Professional Competition 2

1. Living In A Bubble 07:43 Germany 2022
   

   Directed:	Natalie MacMahon, Nikola Drvoshanov
   Screenplay:	Natalie MacMahon
   Production:	Natalie MacMahon
   Dialogue Language:	No Dialogue

   
   

   LOGLINE: When two strangers feel isolated in the big city, they soon realise that their imagination is able to bring them anywhere they would like to go, despite all the obstacles of modern society. SYNOPSIS: Who says it is easy to live in our modern world? Aren’t we all a bit isolated in different ways? “Living in a bubble” tells the story of two strangers, who live in the bubble they created for themselves, which doesn’t allow them to connect to anything or anyone. Through their imagination and willpower however, they manage to break out of their isolation and open themselves up to the world. They find that there is much more out there than they would have thought and nature can be found in the most unexpected places. If we have enough courage to change our ways, we can re-discover what it feels like to be alive. Against all odds, miracles are still possible- if only we believe in them. German Films Quarterly: https://www.germanfilmsquarterly.de/short1_22_4.html

2. Clay Economy-Globalization / Clay Economy-Globalizzazione 04:40 Italy 2022
   

   Directed:	Bibiana Petrera, Monica Fibbi
   Production:	Uffa srl
   Dialogue Language:	Italian

   
   

   Alberto presents Alexa the domestic artificial intelligence that answers all our questions, even the most uncomfortable ones... where does it come from, where is it produced and at what price?

3. Kraina - the land on the edge 09:52 United Kingdom 2023
   

   Directed:	Marta Adamowicz, Robert Motyka
   Screenplay:	Marta Adamowicz
   Production:	Art27Scotland
   Dialogue Language:	Polish

   
   

   Kraina - The Land On the Edge is a short animation made by Marta Adamowicz and Robert Motyka, made in collaboration with members of the Polish community in Edinburgh to explore traditional Slavic art, folklore and myths. During a series of workshops, members of the community have created paper cutouts inspired by traditional Slavic folk crafts. The filmmakers then incorporated these works into an animation showcasing Slavic beliefs and mythology during the main character's adventure.

4. Out Of Character 04:20 Italy 2023
   

   Directed:	Niccolò Gioia
   Production:	Riccardo Antonio Silvio Antonino

   
   

   Anton is a young boy trying to socialize with his schoolmates; he does so by changing his animation style, in order to fit in with whomever he meets. He will soon find out he is missing an identity of his own, and that he needs to reshape the way he relates to others to find himself.

5. GILGAMESHI 07:15 Albania 2023
   

   Directed:	Shaqir veseli
   Screenplay:	Shaqir Veseli
   Production:	Florenc Papas
   Dialogue Language:	Albanian

   
   

   The god of this world saw everything, there was no one in the world who did not know him, his knowledge and the work he had done.....and on stone tablets he marked their deeds.....and on stone tablets he wrote all suffering

6. When War is Over 05:00 Italy 2022
   

   Directed:	Simone Massi
   Screenplay:	Simone Massi
   Production:	Simone Massi, Emergency

   
   

   A world without war is another utopia that we cannot wait any longer.

7. Unknown 06:03 Poland 2023
   

   Directed:	Michał Żołnowski
   Screenplay:	Michał Żołnowski
   Production:	Michał Żołnowski, Rafał Małecki
   Dialogue Language:	English

   
   

   Alice, a young college student, receives mysterious messages from an unknown person. The messages progressively reveal intimate details about Alice's life, causing her increasing distress and prompting her to confront the stranger. As the tension escalates, Alice seeks support from her friend Kate. However, the arrival of a chilling message urging her to open the door intensifies the unsettling atmosphere. The story explores themes of paranoia and split identity, as Alice's encounter with the unknown takes her on a disturbing journey into the depths of her psyche.

8. Wildlife Cameraman (Summer Farm) 03:49 United Kingdom 2023
   

   Directed:	Erentia Bedeker
   Screenplay:	Norman MacCaig, Scott William Urquhart
   Production:	Stephen McAll
   Dialogue Language:	English

   
   

   Wildlife Cameraman (Summer Farm) is a music video/poetry film based on the poem “Summer Farm” by Scottish poet Norman MacCaig with music and lyrics by Scott William Urquhart & Constant Follower. The film focuses on the connection between nature and our inner world. McCaig’s poem looks outward to nature, noticing the simplistic details which become a metaphysic web that connects all living things. The expansiveness of nature often triggers an inward journey when we feel disconnected from ourselves and the world around us. The true self manifests as the inner child who is always true and pure no matter what hardships we might face. We can lose touch with our inner child, but the connection can never be severed. We can always find our way back to ourselves and to nature. ‘Wildlife Cameraman (Summer Farm)’ is taken from the album Even Days Dissolve.

9. The Improvement of Human Reason 10:00 Iran 2022
   

   Directed:	Hossein Moradizadeh
   Screenplay:	Hossein Moradizadeh
   Production:	Hossein Moradizadeh

   
   

   The film is based on a Philosophical treatise on human nature written in the 12th century. A baby alone on a remote island is suckled by a deer. He grows up, covers his body in imitation of animals, makes a weapon from a tree branch to defend himself, and discovers fire with lightning. He thinks of the sky and knows the world as a living body. From then on, he watered the trees and rescued the helpless animals until a man named Absal came to the island. Absal teaches him the words and Hayy ibn Yaqdhan tells him his observations, Absal takes him from that island to save the people of his land, the people of the city do not understand his words and they are busy appearing and collecting property. When Hayy ibn Yaqdhan realizes his homelessness among those people, he returns to his island.

