2023 archive
International Competition Programme

This programme presents, for your enjoyment, the best animated shorts from the Baltic-Nordic countries. Outstanding works from Denmark, Germany, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania will be competing for the Best Animated Short Award, decided by an international jury.
Jury: Jean-François Le Corre, Antanas Skučas, Marie-Laure Guisset

Apex Point
Apex Point #

2022 / Denmark / 7 min 2 s

Kira is a relentless racer, struggling in her obsessive hunt for perfection, in which nothing is ever good enough. If she does not acknowledge her own self-worth, she will send herself down a path to inevitable destruction.

Directed by Jacob Møller Screenwriter: Jacob Møller Producer: Lotte Kronborg Thomsen Company: The Animation Workshop

The scent of beetroot and the people who live forever
The scent of beetroot and the people who live forever #

2023 / Germany / 12 min 0 s

On a distant planet not unlike our own, a scientist called Tikhon discovers the key to immortality – the scent of beetroot. Those who surround themselves with its scent will live forever. Through the excessive use of beetroot scent, an impenetrable magenta fog soon envelops the entire planet. Immortality spreads like a virus: death is now not only avoidable, but impossible.

Directed by Petra Stipetić, Maren Wiese Screenwriters: Petra Stipetić, Maren Wiese Producer: DOK Front Company: DOK Front

Cockroaches
Cockroaches #

2022 / Norway / 9 min 44 s

How far are you willing to go to get accepted? In a dystopian city on the verge of collapse after cockroaches have taken over, the Brotherhood sends 17-year-old Tim on a mission to blow up the cockroaches’ nest to save his hometown. But a meeting with a stranger makes Tim reconsider his perception of reality.

Directed by Adel Khan Farooq Screenwriter: Adel Khan Farooq Producers: Lise Fearnley, Tonje Skar Reiersen Company: Mikrofilm

Composition of existing experiences
Composition of existing experiences #

2023 / Poland / 7 min 24 s

A couple spend the night together. As the woman moves freely around the apartment, the only interior inaccessible to her is her partner's painting studio. The clean monochromatic interior of the apartment, the abstract blood-coloured paintings and the soft morning light are at once filled with both calm and uncertainty.

Directed by Joanna Szlembarska Screenwriter: Joanna Szlembarska Producer: Likaon Company: -

The Great Connection
The Great Connection #

2023 / Denmark, Germany / 4 min 54 s

When a fibre-optic cable appears at the bottom of the ocean, the mythological creatures gather to debate: will this be their salvation? Or will the teeth of this thing bring nothing but tears?

Directed by Christen Bach Screenwriters: Christen Bach, Elia Rediger Producers: Blandina Stöhr, Liefke Knol Company: RnR Animation

Cowboy Kevin
Cowboy Kevin #

2022 / Denmark / 6 min 24 s

Kevin and his horse have almost reached their destination: the lady who sent him a love letter. Kevin is eager to finally meet her, but love is not always what you expect...

Directed by Anna Lund Konnerup Screenwriters: Anna Lund Konnerup, Marie Almine Jangmark, Emilie Kofoed Andersen, Joana Nobre Hauptman, Frederik Kjærsgaard Nielsen Producer: Lotte Kronborg Thomsen Company: The Animation Workshop

Dear Mahsa
Dear Mahsa #

2022 / Germany / 5 min 15 s

A response to the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini by the Iranian Guidance Patrol, this film details the terrible situation of people, and especially of women, in Iran since the Islamic Revolution. The hand-drawn animation illustrates a poem by the author Ayeda Alavie.

Directed by Martin Pflanzer Screenwriter: Ayeda Alavie Producer: - Company: -

Despera
Despera #

2021 / Poland / 2 min 00 s

This film, a contemplation of loneliness, isolation and powerlessness, was begun under lockdown, during the period of the women's strikes in Poland at the beginning of 2021.

Directed by Alicja Liss Screenwriter: Alicja Liss Producer: Alicja Liss Company: -

The Eastern Rain
The Eastern Rain #

2023 / Estonia / 9 min 7 s

If the rain were to fall indoors, but never outdoors... where would we begin to look for shelter?

Directed by Milly Yencken Screenwriter: Milly Yencken Producer: Estonian Academy of Arts Company: Estonian Academy of Arts

Eeva
Eeva #

2022 / Estonia, Croatia / 15 min 58 s

It’s pouring down with rain at the funeral. There’s a lot of crying, too much wine, several woodpeckers, and a couple of dreams that fill in the gaps.

