On Thin Ice: Who’s laughing there?

Kata Gugić (1990) graduated Fashion Design from the Faculty of Textile Technology, and Animation and New Media from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. She works in the fields of animation, scenography and costume design.

COCKPERA

Croatia, 2020

A short opera inspired by Aesop’s fable The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle.

Direction: Kata Gugić
Script: Kata Gugić
Animation: Kata Gugić
Editing: Kata Gugić
Sound design: Vjeran Šalamon
Production: Akademija likovnih umjetnosti Zagreb

The Cold Cold War

France, 2020

Conrad the penguin search for his kidnapped friends.

Original title: La guerre trés trés froide
Direction: Bonnie Rollot, Clara Mari, Sandra Garcia, Wenqing Wang, Lucie Gay
Script: Bonnie Rollot, Clara Mari, Sandra Garcia, Wenqing Wang, Lucie Gay
Animation: Clara Mari, Sandra Garcia
Editing: Bonnie Rollot
Sound design: Clara Mari, Angel IGNACE
Production: ECV Paris

Yulia Aronova was Born in 1983. Received MFA from VGIK (Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography) in Moscow. Director of short animation films.

Firefighter

France, 2020

From the top of his watchtower, a firefighter scans the city, ready to brave all dangers. However, the streets are calm and peaceful. He is determined to look for fire everywhere. Desperate, the firefighter gives up his job. But one day, he meets a woman who burns with love for him. So he finds meaning in his life!

Original title: Pompier
Direction: Yulia Aronova
Script: Yulia Aronova
Animation: Eugen Boitsov,Yulia Aronova,Iulia Voitova
Editing: Yulia Aronova
Sound design: Artem Fadeev
Production: Imaka Films

Alexandra Májová is Czech illustrator, animator and director. She studied animation at FAMU. In the course of her studies, she spent time at the animation department of Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn. She has directed the short animated student films, Swimming Pool (2010) and Mythopolis (2013), among others, which won a number of significant awards both domestic and international. She currently illustrates children’s books and works on animated children TV series Hungry Bear Tales (Bionaut production 2021).

Washing Machine

Czech Republic, 2020

Wash and love.

Original title: Pračka
Direction: Alexandra Májová
Script: Alexandra Májová, Martin Máj
Animation: Alexandra Májová
Editing: Michal Reich
Sound design: Jan Richtr
Production: Alexandra Májová

Pauline Epiard, Valentine Ventura, Tiphaine Burguburu, Clémentine Vasseur, Lisa Laîné and Élodie Laborde have graduated from Rubika Animation school (Valenciennes, France) with a Master in digital director. In 2020, they co-directed the short film “Thin Ice”.

Thin Ice

France, 2020

Followed by his faithful cameraman, a shady reporter takes off on a journey to document a presumed exctinct species.

Original title: Disparus
Direction: Pauline Epiard, Valentine Ventura, Tiphaine Burguburu, Clémentine Vasseur, Lisa Laîné, Élodie Laborde
Script: Pauline Epiard, Valentine Ventura, Tiphaine Burguburu, Clémentine Vasseur, Lisa Laîné, Élodie Laborde
Animation: Pauline Epiard, Valentine Ventura, Tiphaine Burguburu
Editing: Tiphaine Burguburu
Sound design: Valentine Ventura
Production: Rubika Animation

The director’s duo has been writing and directing animated short films for about 15 years. After a first collaboration in 2015 with La Luna productions for ONCE UPON THREE TIMES one of the 10 films of the Canal Animated Collection + “Draw Always!” , they make A STORY BY JEANNOT, co-produced by Xbo films and broadcast on France 3 channel. They have just finished OLD HAG, whose screenplay was awarded in 2016 at the Annecy Film Market and pre-bought by Canal +.

Old Hag

France, 2020

While his wife believes him at a coroporate seminar in Paris, Jean-Luc is sitting un a boat moving in the bayou somewhere in Louisiana. He has an appointment with the voodoo wizard Richardson. This wizard is know for solving all the problems.

Direction: Julie Rembauville, Nicolas Bianco-Levrin
Script: Nicolas Bianco-Levrin
Animation: Nicolas Bianco-Levrin
Editing: Julie Rembauville
Sound design: Marie Doyeux
Production: La Luna Production

Avishai Simchovitch, Bezalel graduate 2020. Jerusalem based artist, Work with animation, video and installation art, “The Deceased” is his final project in his animation studies in Bezalel. Keren Or Zelingher, Bezalel graduate 2020. Grew up in Israel. In her work, Zehlinger combine animation, illustration and print. “The Deceased” is her final project in her animation studies in Bezalel.

