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).
‘A Different Perspective’ (Chris O’Hara, 2012)
A visit from an alien life form results in a change of perspective in more ways than one.
www.adifferentperspectivefilm.com
Ireland, 1’55
‘Aalterate’ (Christobal de Oliveira, 2011)
Diving into a coma, a female body experiences extreme inner tension. Its mutating silhouette gradually invades an empty space to a point of complete saturation.
France/Netherlands, 9’44
‘Alimation’ (Alexandre Dubosc, 2011)
A cool, cute little animated film made out of smarties, chocolates and yummy cake.
France, 2’48
‘Volli Pall’ (Chintis Lundgren, 2010)
Volli is a tour guide and susceptible to many paranormal activities.
Estonia, 11’44
‘What else is the bobby pin good for? / Meg mire jo a hullamcsat?’ (Roland Toth-Pocs, 2010)
We usually throw out useless odds and ends but this object takes great offence at being forced to live in exile.
Hungary, 2’30
‘Sweetheart / Sizyj Golubochek’ (Ekaterina Sokolova, 2011)
A man passes the same train station at different stages of his life.
Russia, 12’00
‘Countdown’ (Celine Desrumaux, 2011)
An animated ode to the golden age of space travel.
UK/France, 3’43
‘Visitation’ (Suzan Pitt, 2011)
Inspired by hearing wolves crying and simultaneously reading H.P. Lovecraft, Visitation unwinds through a dark landscape of unending life and death.
www.home.earthlink.net/~suzanpitt
USA, 9’00
‘My Music’ (Tiago Albuquerque & Joao Braz, 2011)
Steve16 is trying to find a nice quiet place where he can listen to his music on his mp3 player.
Portugal, 9’07
‘At the Opera / En La Opera’ (Juan Pablo Zaramella, 2010)
A very moving night at the opera.
Argentina, 1’00
‘Moxie’ (Stephen Irwin, 2011)
A sad face, a dead bear, a subdued detective and a ‘lemon enema’.
UK, 5’45
‘Oedipus’ (Paul Driessen, 2011)
A stunning tour-de-force from the legendary Paul Driessen, animating at his absurdist best. A parody of the classic Greek myth with a few of the best known NFB characters thrown in to thicken and spice up the dish.
Canada, 13’18
