INTRODUCING FEST ANČA 2024’s OFFICIAL FILM SELECTION

Fest Anča International Animation Festival’s 17th edition’s official selection showcases the past two years’ best animation. 1,340 films from 71 countries across the globe were submitted, of which the pre-selection committee has chosen 206 fresh and authentic films. Festivalgoers can watch them in just a few months in Žilina from 25 to 30 June 2024.

This year’s main competition features animation techniques and progressive approaches to narration in animated film.

Contemporary issues are also reflected in submitted films – where war conflicts, immigration, and the disintegration of relationships are all interpreted with perspective and courage. The official selection also features films brimming with kindness, humour and the absurd. “Pushing the usual boundaries is demonstrated by the films’ longer runtimes. This trend makes us happy since it’s a sign of an ongoing emancipation of animated films,” said Jakub Spevák, programme director and pre-selection committee member.

Pre-selection committee member Peter Gašparík adds: “For the first time, many submitted films are AI-produced. Yet few deployed AI well, while the rest fell short of official selection.”

Martyr’s Guidebook – Maksymilian Rzontkowski

PROFESSIONALS & STUDENTS

The main competition includes 32 films, a third of which are student-made and will compete for the Anča Award in Best Student Animated Short. “Students have the courage to introduce atypical topics and experiment with means of expression. The gap between professional- and student-made films is getting less discernible year-by-year,” agreed pre-selection committee members Peter Gašparík and Ema Nemčovičová.

Carcinization – Denis Souza

Student films include the American film fur that explores how mutual fondness can turn sour and go completely pear-shaped. Carcinization by Denis Souza, an emerging Brazilian author, is an atypical work about the desire to become a crab. Fest Anča visitors may already know Polish student Barbara Rupik – her new film Such Miracles Do Happen about saints’ statues that come alive is entered into the student film section and has been selected for renowned festivals in Annecy and Clermont-Ferrand.

27 – Flóra Anna Buda

Fest Anča visitors can look forward to seasoned Hungarian animator Flóra Anna Buda’s long-anticipated 27, which has already made an impression at Cannes, Annecy, Toronto, and Sundance. The selection also features the documentary film Maurice’s Bar by Tom Prezman and Tzor Edery that depicts a queer hang out. The main competition also includes I Smell a Mouse by Finnish author Iiti Yli-Harja whose film Blush – An Extraordinary Voyage you might remember from last year’s Fest Anča. This category also includes The Rubbings of Trajectories by Cheng-Hsu Chung, a jury member at last year’s Fest Anča.

The Rubbings of Trajectories – Cheng-Hsu Chung

The Anča Award winners of Best Animated Short and Best Slovak Animated Short are also eligible to compete in the 97th Academy Awards®’s short film category , as Fest Anča has been an Oscar® qualifying festival since last year.

ORIGINAL TESTIMONIES BY SLOVAK FILMMAKERS

Slovak animation comprises a major part of Fest Anča’s selection. Hello Summer by successful Veronika Zacharová and Martin Smatana will be screened in the main and Slovak competition. The Slovak section also features Wereawolf by Slovak animation student Niko Mlynarčík, which depicts online manipulation and harassment.

“It’s great to see Slovak animation growing every year – as proven by our student films in the Slovak competition,” said Jakub Spevák, Fest Anča’s programme director.

MUSIC VIDEOS

“We were surprised by the wide range of animated music genres this year. Fest Anča’s visitors can watch a fusion of visuals with post-punk, dream-pop, and even a jazz rendition of a medieval song,” observed programme assistant Ema Nemčovičová.

PJ Harvey – I Inside the Old I Dying – Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León

Viewers can see Raman Djafari’s newest work, which accompanies DJ Piper’s RIP TXL and Ashnikko’s Worms. He is joined by renowned Chilean duo Joaquín Cociña and Cristóbal León’s stop-motion music video that uses life-size puppets to accompany PJ Harvey’s I Inside the Old I Dying. The Chilean directors were jury members at Fest Anča 2021, and their films are regularly awarded at the biggest film festivals.

Slovak music videos include Prezident Lourajder – Lunapark with accompanying visuals by Matej Mihályi, Cassels – About Not Writing by Michal Mikuš, and Ankramu – Majstre by Marián Vredík.

