A slate of animated films and stories from China, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, France, Canada and the UK, representing a range of animation styles and storytelling visions, showing animation to be a powerful medium for tackling topics ranging from childhood tales to cultural identity to social inequality.

Rioting spreads as social inequality causes tempers in a struggling community to flare, but the oppressive environment takes on a life of its own as the shadows of the housing estate close in.

The Fire Next Time

Rioting spreads as social inequality causes tempers in a struggling community to flare.

Based on the ancient animistic beliefs and shamanic rituals in Mongolia and Siberia, the film explores the indigenous worldview and wisdom: Nature is the homeland of human being, Tengri is the deity and the father sky, Earth is the mother with rivers nourishing all beings, pagan and pantheist gods co-exist with all mortals. Against the backdrop of the modern existential crisis and the human-induced rapid environmental change, there is a necessity to reclaim the ideas of animism for planetary health and non-human materialities.

The Fourfold

An exploration of indigenous worldview and wisdom from Mongolia and Siberia. With hand-crafted imagery, the short animation is a testament of reclaiming animism for planetary health and non-human materialities.

An animated documentary exploring how my mother’s abusive relationship with my father shaped my own experiences in a boarding school as a child in China. The societal pressures on my mother to hide her abuse and her desire to protect me ultimately created a situation where I was subjected to the same societal pressures. Our shared desires for intimacy, safety, and normalcy have been constantly at odds with the realities that surround us. Through a conversation as adults, my mother and I learn to understand each other and support one another.

Umbilical

An animated documentary exploring how my mother’s abusive relationship shaped my own experiences in boarding school.Through a conversation, my mother and I learn to understand and support each other.

When the richest of the bourgeoisie discovers that their oxygen reserves are diminishing, they will not hesitate to use their influence and blackmail capacity to restore them. He will use religious power to convince submissive and believing citizens that the consumption of this essential resource is a sin. In this way they will be the ones who inflict the restriction on themselves, condemning in many cases to death those who are most disadvantaged, and whoever questions the veracity of such a statement will be violently repressed.

Routine: The Prohibition

In a dark world, devastated by lies and dominated by fear, we continue with our self-destructive routines towards extinction.

In a lifeless virtual world of ruins, Miyavi finds himself with video-game inspired superpowers and the need to break free of his lockdown-induced inanition. Created entirely in game-engine Unity3D using virtual production and volumetric capture.

Miyavi - Need For Speed

In a lifeless virtual world of ruins, Miyavi finds himself with video-game inspired superpowers and the need to break free of his lockdown-induced inanition.

An ageing witch needs a baby for a spell to make her young again. But when she brings home an infant princess things don't go to plan.

The Witch & the Baby

An ageing witch needs a baby for a spell to make her young again.

This is an exploratory animation, combining sound and picture, and space transformation. I designed three storms and nine scenes in this animation. The whole animation is not only the evolution of consciousness from birth to rebirth, but also a brainstorm, full of thinking about the human world. Each of us grows from thinking again and again, and thus gets a new life. It can be said that this animation is the most profound work of my MA course. I almost integrated myself into this animation. I know it is important to be in a society which I do not understand the culture immediately which I have to redefine myself or to know myself. So, I tried my best to understand and learn in this year. 2020 is an uneasy year, with various breaking news continuous. I also experienced the lockdown in London during the outbreak. The bits and pieces experienced during the year are condensed into this animation. I sincerely hope that it could bring you a fantastic journey.

After a Storm

This animation is an adventure, taking you into a world of consciousness.

One night, Seolgi is lying on a grass field with friends. A shooting star falls, and dark and intrusive thoughts hits her. Her melancholy blooms into bright and colorful “flower people”, dancing around and making a wish of METEORITE to end the world.

Misery Loves Company

Seolgi's melancholy blooms into bright and colorful “flower people”, dancing around and making a wish of METEORITE to end the world.

Souvenir Souvenir is an animated film that follows the director throughout his life, as he attempts to coax out his grandfather’s memories of the Algerian War.

Souvenir Souvenir

Souvenir Souvenir is an animated film that follows the director throughout his life, as he attempts to coax out his grandfather’s memories of the Algerian War.

“RenaiDance” is a 3D narrative emotional animation. The theme invigorates cultural inheritance and the integration of dreams, courage, and culture as transformation. By artistically interpreting a motif of inheritance and family support, integrating different cultures“inheritance” through the inspiring story, this film braces strong family love and elder culture in a never-ending chain. Further, the story relates to Asian Traditional Lion Dance and Western Modern Ballet Dance through two main characters, Bella and her dear grandfather. “RenaiDance” not only preserves the beauty of revival traditional culture but also brings cultural integration crossing age to the next level, showing how a disappearing culture and long-lasting family love to exist eternally. For the inheritance of your belief, we invite you to take a leap of faith together.

RenaiDance

The strong family love and elder culture in a never-ending chain.

Live Q&amp;A with the filmmakers on Zoom!

Filmmaker Q&A | International Animation Short Films

InFocus: International Animation Short Films + Filmmaker Q&A

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Join NFMLA for their Film Festival on April 16th - 17th! Featured are panels with the director of WandaVision and writer of Insecure, as well as a program of animated short films from around the world and 3 acclaimed feature films. See great films and learn while building new relationships!

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No sweat. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.