StopTrik International Film Festival

Poland, Slovenia

The 14th StopTrik International Film Festival (IFF) has unveiled its Official Selection for 2024, presenting a diverse and innovative lineup that pushes the boundaries of stop motion animation. The festival, which takes place in Maribor, Slovenia, and Łódź, Poland, continues to be a platform for both established and emerging talent in the world of animated cinema.

Programme Director Michał Bobrowski notes that this year's selection appears less dark and pessimistic compared to previous editions. However, he emphasizes that the selected works maintain a critical perspective on contemporary issues, often employing irony and macabre elements. Notably, the lineup features strong representation from women animators, reflecting ongoing trends in the art-house animation scene.

The Stop Motion Animation competition presents 25 outstanding films, including works by renowned artists such as Izabela Plucińska's "Joko," Nina Gantz's "Wander to Wonder," and Andres Tenusaar's "Little Other." The selection also showcases emerging talent from prestigious institutions like the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and Konrad Wolf, as well as lesser-known programs at Aalto University in Finland, the University of Nova Gorica in Slovenia, and the LAF-WFA Legnica talent workshop in Poland.

In a significant expansion of its programming, StopTrik IFF introduces the Borderlands Competition, featuring 13 films that challenge conventional definitions of stop motion animation. This new category explores works that derive from stop motion sensibilities in texture creation, layering, and spatial representation, while potentially employing non-traditional techniques. The festival organizers state that this change acknowledges the rapid evolution of creative technologies in animation.

The non-competitive Panorama section has also undergone restructuring. Panorama: Wide View continues to showcase the diversity of traditional stop motion with 17 works, while the new Panorama: New Weird program presents six films that align with the literary and cultural trend of "new weird." These works explore themes of climate catastrophe, genre-blending, and creative pessimism.

StopTrik IFF maintains its commitment to young audiences with three competitive programs of Stop Motion Animation for Children, curated by Brina Fekonja and Jelena Dragutinović. These screenings, tailored for specific age groups (6-8, 9-11, and 12-14 years old), will be followed by discussions on animation techniques, film styles, and storytelling methods. The children's program features a global selection, with strong representation from Europe, Asia, and South America.

The festival organizers express gratitude to all submitters and acknowledge the dedication required in stop motion animation. They hope that the audience, who will determine the Grand Prix winner, and the student juries in both Maribor and Łódź will find the selection intellectually and artistically stimulating.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION I

1.     Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska, prod. Animoon, 2024, Poland, Germany, Czechia, 15’

2.     BITCH(ES), dir. Laure Menard, prod. Volda University College, 2024, Norway, France, 4’41’’

3.     Entropic Memory, dir. & prod. Nicolas Brault, 2024, Canada, 6’28’’

4.     Bar La Matanza, dir. Belén Tagliabue, prod. MOCO Estudio, 2023, Argentina, 6’20’’

5.     Three Birds / Tri tičice, dir. Zarja Menart, prod. Finta Film, 2024, Slovenia, Croatia, 8’18’’

6.     Carrotica, dir. Daniel Sterlin-Altman, prod. Filmuniversity Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, 2024, Germany, 13’08’’

7.     Box Cutters, dir. Naomi van Niekerk, prod. Ikki Films, Valk Productions, Dryfsand, 2023, France, Netherlands, South Africa, 8’24’’

8.     Madeleine, dir. & prod. Raquel Sancinetti, 2023, Canada, 15’

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION II

1.     Wander to Wonder, dir. Nina Gantz, prod. Circe Films, Kaap Holland Film, Les Productions de Milou, Beast Animation, 2023, Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, 13’

2.     Beyond the Face / Onkraj obraza, dir. Anja Resman, prod. SPOK Films, University of Nova Gorica, 2024, Slovenia, Croatia, 9’50’’

3.     SUPPONPON / “すっぽんぽん”, dir. Hoji Tsuchiya, Saigo no Shudan, prod. muffin discs, 2024, Japan, 3’28’’

4.     Playing God, dir. Matteo Burani, prod. Studio Croma, 2024, Italy, France, 9’

5.     Absent-Minded / “물끄러미” Mulkkeureomi, dir. & prod. Kang Illhwaa, 2024, South Korea, 5’40’’

6.     Falling For Greta, dir. & prod. Gustavo Arteaga, 2023, United Kingdom, 11’16’’

7.     Aquatic / Abzi, dir. & prod. Shiva Sadegh Asadi, 2024, Iran, 5’

8.     Beautiful Men, dir. Nicolas Keppens, prod. Animal Tank, Miyu Productions, Ka-Ching Cartoons, 2023, Belgium, France, Netherlands, 18’35’’