FILMS FOR CHILDREN

Fest Anča has a varied film programme for children and parents. Original films speak to kids about the world in a way that stimulates their imagination and ability to think. And these films are an especially big draw because they’re not screened at regular cinemas.

Spin Cycle from the competition section portrays the importance of new friendships, while the Croatian film Butterfly features environmental issues and Battery Mommy depicts a winter afternoon’s kindergarten hero.

Battery Mommy – Seung-bae Jeon

Slovakia is represented in the children’s competition by FAMU student Eva Matejovičová’s Writing Home where a little bug loses its home because of human negligence, but people help find its home again.

AND FINALLY…

Non-competition sections feature the newest films by well-known animation names such as Sasha Svirsky, Luca Tóth, and Max Hattler. we’ll also be screening the distinctive Electra by successful artist Daria Kashcheeva.

Fest Anča also includes special non-competition sections such as animated documentaries, contemporary abstract and non-narrative animation, and even extremely short films, as well as the ever-popular Anča in Mordor and Anča in Wonderland with their atypical cinematic collection.

Electra – Daria Kashcheeva

This year’s festival also includes an international competition of animated shorts and music videos, as well as thematic and specifically focused screening sections. Fest Anča is from 25 to 30 June in Žilina and has six glorious programme days including lectures and numerous accompanying activities.

Fest Anča International Animation Festival gives visitors the opportunity to see the Slovak premiere of many films. “Our diverse programme and wide range of films are a unique attraction for festival goers,” observes festival director Ivana Sujová.

The Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2024 is financially supported by the Audiovisual Fund, LITA Fund, SPP Foundation and FPU Art Support Fund.

 

COMPETITION SECTIONS

*s = student film

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT AND BEST STUDENT ANIMATED SHORT(S)

I Smell a Mouse Iiti Yli-Harja
La Voix des Sirènes Gianluigi Toccafondo
La Perra Carla Melo Gampert
Martyr’s Guidebook Maksymilian Rzontkowski
fur (s) Zhen Li
Hello Summer Martin Smatana, Veronika Zacharová
Everythingness (s) Julia Jesionek
Noodles au Naturel (s) Matteo Salanave Piazza
The Family Portrait Lea Vidakovic
A Kind of Testament Stephen Vuillemin
Via Dolorosa Rachel Gutgarts
Kinderfilm Michael Stumpf, Adrian Jonas Haim, Robin Klengel
Bergamot Yanqi Liang
Carcinization (s) Denis Souza
Furrie (s) Lucie Grannec
The Rubbings of Trajectories Cheng-Hsu Chung
Pipes (s) Kilian Feusi, Jessica Meier, Sujanth Ravichandran
Such Miracles Do Happen (s) Barbara Rupik
Maurice’s Bar Tzor Edery, Tom Prezman
Spring Pernille Kjaer
A Crab in the Pool Alexandra Myotte, Jean-Sébastien Hamel
27 Flóra Anna Buda
Shape of the Elephant (s) Sam Kuwa
It’s Just a Whole (s) Bianca Scali
The Waves Yumi J

oung

Vitanuova Niles Atallah
Zima Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki
Preoperational Model Philip Ullman
Nun or Never! Heta Jäälinoja
Sewing Love (s) Xu Yuan
Familes’ Albums Moïa Jobin-Paré
Tako Tsubo Fanny Sorgo, Eva Pedroza

MUSIC VIDEOS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO

DJ Piper – RIP TXL Raman Djafari
I Gotta Cry Francesca Colombara
Harajyuku Boy Honami Yano
Horizonte de sucesos Pablo Ballarín
Cassels – About Not Writing Michal Mikuš
Delingha Lu Li
Atómica Facundo Quiroga, Sebastían García, Juan Nodalino
I’m Leaving Michelle Brand
Kind of Morning Clara Franciosi, Valentine Vendroux, Salomé Hammann
Prezident Lourajder – Lunapark Matej Mihályi
Worm Mattis Dovier, Yoann Dovier
I Inside the Old I Dying Joaquín Cociña, Cristobal León
Cosmo Sheldrake – Stop The Music Weronika Anna Marianna
Ashnikko – Worms Raman Djafari
Boy Blue Matteo Dang Minh, Francesca Colombara
Give Me Rice Jin Woo
My Way Jesica Bianchi
Ankramu – Majstre / Maestro Marián Vredík
Oblivion – Mervyn Imhoff Igor
Transmogrified Alexander Dupuis
Météores Agnès Patron, Morgane Le Péchon
Kazue Kahoru Is a Social Detective Julie Černá
Juan Wauters – Milanesa al pan (Feat. Zoe Gotusso) Dante Zaballa
Hate Machine Théo Tonatiu Lenoble
Sunflowers – A Strange Feeling of Existential Angst Carolina Bonzinho, Leander Meresaar
D’un Feu Secret Amanda Bonaiuto