Directed by Morten Tšinakov, Lucija Mrzljak Screenwriter: Morten Tšinakov Producers: Kalev Tamm, Draško Ivezić Company: Adriatic Animation, Eesti Joonisfilm

Blush - An Extraordinary Voyage
Blush - An Extraordinary Voyage #

2022 / Finland / 14 min 55 s

For 18-year-old Finnish-Kosovan Fatu, a simple visit to the grocery store feels as nerve-racking as a lunar expedition: for the first time in his life, he’s wearing makeup in public. Luckily, his best friend Rai, a young woman on the autistic spectrum, is there to support him ferociously along the way.

Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja Screenwriter: Iiti Yli-Harja Producers: Valtteri Munkki, Mikko Heino Company: Side Stories

For The Record
For The Record #

2022 / Germany / 5 min 27 s

The Filmmakers’ Olympics are drenched in sweat and blood. The very best athletes meld their bodies with their gear, always prepared to push themselves to the utmost physical and mental limits. Their mantra: anything for the team – anything for the spectators – anything for the record. United, they clench their buttocks and do their very best to capture the movie, before the film can capture them.

Directed by Gwenola Heck, Gregor Wittich, Ilya Lorenz Barrett Screenwriters: Gregor Wittich, Ilya Lorenz Barrett, Gwenola Heck Producer: Alexander Knufinke Company: Filmakademie Baden-Würtemberg

Great Little Giant
Great Little Giant #

2023 / Poland / 8 min 16 s

An adaptation of the Irish legend of the Giant's Causeway. Finn McCool has been arguing with his Scottish rival for years about which of them is the biggest giant. Irritated by the constant bickering, Finn sets out across the sea to face the hostile giant. When things get out of hand, Finn's wife Ooanagh comes to the rescue.

Directed by Jakub Bożydar Dolny Screenwriter: Jakub Bożydar Dolny Producer: Jakub Bożydar Dolny Company: -

The Most Boring Granny in The Whole World
The Most Boring Granny in The Whole World #

2022 / Germany / 7 min 2 s

Greta has the most boring grandma in the whole world. When she falls asleep on the sofa, Greta has the idea of play-acting her grandma's funeral. This confronts them with a question they hadn’t asked each other before: what remains when you have to leave life behind?

Directed by Damaris Zielke Screenwriter: Manuel Ostwald Producer: Jiayan Chen Company: Fabian&Fred

Gravitating
Gravitating #

2023 / Finland / 8 min 27 s

Two worlds collide due to a gravity that alters love. A darkness of the mind begins.

Directed by Heta Okkonen Screenwriter: Heta Okkonen Producers: Mika Koskinen, Tomi Riionheimo Company: -

Hidden Life
Hidden Life #

2022 / Estonia / 8 min 21 s

'Hidden Life' is a poetic journey from trauma to the first signs of healing – while half of the forest is burnt, the other half is still blooming.

Directed by Kadi Sink, Silver Strazdins, Sigrit Villido Screenwriters: Kadi Sink, Silver Strazdins, Sigrit Villido Producer: Estonian Academy of Arts Company: Estonian Academy of Arts

IN/FINITE
IN/FINITE #

2023 / Germany / 6 min 00 s

Two hikers arrive at a hypnotic-looking waterhole in a dry desert. The waterhole becomes the trigger for an all-encompassing conflict: should they settle down, or keep wandering?

Directed by Daniel Maaß Screenwriter: Daniel Maaß Producer: Daniel Maaß Company: Raumkapsel Animation

Juice
Juice #

2022 / Germany / 4 min 55 s

Meaty creatures must learn to share their juicy world with the pesky little bugs, before they run dry.

Directed by Mona Keil Screenwriters: Mona Keil, Lion Durst Producer: Isabella Braun Company: Fabian&Fred

Kolaj
Kolaj #

2022 / Turkey, Germany / 8 min 35 s

As a girl grows up, her world starts to become more complicated. She notices lines appearing on people's faces that she hadn't seen before. While trying to see the hidden lives in between her neighbours' facial features, her own face struggles to ignore an unwanted line from her childhood.

