Three balding brothers travel to Istanbul to get a hair transplant. Stuck with each other in a hotel far from home, their insecurities grow faster than their hair.
A young adventurous panda travels from China to Africa to rescue his best friend, Jielong the Dragon, who has been kidnapped. On his journey, he discovers a strange amazing new world of mountains, deserts and jungles.
11-year-old Alfonso, heir of Don Quixote, and his three imaginary musical rabbits are joined by Pancho and Victoria to save their beloved town of La Mancha from a huge storm, created by an evil corporation seeking to own the land.
A naked couple are lost at sea on a small piece of tree bark. Failing to find the dolphin or to understand each other’s desires and boundaries, they must fight for their survival and the survival of their relationship through a bloody battle, before reaching the shore.
On a street corner in the city, a heap of dumped garbage surrounds two garbage containers. An old mattress begins to speak sadly: "They say I'm dirty.." Other pieces of garbage join in, sharing the reasons why they have been discarded. Then, a newspaper is picked up by the wind and seems to dance in the spotlight of a streetlamp. Inspired, the waste begins to see themselves positively. Their enthusiasm evolves into a spectacle of song and dance.
The sensitive Benjamin is being mocked by his bat family because he's afraid of the dark. When on top he falls in love with a bird, he becomes a complete outcast. But his love helps him conquer his fear and stand for who he truly is.
As the people of a medieval village celebrate the beginning of summer, the royal family experiences an identity crisis. The king thinks he's made of glass, the princess dreams of becoming the king and the prince is trapped in the body of a donkey.
Songs for a Passerby is a meditative quest that allows you to step outside reality for a moment and look at yourself. As a puppeteer of your own body you will be entering a poetic space where the melancholy question arises: is this me passing by moments, or is it rather the moments passing by me?
Tummy Tom’s favourite toy is Bear. One evening, when Tummy Tom is sleeping, Bear goes missing. Tummy Tom and his best friend Cat Mouse start looking in and around the house. But in order to find Bear, they decide to leave their garden and discover a new world with new friends. Together, they manage to find Bear.
What if you love your child, but are unhappy in your role as a mother? Spijtmoeders is a documentary film about mothers who, if they could make the choice again, would rather not be mothers. Three women talk about their struggles with motherhood, the shame and guilt they feel, and the high expectations society places on them. The fear of judgment from others is great: what if people think that they are not a good mother, that they do not take good care of their child? What if they think they don't love their child? The mothers are represented by hyper-realistic dolls, but their voices are real.
A short animated documentary exploring near-death experiences through five culturally diverse narratives, using real audio recordings. Through experimental visuals, it guides viewers on a transcendent voyage beyond mortality, unveiling how these experiences profoundly impact the essence of life, blurring the boundaries between existence and the mysteries of the afterlife.
When Fien discovers that her sister Hannah is threatened by a vicious crocodile that is making her very skinny and sick, her world is turned upside down. Fien enlists the help of Mum and Dad to join Hannah in defeating the crocodile, so that Hannah will make it to her next birthday.
Celebrate the best surprise party ever with Fien, Teun and all their animal friends in their brand new cinema film! Once again full of cheerful – well-known and new – songs.
As a freelance illustrator and perfectionist, Maya’s life is fun fun fun, but also busy busy busy. She perfectly pulls through her work assignments and social activities, thanks to a supportive ‘inner voice’ whom she affectionately calls her ‘Little Motivator’. But when Maya suddenly gets a full-on panic attack and has to slow down for a while, her deepest fear becomes reality: she can no longer be perfect… Maya and her Little Motivator set out to get her back on track ASAP, while struggling to accept that ‘good enough’ might just really be good enough.
A young woman lives in the streets of a city where people are watched by cameras 24 hours a day. Even in her sleep she is followed. Is it possible to find a place where you can be yourself in a disquieting world of constant surveillance?
The only North American crayfish that does cheer you up: this stop-motion copy of fabric. The exotic little animal is a huge plague in our ditches – the Dutch legislation being in a quagmire.
