Shorts Animation Competition 3

Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

From realism to surrealism and abstraction, all animated shorts of the competition programme manifest both depth and style.

In the variety of 2D, 3D and stop-motion animation, the films' characters assume the form of animals to express what humans cannot. They focus their gaze on the nature of relationships, which can wither away. They explore femininity and motherhood and dare to examine social malaise as well. Their design ranges from the lush to the minimal, and their directors can bridge our new, online brave world with our old unexplored natural world. We can relate to nuns in love, gay male desires, anxious artists and overworked athletes all with one intake of air. The films are alternatively brave and witty, all revealing the need for connection – whether being one of the Greek gods or your familiar and lovable cow. It's all in the eye of the animation beholder.

Screenings

Hall 2 Kino Artis
Screening062202 / Shorts anima võistlusprogramm 3
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Trailer

Films

Baltic premiere

Spring

Local title
Kevad
Original title
Foraar
Director
Pernille Kjaer
Country
Denmark
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

In a farmhouse a woman tries to lure the resident house spirit – a mischievous Nisse – with offerings of food. Spring is just around the corner, but a winter's chill still lingers. During the night as ghosts move through the house, the Nisse slips into the woman's dream. As day breaks he melts away, but something has changed; spring has arrived.

Director
Pernille Kjaer
Runtime
Trailer

Baltic premiere

The Garden of Heart

Local title
Südameaed
Original title
A Szív Kertje
Director
Olivér Hegyi
Country
Hungary, Slovakia
Year
2022
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

Dániel Juhász, a young aspiring painter with low self-esteem, is in his last round of interviews at the painting department of the Academy of Fine Arts. While waiting for his interview, his demons appear to him in the form of garden pests.

Director
Olivér Hegyi
Runtime
Language
English
Trailer

Baltic premiere

Compound Eyes of Tropical

Local title
Troopika liitsilmad
Original title
熱帶複眼
Director
zhan zhang xu
Country
Taiwan
Year
2022
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

Based on a famous Malays tale, the story narrates how a clever mouse deer is tricking the crocodiles of a river to line up in a row so it can jump on their back to cross safely to the other side and the fruits.

Director
zhan zhang xu
Runtime

Baltic premiere

And The Cranes Kept Dancing

Local title
Ja kured aina tantsisid
Original title
A Żurawie Wciąż Tańczyły
Director
Natasza Cetner
Country
Poland, Saudi Arabia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

When the Cranes appear on the shore and introduce the Man to the world of beauty and dance, he needs to decide what priorities in his life are. The further the Man distances himself from the family, the more the Woman decides to fight through her trauma in order to attempt one last try at their relationship while the Child is lost in his nightmares and abandonment, while the Cranes keep on dancing.

Director
Natasza Cetner
Runtime

Baltic premiere

Winter

Local title
Talv
Original title
Zima
Director
Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Country
Poland
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts Animation Competition

Mosaic portrait of a small fisherman's village where human to human, human to animal, animal to animal interdepend on a delicate balance of warm tender care and cold emotional cruelty. An eerie story of loneliness and community narrated with magical realism.

Director
Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Runtime