Project Title: A Song About a Dog
Director(s): Sergey Strusovsky
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:09:44
Synopsis: The story tells about the world through the eyes of a dog. A world in which the manifestation of weakness is a denial of life, meanness is a way of survival, but this is opposed by the sacrificial love of a mother.
Project Title: Aerialist
Director(s): Anna Kuzina
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:07:15
Synopsis: A woman works as a saleswoman in a textile store. Although she likes working with fabrics, her life is quite monotonous. However, when she comes across with a group of gymnasts, her life gets illuminated by a dream.
Project Title: All the Flowers in my Mom’s Garden
Director(s):
Country: UK
Duration: 0:05:31
Synopsis: I explored the quiet influence of sickness and death, drawing from my own experiences. Telling a story about witnessing a loved one’s declining health and eventually death. The green garden is a place where I feel safest. A place where I go the rest, to laugh, to cry. One day, I noticed a small black flower growing in one of the plants. Every day, I find these small flowers. They grew faster and faster, so much that I couldn’t stop them anymore. They engulfed the garden until every little bit was consumed. What was once lush and green is now black and white.
Student: Yes
School: University of the Arts London
Project Title: Amped
Director(s): Vincent Salvano
Country: USA
Duration: 0:05:30
Synopsis: During a late night at the office, two co-workers stumble upon a mysterious drink that gives them supernatural abilities beyond their control.
Project Title: Ancestral Intervention
Director(s): Michelle Muli
Country: Kenya
Duration: 0:03:00
Synopsis: Packed with humor and heart, ‘Ancestral Intervention’ follows the story of Malaika as she tries to enjoy a date with her boyfriend despite the constant meddling of the ghost of her strong-willed, traditional grandmother. With a clash of old vs. new, this vibrant story delivers laughs, warmth, and a fresh take on generational values.
Student: Yes
School: University of Florida
Project Title: Beyond the Score
Director(s): Sara Valenzuela
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:32
Synopsis: When a conductor of the stars tries to enforce order, an innovative star leads him to discover the beauty of creativity within structure.
Student: Yes
School: Florida State University
Project Title: Bird Drone
Director(s): Radheya Jang Jegatheva
Country: Australia, UK
Duration: 0:08:55
Synopsis: A heartfelt story of unrequited love explored through a lonely seagull struggling to accept that his newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with a limited battery life.
Project Title: Birds of a Feather
Director(s): Katie Cobos
Country: USA
Duration: 0:04:44
Synopsis: A talkative parrot attempts to befriend a boy with Tourette’s syndrome
Student: Yes
School: Rochester Institute of Technology
Project Title: Blacky The Metal Arm Cat
Director(s): Nic Ho
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 0:15:25
Synopsis: This is a story about facing the challenges of a changing era. In a world where martial arts have lost their value due to the arrival of alien technology, martial artists become marginalized. The protagonist, Blacky, a black cat with a mechanical arm, seeks revenge for his slain master. Determined to confront enemies equipped with alien tech, Blacky uses traditional martial arts. Amidst challenges and obstacles, he strives to find his own worth and redefine the meaning of martial arts in a transforming society.
Project Title: Bugsick
Director(s): Venya Aggarwal
Country: Canada
Duration: 0:08:04
Synopsis: After a recent break up, Bug’s ex-girlfriend June calls to come pick up the rest of her stuff from their apartment. This triggers Bug to spiral, as we follow their desperate attempt at keeping their past alive by creating a massive dungball of the items June left behind. Later, June swings by to pick up her things, but what she sees is not what she expected. After a tense confrontation between the two unfolds, they both end up inside the dung ball, where Bug realizes their relationship is no longer what it once was.
Student: Yes
School: Sheridan College
Project Title: Cat-Tastrophe
Director(s): Morgan Seigler
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:13
Synopsis: A cat, through its catastrophic antics, inspires a villainous inventor to devise her most evil plan yet. 3D animated slapstick comedy.
Student: Yes
School: Chapman University
Project Title: Cat’ Interview
Director(s): Enora Laden, Erwan Galtier, Baptiste Lebrun, Alexandre Bal, Séréna Prince Agbodjan
Country: France
Duration: 0:05:54
Synopsis: Lucas, a very creative little boy, decides to interview his kitten called Cahuète he rescued a month earlier in the street. However, the cat always does what he wants and avoids the boy’s questions. Lucas, very insistent, ends up angering Cahuète.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Catching Light
Director(s): Vlada Evtushenko
Country: USA
Duration: 0:04:50
Synopsis: Believing herself to be a failure as a painter, Renee works at a pigment shop instead. Following an accident, her friend’s painting is ruined a day before his exhibition. Renee has only one night to master the courage to pick up the brush again, repair the painting, and finally find faith in her own abilities.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: Cell Buddies
Director(s): Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit, Arjen van der Plas
Country: Netherlands
Duration: 0:05:11
Synopsis: Sam, a grumpy raccoon is stuck sharing a cell with Bob, a sweet but dim manatee. Sam hatches an escape plan. In their chaotic jailbreak Sam’s hardened edges soften as Bob’s loyalty shines. Will they escape? Maybe. But together, they’ve already cracked something bigger: trust.
Student: Yes
School: Sint Joost School of Art & Design
Project Title: Chardak
Director(s): Mileta Postic, Predrag Joldic
Country: Serbia
Duration: 0:09:00
Synopsis: It is a Fantasy Film based on a local fairy tale, There is Romance, action, humor and meta-storytelling. Damsel in distress with the twist.
