MAF 2026 Worlds of Animation Online (18)
Available: Fri 13 Nov - Mon 30 Nov 2026
Book Tickets Buy Online Pass
Dive into a vibrant showcase that celebrates the boundless creativity of contemporary animation! Bringing together a dynamic mix of techniques, storytelling styles, and platforms, this online selection offers a panoramic view of animation’s incredible versatility. From cutting-edge innovations to timeless artistry, join us as we highlight the full spectrum of what animation can achieve today.
This screening carries the following trigger warnings for content:
Sex, Nudity, Mental Illness, Alcoholism, Transphobia and Transmisogyny, Mental Illness, Child Abuse, Incest, Mental Illness
Trigger warning content categories used are courtesy of the Film and TV Charity's advice: https://bit.ly/3VUsEF4
This online screening is supported by:
Films in this programme
Lothar and Martin
Dir. Julien Grande // France
Late afternoon on December 27th, 1999. Daniel and his two children are heading to their country home in Corrèze to finish up their Christmas vacation. The storm, which had been forecast for several days, doesn’t seem to worry them. Yet when the wind picks up and the power suddenly goes out in the house, a strange encounter takes the events in an unexpected direction.
Paper Daughter
Dir. Cami Kwan // United States
Joy, an immigrant from China, enters the U.S. under a false identity as a “Paper Daughter,” memorizing details of a deceased girl named Mae and creating a paper mask in her likeness. Arriving at Angel Island, she faces detention and interrogation, discovering carved poems that echo the struggles of immigrants before her. During questioning, her mask begins to unravel until Mae’s ghost appears, guiding her to answer and helping her pass. With her papers approved, Joy leaves for San Francisco, where Mae’s spirit fades into the wind, urging her to live for them both. Joy steps forward into freedom, carrying Mae’s memory with her.
To Our Future Ancestors
Dir. Bogdan Anifrani-Fedach, Ian Keteku // Canada
A woman travels through time and memory, from savannahs to the cosmos, searching for a mysterious egg that will reveal her future. Along the way, she draws strength from the blood memory of her ancestors. This animated short is a moving allegory about lineage and enduring resilience across millennia.
Misophonia
Dir. Michelle Gruppetta // Malta
A risograph animation inspired by an aural disorder, designed to unsettle the viewer with a soundscape composed of trigger noises and accompanying visuals.
wabi_
Dir. Raphaël Baget, Dino Mujic // France, Germany
Trapped in his nostalgia and haunted by the impermanence of things, a sad little ghost is unable to pass through the liminal space he occupies.
The Boa Woman
Dir. Miguel Araoz Cartagena, Stephanie Boyd // Peru
This beautiful hand painted animation chronicles an ancient love story between the spirit of a female boa constrictor and a hunter from Peru’s northern Amazon region. Their union leads to the birth of the first Kukama Indigenous person, a people known for their fishing prowess and spiritual connection to their river. Peruvian artists created more than 2,000 paintings to bring the Kukama’s creation story to life.
Narrated in Kukama-Kukamiria, an endangered native language from Peru's northern Amazon region.
Ultra Strong
Dir. Catherine Lepage // Canada
Catherine tries to toughen herself to impress the “princes” in her circle, who turn out to be more off-putting than charming. When all her dubious strategies fail, she must face the ultimate test: learning how to embrace her true nature.
Down The Hatch
Dir. Alexandra Lukina // United States
When a tired and troubled mother disappears inside a wine bottle, her naive daughter dives in to bring her home. She is too young to understand, but too stubborn to give up. How do you rescue someone who doesn't want to be saved?
Gherking
Dir. Claudius Gentinetta // Switzerland
The dictator's shouts are broadcast over the radio to every corner of the country. A fire is flickering in the stove and an old woman makes provisions for the approaching winter.
Placeholder
Dir. Elisa Beli Borrelli // Ireland
A young transmasc from a far away land finds a new home in the country of Ireland, but its problems quickly start to take a toll on him.
Lost and Found
Dir. Mieke Woestenburg // Netherlands
Ella works at a lost-and-found desk in a large train station. Every day, she collects the abandoned belongings and stores them in her booth. At first glance, it seems like a random assortment of trinkets — books, wallets, and other items. But what no one knows is that Ella is creating something extraordinary with these lost objects. In a world defined by hurried efficiency, is there still someone willing to pause for a moment of wonder?
Old White Tom
Dir. Emily Ufken, Alexander Conrads // Germany
The world of an old tomcat falls apart when his humans adopt two other cats.
Where Were We?
Dir. Suresh Eriyat // India
The film expands an awkward moment into a surreal micro-odyssey.
A deep dive into an oceanic terrain of essentials and reminiscences transforms the familiar into the extraordinary, gently blurring the line between the world we’re in and the worlds we carry.
Entelechy
Dir. Marcos Sánchez // Chile
An anxious monster spots a bug and thinks it has crawled out of his brain. A simple chase turns into a spiraling adventure through shifting landscapes, where nothing stays still — not even his sense of self.
Our supporters