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION III

1.     Hidari, dir. Masashi Kawamura, Iku Ogawa, prod. dwarf, Whatever, TECARAT, 2023, Japan, 5’44’’

2.     Adiós, dir. José Prats, prod. NFTS, 2024, United Kingdom, 8’31’’

3.     In Motion / W ruchu, dir. Nina Bączyk, prod. LAF-WFA, 2023, Poland, 1’18’’

4.     Father's Letters / "Папины письма", Papiny pis'ma dir. Alexey Evstigneev, prod. Moderato, Mimesis, 2024, France, Russia, 12’10’’

5.     Onti, dir. Miloš Tomić, prod. Ab Re, 2023, Serbia, 5’9’’

6.     Little Other / Väike teine, dir. Andres Tenusaar, prod. Nukufilm, 2023, Estonia, 12’

7.     Impossible Maladies, dir. Stefano Tambellini, Alice Tambellini, prod. Senza Testa, 2023, Italy, 8’

8.     Fish River Anthology / Mereneläviä, dir. Veera Lamminpää, prod. Seiza Films, Aalto University, 2024, Finland, 9’30’’

9.     The Wild-Tempered Clavier, dir. & prod. Anna Samo, 2024, Germany, 7’22’’

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME:

BORDERLANDS

1.     Families’ Albums / Albums de familles, dir. Moïa Jobin-Paré, 2023, Canada, 8’22’’

2.     You Are the Truck and I Am the Deer, dir. Max Ferguson, prod. LUCA School of Arts, 2023, Belgium, 5’7’’

3.     Swifts / Piiritajad, dir. Ada Napiórkowski, prod. EKA Estonian Academy of Arts, 2024, Estonia, 5’

4.     Being Is Negative, dir. Sun Xun, prod. π animation studio, 2023, China, 4’30’’

5.     74, dir. Charalambos Margaritis, prod. Kimonos Animation Studio, 2024, Cyprus, 16’

6.     Mnemonic, dir. & prod. Raffaele Gans-Pfister, 2024, USA, 5’16’’

7.     Toto, dir. Klaudia Bochniak, prod. Film School Lodz, 2023, Poland, 6’10’’

8.     Subotopic, dir. & prod. Nikki Schuster, 2023, Austria, Germany, 7’

9.     Electronic Insects, dir. & prod. Keum-Taek Jung, 2023, USA, 1’30’’

10.  fur, dir. Zhen Li, prod. California Institute of the Arts, 2022, USA, 6’36’’

11.  Evanescence, dir. Mare Šuljak, prod. Kinoklub Zagreb, 2023, Croatia, 3’32’’

12.  Lost Nocturne, dir. & prod. Gates Callanan, 2024, USA, 1’34’’

13.  [S], dir. & prod. Mario Radev, 2024, United Kingdom, Poland, Bulgaria, 12’33’’

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION FOR CHILDREN I

Age group: 6-8 years old

1.     Hoofs on Skates / Kanopos ir pačiūžos, dir. Ignas Meilūnas, prod. Justė Beniušytė, 2024, Lithuania, 12'24''

2.     Kukeleku, dir. Jelle Janssen, prod. Aardman Academy, 2024, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, 3'4''

3.     The Pearl: Let's Make Peace / Morvarid: Bia Ashti Konim, dir. Abdollah Alimorad, prod. Soureh Cinema Organization, 2023, Iran, 6'

4.     Abubilla, dir. Rafael Vidal, prod. MINUSCULO animation, 2023, Spain, 2'4''

5.     Claws Worm Hunt / Pandža lovi gliste, dir. Katrin Novaković, prod. Nikša Marinović, Katrin Novaković, 2023, Croatia, 3'25''

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION FOR CHILDREN II

Age group: 9-11 years old

1.     My Little Dress / 《我的小裙子》 Wo de xiao qunzi, , dir. & prod. Zinc Liew, 2022, Taiwan, 2’27’’

2.     Lola and the Piano Sound / Lola et le Piano à bruits, dir. Augusto Zanovello, prod. Komadoli Studio, Folimage, Momakin, Nadasdy Film, 2024, France, Poland, Switzerland, 27’52’’

3.     Forage, dir. Carolyn Gair, prod. Bowling4Rhinos Productions, 2024, USA, 7’36’’

4.     Cossie of Chairville / Isu no machi no Cossie, dir. Kensuke Natsukawa, prod. NHK Educational Corporation, 2023, Japan, 6’14’’

5.     The Cook Octopus / El Pulpo Cocinero, dir. Juan Nadalino, prod. El Birque,  2023, Argentina, 3’28’’

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME: STOP MOTION ANIMATION FOR CHILDREN III