Project Title: Chronicity
Director(s): Aleta Rajic
Country: Bosnia & Herzegovina
Duration: 0:03:17
Synopsis: A seemingly naive turn of events leads to a disastrous one. Flight of wings leading all the way to World War I.
Project Title: Courage
Director(s): Margot Jacquet, Nathan Baudry, Marion Choudin, Jeanne Desplanques, Lise Delcroix, Salomé Cognon
Country: France
Duration: 0:05:21
Synopsis: When Anna, an Olympic athlete, finds herself behind in the race, she redoubles her efforts with the aim of winning the competition and never disappoint again. But as she pushes herself beyond her limits, she burns out. She then has to face the wave of judgment that comes with dropping out.
Student: Yes
School: Supinfocom Rubika
Project Title: Curly Joe, Two Kittens, Four Boxes & Scent of Fire
Director(s): Apo W. Bazidi, Anna Benner
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 0:05:30
Synopsis: Curly Joe Two Kittens Four Boxes and the Scent of Fire is a short animated documentary that tells the story of a young girl, Kira, who loses her home in a devastating fire at the age of seven. Through a poetic narrative, the film explores the trauma of displacement, memory, and resilience. As Kira reflects on the fire’s impact, she unpacks the complex emotions tied to loss and survival. The animation is a heartfelt exploration of how childhood trauma can shape one’s identity and sense of home.
Project Title: D.S. al Coda
Director(s): Maxime Wattrelos, Jérémy Trochet, Louis Cocquet, François Mainguet, Emma Feret, Rachel Cuvilliez, Florian Lecocq
Country: France
Duration: 0:08:18
Synopsis: Consumed by the fear of becoming deaf, Yann draws and memorizes the sounds around him.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Die for a Pie?
Director(s): Samira Sikder
Country: Ireland
Duration: 0:02:14
Synopsis: In a cosy cottage by the forest, there lives a little Pumpkin man. On a stormy night he goes out into his pumpkin patch to harvest a pumpkin. This shadowy figure has a deliciously sinister idea. We follow him through the dark corridor into his kitchen where he prepares to bake a pie out of the very thing that he is.
Student: Yes
School: Institution of Art and Design IADT
Project Title: Dies Irae
Director(s): Victoria Basadre
Country: USA
Duration: 0:06:22
Synopsis: A young woman experiences her first therapy session with an interesting therapist
Student: Yes
School: CalArts
Project Title: Dieter
Director(s): Rolf Broennimann
Country: Switzerland
Duration: 0:10:35
Synopsis: Dieter, the ailing sculptor, has not been able to work properly for a long time, simple things fail him. His thoughts keep taking him away from his workshop into another, fantastic world, into mysterious landscapes. He tries to capture his fleeting memories until the end of his journey and time, where he loses himself and vanishes …
Project Title: Double or Nothing
Director(s): Tokay
Country: Switzerland
Duration: 0:09:40
Synopsis: Inspired by an anecdote from booming Tokyo in the 1980s, the film tells the glamorous story of the real estate shark Akio Kashiwagi. Akio’s great passion is illegal gambling in the underworld. An American is on his trail and tries to track down stolen money. He realizes that he can only win it back at the gambling table. The master gambler Akio accepts the challenge. However, he doesn’t realize that his only really dangerous enemy in the game is himself with his insatiable greed for more and more.
Student: Yes
School: Hochschule Luzern (HSLU, University of applied science and arts Lucerne)
Project Title: Duck In Space!
Director(s): Lexie Mazzeo
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:00
Synopsis: Duck In Space! is a 2D animated short film following a goose (named Duck) who reaches for the stars and wreaks havoc along the way! Crash landing on a space station and entangling himself in a plant, he appears to be a space alien to the crew on board! The chase to catch the rogue alien ensues!
Student: Yes
School: Savannah College Of Art & Design
Project Title: Earth coal
Director(s): Bastien DUPRIEZ
Country: France
Duration: 0:12:44
Synopsis: In the countryside of yesteryear, in the mines and factories, these men of the past seem to share the same sorrows. Something seems to resonate within us today, maybe it’s just an illusion, or maybe it’s just the humbleness of everyday life.
Project Title: Earworm
Director(s): Matti Luukko, Markus Lehtokumpu, Michal Tomala, Aatos Salkosalo
Country: Finland
Duration: 0:02:47
Synopsis: Bored doctor Dr.Doc gets some excitement for his day when a patient with a familiar but irritating problem marches in.
Student: Yes
School: Turku university of applied sciences
Project Title: Flora and the Cloud Maker
Director(s): Tiffany Marin
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:59
Synopsis: The Cloud Maker learns the value of rest through her sentient houseplant, Flora.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: Fluff & Furious
Director(s): Chieh-Chih Liao
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:43
Synopsis: A fluffy pup, inspired by its wild relative, sets out to prove it’s more than just a soft fur ball.
Student: Yes
School: University of Southern California
Project Title: Foraged
Director(s): Ashli Budnik
Country: USA
Duration: 0:01:36
Synopsis: Foraged is a fantasy stop-motion animation that follows an elf named Sybil who discovers a sentient mushroom while foraging through the woods.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: From Jazz to Jackboots
Director(s): Justin Stephenson
Country: Canada
Duration: 0:14:45
Synopsis: “…they loathe art, the product of a yearning for life, because that, too, evades control.” Josef Skvorecky “From Jazz to Jackboots” is an experimental animated dance film exploring the Nazi regime’s methodical restriction of jazz through their “10 Rules for Dance Bands.” The film reimagines itself through progressively censored variations of jazz standard, “Minnie the Moocher,” transitioning from freeform expressionist painting and collage to statuesque perfection. Through sophisticated animation techniques and meticulous visual design, the work unfolds as simultaneously joyful, lyrical, ethereal, surgical, horrific and funereal—a timely reminder that the battle between artistic expression and authoritarian control remains urgently relevant today.