Three young queer people share their experiences on what it’s like to deviate from the straight cis-norm. Throughout the film, painful experiences make room for a more positive perspective, such as the overwhelming sense of connection with millions of other queer individuals worldwide or the freedom that arises as one can relinquish certain expectations. This so-called ‘queer-joy’ is being discovered, providing inspiring and moving insights.
Mechanisms Common to Disparate Phenomena: #59 (2023)
#59 is an abstract animated science-fiction film that takes the experiences shared by humans and electronic circuits as its starting point. Our computing technology emerged as a byproduct of the development of atomic weapons and their associated planetary surveillance systems. In 1961 Edward Lorenz and Yoshisuke Ueda independently discovered deterministic chaos in their computers.
Bim, a 7 year old winged bell, flies to Rome for the first time. Together with Bommel, Pi and the experienced Aurora, he is tasked with getting a magic elixir. This unique liquid brings an end to winter and allows spring to begin. The journey is a real challenge for Bim, who isn’t good at flying. Fortunately, he becomes best friends with Pi and Bommel and learns that he has other talents. It turns out Aurora has other plans for the Elixir. Will the three young bells be able to keep the magical substance out of her hands!?
When a rich lady with a passion for topiary must swap her mansion with lush gardens for a tiny council flat, she finds it difficult to cope with her new neighbor and his strange hobbies.
For over a decade, Jason (25) has secretly been in love with his best friend Niels (25). He knows his feelings will never be reciprocated, but struggles to let go. Jason is forced to confront his unrequited love when Niels reveals something to him he doesn't want to hear.
Warren and the Three Willows takes us into a fantastical macroscopic world, where we come face to face with the threats that nature struggles with. What can we do together to help nature? Through an intimate family portrait, with imaginative touches, we address a global theme on a child's scale.
How do second-generation Dutch people with a migration background view their native country? This poetic documentary explores shared memories, insecurities, and conversations revealing how being treated as the "Other" can be internalized. Through interviews, it raises the question of whether one is allowed to feel at home in the Netherlands. An intriguing graphic novel-style documentary by Dutch director Michael Hauwert.
A sausage dog becomes a bridge and lets all kinds of animals walk over him. Chickens, a rabbit, sheep, cows, mice, a horse and apes. A cat sees a business opportunity. An elephant, a duck and a bear are also involved somewhere.
In this poetry-film, of a poem by Emily Dickinson, the poet ponders on her mortality. She has not told her garden of her immanent demise; she will not lightly share the news with anybody, anywhere, as if death is a unique occurence. The film was made using a pinscreen animation device. The soundtrack consists of harp improvisation inspired by the poem.
Manly Feelings is a short film by Chris Blom, about the difficulty that many men face while experiencing, expressing, and sharing the difficult emotion of sadness. The film lingers in this place of difficulty through interviews with men, supported by metaphorical imagery.
Grandpa loves order and rules. When his daily routine starts falling apart with every mistake he makes, his trusted house turns into a chaotic swirl of shapes and colors which he frantically tries to keep under control, until he can't anymore.
A chat with various people who identify as queer and feel connected to the LGBTQ+ community. Together, these personal interviews touch upon a bigger question: what exactly is queer happiness?
Pubert Jimbob, a young man, enters a strange reality after getting lured away from his home by an enigmatic figure who throws him a lighter. Jimbob meets Nadine, a lump with a mouth, and helps her.
Your brother Jacob has been ensconced in the world of addictive pixels and languishing souls that is Realmbreak Hotel for a while now. Can you convince him to come home – or will you get lost yourself?
Of the eight billion humans populating Earth, how can we conceive of ourselves as unique while simultaneously belonging to the grand and kaleidoscopic primordial soup? Meandering scenes, ranging from playful and natural to industrial and menacing, coalesce with a sound design by the legendary Spinvis to create this poetic and hypnotic virtual reality exploration of our place in the world. For fans, the live experimental musical accompaniment is not to be missed.