Sunday is known as the day of rest – a fact oblivious to these excitable children! Here we have nine boisterous, animated tales for the whole family, tackling themes such as generational disconnect, environmentalism, overcoming adversity, and inspirational learning.
Gen Tree
Israel (3min), Dir: Ronni Shalev, Alon Sharabi, Hod Adler
In a town where the adults live on ground level and children refuse to come down from the treetops, a series of interviews sets out to discover – what is it exactly that the generations misunderstand about each other? This animated documentary highlights the absurdity of childhood, adult-ness, the internet, and generational gaps.
Kenya’s Symphony
United States (5min), Dir: Carlos Douglas Jr
Kenya, a bold five-year old girl, is reluctantly dragged to a symphony by her mother. Through the power of the orchestra, the young girl’s passion for music blossoms before her own eyes.
RenaiDance
United States (4min), Dir: Zhike Yang, Wenjie Wu, Han Chen Chang
“RenaiDance” is a 3D narrative emotional animation.
The theme invigorates cultural inheritance and the integration of dreams, courage, and culture as transformation. By artistically interpreting a motif of inheritance and family support, integrating different cultures “inheritance” through the inspiring story, this film braces strong family love and elder culture in a never-ending chain.
The Boy And The Mountain
Chile (11min), Dir: Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal
Hernán likes daydreaming, but in his studies he is not doing well. His father constantly urges him to improve, advising him that he must reach very high to succeed in life. Hernán dispenses with his dream, gradually forgetting it to devote himself to his studies. Over time, and already become a successful entrepreneur, Hernán achieves the dream that his father instilled in him, reach high, until one day he will realize that he has not really achieved something he always longed for. Then he will make the crucial decision to fulfill his dream, but fate will play tricks on him.
Tidy Town
Netherlands (7min), Dir: Dana Alink
A raccoon cub is determined to get rid of the plastic trash overwhelming her island. She explains her plan to fix the problem once and for all to the woolly and whiskered villagers of Tidy Town. A big city wolf responsible for the production of said plastic comes to help, but not in a way our little cub would like.
Justin And The Werloobee
United States (11min), Dir: Ken Yoffe, Ellen Weisberg, John Vo
Justin is a sensitive, introspective boy whose physical features and personality make him a convenient target for many of his cruel peers. One night, he wakes to find himself on a mysterious island, which is inhabited by a horde of bizarre creatures. Despite his desperation to find out where he is and, more importantly, how to get home, he becomes involved in the plight of Irvino, a beast who is ostracized on this island much in the way that Justin is in his own world.
The Night Weaver
United States (7min), Dir: Katelyn Rogers
Celeste, the Night Weaver of a small village, is tasked with putting up and taking down the night sky. While playing with the night sky her son, Fin, greatly damages the it. In the end his mother assures him that he has created something even more beautiful.
Technology For Talking
United Kingdom (5min), Dir: Jemima Hughes
Technology for Talking is a bright cut out animation which introduces voice output communication aids and explains how and why some people talk using assistive technology. Using the electronic voice and perspective of its disabled filmmaker, it challenges stereotypes about what non-speaking disabled people can do and raises awareness of their contribution to society.
Shaking A Singapore Spear
United Kingdom/Singapore (17min), Dir: Hannes Rall
An animated documentary about the relevance of Shakespeare’s classical works for digital natives in Singapore: Live action and animation combined.The film was created in close collaboration with the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon.
This block will play on Sunday 29th August at 10.30am (GMT+1). The block will play for approximately 70 minutes and be followed by a Q&A with any of the filmmakers who are in attendance. View our 2021 programme here.
Oxford Shorts 
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