Project Title: Funny guy
Director(s): Julia Zadarko
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:05:58
Synopsis: What if the inflatable people standing at gas stations and stores have a soul? This cartoon will tell the fascinating story of the hero on the way to his dancing dream.
Student: Yes
School: All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography named after S.A. Gerasimov (VGIK), branch in Rostov-on-Don
Project Title: Garlic Soup
Director(s): Kristian Zaharinov Zahariev
Country: Bulgaria
Duration: 0:08:30
Synopsis: Vampire, thirsty for blood, flies around a small Balkan village in search of his next victim. He sneaks in a dark bedroom, after he saw a silhouette of a young beauty. It turns out the silhouette belongs to an old granny. The almost blind granny takes the vampire for her goth teenager grandson. The loving care of the granny turns out to be deadly for the vampire.
Student: Yes
School: NATFA “Krastyo Sarafov”
Project Title: God Dam
Director(s): Abigail Hill
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:43
Synopsis: A mockumentary about two beavers that work in a post office The camera crew observes a typical work day for Clint Eatswood, the energetic manager, as he attempts to clean up the mess created by his unenthusiastic employee, Humphrey Damiels.
Student: Yes
School: Savannah College of Art and Design
Project Title: Grandpa Mazay and the sunbunnies
Director(s): Kristina Shcherbakova
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:06:19
Synopsis: Only the sunbunnies will help Grandpa Mazay get rid of huge thunderclouds that are out of control.
Student: Yes
School: The Saint-Petersburg State University of Film and Television(Russia)
Project Title: Grey Matter
Director(s): Nora Snyder
Country: USA
Duration: 0:01:20
Synopsis: There’s a black cube lodged inside my brain.
Project Title: Halloween Talk Show
Director(s): Vincent Salvano
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:37
Synopsis: Talk show host Lonny Larson invites some lesser known Halloween monsters on his program. They aren’t the best guests.
Project Title: Heart Hug
Director(s): Rimma Gefen, Nika Zhukova
Country: Israel
Duration: 0:08:46
Synopsis: “Обіруч (Heart Hug)” is a deeply moving film that explores the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the lens of a lovely duo. The film is based on a true story about the power of human connection and the beautiful bond between an elderly woman named Lilia and her faithful companion, Max, a big orange dog. The film is a story of love, loss, and resilience, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, the connections we create are our strengths.
Student: Yes
School: Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
Project Title: Henrietta Finds a Nest
Director(s): Hannah McNally
Country: USA
Duration: 0:07:17
Synopsis: In the animated short film Henrietta Finds a Nest, a young chick named Henrietta embarks on a heartwarming journey from neglect at a factory farm to friendship with a little girl. With tender moments, gentle humor, and a timeless message of connection, this seven-minute tale invites audiences of all ages to embrace the magic of friendship and the power of compassion.
Project Title: Hephaestus and Aphrodite
Director(s): Daniel R Allen
Country: USA
Duration: 0:08:07
Synopsis: In the Ancient Greek myths from old antiquity, many songs were sung of Hephaestus and Aphrodite. Their fraught marriage, full of jealousy and wrath, spurred each other Into lies and betrayal. But the muse’s whisper of another tale. An unexpected love, between the hurt and the lost finding solace in each other This re-imagining takes a new spin on one of most unexplored relationships in all of Greek Mythology, delving into the untold romance of Hephaestus and Aphrodite. Being the god of craftsmanship and artisans, Hephaestus embodies passion for one’s work. This is a form of love, and one not often associated with Aphrodite. But it is a connection they share. This is the story of the unexplored connection.
Student: Yes
School: Depaul University
Project Title: High Diver
Director(s): Oscar Bittner
Country: Germany
Duration: 0:04:58
Synopsis: Since early childhood, Tuan and Felix have been inseparable. As they train to become Olympic high divers, however, their budding love for each other suffers under the weight of the competition. Professional sport is a harsh business, and Tuan will sacrifice everything for it … or will he?
Student: Yes
School: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Project Title: Holy Cow
Director(s): Karthik Swaminathan
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:16
Synopsis: A snooty boy hurries to school through the streets of India, but is constantly impeded by all the cows on the road. He finally snaps and rejects the importance placed on them in Indian culture. But when the holy spirit of the cow arrives to teach him a lesson, he must find a way to escape her wrath or atone for his anti-cow transgressions.
Student: Yes
School: Ringling College of Art and Design
Project Title: Ira
Director(s): Rozenn Busson
Country: France
Duration: 0:07:25
Synopsis: In the depths of a volcano, Ira, consumed by seething rage, triggers a spectacular eruption. In this boiling world, she meets a giantess who helps her release her inner power. Now a giant herself, Ira leads the volcano’s inhabitants in a liberating dance, transforming their world into an endless sea of lava.
Project Title: Jurassic Joyride
Director(s): Patrick Daniel Sandoval
Country: USA
Duration: 0:04:45
Synopsis: “Jurassic Joyride” is a short film about a bored young caveboy whose discovery of a spaceship takes him on an adventure that changes his life and world forever. This project is the result of the hard work of the students in Clemson University’s Digital Productions Arts Graduate Program. The storyboards, designs and narrative originated in our Concept Development course, and then the project was handed over to our Production Studio students where they further developed the film creating animations, effects, models, rigs, and more. Final editing and sound design were completed by student volunteers over the Summer. So, buckle up and hold on tight as we take you on a Jurassic Joyride.
