In several short animations, the authors discuss topics ranging from global to very personal ones. They combine animation with documentary and music, as well as talk about the world we know and the one they invented. Sometimes the realism is shocking, more often it is an accurate metaphor. The animated world is worth exploring.

screening curator: Emilia Rusin

The Last Bar, dir. Arne Hain (Germany) 2023, 13’, 15+
Melvin is thrown out of his house on his 21st birthday. Tormented by inner demons, he thinks about ending everything. He jumps off a cliff and ends up in an unusual bar.
Film awarded at the Alpinale SFF.

Horse Portrait, dir. Witold Giersz (Poland) 2023, 6’, 13+
Painterly impressions of the silhouette of a horse, its springy movements, the shape of the head, the fight of stallions. In addition to his own animation, the director presents studies on Leonardo da Vinci’s horse, drawings by Pablo Picasso, Saul Steinberg and others, but also mythological figures such as a centaur and pegasus. It also shows how horses were painted by Japanese, Chinese and Paleolithic artists.

Mr. Rabbit, dir. Bryan Lee (USA) 2023, 21’, 16+
Mr. Rabbit is witness to a shocking scene that leads him to make an extremely drastic decision.
Film presented at Fest Anča AFF and WFF.

Keep Out, dir. Tan Lui Chan (Hong Kong) 2024, 8’, 18+
Individuals live in tiny, isolated rooms away from the hazards of the outside world. They make a living through live video streaming, connecting with others in the virtual realm. Yet, on one fateful day, a chubby boy stumbles upon an unexpected secret.
Film awarded at the Turku AFF.

Interns, dir. Marina Donderis, Núria Poveda, Marina Cortón (Spain) 2023, 10’, 15+
Three young friends face the challenge of paying rent for their shared flat each month.
Film nominated for Goya Award.

My Very Own Footballer!, dir. Cheyenne Canaud-Wallays (France) 2024, 16’, 15+
Sylvie and Karim want to use the money they earn scrubbing toilets and cleaning the Bellevue Hotel to fulfill their latest aspiration – signing their own footballer.
Film presented at Zagreb Animafest. Polish premiere.

The Waiting, dir. Voker Schlecht (Germany) 2023, 16’, 15+
Karen Lips is a researcher. For several years, she has been living in a small shack in Costa Rica to observe frogs. When she returns to the forest after a short break, it turns out that all the frogs have disappeared. Karen sets off to find them.
Film awarded at the Hamptons IFF.

Mee and Burd, dir. Greg McLeod (United Kingdom) 2023, 8’, 15+
A postoperative existential crisis inspires an animator to make a film about a postoperative existential crisis.
Film awarded at ITFS. Polish premiere.