The best of recently released short animated films from all over the world, carefully chosen from 2000-plus entries. They come in from every corner, they use every technique, they can be funny, dramatic, eye-popping, subdued, documentary or autobiographical. The one thing they have in common is that we think they’re the pick of the crop. We also have competition programmes focusing purely on: Recent Japanese Animation (Programme 4); Dark Animation (Programme 7); Long Shorts (Programme 8); and Abstract Animation (Programme 9).
‘La Détente’ (Pierre Ducos & Bertrand Bey, 2011)
Paralysed with fear and stuck in a trench, a soldier’s mind disconnects from the horror and escapes to a world where wars are fought by toys.
France, 8’10
‘The Goods’ (Lars Jandel, 2012)
A man, a baby in a buggy, a child and a balloon. In times like these even a simple walk is unbearable.
Germany, 3’00
‘How To Eat Your Apple’ (Erick Oh, 2011)
Apple eating as a Daliesque spectacular spectator spectacle.
South Korea, 1’30
‘Gristle’ (Jamie Clennett, 2011)
Life hanging on a hook is as much about perspective as fate – not that fate pays any attention.
Australia, 3’30
‘About the Hard Life of a Barn Swallow’ (Chintis Lundgren, 2011)
The life of a Barn Swallow is not easy, bigger birds are pesky and the barn is locked at night.
Estonia, 5’00
‘Stuck in a Groove’ (Clemens Kogler, 2010)
What do Madonna, Massive Attack and Angela Merkel have in common? Friedrich Nietzsche might be the answer to this question.
Austria, 4’05
‘Stopover’ (Neil Stubbings, 2011)
Idiot, space, delivery boy picks the wrong pyramid for a toilet stop.
Switzerland, 3’00
‘The Pub’ (Joseph Pierce, 2012)
Kemi lives and works in the murky slipstream of a North London pub. As the booze flows the line between who belongs behind and in front of the bar becomes increasingly blurred.
UK, 7’45
‘Romance’ (Georges Schwizgebel, 2011)
The very latest offering from one of the world’s living masters tackling one of the world’s biggest topics.
Switzerland, 7’21
‘The Tannery’ (Iain Gardner, 2010)
A recently deceased fox has a life after death experience.
UK, 5’30
‘The Shoemaker / O Sapateiro’ (David Doutel & Vasco Sa, 2011)
A shoemaker, wrapped up in the memories of his life and the demands of his work, experiences a crucial moment in his existence.
Portugal, 12’00
‘Rew Day’ (Svilen Dimitrov, 2012)
A rewound review of one man’s last day.
www.svilendimitrovart.blogspot.co.uk
Bulgaria, 6’40
‘Sorceress’ (Patrick Jenkins, 2012)
When a young woman is kidnapped her sister embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her from an evil sorceress.
www.interlog.com/~pjenkins/latestnews
Canada, 9’00
