Animation Meets Psychology at Slovakia’s Fest Anča 2024 with a Focus on Nightmares

Fest Anča International Animation Festival

Slovakia

In Slovakia, the Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2024 has boldly chosen 'Nightmare' as its thematic lens, reflecting a collective journey into the darker aspects of human experience and societal challenges. This theme is a departure from last year's focus on 'Utopia' and aims to foster a deeper understanding of our fears and insecurities.

The festival's program, curated by Jakub Spevák, is designed to probe the nuances of nightmares through a carefully selected array of films. These works explore the dichotomies of danger versus asylum, dream versus reality, and love versus hate, offering viewers a platform to reflect on personal and communal anxieties.

Noteworthy discussions are scheduled to complement the film screenings, featuring insights from psychologist Michal Hrozáň, activist Natália Heriban, and actress Lýdia Ondrušová. These sessions aim to provide deeper psychological and social contexts to the themes presented in the films, enriching the audience's festival experience.

The selected films span a variety of topics and styles, showcasing the richness of animation in conveying complex themes. Notable entries include "Misery Loves Company" by Sasha Lee, a poignant exploration of shared suffering, and "Right in the Eyes of the Mirror" by Mélusine Peduzzi, which delves into self-perception and reality.

Fest Anča 2024 is supported by the Audiovisual Fund and the LITA Fund, underscoring the importance of financial backing in bringing such creative and daring themes to life. The festival continues to serve as a vital platform for animators to present works that challenge, entertain, and provoke thought among an international audience.

Here is the complete list of films that will be screened at Fest Anča 2024 under the theme "Nightmare":

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

1. Misery Loves Company / Sasha Lee / 2020
2. Right in the Eyes of the Mirror / Mélusine Peduzzi / 2023
3. Not Drifting Off / Steph Hope / 2021
4. Acid Rain / Tomek Popakul / 2019
5. Don’t Tell Mom / Sawako Kabuki / 2015
6. Hello Bambi / Faiyaz Jafri / 2011
7. The Fifth Floor / Tereza Burianová / 2023
8. Sweet Night / Lia Bertels / 2019

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING

1. Happy End / Jan Saska / 2015
2. Homeless Home / Alberto Vázquez / 2020
3. Good resolutions / Sara Priorelli / 2021
4. Hold Me Tight / Leoluna Tourneur-Robert / 2021
5. Bloody Fairy Tales / Tereza Kovandová / 2018
6. Good Intentions / Anna Mantzaris / 2018
7. OBON / Andre Hörmann, Anna Samo / 2018
8. Sensor Ship / Jina Yoon / 2021
9. Darkness, Light, Darkness / Jan Švankmajer / 1989

CULTS, RITUALS AND HAPPY HAMSTERS

1. Money and Happiness / Ana Nedeljković, Nikola Majdak Jr / 2022
2. Crossing / Agáta Bolaňosová / 2018
3. Hot Dog Hands / Matt Reynolds / 2017
4. ÄLGEN / Erik Svetoft / 2019
5. My Fat Arse and I / Yelyzaveta Pysmak / 2020
6. Rabbit’s Blood / Sarina Nihei / 2017
7. Flesh of God / Patricio Plaza / 2022
8. Aeons Ark / Sophie Vickers / 2022

SUMMONING INNER DEMONS

1. Lucía / Cristobal León & Joaquin Cociña / 2013
2. Blue Fear / Lola Halifa-Legrand, Marie Jacotey / 2020
3. Hidden Desires / Guido Depaoli / 2022
4. Autour du lac / Noémie Marsily, Carl Roosens / 2013
5. Under the Rib Cage / Bruno Tondeur / 2018
6. Juliette / Lora D’Addazio / 2016
7. Metamorphosis / Juan Fran Jacinto, Carla Pereira / 2019
8. EIKO / Colin Atthar / 2020
9. Eating in the Dark / Inari Sirola / 2021

BLEEDING LOVE

1. The Surrogate / Stas Santimov / 2020
2. I Love Hooligans / Jan-Dirk Bouw / 2013
3. Jungle of Desire / Wong Ping / 2015
4. Farce / Robin Jensen / 2019
5. Hi, It’s Your Mother / Daniel Sterlin-Altman / 2016
6. Take Me Please / Olivér Hegyi / 2018
7. Liminal Love / Ray Ting / 2016
8. The Lovers / Carolina Sandvik / 2023

IN THE REINS OF POWER

1. CIS / Amelie Bjurenhed / 2016
2. The Boob Fairy / Léahn Vivier-Chapas / 2021
3. Beasts Among Us / Natalia Durszewicz / 2021
4. The Perpetrators / Richard Squires / 2022
5. In Case the Body Exults / Florian Genthial / 2021
6. Cockpera / Kata Gugić / 2020
7. Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics / Terril Calder / 2021
8. Victimhood / Gabríela Friðriksdóttir, Pierre-Alain Giraud / 2023

This diverse selection of films aims to confront and explore the complexities of nightmares, providing a deep, psychological dive into the theme for festival attendees.