot, and produced short narrative films, documentaries, music videos, fashion spots, and a concert film. His short film, The Chicken, an adaptation of a short story by Naoya Shiga, premiered at Locarno International Film Festival 2020 and has subsequently played at New York Film Festival 2020 among others. It was written up in Variety and Cahiers Du Cinema. Recently, Filmmaker Magazine has named Neo one of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Neo was a fellow at the 2022 Sundance Screenwriters and Director’s Lab. His first fiction feature film, Happyend, premiered in 2024 at Venice International Film Festival, and has continued to play in festivals around the world.

10min • Japan/China • 2025


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Sixteen Film Institute is a curatorial platform dedicated to discovering, presenting and supporting emerging cinematic voices — bringing boundary-pushing independent cinema to audiences and partners through programming and live events.

Every week, we screen online a selected short film for free.

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ONLINE SCREENING ARCHIVES
Since 2020, the Sixteen Film Institute has presented hundreds of free online short film screenings, spotlighting internationally recognised filmmakers and major festival voices. We have built a strong reputation for spotting new cinematic voices early, supporting filmmakers at formative stages of their careers.

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