A unique tribute to documentary animation and true stories on children, immigration and European borders. A. Hanna Heilborn: a trilogy of documentary animation on children and human rights

Hidden, Hanna Heilborn, David Aronowitsch & Mats Johansson (SWEDEN, 2002), 8'

The sound is an interview with Giancarlo, a 12-year-old boy, and the images are animated. Giancarlo has no permit to stay in Sweden and he describes how it is to be chased by the police and live in hiding. The film travels to Peru and to the school in Sweden but it mostly stays in the room where the actual interview took place. There are also Giancarlo’s father, mother with a newborn baby and his little brother. Giancarlo sits still with his arms pressed tightly against his little body. He gives straightforward answers to the questions.



Slaves, David Aronowitsch and Hanna Heilborn (SWEDEN, 2008), 15'

It’s a simple furnished hotel-room. Abuk, nine years old, cuddles up in a bed. Machiek, 15 years, is nervously turning his chair.

We got abducted my mother, father, my sister and I. After that they killed my parents and separated me from my sister. It was just after my mother had stopped breast-feeding me, says Abuk in a low voice.

Abuk and Machiek are two out of thousands of children captured by the government-sponsored militia during the Civil War in Sudan. In the prize-winning film ”Slaves – an animated documentary”, they tell about their experiences from the day they were captured, until the moment they’re released by James Auger Alic and his organisation CEAWC (Committee of Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children). ”Slaves” is the second film in a series of animated documentaries by

David Aronowitsch and Hanna Heilborn, after the grand success with the film ”Hidden – an animated documentary”. Among other festival wins, “Slaves” got also awarded the Annecy Cristal (best short film) in Annecy Animation Festival 2009.
 


Sharaf, Hanna Heilborn and David Aronowitsch (SWEDEN, 2012), 13'

"The boat was like a little fly in the sea, in two-meter high waves. We just drifted without any food or water." Sharaf, 17 years old, is one of thousands of boat-refugees who have arrived to Gran Canaria the last years. . Sharaf was lucky, he survived but many people have died in the Atlantic Ocean trying to get into the EU. Sharaf - an animated documentary" is the third part in the series of animated documentaries about children and young people in difficult situations by David Aronowitsch and Hanna Heilborn

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B. Selected Films 2012-15 on Europe and its borders

Villa Antropoff, Kaspar Jancis, Vladimir Leschiov (LATVIA, 2012), 13'.

A man has nothing to lose except his dream. To make his dream come true the man embarks on a dangerous journey. But his destination is not what it seems.



Armenian Papers, Ornella Macchia (BELGIUM, 2015), 6’ 34”

2D computer animation, Ηθοποιοί, Σχεδίαση στην άμμο, διαδικτυακό λογισμικό

At the market of Yerevan , in Armenia, a merchant invites us to share his fruits and his history...





Black Tape, Michelle/Uri Kranot (DENMARK/ISRAEL, 2014), 3’

Drawing on paper, Φωτογραφίες

In an entangled tango, the victim and victimiser dance, occupying the frame and the space between brushstrokes.



Αλλοδαπάνθρωποι, Rory Waudby-Tolley (UK, 2012), 2’ 30’’

3D computer animation

Merpeople have been living among humans, on mainland Britain, for the last ten years. Forced to leave the polluted oceans, an elderly couple of merfolk refugees discuss the society they now live in, and how they have adapted to their new life.



Τεφίκ, όταν πέφτεις, ξανασηκώνεσαι, Jannik Hastrup (DENMARK, 2014), 10' 10''

2D computer animation

Tefik from Kosovo is living with his father and traumatised mother in a refugee camp in Denmark. They have fled from Albania because they were harassed.Maybe because they are Roma gypsies.
Tefik is now being bullied by other kids at school but he won’t tell his dad because he is having enough worries with the mother who is sick.
Tefik is very good at riding his bike. It makes his father happy when Tefik makes tricks on his bike.