Short Film Grand Competition:
▹ Butterfy, Sunčana Brkulj
▹ On Hold, Delia Hess
▹ Three Birds, Zarja Menart
▹ Žarko, You Will Spoil the Child!, Veljko and Milivoj Popović

Croatian Films Competition:
▹ Catlands, Ana Čigon
▹ Butterfly, Sunčana Brkulj
▹ Three Birds, Zarja Menart
▹ Žarko, You Will Spoil the Child!, Veljko and Milivoj Popović

Croatian-Danish co-production Butterfly (2024) created by Sunčana Brkulj (produced by Adriatic Animation and Late Love Production) centres on a community of garden creatures. Every member contributes to life in the garden in their own way and everyone uses water from the fountain. When a butterfly gets stuck in the fountain cutting off the water supply, they must find a way to overcome this new challenge. The film is made in collage, plasticine and 2D animation techniques. Swiss short On Hold (2024, Papierboot, SRF Schweizer Fernsehen) created by Delia Hess is a surrealist animation about the absurdities of urban life, told through the story of a woman stuck on hold while trying to reach the customer service hotline.

Done in collage and oil techniques, the Slovenian-Croatian animation short Three Birds (2024, Finta Film, Adriatic Animation, RTV Slovenia) by Zarja Menart will have its Croatian premiere at Animafest. In it, a wise bird-woman sends three birds to take a girl to the dark and unfamiliar landscapes of her inner world. The film Žarko, You Will Spoil the Child! created by Veljko and Milivoj Popović in 2024, is based on the book U malu je uša đava written by Tisja Kljaković Braić. The film evokes stories from childhood spent in Split and it is a touching tribute to grandparents’ love who did their best to keep a smile on their granddaughter’s face. The Croatian-French animation is produced by Prime Render Studios, Bagan Films and 3D2D Animators, while the screening at Animafest will mark its world premiere.

Visual artist Ana Čigon’s short Catlands (2024) is a satire addressing Europe’s pressing political issues through the daily turmoil in the relationships among the neighbourhood cats. The Slovenian-Croatian animation is produced by URGH!, RTV Slovenia and Bonobostudio, while the screening at Animafest is also its world premiere.