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FOR CHILDREN

Battery Mommy Seungbae Jeon
Writing Home Eva Matejovičová
Spin Cycle Gurli Bachmann
Butterfly Suncana Brkulj
Rainboy Barbara Brunner
Rally Myojung Noh
Pufferfish Julia Ocker

FILMS COMPETING FOR THE ANČA AWARD FOR BEST SLOVAK ANIMATED SHORT

Wereawolf Niko Mlynarčík
Hello Summer Martin Smatana, Veronika Zacharová
Perplexity Franz Milec
Tapping Black Boots Kaoru Furuko
Bobo Veronika Obertová
Dream Rotation Darya Sidorova, Viktória Zimmermannová, Rebeka Vakrčková, Katarína Jelínková
Of Stars and Fables Alla Dmitrievna Prokopyshyna
Silo Imrich Kútik

 

NON-COMPETITION SECTIONS

SHORT FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The Mole Alexey Sukhov
Matta and Matto Bianca Caderas, Kerstin Zemp
The Garden of Heart Olivér Hegyi
The Fold Patrick Buhr
The Water Ghost Hongzhou Xue
Greylands Charlotte Waltert, Alvaro Schoeck
Beanboy Emily Hanning
Electra Daria Kashcheeva
Yuck! Loïc Espuche
Sweet Like Lemons Jenny Jokela
See you Champion! Alexis Mouron
E6-D7 Eno Swinnen
The TOBOS Tobias Rud
Crab Day Ross Stringer
Architect A Jonghoon Lee
Dog, Ball, Park Renana Palmor
Ship Down the Well Xi Chen, Xiaolin Zhou, Liaoyu Chen
Express Delivery Louise-Marie Colon, Simon Medard
Mold Shi Shengxue
Mr. Rabbit Bryan Lee
Mee and Burd Greg McLeod
Silent Panorama Nicolas Piret
Point and Line to Cosmos Pablo Ballarín
Summer 96 Mathilde Bédouet
Dodo Yi Luo
The Master of the Swamps Sasha Svirsky
The Purple Season Clémence Bouchereau
Miisufy Liisi Grünberg
This Is a Story Without a Plan Cassie Shao
Your Dad Anita Kühnel Szabó

SLOVAK SHORT FILMS

The Forest Five Ivana Laučíková
The Tots (episode Picnic) Vanda Raýmanová, Michal Struss
Saturday Szilard Kardiak
Veľká Potreba – Coincidence Milan Uherčík
Slovak for a Word – To Mature Marián Vredík
The Wolf and the Little Goats Radovan Halička
The Wasteland Timotej Lukovič
Everything We Missed Marta Prokopová

SHORT FILMS FOR CHILDREN

Bobo Veronika Obertová
The Forest Five Ivana Laučíková
Go Away, Alfred! Célia Tisserant, Arnaud Demuynck
Night Market Yingyu Zhu, Chenyi Zhu, Xinyu Sun
Cupcake 10-person team
Little Hot Water Bottle Yuliana Brutti
Wat zit er in die kist? Bram Algoed
Shuffle Quita Felix
Fly By Filip Dobeš
Sports Day Jessica Wu
The Other Planet 10-children team
Shellfish Justine Aubert, Cassandra Bouton, Grégoire Callies, Maud Chesneau, Anna Danton, Loic Girault, Gatien Peyrude, Justine Raux
Flutter Adam Reed Levy
Coot Marlies van der Wel
Clawlolo (Gramophone) Alexey Alexeev