Age group: 12-14 years old

1.     Steps to Fly / Pasos para Volar, dir. Nicolas Conte, Rosario Carlino, prod. Osa Estudio, Vivement Lundi !, 2024, Argentina, France, 9’11’’

2.     Eyes / "눈눈눈", Nunnunnun, dir. & prod. Nam Hyokyoung, Choi Yoojae, 2024, South Korea, 13’48’’

3.     Grandma's Recipe / Receita de Vö, dir. & prod. Carlon Hardt, 2024, Brazil, 2’51’’

4.     All Is Not Lost, dir. Daniel Greaves, prod. Animage Films Ltd, 2023, United Kingdom, 10’44’’

5.     Ceiling of Blue, dir. Amami, prod. Tokyo University of Arts, 2023, Japan, 2’19’’

6.     Hello Summer / Ahoj leto, dir. Martin Smatana, Veronika Zacharová, prod. Studio Bororo, MAUR film, Last Films, Vivement Lundi !, 2024, Slovakia, Czechia, France, 10’45’’

INTERNATIONAL NON-COMPETITIVE PROGRAMME:

PANORAMA

 PANORAMA: WIDE VIEW

1.     From the Top, dir. Rich Farris, prod. Martina Buendia Silva, 2023, United Kingdom, 8’14’’

2.     Bergamot / 《佛手》 Fo Shou, dir. Yanqi Liang, prod. Dongyu Culture Media,2023, China, 6’37’’

3.     Tulipomania: Shines On, dir. Cheryl Gelover, Tom Murray, prod. Tulipomania, 2024, USA, 3’10’’

4.     All Of You, dir. Jan Klug, prod. University of Applied Arts Upper Austria, 2024, Austria, 6’20’’

5.     Moving Parts, dir. Hugo Docking, prod. Hugo Docking, Spare Flesh, 2024, United Kingdom, 3’7’’

6.     Daisy, dir. Aditi Dixit, Joffrey Atienza Zamora, Shecid Domínguez Aguilera, 2023, Spain, India, Mexico, Philippines, 4’48’’

7.     Does Planting Trees Actually Cool the Planet?, dir. Ivana Volda, Thomas Volda, prod. TED-Ed, 2023, Croatia, USA, 5’27’’

8.     Spectacular / Coup de Théâtre, dir. Antonin Niclass, prod. Théâtre du Passage in Neuchâtel, 2022, Switzerland, 1’20’’

9.     Tempomaximus, dir. Brina Fekonja, prod. University of Nova Gorica, 2024, Slovenia, 3’40’’

10.  Proteus, dir. Janis Beletić, prod. Academy of Applied Arts in Rijeka, 2023, Croatia, 2’18’’

11.  Potter's Mirror, dir. & prod. Katherine O'Connor, 2024, United Kingdom, 8’36’’

12.  Pune Design Festival Versus Ident Film, dir. Suresh Eriyat, prod. Studio Eeksaurus Productions Pvt. Ltd., 2024, India, 0’43’’

13.  Pretty Stare / Mirada Bella, dir. & prod. Luz Andrea Sierra, 2023, Chile, 4’

14.  Physarum Polycephalum, dir. Kamila Tomczyk, prod. UKEN University in Kraków, 2024, Poland, 4’4’’

15.  Aquarium, dir. Rune Callewaert, prod. KASK & Conservatory Ghent, 2023, Belgium, 6’11’’

16.  FIA, dir. Luciana Martínez, prod. Osa Estudio, 2024, Argentina, 5’50’’

17.  09.01.berkovich, dir. Anya Ryzhkova, prod. Bauhaus University Weimar, 2024, Germany, 6’1’’

PANORAMA: NEW WEIRD

1.     New World, New Trace / Nov svet, nova sled, dir. Žoel Kastelic, prod. Academy of Fine Arts and Design Ljubljana, 2024, Slovenia, 9'55''

2.     Hooked On Illusions, dir. Laura Isabel Schneider, prod. Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, 2023, Germany, 4'28''

3.     Anthropocene /《眾生相》 Zhongshengxiang, dir. Yun-Sian Huang, Raito Low, prod. Jet Wu, Chi-Sui Wang, 2023, Taiwan, 10'42''

4.     Butterfly / Leptir, dir. Sunčana Brkulj, prod. Adriatic Animation, 2024, Croatia, Denmark, 8'7''

5.     Point and Line to Cosmos, dir. Pablo Ballarín, prod. Rebel Frame, 2023, Estonia, Spain, 8'26''

6.     Palimpsest / Armat-Azmat, dir. Miha Vipotnik, 2023, Lebanon, 6'51''