Forbidden Lovers Defy Dystopian Kissing Ban in Acclaimed Short Film

A new short film titled "Two People Exchanging Saliva" is set to debut in October 2025 in a dystopian world where people pay for items with varying degrees of slaps to the face, and kissing is punishable by death. The 36-minute film, written and directed by Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, follows the story of Angine, an affluent but unhappy woman, who becomes intrigued by Malaise, a charming young shopgirl.

Despite the harsh prohibition on kissing, Angine is willing to defy the rules to cultivate her blossoming relationship with Malaise. The two must navigate their forbidden romance while staving off the suspicions of a jealous colleague. Since its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where it was selected by director Barry Jenkins, "Two People Exchanging Saliva" has gone on to win multiple awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at AFI Fest, the Golden Gate Mid-Length Film Award from the San Francisco International Film Festival, and both the Canal+ and audience awards at the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival.