The authors of the animations focused on the relationships in general, including: the future father with their child, but also with their demon/muse; relationships of strangers who meet on online dates, mothers with a child who disappeared in the chaos of war, and many others. The strength of these animations lies in the combination of a non-obvious form with an often surprising message.
screening curator: Emilia Rusin

Heart of Gold, dir. Simon Filliot (France) 2020, 13’, 15+ A mother sees an opportunity to escape the hardships of a life of poverty by selling her organs to a sick, very rich, elderly neighbor. Little by little, necessity gives way to greed. Film presented at e.g. Etiuda&Anima IFF.

The Awakening of the Insects, dir. Stephanie Lansaque, Francois Leroy (France) 2021, 14’, 15+
Mr Lam is an old gentleman from Hong Kong who has lost his memory after the death of his wife. On March 5, the day of “the awakening of the hibernating insects”, he receives the unexpected visit from Ms. Meng. This Taoist exorcist is determined to chase the demons lodging in the head of the old man. Film awarded at e.g. Annecy IAFF. Polish premiere.

Insect, dir. Marcin Podolec (Poland) 2021, 30’, 15+
Pascal lives with his parents in a city full of smog. The dense fog confuses the citizens. The smoke hides the secrets of both people, and infamous… insects. Film awarded at OFPA O!PLA.

Dating Internet Strangers, dir. Eduardo Wahrhaftig (Brazil) 2021, 11’, 16+
Tens of millions of people are using some kind of dating app. This is a compilation of good and bad date stories shared by some of these users, and their impressions about online dating in the smartphone era. Polish premiere.

Night, dir. Ahmad Saleh (Palestine) 2021, 16’, 16+
The dust of war keeps the eyes sleepless. Night brings peace and sleep to all the people in the broken town. Only the eyes of the mother of the missing child stay resilient. Night has to trick her into sleeping to save her soul. Film presented at e.g. Locarno IFF.

Slouch, dir. Michael Bohnenstingl (USA) 2022, 18’, 16+
Wannabe musical legend, Slouch, who is torn between the prompts of his song-writing-demon, Nuffti, to deep dive into his darkest emotions, and the suggestions of his pregnant girlfriend, Lisa, who wants a settled family life. The film was nominated for the Annie Award.