The Deceased

Israel, 2020

Stop motion musical. Haim, an elderly man is lying on his deathbed, as his family members gather to say goodbye, each in their own absurd way.

Direction: Avishai Simchovitch, Keren Or Zelingher
Script: Avishai Simchovitch, Keren Or Zelingher
Animation: Nurit Galron, Zina Shamrouk, Aya Hayut, Zlil Rubinstein, Eliran Swissa
Sound design: Ori Kadishay
Production: Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design

Andrey Kuznetsov was born in 1966, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Graduated from the Moscow State Pedagogical University, the Faculty of Art and Graphics. Than Russian State University of Cinematography named after S. Gerasimov. Since 1990 he has been artist, animator and director of the Pilot studio. He worked on the project “Mountain of Gems”.

Conspiracy

Russia2020

Conspiracy theory sometimes diverges from practice. At the same time, not only life, but also death makes its own adjustments to the plans of people – and not always in the way you thought about.

Original title: Zagovor
Direction: Andrey Kuznetsov
Script: Andrey Kuznetsov
Animation: Andrey Kuznetsov
Editing: Andrey Kuznetsov
Sound design: Ivan Uryupin
Production: Soyuzmultfilm

The Alien Nightmare

France, 2020

Mike, Bob and Frank land on Earth for a scientific expedition. A routine mission for these aliens, but this time, everything won’t go as planned…

Direction: Lauriane Balestrat, Marc Antoine Alonzo, Alexis Sabalza, Elie Berhoumieux, Lucas Soupou
Script: Lauriane Balestrat, Marc Antoine Alonzo, Alexis Sabalza, Elie Berhoumieux, Lucas Soupou
Animation: Lauriane Balestrat, Marc Antoine Alonzo, Alexis Sabalza
Editing: Lucas Soupou
Sound design: Romain Castagnet
Production: MoPA

Carried Away

France, 2020

A dark comedy about antagonist twins who have to fulfill their mother’s last will: bury her corpse in the forest.

Direction: Etienne Fagnère, Manon Carrier, Johan Cayrol, Alo Trusz, Jean-Baptiste Escary
Script: Etienne Fagnère, Manon Carrier
Animation: Johan Cayrol, Alo Trusz
Editing: Jean-Baptiste Escary
Sound design: Les Cosmonotes
Production: MoPA

Marko Tadić (1979) studied painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence. His artistic practice focuses on drawing, installation and animation. He has won numerous art prizes. His films have been shown at many international animation and experimental film festivals. His works have been exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions around the world. In 2017, he represented Croatia at the 57th Venice Biennale, along with Tina Gverović. He participated in residential programs in Helsinki, New York, Los Angeles, Frankfurt and Vienna. He works at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Croatia.

Events Meant to Be Forgotten

Croatia, 2020

Filmed on 16mm film, this visual expression is rooted in archival materials, drawing its inspiration from a poem by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, which appears in the film. It speaks of forgotten people, their lives and their deeds. These two Archives were found at a flea market in Zagreb. One is of a famous architect and the other of a famous composer. The film ponders on this occurrence, as well as on the vanishing and forgetfulness of humans.

Original title: Događaji za zaboraviti
Direction: Marko Tadić
Script: Marko Tadić
Animation: Marko Tadić
Editing: Iva Blašković, Miro Manojlović
Sound design: Hrvoje Nikšić
Production: Kreativni sindikat

Born in 1983 in Lille (France), Bastien Dubois earned his diploma in CGI Directing from Supinfocom Valenciennes in 2006. His CGI graduation short entitled AH (codirected with Simon Moreau and Joris Bacquet) was about a little girl who gazes into her hot alphabet soup, then plunges in to find a surreal landscape of alphabet letters in a world of naughty kids. Bastien Dubois is a keen traveler, it was after he hitch hiked from the north of France to Istanbul that he had the idea of making an animated travel log. His first independent film Madagascar, a Journey Diary was based on a one year trip to the big red island.

