Color in your life
The death of a beloved pet can make the world seem pretty bleak, as in DEDE IS DEAD (Program 7) by Philippe Kastner. A boy is forced to bid farewell to his dog and is only able to spend time with his four-legged companion in his colorful memories and dreams. These help him to overcome his grief and return color to his daily life. A boy made of paper experiences a nightmare in black and white in PERFECT CITY: THE BRAVEST KID (Program 5) by Shengwei Zhou. A terrifying hand made of razor blades chases him through a world full of scraps of paper. Waking from the dream, he realizes that the horror is far from over.
ALL MY SCARS VANISH IN THE WIND (Program 3) also has a dreamlike quality. In Angélica Restrepo Guzmán’s and Carlos Velandia’s experimental animation, a diffuse swarm of fleeting particles continually forms new shapes, working through a childhood trauma. Predominantly red particles make the pain palpable, while in brief moments in nature a green glimmer of hope is recognizable.
dede is dead
all my scars vanish in the wind
Perfect city: the bravest kid
The experimental film ESSAY FOR THE MEMORY (Program 8) by Denise Vanesa Chirich Barreira deals with the fact that missing memories can also cause suffering. In a collage of animated photographs, she asks to what extent memories and even events that never took place can be captured in images.
Sometimes letting go can be problematic as well. Two girls learn this lesson in DON’T BLOW IT UP (Program 4) by Alžběta Mačáková Mišejková. They get into an argument while playing ball. Their anger causes them to literally lose touch with reality. But when their dog is in danger, they have to pull themselves together to save him.
The villagers pray for the saving rain in an animated version of an Indian legend. In beautifully earthy tones, WATER (Program 9) by Triparna Maiti tells the story of the peace-loving demoness Neerbhukhi, who is blamed for a persistent drought and subjected to resentment and isolation.
Essay for the memory
Don't Blow it up
The protagonist in Julia Orlik’s stop-motion film THIS WILL NOT BE A FESTIVAL FILM (Program 2) is the one who has isolated herself from her family. To pursue her work as an animation artist, she locks herself in the family garage or travels from festival to festival. But her graduation film will change everything. She wants to make it with and about her family and not show it at a single festival.
The colorful musical film CONEJ STEPS OUT (Program 10) by Pablo Río is a feast for the whole family. A rabbit woos his girlfriend with a very special gift, a rocket. All the animals in the forest are thrilled, so his beloved will naturally be as well. Made in the style of the cartoon classics of the 1930s and 1940s, this film unfolds into a vivid spectacle.
This will not be a festival film