SHORT ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY

GiGi Cynthia Calvi
Swimming with Wings Daphna Awadish Golan
Love Me True Inés Sedan
Our Uniform Yegane Moghaddam
Human Resources Trinidad Plass Caussade, Titouan Tillier, Isaac Wenzek
A Border Guard and His Dog Pablo Ballarín
Y Matea Kovač
Ardent Other Alice Brygo
Diaphony Mirjam Debets, Selle Sellink

CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT AND NON-NARRATIVE ANIMATION

Chamber of Shadows Seyoung Ok
Vision Çağıl Harmandar
Help Desk Edwin Rostron
TWENTYTИƎWT Max Hattler
In Between City Ilya Kreines
[S] Mario Radev
Deathwaves (Or A Fungal Hecatomb) Maciek Stępniewski
Deep Breath Leonor Pacheco

ANČA IN WONDERLAND

The First Musical Ever Written by A Chair Kacper Senkowski
Vegan Mayo Luca Tóth
Ça Chewing! Armel Saint Loup
FVLCRVM – Bad Girls Štefan Kráľovič
Drijf Levi Stoops
Count to Ten Andreia Dobrota
Monsterfuckers Ori Goldberg
Humanity Tereza Kovandová
She and Her Good Vibrations Olivia Griselda, Sarah Cheok
Don’t Die Yu-Seon Park
Horse Jesus Braden M Hansen
The Choolers: Fish and Meat Monsieur Pimpant
Ready Eirini Vianelli
Hot Fish Yael Reisfeld
Kill Your Darlings Thirza Ingold
Giovanna and the Big Peacock Maria Zilli
Atomic Chicken Thibault Ermeneux, Lucie Lyfoung, Solène Polet, Capucine Prat, Morgane Siriex, Anna Uglova
All Is Lost Carla Pereira, Juanfran Jacinto
Catisfaction Andre Marques Almeida
Karotte Harry Bhalerao
David Patrick Ward
Conej Steps Out Pablo Río
And Then… Tanja Nuijten, Leo Graf, Raphael Stalder
27.10 Michaela Matějková

ANČA IN MORDOR

Subotopic Nikki Schuster
I Can’t Go On Like This by Aria Covamonas from Planet Earth Aria Covamonas
Hungry Ghost Guido Devadder, Kaitlin McSweeney
Is Heaven Blue? #2 Menno de Nooijer, Paul de Nooijer
Grain Cloud Atmosphere Martin Moolhuijsen
White Ao Chen
Prototipo Tina Frank, General Magic

EXTREMELY SHORT SECTION OF EXTREMELY SHORT FILMS

Erasmus: It Has Never Been Easier Michaela Režová, studio Panika
Tremble Marie Lukášová
Dream Viktória Barcziová
The Mushroom Thief Macarena Rubio
Rice & Chicken Kamil Wójcik, Cat Kaczmarek
Pigeon Holding Olivia Dugdale
Crosswalk Daria Volchok
The Shortest Relationship in the World Xiaoxuan Han
Born to Love Xian Zhong
Swimming Pool – Fushigi Man Natalia Ryss
((O)) Joanna Żybul
Lives Ranxu
Parmelia Tereza Burianová
A Booger’s Nightmare Daniel Blanco
Anamnesis Izabella Retkowska
The Name Alexander Aguilar
20/20 Zsófia Szénásy
From the Past Hanna Palamarchuk
King Zoe Sweeting
Electronic Insects Keum-Taek Jung
What’s Happening Around Us Krystsina Ramanava
The Best Tram Ever Petra Mikolášová
Demons in the Closet James Smith
Temple Run Enan Roi Pana Ibardaloza, Hui Pak Lun, Lam Yi Ki, Daniel Robert McOmie
La Bee de Beeley Sacha Beeley
Allergy Nash Tanabodee, Ruixi Liu
Gravy Evie Hurst
Tigris Janka Dósa
Windows Belén Cordero Rodríguez
Us, the Sea and the Sad End Malgorzata Rybak
What It Takes Kelsi Phung, Fabien Corré
My Therapist Told Me Markéta Müllerová
Fate Shermeen Beh
Unique Together Lena Kadriye Ziyal
Prometheus 3000 Marty Müller