Souvenir Souvenir

France, 2020

For ten years, I’ve pretended to make a movie out of my grandfather’s Algerian war souvenirs. Today, I’m not sure I want to hear what he has to say…

Direction: Bastien Dubois Script: Bastien Dubois Animation: Lucas Morandi, Mathilde le Moal, Mylene Cagnoli, Myrtille Pautet, Kelsi Phung, Julie Bousquet, Olivier Ladeuix, Léa Bancelin, Laure Clemansaud, Christophe Congard, Charles Ouvrard, Fabien Corre, Gabriel Jacquel, Thomas Machart, Gilles Cuvelier, Claire Trolle Sound design: Vandy Roc Production: Blast Production

Jonas Hurrle was born in 1990 in Karlsruhe / Germany. BA Media Design at DHBW Ravensburg. Worked at AD BUREAU in Karlsruhe and LINGNER.COM in Heilbronn. My experimental short film “Fragments”was screened at several film festivals. Currently working in Stuttgart as a Freelance Motion Designer for commercial spots and own non-commercial work. Brandnew I teamed up with Duke Nguyen at F.U.N.

Fragments

Germany, 2020

The death of a human leaves many questions unanswered as we enter the premises that once belonged to that person. When man disappears, things remain in their place. „Fragments“ illuminates the life of my grandfather, Herbert Hurrle, through the things he accumulated, discovered, and used in his life. The memories that stick to it come to life.

Direction: Jonas Hurrle
Script: Jonas Hurrle
Animation: Jonas Hurrle
Editing: Jonas Hurrle
Sound design: Marc Fragstein
Production: DHBW Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg

Sondre Johre and Joachim Berg is a director duo from completely different backgrounds. Sondre is young, technically gifted and with a love for 3D animation. Joachim is an old soul, raised on 2D, with an art education in traditional drawing from Florence, Italy. They both studied animation together at Volda University College 2017-2020.

Hijack 139

Norway, 2020

There once was a man feeling sad and in pain, so to get some attention, he hijacks a plane! But seizing an aircraft is quite the chore, so he guzzles a beer. And another. Then a few more. What happened next might seem unbelievable to you, but make no mistake, it’s all quite true. Story about the incident on a Braathens SAFE’s flight 139 on June 21 1985.

Direction: Joachim Berg, Sondre Johre
Script: Joachim Berg, Sondre Johre
Animation: Joachim Berg, Sondre Johre
Sound design: Eilif Grøn Hensvold
Production: Volda University College

Jonas Rimer rođen je u blizini Berlina 1990. godine i studirao je animaciju na Filmskom univerzitetu Babelsberg. Njegov kratki film MASCARPONE prikazan je na više od 100 festivala širom sveta i osvojio je preko 25 nagrada. Film je bio deo “Kratkog tigra naredne generacije” na Filmskom festivalu u Kanu. Godine 2019. Jonas Rajmer je realizovao animirani dokumentarni film ČOVEK KOJI JE PREPLOVIO MORE uz donaciju Nordmedie.

The One Who Crossed the Sea

Germany, 2020

An animated documentary that tells the story of a GDR refugee who joins the New Right. In a folding boat, he flees via Denmark to Western Germany, where the story tips into the dark. His newly acquired freedom turns into disorientation. Only in a burgeoning nationalist movement does he find a new home.

Original title: Der übers Meer kam
Direction: Jonas Riemer
Script: Jonas Riemer, Lion Bischof
Animation: Jonas Riemer
Editing: Jonas Riemer, Martin Herold
Sound design: Robert Pilgram, Marcus Sander
Production: Jonas Riemer, Johannes Schubert

Marine Laclotte studied Animation in France, first at the ESAAT in Roubaix and then at the EMCA in Angouleme were she followed a course of Documentary Animation and graduated in 2014. She then made the film “Papier buvard”, one episode of the short film serie “En sortant de l’école” dedicated to the poet Robert Desnos.

Mild Madness, Lasting Lunacy

France, 2020

This walk in the daily life of several psychiatric institutions allows us to meet extraordinary people who let us enter their privacy.

Direction: Marine Laclotte
Script: Marine Laclotte
Animation: Mathilde Parquet, Lisa Matuzak, Marine Laclotte
Editing: Thomas Grandremy, Claude Clorennec, Catherine Aladenise
Sound design: Camille Erder, Flavien Van Azefeld, Adam Wolny
Production: A Lardux Films, Folimage

6:31, 2D Computer, painting, collage, stop motion

Ivan Stojković is a Serbian animator and comic book artist He studied graphic design in Faculty of Applied Arts in Nis and animation at Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade. His comic books are published in both Serbia and France (Linije fronta, System comics, 2017; Duge noći crne zastave, System comics 2018; L’Ombre d’Antan, Inukshuk editions, 2017) and his animations were shown in several international animation festivals (Balkanima, Belgrade, 2011; Animateka, Ljubljana, 2011; Animafest, Zagreb, 2012; Annecy, France, 2016).

Lines

Serbia, 2021

An experimental visualization of a personal diary that talks about struggling childhood and youth turns into a story about family, generations and all the lines they hold.