Student: Yes
School: Clemson University
Project Title: Jus d’orange
Director(s): Alexandre Athané
Country: France, Poland
Duration: 0:13:45
Synopsis: Toni grows oranges. He loves them, they are his treasure. Until one day, strange cargo ships dock in the valley. Cargos loaded with… GREEN oranges!
Project Title: Kid President
Director(s): Yadid Hirschtritt Licht
Country: USA
Duration: 0:05:20
Synopsis: No more lettuce, no more artichokes… no more broccoli! This is the future that Kid President envisions as he rolls out his most daring policy yet: a ban on all vegetables. In this 2D animated mockumentary, viewers get an inside look as Kid President attempts to strongarm his policy past his rag-tag administration and an alarmed White House press corps. Can Kid President make his vegetable-free dream a reality?
Student: Yes
School: DePaul University
Project Title: Lavomatrix
Director(s): Matthieu Fulcheri, Simon Vernus, Mila Cottin, Martin Carvalho, Chloé Langlet, Lou-Eva Goimet
Country: France
Duration: 0:07:05
Synopsis: The day of his 18th birthday, like all the other teenagers in Omnicity, LUKA 237-02 receives an odd gift inviting him to the city’s laundromat. He is finally ready to be part the OMNI Family! Little does he know that once sucked into the system, it would be too late to turn back.
Student: Yes
School: Supinfocom Rubika
Project Title: Lullaby
Director(s): Mama Ocon
Country: Indonesia
Duration: 0:04:10
Synopsis: In order to fulfill her dream of becoming a musician, a cat from the countryside named Ocon must face the fears and anxieties of performing in front of the glamorous city animals.
Project Title: Martha
Director(s): Marcel Barelli
Country: Switzerland
Duration: 0:06:53
Synopsis: A fake documentary about a true story: An old silent documentary from the 1910s has been found and restored. It tells the story of the most abundant bird on Earth, exterminated in just a few decades by human brutality.
Project Title: Memento Vitae
Director(s): Lola Leviez-Deblauwe, Anaïs Lecocq, Quitterie Quipourt, Basile Galiegue, Mathilde Maigre, Paul-Louis Couton
Country: France
Duration: 0:05:45
Synopsis: On Halloween night, three disguised kids go on a wild trick-or-treating rampage through town, until a mysterious ghost train confronts them with a tragic memory.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Mister Figaro
Director(s): Sarah Benhammou-Lionnard
Country: France
Duration: 0:04:00
Synopsis: Monsieur Figaro is a lazy, haughty, and even disdainful creature who tricks, deceives, and lies to his two loving owners. When Monsieur Figaro shares his secret with his two owners, they make an unexpected decision that no one expected.
Student: Yes
School: PSL PEPITE & HEC CINEMA
Project Title: My Brother, My Brother
Director(s): Abdelrahman Dnewar, Saad Dnewar
Country: Egypt, France, Germany
Duration: 0:14:57
Synopsis:
Project Title: My Neighbor
Director(s): Dominic Carola
Country: USA
Duration: 0:05:00
Synopsis: Carl the cardinal’s territorial ways are interrupted when Misty, a cheerful mountain bluebird, moves in next door. Their paths cross during a blizzard when an iced-over bird feeder breaks open posing a challenge to Carl’s chilly temperament.
Project Title: My teenage blackout
Director(s):
Country: France
Duration: 0:10:00
Synopsis: At a party, Tristan swallowed a caterpillar while downing a tequila shot. Ever since then, he’s been in a coma, thoughts running through his head – about that girl at the party, the nurse smoking in his room, his overbearing mother, and the fact that he’ll never get to change his Facebook profile picture ever again. Basically, Tristan is just like any other teenager.
Project Title: Not a Hero by Accident
Director(s): Adam Ansorge
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:02
Synopsis: The fatal collision with a meter maid puts a truck driver in the hands of the local community to decide his fate.
Project Title: Not Breathing in the Dark
Director(s): Yugami Sasaki, Greg Birkumshaw
Country: Japan
Duration: 0:05:10
Synopsis: A girl revisits her sinister house to see her family.
Project Title: Over Yonder
Director(s):
Country: Canada
Duration: 0:02:21
Synopsis: Over Yonder is an experimental animated film that traces a quiet longing to fly, to connect, to belong. Guided by wind, colour, and shifting forms, it drifts through an enchanting dreamscape shaped by curiosity and imagination, where the unreachable feels momentarily near.
Student: Yes
School: Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, Concordia University
Project Title: Paper Flowers
Director(s): Ramak Amin Kazemi
Country: Iran
Duration: 0:15:00
Synopsis: “Paper Flowers” tells the story of a successful female writer who, after the failure of one of her works, faces deep sorrow. To cope with this failure, she retreats to an abandoned mansion, temporarily isolating herself from the city and her family. In isolation, she struggles to create a new masterpiece. Her journey takes her through the changing seasons, affecting both her environment and her creative state. At first, she becomes consumed by her writings, and the nature outside her window wilts and fades. However, after facing an emotional storm, a transformation occurs. The woman, now dressed in a white shirt with vibrant words and patterns, returns to the garden. Her connection with nature is revived, and she regains her inspiration. Surrounded by doves and butterflies, with the garden now thriving, she begins to write again. This film is a reflection on finding the balance between the woman’s inner and outer worlds and the revival of her creative spirit.
Project Title: Patchwork
Director(s): Karsyn Fletcher
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:37
Synopsis: A determined sprite builds a scarecrow to save her pumpkin, but when it grows too big, she must adapt in the face of change.