Directed by Gülce Besen Dilek Screenwriter: Gülce Besen Dilek Producer: Gülce Besen Dilek Company: Fabian&Fred

Operation LARP
Operation LARP #

2023 / Estonia / 9 min 58 s

A vengeful huntress is searching for her husband’s lover in a LARP camp. In the same forest, the military is searching for its lost missile.

Directed by Mattias Mälk Screenwriter: Mattias Mälk Producer: Kalev Tamm Company: Eesti Joonisfilm

Lights On Fire
Lights On Fire #

2023 / Sweden / 3 min 27 s

Lights on Fire is a pixel-animated sci-fi music video about Stella, a young girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut and exploring the galaxy.

Directed by Arthur Izakowicz Screenwriter: Arthur Izakowicz Producers: Christian Jonson, Arthur Izakowicz Company: Droemland

Water Lullaby
Water Lullaby #

2022 / Poland / 3 min 39 s

This stop-motion animation using sand is the official video for the song 'Water Lullaby' from the album 'Waterduction' by famous Polish folk band 'Warsaw Village Band'. The film took a total of six months to produce.

Directed by Piotr Kaźmierczak Screenwriter: Piotr Kaźmierczak Producer: Piotr Kaźmierczak Company: -

Make or Break
Make or Break #

2022 / Germany / 8 min 6 s

This animated documentary uses minimalist imagery to portray the protagonist’s traumatic experiences in the GDR’s residential care system and the Torgau Closed Juvenile Detention Centre.

Directed by Mike Plitt, Falk Schuster Screenwriter: Mike Plitt Producer: Alexander Lahl Company: MobyDok Medienproduktion

Mano
Mano #

2022 / Denmark / 6 min 58 s

Trapped in a neglectful family situation, a protective older brother takes care of his younger sibling and confronts his absent mother, leading to a rash decision.

Directed by Toke Madsen Screenwriters: Anne Bomholt, Magnus Merklin Christensen Producer: Kristina Sletting Jensen Company: The Animation Workshop

META
META #

2022 / Germany / 3 min 36 s

META is an animated film that takes on topics such as change, cycles, connection and interaction in a playful and experimental way. Its aim is to show that everything consists of many parts, and that in the end we are all connected to one another.

Directed by Antje Heyn Screenwriter: Antje Heyn Producer: Protoplanet Studio Company: Protoplanet Studio

Muscle Hearts
Muscle Hearts #

2022 / Finland / 5 min 27 s

Planet Muscleion and its beefcake inhabitants are in danger due to a menace from outer space. But the real threat is much closer to home: the low self-esteem of a beloved friend.

Directed by Juho Maurinen, Santeri Laasanen Screenwriters: Juho Maurinen, Santeri Laasanen Producers: Juho Maurinen, Santeri Laasanen Company: -

I'm Not Afraid!
I'm Not Afraid! #

2022 / Norway, Germany / 7 min 2 s

During a game of hide and seek, Vanja leaves the brightness of her living room and enters a dimly lit courtyard, which has far too many dark corners, weird shadows and strange noises. To overcome her fear, Vanja turns into a dangerous tiger!

Directed by Marita Mayer Screenwriter: Marita Mayer Producer: Fabian Driehorst, Lillian Løvseth Company: Fabian&Fred, Trollfilm

The Perfect Fit
The Perfect Fit #

2022 / Lithuania / 10 min 30 s

Patrick lives in a children’s home. After seeing a parrot in the zoo, he becomes obsessed with them, which makes it even harder for him to belong and find parents who want to adopt him.

Directed by Meinardas Valkevičius Screenwriter: Kotryna Šeduikytė Producer: Akvilė Bliujūtė - Janušė Company: UAB Meinart

Pussy Love
Pussy Love #

2022 / Germany / 4 min 00 s

Cool Cat invites you to join the world of Pussy Love! Enjoy a show of lust and laziness! Let’s have fun with tits and dicks. The claws are sharp, the soda is sparkling and the fur is getting moist. Romance is kitsch, but even the most jaded kitty can fall in love.

Directed by Linda Krauss Screenwriter: Linda Krauss Producer: Linda Krauss Company: Fabian&Fred

Rice & Chicken
Rice & Chicken #

2023 / Poland / 1 min 35 s

Get out of breath on the stairs again? Fed up with your slim figure? Puke when you look in the mirror? Don't have time for the gym? Excellent! Turbo Chicken was created especially for you! Packed with proteins, testosterone, lead, hatred and lust for murder, it tastes like a Silesian roulade! Eat it and grow!