Direction: Ivan Stojković
Script: Ivan Stojković
Animation: Ivan Stojković
Editing: Ivan Stojković
Sound design: Israel Bañuelos
Production: Vorky Team/Kinematika

Paolo Santamaria (1990) graduated in directing and filmmaking at the Scuola Nazionale Di Cinema – Centro Sperimentale Di Cinematografia. Paolo’s works range from documentary to advertising through music video production.On the field of advertising, Paolo have been in charge of commercials and corporations on behalf of national and international brands and foundations. Music, following the creation of the MUSE-X brand, represents one of his main fields of interest. In addition to various films produced thanks to the support of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, in 2019 Paolo directed the feature documentary “Ex-Otago – Siamo come Genova”.

Dormo Poco e Sono Molto

Italy, 2020

A travel through imagination, finding a place called home.

Direction: Paolo Santamaria
Script: Paolo Santamaria
Animation: Gianpaolo Calabrese
Editing: Arco Camilli
Sound design: España Circo Este
Production: Garrincha Dischi

Born in 1964, Koji Yamamura started working on animated films as an amateur, at the age of 13. During the 1990s, he explored various styles and techniques while working mainly on films for children. Nominated at the Oscars for Best Animated Short, “Mt. Head” marked a turning point, leading him to join the world’s most renowned animation filmmakers. His major works since include “The Old Crocodile” (2005), “Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor” (2007) and “Muybridge’s Strings” (2011). His films were awarded with more than 100 prizes. Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts.

Polar Bear Bears Boredom

Japan, 2021

A polar bear who is very bored with various marine animals in the deep blue sea. It continues an ancient tradition of “Caricatures of Frolicking animals” in scroll painting-style; this time, “Frolicking Sea Animals,” in animation form, with a play on Japanese and English language word-plays: “Hokyoku-Guma Suggoku Hima. / Polar bear bears boredom”, “Kawauso Kawaisou. / Other otter, poor otter,” etc.

Direction: Koji Yamamura
Script: Koji Yamamura
Animation: Koji Yamamura
Sound design: Takino Masumi
Production: Yamamura Animation

Zurich-born Dustin Rees (1981) grew up in the UK before returning to Switzerland in 1991. Following his love for animation he graduated at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) in 2007. He has since directed and produced numerous commissioned trailers, clips and short films, as well as executing his own projects. He teaches at the HSLU, runs film and animation workshops, and is a film projectionist in various cinemas. Dustin’s previous animated short films “Ransom” (2012), “Borderline” (2011), “The Bellinger” (2007) and “The Cleaner” (2006) have been screen at numerous international film festivals.

Signs

Switzerland, 2020

An electrician follows his nightly routine setting up signs in the city. He goes through life unnoticed and out of touch with the world, until he realises which signs he should be paying attention to.

Direction: Dustin Rees
Script: Dustin Rees
Animation: Dustin Rees, Yael Schärer, Jonathan Wüst
Editing: Dustin Rees, Fee Liechti
Sound design: Loïc Kreyden, Thomas Gassmann
Production: Virage Film

Beyond the Trees

France, 2020

Everyday, a 7 year old indonesian boy, performs a long trip to reach his destination on time.

Direction: Pierre Burgoni, Jordan Baudé, Julie Bijjou, Catharianne Ni
Script: Pierre Burgoni, Jordan Baudé, Julie Bijjou, Catharianne Ni
Animation: Pierre Burgoni, Jordan Baudé, Julie Bijjou, Catharianne Ni
Editing: Pierre Burgoni, Jordan Baudé, Julie Bijjou, Catharianne Ni
Sound design: Jordan Baudé
Production: Ecole MoPA

Felippe Steffens studied Visual Arts at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Brazil. Works with animation since 2009, mostly on children’s productions and animated series. In 2016, he co-directed his first short film, “Lipe, Grandpa and the Monster”. “Tom” is his first independent short film.

TOM

Brazil, 2020

Tom was just a normal dog when he went to space with his human, Mei. When she leaves for a space walk and doesn’t come back, Tom has to take control of the International Space Station to keep it working while he waits for Mei’s return, and the return to his life as it was before.

Direction: Felippe Steffens
Script: Felippe Steffens
Animation: André Araújo, Daniela Caligario, Felipe Almeida, Gabriel Jimenez, Leonardo Bentolila, Maria Amélia
Editing: Felippe Steffens
Sound design: Guilherme Cássio
Production: Felippe Steffens

Director and illustrator, Franck Dion collaborates with publishing houses, magazines, creates sets for the theater and also designs animations for documentaries. From 2003, he directed animated short films including the very noticed Mr. COK, Edmond was a donkey or A head disappears which receives the crystal for best short film at the international animated film festival of Annecy in 2016.

