TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA
A short film written and directed by Natalie Musteata & Alexandre Singh
About the Film
Set in a society where kissing is outlawed and transactions are completed through slaps to the face, Two People Exchanging Saliva follows Angine, a discontented woman whose fascination with a playful salesgirl draws suspicion from a jealous colleague.
This 35-minute short film examines themes of repression, desire, and surveillance, using an absurdist premise to explore how intimacy functions in a controlled environment.
The film features performances from Zar Amir, Luàna Bajrami, Aurélie Boquien, and Vicky Krieps.
Upcoming Screenings
Oct 2025. Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Cardiff, UK.
Oct 2025. San Jose International Film Festival, CA, USA.
Oct 2025. Tallgrass Film Festival, KS, USA.
Oct 2025. Newport Beach Film Festival, CA, USA.
Oct 2025. Hof International FF, Germany.
Oct 2025. FilmQuest Festival, Provo, UT, USA.
Oct 2025. Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani, Spain.
Oct 2025. SCAD Savannah Film Festival, GA, USA.
Oct 2025. Pink Screens, Brussels, Belgium.
Nov 2025. Beirut Shorts International Film Festival, Lebanon.
Nov 2025. Mezipatra Queer Film Festival, Prague and Brno, Czech Republic.
Nov 2025. Short of the Week, Online.
Nov 2025. Alcine – Festival De Cine De Alcalá De Henares, Spain.
Nov 2025. St. Louis International Film Festival, MO, USA.
Nov 2025. Interfilm Berlin, Germany.
Nov 2025. Lo schermo dell’arte, Florence, Italy.
Nov 2025. Festival De Cinéma Bobines De Femme, Lanloup, France.
Nov 2025. HollyShorts London, UK.
Nov 2025. FICFA (Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie), Moncton, Canada.
Nov 2025. Margate Film Festival, UK.
Feb 2026. Clermont-Ferrand ISFF, France.
Mar 2026. Tampere FF, Finland.
Mar 2026. Festival de Courts Métrages de la Côte Bleue, Carry-le-Rouet, France.
Apr 2026. Go Short International Short FF Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Meet the Cast & Crew
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Zar Amir
ANGINE
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Luàna Bajrami
MALAISE
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Aurélie Boquien
PETULANTE
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Vicky Krieps
NARRATOR
Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata | Directors, Writers, Producers
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Below is the full cast list:
Angine: Zar Amir
Malaise: Luana Bajrami
Pétulante: Aurélie Boquien
Narratrice: Vicky Krieps
Chagrin: Nicolas Bouchaud
Jérémiade: Mitchell Jean
Arnaque: Mustapha Abourachid
Tuyaux: Thibaut De Lussy
Carie: Lucile Jaillant
The Grumpy Neighbor: Christophe Grundmann
Desperate Woman: Sybille Blouin
Desperate Woman's Husband: Rodolphe Meunier
Supermarket Cashier: Sarah Gfeller
Dealer: Theo Fresnee
Taxi Driver: Emilie Favre-Bertin
Voice of Radio Advertisement: Alice Douard
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Below is the full crew:
Written and Directed by: Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh
Produced by: Violeta Kreimer, Valentina Merli, Natalie Musteata, and Alexandre Singh
Associate Producers: Zar Amir, Carol Cohen, Guillaume Houzé, and Cécile Larrigaldie
Casting: Julie Navarro and Louis Navarro
Director of Photography: Alexandra De Saint Blanquat
Script Supervisor: Alice Douard
First Assistant Director: Jordan Clément
Editor: Hanna Park
Music: Bobak Lotfipour
Sound Designer: Damian Volpe
Costume Designer: Rezvan Farsijani
Production Designer: Anna Brun
Sound Recordist: Charlie Cabocel
First Assistant Camera: Emile Bore
Second Assistant Camera: Manon Delville
Data Manager: Oliver Ferry
Set Photographer: Tudor Cucu
Production Manager: Lucie Bouilleret
Production Assistant: Lucie Algenir
Production Administrator: Christophe Tonnette
Pre-Production Manager: Camille Boulay
Pre-Production Assistant: Maoumy Goetz
Colorist: Stéphanie Dreyfus
Title Design: Alexandre Singh
Publicist: Florence Barré
Production Companies: Misia Films
Production Companies: Preromanbritain
In Association With: Galeries Lafayette
In Association With: Alambic Production
Press
VARIETY
Absurdist Short ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva,’ About a World Where Kissing is Illegal, Set for Feature Adaptation (EXCLUSIVE)
Filmmaker Magazine
Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata
VARIETY
‘Holy Spider’ Star Zar Amir to Be Honored at New York’s Metrograph With Screening of Oscar-Qualifying Short ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’ (EXCLUSIVE)
BOMB Magazine
Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata by Carlos Valladares
The Contending
Out On Film: ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’ Crescendos with Shopgirls, Slaps, and an Absurdist, Devastating Heart
Film Festivals
Below is the full list of film festivals where the film has screened.
