Some of the most characteristic films from the beginnings of the 21st century. Different themes and techniques, but a common pursuit for a new personality and role for the art of animation.

Cameras Take Five, Steve Woloshen (CANADA, 2003), 3’.

Production: Steve Woloshen
Technique:  Hand-drawn animation | Drawing on film

The enduring romance of lines are explored in this colorful handmade cameraless animation by Montreal Animator,Steven Woloshen. Dave Brubeck's classic Jazz standard, Take Five is the starting point of this abstract visual interpretation.

I Castelli Animate Film Festival- Best Non - Narrative Short Film, Annecy Festival International du Film D'Animationy, Internationales Leipziger Festival fur Documentar- und AnimationsFilm, Category-International Competition Animation

Mt. Head, Koji Yamamura (JAPAN, 2002), 10’.

Production: Koji Yamamura
Technique:  Hand-drawn animation

After a stingy man eats some cherry seeds, a cherry tree grows on his head and he gets into a lot of trouble. This animated film is a modern interpretation of the traditional Japanese Rakugo story "Atama-yama" set in contemporary Tokyo (script by Shoji Yonemura, music byTakeharu Kunimoto Syzygys, narration by Takeharu Kunimoto).

Oscar® 2003: Nominated for Best Animated Short Film, Annecy International Film Festival 2003- The Annecy Cristal, Hiroshima International Animation Festival 2004- Grand Prix, Leipzig DOK Festival 2003- Silver Dove Animated Films and Video, Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films 2004- Grand Prize

Guard dog, Bill Plympton (US, 2004), 4’ 38’’.

Production: Biljana Labovic
Technique:  Hand-drawn animation

Why do dogs bark at such innocent creatures as pigeons and squirrels… what are they afraid of? This film answers that eternal question.

Oscar® 2005: Nominated for Best Animated Short Film,Special Mention for Humor, Cartoons by the Bay festival, April 2004, Best in Show Award, ASIFA-East Festival 2004, 1st Prize, Best Shorts Category, Anima Mundi 200, 4Best Short Animation, 2004 Woods Hole Film Festival, Special Prize, Hiroshima Animation Festival.

Τhe Lost thing, Shaun Tan  & Andrew Ruhemann (AUSTRALIA, 2010), 15’.

Production: Sophie Byrne
Technique:  3D computer animation

A boy discovers a strange creature on a beach, and decides to find a home for it in a world where everyone believes there are far more important things to pay attention to.

Oscar® award: Best Short Animated Film, 2010; Annecy Int. Animation Festival (France 2010): The Annecy Cristal (Best Short Film) * Palm Springs Int. Festival of Short Films (USA, 2010): Second Place for Best Animated Short, Anima Mundi (Brazil 2010): Best Soundtrack, Melbourne Int. Film Festival (Australia, 2010): Grand Prix for Best Short*, CINANIMA Esphino (Portugal, 2010): PRIZE RTP2: ONDA CURTA, TrickFilm Festival Stuttgarτ,  2011: SWR Audience Award.

Barcode, Adriaan Lokman (THE NETHERLANDS, 2001), 8’.

Production: Michiel Snijders, il Luster Productions, Lokman Productions
Technique: 3D computer animation

Barcode is a roadmovie through an abstract virtual world. Travelling over and through landscapes the spectator is taken in a play of light and shade. Sometimes the light moves freely, then it is collected, reflected or transformed. The shades lengthen and crawl together. Quick spotlights create stroboscopic effects, race through curves and settle down. In the end the afterimage fades out and the spectator blinks. With Barcode Adriaan Lokman takes the abstract animation film to the twenty first century: computer generated and very, very sensational.

Annecy International Film Festival (France) 2002: Grand Prix,Holland Animation Film Festival (Netherlands), New York Expo (NYC, USA) 2002: Special Mention, Animac (Lleida, Spain) 2002,  Animafest, Zagreb (Kroatia) 2002: Honorable mention; Hiroshima International Animation Film Festival 2002, Ottawa International Animation Film festival 2002, Anima Mundi (Rio de Janeiro) 2002, Sitges Festival Internacional (Barcelona) 2002, Flanders International Film Festival (Gent) 2002, Brisbane, International Animation Festival (Australia) 2002, Leipzig International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (Germany) 2002, Frederikstad Animation Film Festival (Norway) 2003.

Ryan, Chris Landreth (CANADA, 2004), 13’ 57’’.

Production: Steven Hoban, Marcy Page, Mark Smith
Technique:  3D computer animation

This Oscar®-winning animated short from Chris Landreth is based on the life of Ryan Larkin, a Canadian animator who produced some of the most influential animated films of his time. Ryan is living every artist's worst nightmare - succumbing to addiction, panhandling on the streets to make ends meet. Through computer-generated characters, Landreth interviews his friend to shed light on his downward spiral.