Student: Yes
School: FSU
Project Title: Perfect City: The Bravest Kid
Director(s): Shengwei Zhou
Country: USA
Duration: 0:06:19
Synopsis: Chased by his nightmare knife hand, the paper boy has to confront his real fear which supposed to be his hope.
Student: Yes
School: University of Southern California
Project Title: Perfect City: The Mother
Director(s): Shengwei Zhou
Country: China
Duration: 0:06:35
Synopsis: A dry wood mother decides to carve her root baby into a human due to the loss of her flesh body parts.
Student: Yes
School: University of Southern California
Project Title: Powder Monkey
Director(s): Jada Alexis Green, Reese Wolfe
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:01
Synopsis: Chaos ensues when a monkey is mistakenly hired to work the cannons of a pirate ship.
Student: Yes
School: Ringling College of Art and Design
Project Title: Primordial Soup
Director(s): Clémentine Donneger, Andreas Demetriou, Mathilde Chauvelot, Hugo Mougel, Charlotte Deux, Patrick Crucke, Thibaud Guillon
Country: France
Duration: 0:06:14
Synopsis: A long time ago, in ancient Greece, three sisters were born to feed the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. While two of them compete for recognition from the gods, Nonne, the youngest, prefers to take it easy, hidden in front of her television. When her sisters come to disturb her haven of peace, Nonne decides to get rid of them by transforming them into stock cubes.
Student: Yes
School: Supinfocom Rubika
Project Title: Ragtime Follies
Director(s): Rylee Rebol
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:11
Synopsis: A young performer forgets to bring her tap shoes and must navigate how to still make music with her feet without her main instrument.
Student: Yes
School: Forida State University
Project Title: Rail Cats
Director(s): Charlie McCarl
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:10
Synopsis: It’s an explosive situation as two feckless felines must find a way to stop their runaway locomotive before it reaches a munitions factory.
Student: Yes
School: Florida State University
Project Title: Right Hand Man
Director(s): Emma Greenman, Yaumara Carrion
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:01
Synopsis: No one likes to be a third wheel on a first date. Right Hand Man pushes the boundaries of this concept with its two main characters, Lucas and Cade, twin brothers who are a human and a hand puppet, respectively. We follow their journey as Lucas tries to navigate his first date with the lovely Cristine at a fine dining restaurant, attempting to hide Cade away to masquerade as an average guy. All Cade wants to do, though, is get in on the excitement and romance of the experience. Will Cade make himself known to Cristine? Will Lucas learn that hiding your true self is the worst foundation for a first date? Watch and find out!
Student: Yes
School: Ringling College of Art and Design
Project Title: Rise and Shine
Director(s): Matti Luukko
Country: Finland
Duration: 0:05:07
Synopsis: Time to brush your teeth, set the alarm and hug the pillow! Tomorrow you can face the new day feeling fresh and well rested. But what does your body go through during your slumber?
Student: Yes
School: Turku University of Applied Sciences
Project Title: Rock Shanty
Director(s): Ofentse MakhazaFlynn Bunyan
Country: South Africa
Duration: 0:03:51
Synopsis: Rock Shanty follows the whimsical, if not wacky tale of Sorbet the Siren and her attempts to lure in the fisherman, Flounder to eat for her dinner using her feminine charms and magical singing voice. Only to be thwarted by Flounder’s son Gelato in a ridiculous but clever fashion as he counters her magic with an epic guitar solo. Luring his dad back in towards a back-and-forth battle of music and wit.
Student: Yes
School: The Animation School (PTY)Ltd
Project Title: Running Late
Director(s): Hannah Porter
Country: USA
Duration: 0:01:57
Synopsis: A dog is waiting for his owner to come home.
Student: Yes
School: University of Tampa
Project Title: Sassuma Arnaa
Director(s): Karen Brezac, Océane Duval, Antoine Mignot, Simon Vandamme, Théophile Récolet, Paul Jaillet, Victor Cazeaux
Country: France
Duration: 0:06:41
Synopsis: Sassuma Arnaa, mother of the sea, enraged by the actions of her father and her village in the past, seeks revenge. She uses Niviarsiaq, a young girl, to accomplish this act of vengeance.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Shade
Director(s): Christian Michael Carraza
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:35
Synopsis: “Shade” is an animated short film that follows a gentle robot who discovers a small potted plant and takes it upon itself to protect it—believing it’s its duty to preserve all life. As decades pass, the robot faces the test of time and nature, and a quiet, enduring bond blossoms between the two, evolving into something deeply meaningful far into the future.
Student: Yes
School: University of Tampa
Project Title: Snow Bear
Director(s): Aaron Blaise
Country: USA
Duration: 0:11:29
Synopsis: Set in a rapidly changing world, “Snow Bear” tells the story of a polar bear in an unforgiving environment on his quest to find a friend. This independently produced 2D hand drawn film was painstakingly created entirely by Aaron Blaise over 3 years. With Aaron’s lifelong dedication to studying, drawing, and animating animals, the adventure is infused with humor, relatability, and emotional depth in the tradition of classic animated films.
Project Title: Something Fishy
Director(s): Christina Woo
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:30
Synopsis: Sara is getting ready to go on a date with her new boyfriend, but Jessica, Sara’s pet goldfish, notices something not quite right about him.
Student: Yes
School: California Institute of the Arts
Project Title: Stoned for Christmas
Director(s): Morgan Young
Country: USA
Duration: 0:14:21
Synopsis: “Stoned for Christmas” is a multimedia whirlwind and a love letter to weed. Built like a blunt rotation, “Stoned for Christmas” cycles through a weed courier’s Christmastime deliveries with each vignette in a different style of animation. The result is a delightfully surrealist trip, one that represents the chaos of NYC, the ups and downs of a high, and the unique unpredictability of navigating the world while trans.