Directed by Kamil Wójcik, Cat Kaczmarek Screenwriters: Kamil Wójcik, Cat Kaczmarek Producers: Kamil Wójcik, Cat Kaczmarek Company: -

RIM
RIM #

2022 / Germany / 6 min 47 s

Seeking to purchase a key that promises to free his mind and enable him to escape from the dreary outside world, bit by bit, the isolated protagonist loses touch with the world outside as dissolves into a TV show.

Directed by Hagar Faibish Screenwriter: Hagar Faibish Producer: Hagar Faibish Company: -

The General’s Room
The General’s Room #

2022 / Denmark / 7 min 58 s

To understand why his parents have decided to sell their old family house, a young boy must confront his family’s roots, blurring the line between past and present.

Directed by Georges Marion Screenwriters: Georges Marion, Angsane Sallaud Pujade Renault, Axel Lawrence Nugaard Producer: Lotte Kronborg Thomsen Company: The Animation Workshop

Sister
Sister #

2022 / Poland / 12 min 00 s

Two sisters travel across the Realm of Clouds, looking for the Big Tree. Their way will be full of setbacks, self-sacrifice and sadness, yet filled with joy. Along their eventful journey, as they approach their destination, they become closer to themselves too. This film explores the multidimensional dynamic and growth of emotional bonds within the relationship of sisterhood.

Directed by Kasia K. Pieróg Screenwriters: Kasia K. Pieróg, Alice Gambara Producer: Marcin Podolec, Wiktoria Podolec Company: Yellow Tapir Films

Slow Light
Slow Light #

2022 / Poland, Portuguese / 10 min 58 s

At the age of seven, a boy who was born blind suddenly sees light. A medical examination reveals that his eyes are so dense that it takes seven years for light to reach his retina, and hence for images to reach his consciousness.

Directed by Katarzyna Kijek, Przemysław Adamski Screenwriters: Katarzyna Kijek, Przemysław Adamski Producers: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Grzegorz Waclawek, Bruno Caetano, Katarzyna Kijek, Przemysław Adamski Company: Animoon, COLA Animation, Kijek/Adamski

Town Hall Square
Town Hall Square #

2023 / Germany / 8 min 35 s

Bernard works behind the window of a ticket booth at the Town Hall Square subway station, and is waiting for something he appears to have forgotten. One day, however, a little tiger shows up and Bernard's orderly life is turned upside down. A short film about an unexpected visitor, annoying radio songs, and the lust for life!

Directed by Christian Kaufmann Screenwriter: Christian Kaufmann Producer: Paulina Larson Company: Fabian&Fred

Upside down
Upside down #

2023 / Latvia / 11 min 28 s

Andulis, a little bat, wakes up at the wrong time and discovers that, unlike his fellow bats, he loves sunlight and warmth. After he makes friends with Little Mouse, who looks almost like him, Andulis is surprised to discover that unlike in the bats' house, everything in Little Mouse’s house is not upside down.

Directed by Dace Rīdūze Screenwriter: Dace Rīdūze Producer: Māris Putninsh Company: -

Way Better
Way Better #

2022 / Lithuania, France / 13 min 47 s

A man awaits some test results. He expects the worst, but at the same time he's hoping for the best. Distressed and afraid, he spends a week in a limbo of his own making – neither here nor there, dreading things that haven't happened yet.

Directed by Skirmanta Jakaitė Screenwriter: Skirmanta Jakaitė Producer: Agnė Adomėnė Company: ART SHOT

Wind Whisperer
Wind Whisperer #

2022 / Germany, Ecuador / 6 min 30 s

On the edge of the horizon, a singing cicada is born. Its flight may be short, yet its chanting is eternal.

Directed by Fernanda Caicedo Screenwriter: Fernanda Caicedo Producer: Bauhaus University Weimar Company: Bauhaus University Weimar

Zoon
Zoon #

2022 / Germany, France / 4 min 25 s

Some small, shimmering animals are in heat. A two-legged forest dweller encounters the lustful group. He and his companions begin to snack on the little creatures, and soon a feast begins.

Directed by Jonatan Schwenk Screenwriters: Jonatan Schwenk, Merlin Flügel Producer: Jonatan Schwenk Company: Jonatan Schwenk