12 student projects have found their way to the 2023 edition of FAF competition program. Films from Denmark, Estonia, Sweden and Norway represent the new talent from the north. The 2023 student film program bears mark from the pandemic period, with strong personal films where the filmmaker shows an incredible effort to manage a complex production on their bare shoulders. The student shows an unique diversity of approaches and techniques in animation. From art to crafts, the films vary as the animation scene itself. The student films in the Nordic-Baltic competition program are competing for the festival's awards for best student film, Grand Prix and the audience award. Age limit: 12

Strange Company - a monkey, a bear, and a centipede are intensely engaged playing a board game. However, there is more at stake than just game pieces. There once was a girl named Dashka, whose path took some turns, kind of shock-ah. She started with math, but left for art's path, and now she's a director, just rock-ah! From Moscow to St. Petersburg, She studied art that was rather big-ger, then animation called, so she applied and enthralled, And now she directs like a professional! In Tallinn she finished her degree, A director in animation, yippee, She worked on shorts, ads, and projects that weren't bad. Now she's living the dream, you see!

A story about a monkey, a bear and a caterpillar

A talented juggler's life takes a sudden twist when his treasured juggling balls are stolen. Determined to retrieve his cherished possessions, he embarks on an adventure, aided by acrobatic rabbits, dancing frogs and some shocking truths about his own existence. Rebeka Kruus is an animation artist exploring everyday situations through the lens of magical realism. Her animation journey began at the Estonian Academy of Arts, where she pursued a B.A. in animation. Now she is Interested in both hand-drawn 2D animation and classic puppet animation. Combining autobiographical fragments with a delicate nostalgia and an eerie sense of home. She is drawn to the contradictory human experience that acknowledges both quiet love and comedic tragedy, aspiring to tell stories where characters may take the form of frogs and monkeys, yet resonate on a relatable level.

The Juggler's Guide

Two teddy bears are trying to survive an ice-cold night in the middle of the forest. Michaela Box grew up in the center-north of Sweden in a place called Dalarna but has been living in Stockholm for some time. She studied animation at Animationsakademien (2021-2023). Her specialty is stop-motion and paper animation. Her films are inspired by her hometown in Dalarna. The forest and the mountains are visualized with the help of different materials and colorful papers. That creates a 3D effect and depth that makes one see wide views and large scenes. Her movie The Last Spark was realized in 2023 and has been awarded an honorable mention prize from Filmstaden Kultur in Sweden.

The Last Spark

If the rain were to fall indoors, but never outdoors, where do we begin to look for shelter? Milly Yencken (b.1993, Australia). Studied for a B.FA. in painting in Tasmania and a diploma in classical animation in Vancouver. She is currently completing her M.A. in Animation at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Painting is at the center of her practice, yet she uses the animated image to both deconstruct and expand upon new ways to apply paint and what a painting can come to mean when you stay inside a concept for a long duration of time. Yencken creates work that is surrealist and darkly whimsical. Her long-term artistic goal is to produce paintings paired with animation, that can create a richly internalized world, to which the viewer is invited into.

The Eastern Rain

The Paper flew away from the artist Marja. She tries to tame the Paper by any means necessary. But only understanding the Paper can reveal its true nature. Katariina Haukka (born 1998) is an M.A. animation student of Aalto University. She graduated in 2022 spring from Turku Arts Academy as an animation director and producer. The Paper is her graduating film.

The Paper

Empty handed headMystery girl, piano keysNew awakening. There once was a girl named Dashka, whose path took some turns, kind of shock-ah. She started with math, but left for art's path, and now she's a director, just rock-ah! From Moscow to St. Petersburg, She studied art that was rather big-ger, then animation called, so she applied and enthralled, And now she directs like a professional! In Tallinn she finished her degree, A director in animation, yippee, She worked on shorts, ads, and projects that weren't bad. Now she's living the dream, you see!

Piano in the bushes

A short film about a young individual who overcomes his boredom by exploring and imagining new possibilities away from the computer screen. Konrad Kaminski hails from Norway and boasts a diverse background, having been recognized as one of Norway's top table tennis players. However, he harbored an unyielding passion for the realms of animation and storytelling, ultimately leading him to make a pivotal career transition. He pursued his studies in animation at Noroff while simultaneously teaching at a junior high school. During his third year of intensive studies, Konrad secured a prestigious role as a motion designer at JCP. Concurrently, he embarked on the ambitious endeavor of crafting his graduation film, the poignant and captivating Playtime. Kaminski's multifaceted journey and commitment to the craft of animation are emblematic of his unwavering dedication to the art form and his pursuit of excellence in storytelling through visual mediums. His unique blend of athleticism and creative acumen continues to shape his vision as a director in the world of animation.

Playtime

A cat has a strange experience in the laundry room. Jelizaveta Averko is an animator from Estonia who likes to make cursed films.Ksenia Pleshakova is an artist/writer under the pseudonym Seagulltoon who creates imaginary worlds and characters to cope with black longing.

Instruction

Planet Muscleion and its beefcake inhabitants are in danger because of a threat from outer space, but the real threat is much closer: the low self-esteem of a beloved friend. Finnish filmmakers Maurinen and Laasanen are both multi-talents in the fields of art, culture, and media. Besides their independent careers, they have also worked on multiple projects together including short films, animations, and even musical theatre. Passion for comedy, storytelling, DIY culture, and kind values has brought them together and made them an unstoppable creative team, ready to put extra effort into silly things.

Muscle Hearts

Three robot companions descend down an abandoned mine, working together as they search for invaluable fuel that keeps their kind alive. Jimi Kujanpää is studying 3D animation and visualization in Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences with a strong interest in filmmaking.

What Makes Them Tick

Nordic-Baltic Comp: Student Film

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