Project Title: Stupid dog
Director(s): Daria Ishcheykina
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:03:03
Synopsis: The silly antics of the dog have long been getting on the owner’s nerves. But is there a hidden meaning behind them?
Project Title: Sublime
Director(s): Marie Heribel, Candice Yernaux, Juliette Buysschaert, Camille Leroy, Joséphine Vendeville, Martin Laurent, Lucas Foutrier
Country: France
Duration: 0:08:02
Synopsis: In a society where beauty is revered like a deity, a doll seeks to find her place.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Sweeter is the night
Director(s): Fabienne WAGENAAR
Country: France
Duration: 0:18:25
Synopsis: In the early 1960s, at a time of independence in West Africa, a young French officer is commissioned by the metropolis to find a missing missionary priest. An investigation amid mistrust and indifference, silence and prejudice, that takes the young officer far from the light of the shores, where day and night merge.
Project Title: SymBionic
Director(s): Jack Tenbusch
Country: USA
Duration: 0:06:02
Synopsis: After clipping her wing on a robotic facility antenna, a Songbird forms an unlikely symbiotic relationship with the robot she inadvertently creates.
Student: Yes
School: Columbia College Chicago
Project Title: Tang Hua Sheng
Director(s): Yuqin Zhu
Country: China
Duration: 0:04:20
Synopsis: The Kitchen God is a deity in traditional Chinese culture who governs food and the fortunes of the family. Tang Hua Sheng(the Candied peanut) is a dessert offered during the worship of the Kitchen God. In this short film, “I” explore the significance of this ritual for my family and me by imagining the real existence of the Kitchen God. From childhood curiosity to nostalgia after leaving home as an adult, “I” gradually realize that this traditional custom still holds deep meaning for our family in modern society.
Student: Yes
School: China Academy of Art
Project Title: Technical Difficulties
Director(s): Giovanni Vincent Kelly
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:10
Synopsis: A dedicated Game Technician manages a struggling arcade with little foot traffic and fading relevance. One day, he discovers a rat nesting inside one of the game cabinets. While attempting to catch the intruder, he stumbles upon an entire colony of rats secretly inhabiting the machines. By day, they hide; by night, they come out to play, cherishing the games he maintains. Moved by their enthusiasm and unexpected appreciation, the Game Technician reconsiders his intentions. Rather than remove them, he embraces the rats as unlikely allies and welcomes them as the newest “employees” of the arcade.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: The 12 Inch Pianist
Director(s): Lucas Ansel
Country: USA
Duration: 0:07:28
Synopsis: A bar joke goes awry, unraveling into a surreal tale that explores the acceptance of self, others, and queer identity.
Student: Yes
School: Rhode Island School of Design
Project Title: The 300th Head
Director(s): Olivier JEAN, Thierry CATTANT
Country: France
Duration: 0:08:46
Synopsis: 1939. As he prepares to take the metro to cut off his 300th head, Anatole Deibler, the famous executioner, collapses, the victim of an embolism. During this final second of agony, he is offered a unique mission: to execute the greatest French assassin who has ever lived: himself.
Project Title: The Alchemist’s Apprentice
Director(s): Erfan Parsapour
Country: Iran
Duration: 0:06:48
Synopsis: A young alchemy apprentice tries to fix his master’s creation discreetly.
Project Title: The Beasts
Director(s): Michael Granberry
Country: USA
Duration: 0:11:38
Synopsis: “LES BÊTES” Produced, Directed & Animated by Michael Granberry Original Score Composed by Lito Velasco Synopsis: A mysterious rabbit with a set of magic keys summons a host of strange creatures to entertain a wicked king and his decadent court in this dark stop-motion animated fantasy inspired by the works of Ladislas Starevich. About the production: A four-year labor of love begun in 2020 as a “pandemic lockdown project” and completed in 2024, “Les Bêtes” was conceived to be a zero-budget, entirely recycled film in the style of a 1930’s Ladislas Starevich animation. Even the stop-motion characters, all of which were originally constructed for other projects that never materialized, were repurposed after rotting away in storage for almost two decades.
Project Title: The Care Package
Director(s): Vera Shysh
Country: Denmark
Duration: 0:07:11
Synopsis: The Care Package is a story inspired by a fairy tale written by a sister to her imprisoned brother in Belarus, where over 4,000 people have been recognized as political prisoners since 2020. Political prisoners are often deprived of phone calls and visits, even from family members. A care package is sometimes the only means of communication with the outside world. In this story, a care package comes to life, becoming a character that interacts with the prisoner.
Project Title: The Commitment
Director(s): Bernardo Martínez Calderón
Country: Mexico
Duration: 0:02:09
Synopsis: A mysterious parchment reaches the queen’s hands: a great threat is coming. She will have to prepare to face this danger and protect her king, otherwise they could lose everything to this unknown enemy.
Student: Yes
School: Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara
Project Title: The day you were gone
Director(s): Emeline Anne, Léa Bourbouze, Rachel Scherier, Camille Cujaube, Zoé de Groote, Alexandre Jacques
Country: France
Duration: 0:05:51
Synopsis: Here’s the story of a little boy who learns that his brother has left. Intrigued, he embarks on a game of hide-and-seek where he eventually uncovers the secrets in the house.
Student: Yes
School: Supinfocom Rubika
Project Title: the dog
Director(s): sogand vatankhah
Country: Iran
Duration: 0:04:16
Synopsis: a man get lost in the desert with his dog. suddenly, an accident occurs, and the man and the dog must find a way to save themselves.
