Worlds of Animation: New Voices 1 (18)

Thursday 13 Nov 2025 - 10:30
HOME - Cinema 2
Runtime: 75 mins (approx.)

This selection showcases the versatility and scope of contemporary animation from students around the world. A mixture of techniques, storytelling and platforms, this cinematic journey shows the diversity and artistry of animation created an academic environment. Looking for something new? This is where you'll find it.

This screening carries the following trigger warnings for content: Death and dying, Sexual assault, Body Dysmorphia, Stroke Recovery, Struggling with Caregiving.

Trigger warning content categories used are courtesy of the Film and TV Charity's advice: https://bit.ly/3VUsEF4

This screening is supported by:

Films in this programme

Mother Clay

Dir. Armin Rangani, Raha Amirfazli // United States

A lowly temple servant in a clay-bound world makes a shocking discovery that hurls their devout society into chaos; raising questions about the nature of belief and the inescapable human need for worship.

Gaïa

Dir. Gwenola Heck // Germany

Gaïa is a planet whose body is inhabited by people. Once the body's resources start to diminish, they try to impregnate her egg cell in order to create a new habitat.

Crow, Starfish and Unicorn

Dir. Xiaoxuan Han // China

Days pass in an unhappy household as a silent starfish creator moulds family members, by cutting off their own spikes. The creator is never happy with their work - and the creations must struggle to keep each other safe.

Overture

Dir. Jakub Hronský // Czechia

Overture follows a humanoid insect whose presence and actions continuously alter and transform the surrounding world of a Bratislava housing estate. But what can emerge from its "devouring" and transforming of its environment? What changes will it bring?

Cannot Sleep!

Dir. Yingjie Zhou // Japan

Tinnitus becomes cicadas, a heavy head turns into a shot put, and the mattress’s pressure feels inescapable. Blending hand-drawn animation with dreamlike imagery, the film captures the restless struggle of sleeplessness.

Tiny Film About Rape

Dir. Nebe Motýlová // Czechia

The animated documentary follows a girl confronting objectification. Collages from magazines, diary sketches, and imprints on the skin reveal how societal pressure takes hold early. Where does innocence end, and where do remarks begin that can lead to sexual violence? How does this shape her self-perception?

Rare Stone

Dir. Jiahang Li // China

A little bird casts stones forward on a rocky beach. Suddenly, a crack appears; out of it spring many wonders that the bird has never seen before.

Flares

Dir. Jáchym Bouzek // Czechia, France

After a near-death experience, a person floats in a mysterious space; gradually being reborn by reconnecting with the sensations of their body.

FRIED!

Dir. Lizzie Watts // United Kingdom

As Dev drives home from a mysterious, ageing nuclear facility, he becomes stranded at an isolated emu farm run by old mystic lesbians. Suspicious of their intentions, Dev fears they will sacrifice him at the local stone circle.