ANIMATION

FreeBird
Canada / Drama / 6 minutes
Director/Writer: Michael Joseph McDonald, Joe Bluhm
Producer: Stefanie Bitton, Jordan Hart
Cast: Tommy Pilling, Maryanne Pilling, Jad Issa
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Freebird is the coming-of-age story of a boy with Down Syndrome who learns to navigate the world with a loving mother, an absent father, a classroom bully, and a life-long crush.

Hide
France / Animation / 11 minutes
Director/Writer: Daniel Gray
Producer: Maral Mohammadian, Marion Barré, Soyo Giaoui
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Two boys are playing hide and seek. One of them finds the perfect hiding spot....and never comes out. Life carries on outside.

Hope
Qatar / Drama / 9 minutes
Director/Writer: Abdulla Al-Janahi
Producer: Abdulaziz Khashabi, Fabian Loing
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A journey of a new born baby sea turtle named Aqua. During his journey, he faces many obstacles from human pollution to different predators. Using his mind and courage he over comes one obstacle after the other, until he reaches his final destination. Just before he enters the sea, he witnesses a life changing scene, that he bravely over comes and grows as a character.

Hoverman
USA / Animation / 12 minutes
Director/Writer: Vincent Lin
Producer: Matthew Damato
Cast: Randall Park, Dana Synder, Rebecca Mader
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In the pleasant town of Harmony City, Carl becomes a useless superhero with limited powers known as Hoverman, With the help of a talented and beautiful scientist and black belt martial artist, Jane, they fight crime against a just-as-useless villain, the mysterious, X.

I Am Not An Angel
Canada / Animation / 11 minutes
Director/Writer: Joe Chang
Producer: Joe Chang, Yang Li

The story begins with a young woman, Nurse Amy, unaware of the severity of the virus, going to work alone, while millions of people don masks as the infection travels through the population. More and more people start to disappear. The nurse comes to realize the patient she is tasked with taking care of, is not a run-of-the-mill case, but is a matter of life and death that is a ticking time bomb.

In A Pickle
USA / Animation / 7 minutes
Director: Jennifer Gelfer, Terra Henderson
Writer: Martinko
Producer: Samantha Watkins, Jennifer Vance

In a Pickle is a warmly told tale about a precocious little boy and his schoolyard predicament. It is delightful in its simplicity and enchanting in the way it mischievously unfolds.

Is There Anyone Out There?
USA / Animation / 4 minutes
Director/Writer/Producer: Jonathan Hal Reynolds

A boy wonders if there might be other people living in the universe. At the same time, an alien boy far away ponders the same question.

It's Okay
USA / Animation / 3 minutes
Director/Writer: Aiman Samat

A man second-guesses his career choice until he was shown appreciation by his old friend.

Knot
United Kingdom / Animation / 8 minutes
Director/Writer: Marie Lechevallier
Producer: Chris Hees, Millie Marsh
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Balanced carefully on a tightrope, Blue lives his life in fear of falling into the abyss below. But when he meets Orange, a carefree spirit, he is tempted into a sensual dance that forces him to confront his deepest fears. Blue journeys deep into his subconsciousness to heal the wounds of his past and finds his way back to embrace the euphoric energy of Orange.

Kohima
India / Animation / 5 minutes
Director: Harmeet Rahal, Saahil Bhargava
Writer: Saahil Bhargava
Producer: Marlene Sharp
Cast: Saahil Bhargava
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Kohima is a music video for an original song written and performed by Saahil Bhargava. The heart-wrenching rock ballad focuses on the trauma of soldiers at war. Using the backdrop of the Battle of Kohima from World War 2, the video employs rotoscope animation to explore the despair and desperation that comes in the heat of a brutal battle.

Lea's Secret
Philippines / Animation / 5 minutes
Director/Producer: Rico Gutierrez
Writer: Augie RIvera
Cast: Eugene Domingo, Alessandra de Rossi, Candy Pangilinan

Based on the acclaimed children’s book that aims to raise awareness on child sexual abuse, and empower victimized children to seek help and tell their stories.

Little Forest
Argentina / Animation / 8 minutes
Director/Writer: Paulina Muratore
Producer: Facundo Corsini

Mizu discovers a small bud in the forest, everyday she goes back to water it. Over the years, Mizu and the small tree grow together. One day, the forest is flooded and the tree helps to save her life.

Little Ox
Belgium / Animation / 11 minutes
Director/Writer: Raf Wathion, Patrick Vandebroeck
Producer: Christophe Baggermans, Filip Vangeffelen, Marc Thelosen

A young muskox migrates with a small herd through the cold barren tundra. For the hungry young ox the rules of conduct are difficult to fathom. His mother does her best to take care of him. During their journey the herd gets attacked by a pack of wolves, who are after Little Ox.

Metamorphosis
USA / Animation / 4 minutes
Director/Producer: Xi Wang

A butterfly is resurrected from a rare specimen collection and explores the ruins of an ancient civilization that leads to a mysterious underground frozen cave. The film explores philosophical ideas about life forms decomposing and then transforming into new organisms, between dreams and reality, and between humans and creatures.

Migrants
France / Drama / 8 minutes
Director: Hugo Caby, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak
Writer: Lucas Lermytte
Producer: Carlos De Carvalho
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Two polar bears are driven into exile due to global warming. They will encounter brown bears along their journey, with whom they will try to cohabitate.

Mila
USA / Animation / 20 minutes
Director/Writer: Cinzia Angelini
Producer: Andrea Emmes

A war story that takes on a child's perspective. Inspired by World War II stories from the director's mother, the character of Mila represents the best of humanity. Although she has lost everything - her family, her house, her peace - she still clings to hope. With a little more than imagination and humanity, Mila manages to profoundly impact others, including a caring stranger who saves her.

Mosaic
Belgium / Animation / 15 minutes
Director: Imge Özbilge, Sine Özbilge
Producer: Lunanime

In the oldest city of the Middle East, a Kurdish student, a Muslim musician and a Christian little girl are part of a cultural mosaic. When vicious noises bring war upon their city, a mysterious sunfish appears to save them.

My Babushka Smokes a Pipe
Russia / Animation / 3 minutes
Director/Producer: Ivan Pavlov
Writer: Ivan Pavlov, Tatyana Leonova

The film about people who defeated fascism and saved our lives

My Grandma Matilde
Mexico / Animation / 11 minutes
Director/Writer: Miguel Anaya Borja
Producer: Carolina Pavia
Cast: Carmen Vera, Jimena Carmona

Little Maria has been left in her grandmother’s care, who has the urge to teach her little trades that help her fend for herself. The relationship between them becomes very tense, until her grandmother remembers a secret that she has kept since childhood...