Every year, the SeaShorts Film Festival offers a window into the many worlds of Southeast Asia - its cultures, struggles, and hopes, told through the art of the short film. This year’s theme, Through the Cracks, looks at stories that find light in the spaces between borders and identities. To find out more, we speak to Koen de Rooij, programmer for the International Film Festival Rotterdam and special guest at this year’s festival. We discuss his work, what makes Southeast Asian cinema so exciting, and what audiences can look forward to at SeaShorts 2025.