Sep 2024. World Premiere: Telluride Film Festival, CO, USA.
Oct 2024. AFI Fest, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 🏆 Grand Jury Prize, Live Action Short (Oscar Qualifying).
Feb 2025. European Premiere: Clermont-Ferrand ISFF, France. 🏆 Canal+ National Award; 🏆 National Audience Award (Césars Shortlist Qualifying).
Mar 2025. International Premiere: BFI Flare, London, UK.
Apr 2025. Riga ISFF 2ANNAS, Latvia.
Apr 2025. Athens International Film and Video Festival, OH, USA.
Apr 2025. San Francisco International FF, CA, USA. 🏆 Golden Gate Mid-Length Film Award.
Apr 2025. San Luis Obispo International FF, CA, USA.
Apr 2025. Brussels Short Film Festival, Belgium. Out of Competition: (European Short Film Audience Award screening).
May 2025. Seattle International FF, WA, USA.
Jun 2025. Côté Court Festival, Pantin, France. 🏆 High School Jury Award; 🏆 Audience Award.
Jun 2025. Norwegian Short Film Festival, Grimstad, Norway. Out of Competition: (Oslo/Fusion Int. Film Festival Presents).
Jun 2025. deadCenter FF, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. 🏆 Special Jury Recognition for Achievement in Writing and Directing.
Jul 2025. Curtas Vila Do Conde International FF, Portugal. Out of Competition: (European Short Film Audience Award screening).
Jul 2025. Indy Shorts International FF, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Jul 2025. Des femmes et des courts métrages, Nayrac, France.
Aug 2025. Summer Shorts, New Paltz, NY, USA. 🏆 Best Narrative.
Aug 2025. Melbourne International FF, Australia.
Aug 2025. Narrows Film Festival, Belfast, MA, USA.
Aug 2025. Salute Your Shorts, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 🏆 Honorable Mention: Genre.
Aug 2025. Sidewalk Film Festival, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Aug 2025. FeKK Ljubljana Short FF, Slovenia. Out of Competition: (European Short Film Audience Award screening).
Sep 2025. L'Étrange Festival, Paris, France. Out of Competition: (Canal+ Presents).
Sep 2025. Prishtina International Film Festival (PriFest), Kosovo. 🏆 Winner Best Middle Length.
Sep 2025. Festival International du Film Grolandais de Toulouse, France.
Sep 2025. Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, China. Out of Competition: (Clermont-Ferrand Selects).
Sep 2025. Calgary International Film Festival, Canada.
Sep 2025. Lviv International Short FF Wiz-Art, Ukraine. Out of Competition: (European Short Film Audience Award screening).
Sep 2025. Oslo/Fusion Int. Film Festival, Norway.
Sep 2025. Out on Film, Atlanta LGBTQ IFF, GA, USA. 🏆 Best Drama Short (Oscar Qualifying)
Sep 2025. Court Métrange Festival, Rennes, France.
Sep 2025. Metrograph Cinema, New York, NY, USA. (Theatrical Premiere)
Sep 2025. Tallahassee Film Festival, FL, USA. 🏆 Audience Favorite Award – Best Short Film
Oct 2025. Thessaloniki International Short FF, Greece.
Oct 2025. Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), Canada.
Oct 2025. Bend Film Festival, OR, USA.
Oct 2025. Downtown Film Festival, New York, NY, USA.
Oct 2025. Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Cardiff, UK.
Oct 2025. San Jose International Film Festival, CA, USA.
Oct 2025. Tallgrass Film Festival, KS, USA.
Oct 2025. Newport Beach Film Festival, CA, USA.
Oct 2025. Hof International FF, Germany.
Oct 2025. FilmQuest Festival, Provo, UT, USA.
Oct 2025. Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani, Spain.
Oct 2025. SCAD Savannah Film Festival, GA, USA.
Oct 2025. Pink Screens, Brussels, Belgium.