INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION
DEMI-DEMONS
Martin Gerigk DCP, 18' (Germany) 2024
The glorification of the hermaphrodite, the hedonism of virtual realities, the pursuit of new levels of physical attraction and higher consciousness, and the ambivalence toward sexual reproduction—these abysses embody the existential struggles of navigating the space between instinct and enlightenment in a rapidly evolving world.
Martin Gerigk (1972) is a contemporary music composer with an extensive repertoire that includes orchestral compositions, chamber music, and solo concertos, performed internationally in South Korea, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Austria, and Switzerland.
Beyond his work in composition, Martin is also known for his audiovisual art and experimental films, focusing on the synesthetic connections between sound and visual perception.
DONKEYBAT
Mostafa Ghorbanpour DCP, 13' (USA) 2024
The story of a distracted father who, after being suddenly transformed into a bat, begins to understand new truths about his children and family.
Mostafa Ghorbanpour is an Iranian filmmaker known for his work on films such as:
🎬 Nine Nights (2023)
🎬 12 Days (2020)
🎬 Lala Kon (2018)
Through his films, he explores family and social themes, often blending fantasy elements with deep reflections on everyday life.
IN HALF
Jorge Morais Valle DCP, 24' (Spain) 2024
Through the imagination of a child, the film tells the story of a man trapped by his fears, who must journey through a strange and magical world. There, he is forced to confront his past struggles and inner conflicts, ultimately finding solutions for the future and rediscovering his true identity.
Jorge Morais Valle is an independent filmmaker and artist from Vigo, Spain. His artistic career began at a young age, with a focus on drawing, painting, and sculpture, disciplines in which he naturally excelled.
After establishing himself in the graffiti and mural painting scene, he worked on decorative and scenographic projects for theater productions in Spain and Portugal.
In 2010, he achieved international success with his animated short film The Painter of Skies, which was selected in over 300 festivals and won 125 awards worldwide.
NOVAVITA
Francesco B. Sorrentino, Antonio Genovese DCP, 15' (Italy) 2024
Kron, a mutant surgeon and alchemist, is determined to restore life to the Earth’s surface. Despite the M.A.S.'s attempts to stop him, Kron finds strength in the memory of his lost daughter, pushing forward to complete his mission.
Antonio Genovese, born in Naples on August 6, 1983, graduated in sculpture and plastic decoration and earned a Master’s in Theatrical Scenography from the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples. In 2017, he directed the stop-motion short film H0_pe 02, which was selected at over 70 international festivals and won 15 awards.
Francesco Bruno Sorrentino, born in Naples on October 23, 1984, studied theatrical scenography at the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, later specializing in film and TV scenography. In 2017, he also directed the award-winning short film H0_pe 02.
PIANO
Marjan Keshani, Shahab Shamsi DCP, 7' (Iran) 2023
The story follows a man who dreams of buying a piano, but the devastation of war robs him even of his simplest desires, leading him on a journey between inner turmoil and the pursuit of peace.
Marjan Keshani, born in Tehran in 1987, is an Iranian director and producer. Professionally active since 1997 in graphic design and later in animation, she is the founder of the Cultural and Artistic Institute Dynamic White Circle.
A film graduate, she has directed and produced over five animated series and numerous short films, including the award-winning Boz & Bozghaleh.
PLAYING GOD
Matteo Burani DCP, 9' (Italy) 2024
A clay sculpture comes to life in the darkness of a workshop, surrounded by mysterious creatures…
Matteo Burani, born in Bologna in 1991, is a stop-motion animation director. A self-taught artist, he began his career in 2010 by founding Studio Croma, where he works as a puppet maker and character designer.
Exploring various animation techniques, he made his directorial debut in 2017, directing music videos, commercials, and short films.
Currently, he oversees the puppet department at Studio Croma and is responsible for the writing and directing of all the studio's projects.
ROT SERVE & PROTECT
S.W. Wilcox, Epic Muntzir DCP, 5' (USA) 2024
In the future, justice is no longer blind... nor human. In the year 2162, humanity struggles to survive after a catastrophic atomic war triggered by uncontrolled technological advancements. In a decaying neon-lit metropolis, the human resistance fights against cyborg police, leading to a dramatic final showdown in the desert.
S.W. Wilcox is a filmmaker and creative artist who, despite being legally blind (20/200 corrected vision in 2024), continues to create videos and screenplays, focusing on detailed illustrations and text-based visualizers for music.
Epic Muntzir, also known as Muntzir, is a 24-year-old Motion Graphic Designer from Pakistan. With five years of experience in Adobe After Effects, In the Future, Justice is No Longer Blind marks his directorial debut.
THE LEPRECHAUN AND THE RAINBOW
Leonard I. Eckhaus DCP, 5' (USA) 2024
Little Shaun, the leprechaun, lives in Fairyland. Like all leprechauns, he has buried a pot of gold and is destined to guard it until a righteous man finds it. Only then will Little Shaun be free to return home.
Leonard I. Eckhaus, born in The Bronx and raised in Newburgh, New York, is an award-winning author, musician, and filmmaker with a versatile and impactful career.
After founding AFCOM, the world's leading data center management association, and publishing award-winning magazines such as DCM, Leonard shifted his focus to children’s literature and music.
He is the author of the international bestseller Grinza’s Orchard: An Enchanted Tale, which ranked #1 on Amazon in six categories, as well as other acclaimed titles such as:
📖 If I Were a Pony
📖 Dare to Imagine
Leonard has received numerous accolades, including the Mom’s Choice Award and the Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal.
TWO ONE TWO
Shira Avni DCP, 5' (Canada) 2024
Two One Two is an experimental and intimate animated documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Shira Avni. Created using clay animation on shimmering glass and personal archives, the film is a poignant love letter to motherhood, parenting on the autism spectrum, and the "two-headed monsters" that exist everywhere.
Shira Avni is an animation filmmaker and associate professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her animated documentaries, including:
🎬 John and Michael
🎬 Tying Your Own Shoes
🎬 Petra’s Poem
have won over 30 international awards, including the prestigious Golden Dove at DOK Leipzig and the NHK Japan Prize, with screenings at over 120 festivals worldwide.