Animation First ’26: Sisowath Quay (short)

Feeling tired? Notice strange marks on your neck? Young Nakry is experiencing such symptoms. If you’re wondering why, you haven’t seen many horror movies. In this case, French filmmakers Stephanie Lansaque & Francois Leroy take inspiration from Cambodian folk horror legends in the animated short film, Sisowath Quay, which screens Wednesday as part of the Dark After Dark shorts block at L’Alliance New York’s 2026 Animation First festival.

Like many young women, Nakry plans to meet her lover, Sothear, at th popular rendezvous spot, Sisowath Quay. However, the fortune-teller known as “the Witch” can tell something is wrong, because she really does have the shine. She tries to help Sothear, but he is too skeptical and Nakry is too far gone.

Lansaque and Leroy make a familiar horror encounter look fresh, by translating it into a Cambodian context. In fact, they give undead monsters a distinctive new spin by associating the undead Ahp with the pollution infecting the stagnant Quay waters. Consequently, there is a heightened sense of tragedy, because the horror that unfolds was largely a product of the city’s corruption and indifference.

The animation, which evokes various Asian forms of wood-cutting and print-making, is truly arresting. Ironically, it might strike some viewers as looking more inspired by Chinese forms than Cambodian art, but it hardly matters. Their masterful command of colors creates an eerie mood and vivid sense of place.

For those who appreciate the artistry of animation, Sisowath Quay is a must-see. At sixteen minutes, it also has sufficient time to tell a fully self-contained story. Yet, the eye-popping visuals are what most viewers will remember. Very highly recommended, Sisowath Quay screens Wednesday (2/4), during this year’s Animation First.