16 minutes. One origami crane. Zero chance you'll guess the ending.
A young engaged couple is torn apart when Rachel must wait for a ride home after class. Maki, the shy, mysterious Japanese classmate who invites Rachel back to her place, is confused by Rachel's friendly ways, and thus hurt when Rachel refuses her advances. Like Maki's fantastic origami creations, the lives of Rachel and others prove fragile in a sequence of dazzling twists following Maki's disappointment.
Direction
Yim stretches 16 minutes into infinity. Every frame breathes dread.
Acting
Melançon's stillness is weaponized. You can't look away.
Practical Effects
Origami as metaphor AND plot device. Paper never looked this threatening.
Director
Jason Yim
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jason Yim made this as his USC thesis film. It played over 40 festivals and basically disappeared—until horror Twitter resurrected it in 2022.
The origami crane traditionally symbolizes healing and peace. Yim perverts this into something that folds, hides, and transforms—much like Maki herself conceals her intentions until the devastating reveal.
US