 Oscar® for Best Animated Short Film, 2005; Cannes Film Festival: Canal+ Award, Kodak Short Film Award: AFI Festival:Short Award - Special Mention, Annie Awards:Nominated Animated Short Subject (Copper Heart Entertainment and National Film Board of Canada), Sundance Film Festival: Short Filmmaking Award - Honorable Mention Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival: Golden Medallion of Belgrade International Competition, Genie Awards: Best Animated Short Film, Leipzig DOK Festival: Golden Dove Animated Films and Video, Melbourne International Animation Festival: Best of the Festival,  Ottawa International Animation Festival: Grand Prize.

At the Opera, Juan Pablo Zaramella (ARGENTINA, 2011), 1’.

Production: Sol Rulloni, JPZtudio
Technique: Stop-motion
   
An original and particular moving night at the opera.

UNCIPAR 2011 (Argentina) -Special Mention, 8vo Festival de Cortometrajes de Tandil – Tandil Cortos 2011- (Argentina), 1er Premio Mejor Videominuto, Annecy 2010 Festival International du film d’Animation - part of the program “The Fantastic Worlds of Juan Pablo Zaramella”, Anim’est Rumania, Be there! Corfu Animation Festival 2012.

Skhizein, Jérémy Clapin (FRANCE, 2008), 13’ 30''.

Production: Dark Prince
Technique:  2D computer animation, 3D computer animation

Having been struck by a 150-ton meteorite, Henry has to adapt to living precisely ninety-one centimeters from himself.

CANNES 2008 - Int’l Critics’ Week Selection: «Kodak Award», CESAR-nomination, ANIMAFEST(Croatia): «Best Film» for Student and New Media Jury,  ANNECY(France): Audience Award, ODENSE (Denmark): Best Animated Film, ANIMA (Belgium): Grand Prix AND Audience Prize, PALM SPRINGS(USA) -2nd Prize for Animated Short Film, KLIK! Holland): Open Competition Award, ANIMANIMA(Serbia): Bronze Pegbar Award (3rd Prize), ANIM’EST(Romania): Best Short Film, LEIPZIG(Germany): Golden Dove - 1st Prize for Short Film, CINANIMA(Portugal): RTP2 Award, BAF(Bradford, UK) -Best Professional Film, CLERMONT FERRAND (France) -Best Francophone Animated Short, TRICKFILM, STUTTGART (Germany): SWR Audience Award AND Jury Special Mention, ANIMA MUNDI«Best script», awarded by Professional Jury.

Fallen Art, Tomek Baginski (POLAND/ UK, 2006), 5’ 41’’.

Production: Jarosław Sawko, Piotr Sikora, Tomek Baginski, Platige Image
Technique:  Hand-drawn animation, 3D animation

Atoll. An old, forgotten military base in the Pacific. Soldiers who have lost their minds due to the hardships of past missions, and exemplary officers the Army can’t yet get rid of are sent there. There, far away from civilization, laws and rules they nature their insanities. Sergeant Al cultivates his love for the brave soldiers. Dr. Friedrich cultivates his talent for photography. And the old, mentally lost General A creates his art. He uses neither paper nor canvas. He attempts something completely different…

BAFTA – Best Animated Short, Filmfest Dresden: Internationales Kurzfilmfestival – Youth Oscar – Animation, Animago Award– 2nd place, Prix Ars Electronica-Golden Nica – Computer Animation/ Visual Effects, SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival – Jury Honors, China International Animation and Digital Art Festival – Special Distinction, Bitfilm Festival – 3D Space Award, International Festival of Animated Images Animadrid – 2nd place, Tehran International Short Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival – Grand Prix,Festival International de Contis – Jury Award

Stanley Pickle, Vicky Mather (UK, 2010), 11’.

Production: Justine Watson
Technique: Pixilation, Stop-motion

Stanley never goes outside. He likes to play with his clockwork toys and every night his mother kisses him goodnight. Stanley is twenty. The trouble is that Stanley thinks this is all quite normal, until an encounter with a mysterious girl turns his world upside down...

McLaren Award for Best New British Short Animation at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, UK; Best Experimental Film at the 14th LA Shorts Festival USA; Silver Plaque for Best Animation, 46th Chicago Film Festival. USA, Best Graduation Film, KROK, Russia; Best Animation (from 10 to 25 minutes) at the Golden Kuker IAFF Bulgaria; Best Animation, Cinanima, Portugal; Onda Curta Award Monstra Animation Festival Portugal; Best Short Film Arizona International Film Festival USA; Αnca Award 3rd Place Fest Anca Slovakia; Cannes in a Van- Special Prize at the Van D’or Awards UK, Best Cinematography- Seattle Shorts USA.

 The festival would like to thank all directors/production studios that helped realizing this tribute programme.