Student: Yes
School: tarbiat modaress university
Project Title: The Feast
Director(s): Haibei Ma, Nancy Lee
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:45
Synopsis: A young girl, Esther, is lost in a forest, while trying to get home, she gets intercepted by a rat, who tries to invite her to a feast with other forest animals. Esther rejects the invite and tries to leave, only to find herself back at the table. Over and over. Until finally, she finds herself on the table, and the animals descend upon the feast. A final image reveals a more realistic rendition of a young girl being consumed by forest animals.
Student: Yes
School: Ringling College of Art and Design
Project Title: The Flock of Forgotten Faces
Director(s): A.B. Osborne, Emily McBrayer Hogue
Country: USA
Duration: 0:05:40
Synopsis: A grungy and expressive animated short about the truths we conceal to fit in. A bird-like girl named Lacuna finds herself aboard a mysterious train with passengers wearing masks. As Lacuna discovers the unique faces under these masks, she draws the attention of the authoritarian Conductor.
Project Title: The Forest of the Honey Bees
Director(s): ERWAN LE GAL
Country: France
Duration: 0:20:00
Synopsis: Isabelle is a violinist-beekeeper in the Ouessant island. She protect her bees and she inspire her daughter with stories and legend about honey bees….
Project Title: The Glow
Director(s): Elisa Lefebvre, Marina Monlouis, Coline Courgey
Country: France
Duration: 0:04:14
Synopsis: A lamb, a fox, a bear, a snake, and a raccoon are around a table surrounded by darkness. They can only see what they most want in the form of a blinding light, which seems so far from their point of view. They become obsessed with it and go mad. In their madness, the animals tear each other apart and end up disappearing with the light. Later, the light turns back on.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: The Language of Flowers
Director(s): Nat Dillehay
Country: USA
Duration: 0:01:32
Synopsis: A charming love story unfolds between a clumsy cat and a flower-loving hare. To connect with the hare, the cat picks up a book about the language of flowers, discovering that each flower holds a unique meaning. Inspired by this newfound knowledge, she embarks on a journey to collect flowers and create a special bouquet to confess her love.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: The Last Bar
Director(s): Arne Hain
Country: Germany
Duration: 0:13:21
Synopsis: Kicked out on his 21st birthday and troubled by his inner demons, Melvin thinks of ending things. But right on the edge of a cliff he finds ‘The Last Bar’, a quirky place of misfits that came for all the same reasons. Sparked by talks and confrontation, his inner journey continues and he has to stand up for himself. At break of dawn, his thoughts of ending his life vanished and he decides to stay a little longer.
Student: Yes
School: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Project Title: The Little Ancestor
Director(s): Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur
Country: Canada
Duration: 0:11:12
Synopsis: On a windswept hill, in a place still young and devoid of all life, an ancestral house builds itself. The house comes to life and unveils its long life of one hundred and fifty years. Brick by brick and beam by beam, each action, big or small, shows life. Over the years, it leads us to feel the passage of time, the transformations of its surroundings and its vulnerability in the face of the unstoppable frenzy of our urban growth. The house evolves quietly in the heart of a growing and buzzing city that will eventually bring its end.
Project Title: The Little and the Giant
Director(s): Isabela Costa
Country: Brazil, France
Duration: 0:08:40
Synopsis: Le Petit et le Géant is a stop motion animated short film. It tells us the story of a little hamster living in a post-apocalyptic world. As he wanders in abandon cities, he collects objets, finds water and living plants. One day, he finds binoculars. Thanks to them, he discovers a foreign house full of flowers. There, he meets the giant, a plant creature. Stuck behind the wall of the building, he is afraid to go outside and see the world. Petit helps the giant to step out of the manor and together, they start reflourishing the world.
Student: Yes
School: Paris 8 University
Project Title: The Loaf Movie
Director(s): Jasmine Liaw
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:15
Synopsis: The slice of heel bread trying to explore its purpose in life
Project Title: The Lonely Life of Lint
Director(s): Sarah Sklar
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:50
Synopsis: An unexpected discovery sends a lonely lint creature on a quest for companionship. Medium Synopsis: In the dryer vent of the corner laundromat, a solitary lint creature makes its home. One night, while cleaning the lint trap, the creature makes an unexpected discovery. Filled with a newfound awareness of its own isolation, the creature embarks on a quest for companionship.
Student: Yes
School: University of California Los Angeles
Project Title: The Old Klavirista
Director(s): Sarah Coppin, Simon Delhaye, Théo Massa, Léopold Delcambre
Country: France
Duration: 0:07:42
Synopsis: Ondrej, an old and melancholic Slavic pianist, mourns his wife through music. Guided by his instrument, he embarks on a journey through his past, in his youth when he was happy.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: The Oldest Trophy
Director(s): Sarabelle Slicer
Country: USA
Duration: 0:05:41
Synopsis: A trophy hunter follows the mark of an albino deer into the heart of the forest. As he proceeds, the forest begins to twist and become more dangerous until he reaches the deer’s domain. Here, he figures out a horrible truth about the forest and the hunter becomes the hunted.
Student: Yes
School: University of Central Florida
Project Title: The Paper Ghost
Director(s): Fulvio Davide Ricca
Country: Italy
Duration: 0:06:11
Synopsis: Edgar Allan Poe is devastated by the loss of his beloved Annabelle. During a sleepless night, the girl’s ghost visits him. Desperate at not being able to reach her, he turns his study upside down, injuring his hand, he discovers that he has a particular power that will allow him to write his stories without great effort and that will make him achieve, despite himself, his long-awaited desire.
