Best Dutch Animated Short

Bristles Howling

Do brushes have feelings? They do in this funny, colourful animation. Three brushes have a nice life together in a glass jar, longing for the day that they will be used to paint. When one of the three is chosen, it feels like it hit the jackpot until it accidentally ends up on the floor. And what happens to a brush that has been dipped in paint, but then forgotten? The unlucky victim tries any means of trying to get its once beautiful, soft hair back to its original state, but only succeeds in making things worse. Ultimately, there seems to be no salvation, but then his friends come to his aid.

A film about weird brushes, but also about vanity, envy, compassion, and empathy. Ultra-short, captivating animation about a wounded wolf dragging itself along through the forest and over the tundra at night. Limping and breathing hard, he intuitively follows the path up towards the full moon. On his way he spies a herd of buffalo and his memory takes him back to earlier that day, when he was still the uncontested leader of the pack and hunted the buffalos. However, he was fatally wounded trying to protect his female from an angry male buffalo.

He has to make this journey to his end alone, that is the law of nature. He has resigned himself to his fate and his howling at the moon speaks of the cycle of life and the sacrifices he made for the pack.

QUINTIN HABERHAM

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 3’ | 6+

FACTS

Producer Chris Stenger, Noortje Wilschut, Floor Onrust Screenwriter Quintin Haberham Composer Bram Meindersma Production company Family Affair Films, The Netherlands, info@familyaffairfilms.nl, www.familyaffairfilms.nl Distributor Kaboom Distribution

LEWIS VAN DER WERF

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 2’ | 8+

FACTS

Producer Arnoud Rijken, Michiel Snijders Screenwriter Lewis van der Werf Editor Lewis van der Werf Composer Bas Bouma Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl

Jingwei - The Little Oathkeeper Leap

This animation, that is like a watercolour and with Chinese music, tells the story of a young girl who is determined to catch the sun in her dip net. She bravely chases the glowing orb: nothing and no one can stop her. She ignores physical pain and the unthinking derision of other children. When she reaches the sea, she doesn’t hesitate and boards a raft, yet her courage and perseverance prove insufficient to conquer the power of the elements.

Jingwei is the name of a mythological Chinese bird. The latter is said to contain the soul of a little girl who drowned in the East China Sea whilst playing. The myth is about people’s will to overcome tragedy and their incapability of ever freeing themselves from it. A girl walks through sombre, autumnal woods. The trunks are dark, the sky is grey and the wind is icy. Just like above the trees, dark, contorted clouds darken her thoughts. She becomes lost and entangled in her worries. Only when a beam of sunlight pierces the autumnal leaves, does she realise where she is. She sees the beauty around her of the falling leaves and the shining sun. In no time she is able to let go of the things that obsessed her just a moment ago.

A simple, dialogue-free animation that shows how – with a little outside help – you can change your perspective on the world in the blink of an eye. The girl allows herself to waft away on her fantasy, borne by the beautiful tones and warm colours, high above the reality of existence.

WANQING WANG

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 6’ | 10+

FACTS

Producer WanQing Wang Screenwriter WanQing Wang Editor WanQing Wang Composer Auris Media Production company HKU - Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, The Netherlands, sz@hku.nl, www.hku.nl

JANNEKE AS

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 3’ | 6+

FACTS

Producer Janneke As Screenwriter Janneke As Editor Janneke As Composer Stijn van Wakeren Production company HKU - Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, The Netherlands, sz@hku.nl, www.hku.nl

A Piece of Art

KunstSTUK

Ultra-short, humorous animation about an art-loving, critical burglar who doesn’t want to steal any old piece of art from the museum. This puts him in a lot of difficult situations, and almost means he ends up empty-handed. The works of art he wants are now all in pieces. The whole situation is seen from the viewpoint of the last remaining artwork on the wall – the one that, right at the beginning, he rejected. So the burglar decides to take that piece of art after all – but this is easier said than done.

We then watch his tense, thrilling attempt to escape, from the perspective of the same painting. At the end of the film, the viewpoint switches again and we see what all the persistent thief’s efforts have brought him. Was it all worthwhile?

Sincerely

Sweet, short film about a postal worker who wrote a letter herself once, that she will have to deliver herself too. The letter is special because it is a love letter to a young woman she really, really likes. The pink-hued animation with anime elements reveals how the postal worker has to overcome shame and fear. Emotions sweep back and forth between extremes: one moment she is on cloud nine, the next she just wants to rip the letter up.

Ultimately, she works up the courage to hand the letter to the woman of her dreams. How will they respond to her proposal to hold hands? Will she be laughed at, and will she have to slink off, or will the letter be answered with a kiss?

ERIK VERKERK, JOOST VD BOSCH

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 2’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title KunstSTUK Producer Joost vd Bosch Screenwriter Erik Verkerk, Joost vd Bosch, Wilbert Plijnaar Composer Rene Merkelbach Leading actors Huub Dikstaal Production company Ka-Ching Cartoons, The Netherlands, info@ka-chingcartoons.com, www.ka-chingcartoons.com

GABRIELLA LICHTNEKER

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 3’ | 6+

FACTS

Producer Gabriella Lichtneker Screenwriter Gabriella Lichtneker Composer Stijn van Wakeren Production company AKV St. Joost, The Netherlands, info.akvstjoost@avans.nl, https://www.akvstjoost.nl/

Thaw

Dooi

Every year, winter makes way for spring. But how does this really work? In this short animation, the cold is portrayed by an old, frosty man who lovingly maintains the snowflakes and icicles. Spring is an innocent, happy toddler, who changes everything s/he touches into vibrant green.

The child’s exciting trip through the landscape brings about an oasis of plants, flowers and young animals. However, the winter finds it hard to leave, and tries to reverse the changes, but in vain. In one final effort, he causes an avalanche, hiding the spring green – and the cheerful toddler – under a thick carpet of cold. Will the spring be able to break through again? Or will it all be nipped in the bud?

Reflection

Spiegeling

Fiep lives in a winter landscape, in a house full of mirrors. So the moment she opens her eyes in the morning, she can see herself reflected hundreds of times. But she doesn’t like what she sees. In each mirror, she focuses on the things that are not ‘right’: her hair is too fuzzy, her cheeks are too red, her nose is too big. She concentrates on all these imperfections so much that she no longer sees herself as she really is. She runs out of the house in a panic, into the snow, to escape her image of herself.

An original animation that shows how strange it is that we allow our feelings about ourselves to be determined by a piece of reflective glass. How would we live our lives if we could never see ourselves?

ARTHUR VAN MERWIJK

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 2’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Dooi Producer Arthur van Merwijk, Coen Balkestein Screenwriter Arthur van Merwijk Composer Bruce Lim Leading actors Tim Simmons Production company Kalio, The Netherlands, info@kaliostories.com

SANNA DE VRIES

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 4’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title Spiegeling Producer Tünde Vollenbroek Screenwriter Sanna de Vries Editor Diede de Vree Composer Nik Phelps Leading actors Susanne Edam Production company Studio Pupil, The Netherlands, contact@studiopupil.com, www.studiopupil.com Sales company SND Films, The Netherlands, info@sndfilms.com, www.sndfilms.com Distributor Kaboom Distribution