Synopsis

Jaap Peter, a lively 16-year-old boy, eagerly prepares for his older sister’s wedding at their grandfather’s country home. As the family rallies together to create the perfect celebration, Jaap Peter falls in love for the first time. When he realizes the girl of his dreams is smitten with his younger sister, he must rediscover his footing in the family and in the world.

Synopsis

Showcasing a diverse mix of animation techniques, the films in this program focus on moments of transition where characters, both relatable and fantastic, make discoveries, face irreversible choices, and navigate outbursts. Featuring work by Loïc Espuche, Michèle Lemieux, Nina Gantz, Delia Hess, Bianca Lambert, Zohar Dvir, Olivia Griselda, Sarah Cheok, and Catapreta.

Leo tries to hide his big secret while still making the most of his summer in the world of Yuck! (Beurk!) (France), where wanting to kiss makes your lips glow. The painstaking pinscreen animation process is used to create a darkly poetic piece about the tragic life of Queen Mariana of Austria as captured by Baroque painter Diego Velázquez in The Painting  (Le tableau) (Canada). In the absurdist stop-motion piece Wander to Wonder (The Netherlands, Belgium, France, United Kingdom), unusual collaborators suffer through the loss of their TV show’s host. The frustration of being trapped in a hotline’s hold system starts to bleed into the physical world in On Hold (Switzerland). After taking more than the recommended dose of cannabis to assuage her fibroid pain, Amanda wades through the voices in her head in Super High: A Period Piece (United States). Carol’s fear of committing to her girlfriend aligns with the onset of unexpected world-changing circumstances in Butterfly Kiss (Germany, Israel). Dona Beatriz Ñsîmba Vita (Brazil) is a surreal and striking portrayal of the political life of African heroine Kimpa Vita, an overshadowed but significant historical figure who initiated the movement to save the Republic of Congo — as well as other parts of central Africa — from Portuguese colonial rule. And when a mail carrier makes a mistake, an unassuming woman enters a vibrant world of otherworldly pleasure in She and Her Good Vibrations (Singapore)

Synopsis

Without their leader, a group of pocket-sized people must cope with increasingly harsh conditions while trying to maintain their sanity on an ’80s TV show. An absurd and humorous tale executed with exquisite stop-motion animation, this film asks what it takes to move on.

This film screens as part of the Animated Shorts: Major Developments program.

Synopsis

Using diverse methods of observation, animation, and essay, the filmmakers in this program showcase the flexibility of documentary form. Each zeroes in on a unique point of view, eliciting intimate first-person portraits about the broad spectrum of human experience and emotion. Featuring works by Haley Watson, Saurav Ghimire, Leo Berkeley, Samira Elagoz, Z Walsh, Ellie Land, and Assia Boundaoui.

Mary McGee shares stories from her life as the first American woman to race motorcycles in Motorcycle Mary (United States). In Songs of Love and Hate (Nepal, Belgium), the heartbroken host of a love advice radio show traverses the mountains, haunted by testimonies from his audience. Dark Matter (Australia) follows Leo Berkeley, a chronically ill Melbourne filmmaker, as he observes inner city apartment living and grapples with the nature of his existence. The first year of a love story between two long-haired trans men unfolds via messages and pics in You can’t get what you want but you can get me (Netherlands, Finland, Germany, United States). Plunge (United Kingdom) depicts a journey of mental health within the vast reaches of the ocean, where one woman finds peace in both her body and mind. In Estranged Letters (United States), Maryam Taghavi discusses her ideas and background as she prepares to open a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

Synopsis

At once intimate and mundane, this creative slideshow follows a developing relationship between two long-haired trans men through a year ‘s worth of texts and pics. Over that year, they meet, date long-distance, get acquainted with each other’s families, and manage recovery from top surgery.

This film screens as part of the Documentary Shorts: Near and Far program.