previous page
TOC Awards Season
Short Films on the Long Road Our annual attempt to capture a snapshot of all the amazing animated short films that have won Academy Awards-qualifying festival honors this year — the ultimate Must-Watch List for 2021!
Affairs of the Art
United Kingdom, Canada Directed by: Joanna Quinn Produced by: Les Mills, Michael Fukushima Qualifying Win: Aspen Shortsfest Best Comedy Synopsis: Beryl’s back in Affairs of the Art, which showcases one family’s eccentric yet endearing obsessions with everything from drawing to screw threads and pet taxidermy.
And Then the Bear
France Directed by: Agnès Patron Produced by: Sacrebleu Productions; Ron Dyens Qualifying Win: Anim’est Trophy Synopsis: That very night, houses will burn. Men and women will tremble. Hordes of children will come together and howl as they dance alone on the ashes like wild bears. It only takes one shout to wake them all from their slumber!
Any Instant Whatever
United Kingdom Directed by: Michelle Brand Qualifying Win: Raindance Film Festival Best Animation Short Synopsis: A man in a room, in a film – it is the becoming of something and simultaneously becoming in itself. Nothing is as solid as we believe... The film explores our perception of time, bodies and objects, and our inability to comprehend the full motion of things.
Avarya
Turkey Directed by: Gokalp Gonen Qualifying Win: Izmir Int’l Short Film Festival Best National Short Animation Synopsis: Embarked on a spaceship in the hope of finding a new habitable planet, a human is trapped in his own ship after the robot overseer finds every single candidate planet unsuitable.
Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Ap- Bad Mood prentice Canada Directed by: Zacharias Kunuk Produced by: Kingulliit Prod., Taqqut Prod. Qualifying Win: Toronto Int’l Film Festival IMDbPRO Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film Synopsis: A young shaman must face her first test-a trip underground to visit Kannaaluk, The One Below, who holds the answers to why a community member has become ill.
Italy Directed by: Loris Giuseppe Nese Produced by: Chiara Marotta Qualifying Win: Krakow Film Festival Silver Dragon Animation Synopsis: There are districts full of bad moods. A mother cares for seniors in their homes, where the ticking clock counts down the working day, between the frightening sounds of the heavy breathing that increase the fear of emptiness...
Anne
Barking Orders
Italy Directed by: Stefano Malchiodi, Domenico Croce Produced by: 10D Film, Anemone Film Qualifying Win: David Di Donatello Award for Best Short Film Synopsis: James wakes up in the night with nightmares. Memories of the war, of the dead, of the many battles fought in the Pacific during the Second World War. James has the same dreams every night and wakes up every night… in his cot. James is six years old and was born in ‘96. Yet those memories are hers.
U.S.A. Directed by: Alexander Tullo Produced by: Ringling College of Art & Design Qualifying Win: Student Academy Award for Animation (Domestic) - Silver Synopsis: In this CG animated comedy, the Queen’s corgi takes the crown, and goes mad with the newfound power in his paws.
Bestia
Chile Directed by: Hugo Covarrubias Produced by: Clover 3, Tevo Diaz Qualifying Win: Chilemonos Int’l Animation Festival Best Latin American Short Synopsis: Inspired by real events, Bestia enters the life of a secret police agent in the military dictatorship in Chile. The relationship with her dog, her body, her fears and frustrations, reveal a macabre fracture in her mind and a country.
Blue & Malone: Impossible Cases
Spain Directed by: Abraham López Guerrero Produced by: ESDIP Animation Studio (Emilio Luján & Manuel Carbajo), The Impossible Journey Film (Gerardo Álvarez), Wise Blue Studios (Nathalie Martinez & Maxi Valero), Salon Indien Films (Pablo de la Chica) Qualifying Win: Goya Award for Best Animated Short Film Synopsis: A sequel to 2014’s Imaginary Detectives. When now grown-up Berta, working as a journalist, goes back to visit the theater where her childhood tragedy occurred, her longforgotten imaginary friends Morando Malone and Big Blue Cat are waiting to help her rediscover her youthful inspiration and joy with the help of a magic “desadultizer.”
BoxBallet
Russia Directed by: Anton Dyakov Produced by: Aleksandr Boyarskiy, Sergey Selyanov Qualifying Win: In the Palace Best Animation Film Synopsis: A delicate ballerina named Olya meets the rough, surly boxer Evgeny. The contrast between their worlds and their philosophies is so sharp that even the possibility of these two characters crossing paths seems incredible. Can they overcome all external influences and allow their fragile, loving souls to step out into the open?
The Chimney Swift
Germany Directed by: Frédéric Schuld Produced by: Fabian & Fred Qualifying Win: Deadcenter Film Festival Best Short Animation Synopsis: Somewhere in 19th century Europe: A child has to climb up a chimney, a bird sails down into it and builds a nest, there is no going back for both.
www.animationmagazine.net 58
TOC
december 21
previous page