Under the skin, the bark

France, 2021

An uninspiring character decides to visit his uninspired author.

Original title: Sous la peau, l’écorce
Direction: Franck Dion
Script: Franck Dion
Animation: Franck Dion
Editing: Franck Dion
Production: Franck Dion

Dear Forest

France, 2020

In a possible future, Josée, a solid forest officer, is done tearing down the last trees of a small forest in the middle of the desert. Having not attained the quota set by her employer, she goes towards another forest that happens to be made from hybrids of trees and deers, constantly on the look for pools of light.

Direction: Claire Eyheramendy, Simon Duclos, Pauline Gregoire
Script: Claire Eyheramendy, Simon Duclos, Pauline Gregoire
Animation: Lucie Roche, Ilef Boumeftah
Editing: Lucie Roche
Sound design: Antoine Gasse
Production: MoPA

Alexandra Myotte is a director and animator from Montreal, Quebec. Through her production company Sémaphore Films, Myotte produces, directs and writes multiple short films and web seriesShe serves as producer and animator on TV5’s web series “Écoute cette histoire”, winner of a Gemini Award in 2015 and a Medea Award in 2017. She also directs several animated music videos, winning ADISQ’s Videoclip of the Year Award in 2008 and 2009.

No Title

Canada, 2021

Through the memories of a small-town journalist, we discover Louisiane Gervais, blind sculptor and iconoclast. Their meeting sets off a chain reaction over which they quickly lose control.

Original title: Pas de titre
Direction: Alexandra Myotte
Script: Alexandra Myotte
Animation: Alexandra Myotte
Editing: Alexandra Myotte
Sound design: Jean-Sébastien Hamel
Production: Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel

Sam and Fred Guillaume were born on October 7, 1976 in Friborg (Switzerland). They embarked on animation in 1998 by directing their first film The Little Penguin Who Wanted Ice Cream. Enthused by this first experience, the two brothers decide to make it their profession and make commissioned films, commercials, scientific films and short films. From 2003 to 2007, it was the adventure of the first feature film with Max & Co (CH-F-B-UK) which was distributed in more than 20 countries and notably won the audience award at the Annecy festival. Along with cinema films, they collaborate on various shows and installation projects, contribute to public awareness through the La Lanterne Magique children’s club, organize continuing education seminars within the framework of Focal and lead workshops and conferences.

The Fox and the Bird

Le Renard et l’Oiselle l Fred and Sam Guillaume l Switzerland l 2019 l 12:06

A solitary fox finds itself improvising fatherhood for a freshly hatched baby bird. Two paths cross and a family is formed, until fate reminds each of the life it is meant to lead.

Matt Walton has a BA of Animation (2020) at Sheridan College, Canada.

The Lighthouse Man

Matt Walton l Canada l 2020 l 4:00

A friendly giant struggles to adapt to the growing port town he calls home.

Jose Prats is a filmmaker, storyboarder and illustrator, and works for Aardman Studios. He studied Fine Arts at the universities of Murcia, Valencia and Accademia Albertina and then began his career as a Concept Artist in Spanish, Mexican and Finnish studios. Alvaro Robles graduated at the Metropolis Film School with a Screenwriting/Directing Degree. He then pursued a professional career as an editor in several advertising agencies in Madrid. He codirected and wrote the short film “Mara, Maravillas” with José Prats.

Umbrellas

Parapluies l José Prats, Alvaro Roblès l France, Spain l 2020 l 12:00

In a faraway land where the rain never stops, six-year-old Kyna spends her days playing carelessly under the protective “umbrella-beard” of her father, Din. One night, Kyna’s beloved dog Nana disappears. To find her, Kyna will embark on an adventure of self-discovery and face her great fear, the Rain.

Isaac King has been directing, designing, and animating short films and commercials of all kinds (drawn, stop-motion, digital mixed-media) since graduating from Emily Carr University in 2000. Isaac has a special interest in character design, blending handmade and digital techniques, and exploring environmental themes for audiences of all ages.

WhateverTree

Isaac King l Canada l 2020 l 11:05

Screen addiction. Species at risk. Whatever! A dead tree goes viral, attracting wildlife, a nature lover, and a crowd of online followers. Animated entirely outside, WhateverTree examines our connection to nature in the age of social media, screens, and selfies.

On Thin Ice: Who's laughing there?

63 min