Project Title: The Shadow Of Dawn
Director(s): Olga Stalev
Country: Estonia
Duration: 0:15:00
Synopsis: The beautiful Dawn is gathering medicinal herbs in the forest. A Woodcutter in love with her appears, offering her his hand and his heart. But the girl only laughs at him and this wounds Woodcutter deeply. In the evening of the same day Dawn is attacked by Servants of a mysterious Beast, who kidnaps the girl. Dawn manages to cut loose her shadow and sent it to find help. Dawn’s Shadow follows the bird who stole Dawn’s knife. This leads her to a Witch living in the forest. The Shadow learns that the Beast is the very same Woodcutter, who was cursed, after killing a bird in his ill mood. The Witch tells the Shadow what to do to save herself and Dawn, and also warns her that she must make haste since without her shadow, Dawn will only live until sunrise. Dawn’s Shadow sneaks into Beast’s castle with intention to kill the Beast but changes her mind and takes a leap into the creature’s dreamworld. There she meets the imprisoned Woodcutter. The Shadow speaks with the man and understands his feelings. She shows compassion and apologizes for Dawn’s behaviour. This breaks the curse and sets the Woodcutter free. Unfortunately, the morning is upon them and Dawn is dead. The Shadow mourns her. But as the first rays of the rising sun touch the Shadow, she becomes corporeal, whereas Dawn’s former body becomes her shadow.
Project Title: The Shyness of Trees
Director(s): Bingqing SHU, Maud LE BRAS, Jiaxin HUANG, Simin HE, Lina HAN, Loïck DU PLESSIS D’ARGENTRÉ, Sofiia CHUIKOVSKA
Country: France
Duration: 0:08:56
Synopsis: Hélène, 40 years old, comes to visit her aging mother in the french countryside. But her mother isn’t being her usual self. She seems to have formed a strange bond with the plants, insects, and the old oak tree at the end of her garden…
Student: Yes
School: Gobelins
Project Title: The Song of the Sheep
Director(s): Jules Marcel, Anaïs Castro de Angel, Juliette Bigo, Evan Lambert, Alex Le Ruyet, Jeanne Bigo, Anaïs Ledoux
Country: France
Duration: 0:07:48
Synopsis: At dawn, in the Alps, Frank wakes up drunk. There’s only one cure for the headache: a drink. But misfortune strikes! His cellar has been emptied overnight. Who could this mysterious thief be? Hervé, the talking sheep, may have the answer…
Student: Yes
School: Supinfocom Rubika
Project Title: The Stairs
Director(s): Faedra Hose
Country: USA
Duration: 0:03:11
Synopsis: The sounds of a conversation drift up to the floor above, with unexpected consequences for the one who overhears them.
Student: Yes
School: Kenyon College
Project Title: The Synthetic Age
Director(s): Dimitris Armenakis
Country: Greece
Duration: 0:07:39
Synopsis: In a city where people consume cartoons, a dog reconciles with its old friends, and together, they try to escape from humans.
Project Title: The Travails of Ajadi
Director(s): Adeoye Adetunji
Country: Nigeria
Duration: 0:10:00
Synopsis: After surviving a violent storm at sea, a frustrated fisherman confronts a divine voice to demand answers for his life of hardship, only to disover that his suffering was a divine preparation for his tue purpose
Project Title: There can Only be One…
Director(s): Britney Fan
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:54
Synopsis: Upon entrance of her boyfriend’s apartment for the first time, Kat is encountered with her biggest, most unexpected rival; his cat. There can only be one to win his love and affection….So, who will it be?
Student: Yes
School: University of Southern California
Project Title: Tideline
Director(s): Jason Alexander Harrington
Country: USA
Duration: 0:02:21
Synopsis: Tideline is a stop-motion short film crafted from materials gathered in the intertidal zone of a small cove on an island in Maine. Using rocks, seaglass, feathers, shells, and other found objects, the film explores the natural layering of colors. Inspired by artists who transform natural materials into paintings and sculptures, I wanted to bring these patterns to life through animation, reflecting the way materials arrange themselves in nature. Tideline transforms these found objects into an animated color study, celebrating the textures and hues of the shoreline.
Project Title: Waiting
Director(s): Serafima Kallima
Country: Russia
Duration: 0:00:49
Synopsis: A short story about the difficulties of waiting.
Student: Yes
School: Merinov Animation School
Project Title: Waking
Director(s): Tingmu Yang
Country: China
Duration: 0:15:33
Synopsis: The story follows a famous actress as she gradually slips from her everyday life into a series of bizarre and haunting nightmares. As reality is invaded by illusions, the entire city begins to unravel and collapse. Through subtle clues revealed along the way, the audience is ultimately led to uncover a long-buried secret she has kept hidden deep within her heart for years.
Project Title: War Theater
Director(s): Arthur Lecocq, Gabriel Delcroix, Arthur Delcroix, Romuald Gouriou, Julien Vanas, Clarence Delehaye, Noëmie Ivelou
Country: France
Duration: 0:06:56
Synopsis: During a theatrical performance featuring puppets glorifying war, a wounded soldier is taken backstage where he discovers the darker aspects of this spectacle.
Student: Yes
School: Piktura
Project Title: Whittled Down
Director(s): Olly Glenn
Country: USA
Duration: 0:04:59
Synopsis: Carlisle has been trapped in this cabin for a long, long time. There are no doors, and the windows only open to an endless black void. With nothing to do but whittle and wait, a single thought lingers at the forefront of his mind: there’s something wrong with that clock.
Student: Yes
School: Northeastern University