10. Sulayman 08:04 Philippines 2023
    

    Directed:	Blog Caliguia
    Screenplay:	Blog Caliguia
    Dialogue Language:	Tagalog

    
    

    A warrior confronts a mysterious menace from the forest in order to protect his village.

11. New Year’s Kaleidoscope / Новогодний калейдоскоп 15:50 Belarus
    

    Directed:	Vitaly Androsyuk, Daniil Zhugzhda, Yana Aristova-Galinovskaya, Julia Pintsak
    Screenplay:	Vitaly Androsyuk, Daniil Zhugzhda, Igor Volchek, Julia Pintsak
    Production:	Vladimir Karachevsky, National Film Studio «Belarusfilm»
    Dialogue Language:	No Dialogue, Russian

    
    

    15 minutes 50 seconds, mixed technique, 0+, 2023 Long sinopsis: New Year's almanac of directors debuts. Episode «The Box» (3D animation technique). Philosophical fantasy story, which takes place on New Year’s Eve in the yard of the house, in a box. A box is a symbol of the inner world of man. A little boy runs into the yard, unexpectedly finds there a friend - a small dog. Together are much more fun. A boy frolics with a dog in the yard, and recalling what day today - decides to build a New Year tree from ordinary cardboard boxes. Episode «Mission impossible». On New Year’s Eve, a little girl decided capturing of Santa Claus with all gifts, because she wants to have the personal holiday a whole year. She prepared thoroughly, made a plan in advance to capture Santa Claus, set traps on the way to the Christmas tree and went to bed. But she didn’t even know that Dad had a gift for her too. But in order to deliver a gift to the place they both need to pass the most difficult obstacle course. Neither the girl’s father nor Santa Claus expected such a turn of events. Who will be the first to put down a gift under the tree? Maybe working together they will be made the mission possible? Episode «New Year’s Adventures» (2D paperless hand-drawn animation graphics technique). Father Frost set out on the road to give people a holiday and a sense of joy, but while he was getting to his destination, the unforeseen happened. On the way, he discovered the depressing circumstance that adults and children were so hung up in their gadgets that they full went into the virtual world. Nobody rides sledding, does not play in snowballs, does not sculpt snow woman. Everyone forgot about Father Frost, and the holiday for everybody not important. In order for Father Frost not to make, people don`t notice the New Year magic. Father Frost is upset and already doesn`t wants nothing. Will a New Year come? But all things can suddenly be changed. Episode «Summer in Winter» (2D cutout animation technique). New Year’s Eve. Little boy is bored while grandma makes the final preparations and sets the table. In search of activity, the boy comes across a fascinating rack with banks, in which situated «canned» of the seasons. After waiting for Grandma to leave the room, he go to the shelf to get a jar of "the Summer" and study it properly. But due to the awkwardness of children’s hands, the jar which named «the Summer» fallens , breaks to pieces, and its summer contents burst out. The boy is frightened, the winter landscape outside the window is rapidly changing into the summer. The Chaos is reigned. What can do for prevent the problem? Short sinopsis: New Year's almanac of directors debuts. «The Box» episode. A fantasy episode that takes place on New Year's Eve in the yard of a house. A little boy with his new friend - a small dog, decides to build a Christmas tree out of ordinary cardboard boxes. «New Year's Adventures» episode. Father Frost is on his way to give people a holiday but something unexpected happens. People are so addicted to gadgets that they forget about Father Frost. No one cares about the celebration. Will there really be no New Year's Eve? «Summer in Winter» episode. What would happen if naughty children's hands mixed summer and winter on New Year's Eve?

12. Sit Down, Don't Touch Anything 05:20 Switzerland 2022
    

    Directed:	Frederic Siegel
    Screenplay:	Frederic Siegel
    Production:	Frederic Siegel
    Dialogue Language:	No Dialogue

    
    

    A face is born out of chaos. It struggles to exist. It struggles to find its purpose. It struggles to sit on a chair. In fact, it struggles with many things. But thank God, it’s trying. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

13. Supper / Vacsora 14:51 Hungary 2022
    3rd Place - International Professional Short Animation- Jury
    

    Directed:	Dániel Bárány
    Screenplay:	Dániel Bárány
    Production:	Gábor Osváth
    Dialogue Language:	No Dialogue

    
    

    During a dysfunctional family dinner, oppressed family members battl their oppressors. The battle for domination leads to a monstrous outcome.

14. The wrong doormat / Неправильный коврик 04:58 Russian Federation
    

    Directed:	Ivan Maximov
    Screenplay:	Ivan Maximov
    Production:	Alexander Gerasimov, Valery Ryabin

    
    

    The story is about a little girl who couldn't find her flat after returning from the walk...

15. Summer Night's Fantasy 05:41 Spain 2022
    

    Directed:	Guby Moon
    Screenplay:	Guby Moon
    Production:	Guby Moon
    Dialogue Language:	Spanish

    
    

    It's a summer night and it's very hot. Mila is lying in bed and can't sleep. Then her hands slide down all over her body as her mind fantasizes taking her on a cosmic journey to the stars and beyond. This is a poetic story about a hot summer night's fantasy.