Animalis Fabula Official Selections

PotenDogs - Feature Animation - Korea, Republic of

9/30/2021

In this world, there are dogs of superpowers. They are called 'PotenDogs’.

PotenDogs are divided into two groups: ‘Podongnet’ that dreams peaceful coexistence with humans, and ‘Goldfangs’ that holds grudge against all mankind.

One day, ‘Kai’, a member of 'Podongnet’, and ‘Wonseok’, a boy who wants a dog of his own find each other by chance and decide to work as partners. Kai considers humans weak and untrustworthy, yet has no choice but to ask Wonseok to pretend to be his human companion so he can avoid being captured by the dog pound people while he is carrying out his mission. From Director Dahl Lee

Director Dahl Lee

PotenDogs' Poop song becomes hit with K-Pop Stars - it's the newest craze in South Korea. Director Dahl Lee gets in on the action with the girls in this recent viral video

AKG Games, a Korean homegrown game publisher and intellectual property rights company has announced a partnership with leading Korean 3D animation studio – RetroBot. This partnership sees AKG Games manage the animation and product licensing rights for RetroBot’s newest intellectual property – PotenDogs – across Indonesia and the Philippines.

PotenDogs is a Korean 3D CGI animation created by Studio RetroBot. Since its debut in Korea in April 2021, it has become the most downloaded cartoon on Korea’s Educational Broadcasting System’s (EBS) Video On Demand Service.

Retrobot Animation Studios is a Korean animation company founded in 2008 by animator Dahl Lee and involved in Tobot, Biklonz, and Tobot Athlon. Retrobot began with a belief in the importance of a strong foundation in the domestic market, rather than the prioritization of the international market.

Tobot (Korean: 변신자동차 또봇, RR: Byeonsinjadongcha Ttobot) is a South Korean animated television series produced by Young Toys and Retrobot. The series features transforming cars — some of which are designed after Kia vehicles.

The series is available in Korean and English on Young Toys' official YouTube channel. The toy line beat Lego as South Korea's most popular toy line in 2013.

An official English dub was produced in Canada by Ocean Productions and its sister studio Blue Water Studios, airing over a few months in 2018. This version is currently available on Netflix.

In December 2014, Young Toys erected an eight-meter, three ton statue of Deltatron at the Sky Park outside Seoul's Lotte Mall Gimpo International Airport shopping complex to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Tobot.

#AniFab judge's aggregate score for PotenDogs is 8.9 out of 10 with a judge writing, "Epic! Korea has an issue when it comes to their awareness and value of dogs. This feature, Poten Dogs feels like it is meant to change the sense of awareness of its citizens. It deserves a live screening."

Polar Bear Bears Boredom - Short Animation - Japan

9/16/2021

A polar bear who is very bored with various marine animals in the deep blue sea.

It continues an ancient tradition of "Caricatures of Frolicking animals" in scroll painting-style; this time, "Frolicking Sea Animals," in animation form, with a play on Japanese and English language word-plays: "Hokyoku-Guma Suggoku Hima. / Polar bear bears boredom", "Kawauso Kawaisou. / Other otter, poor otter," etc.

Born in 1964, Koji Yamamura started working on animated films as an amateur, at the age of 13.

During the 1990s, he explored various styles and techniques while working mainly on films for children. Nominated at the Oscars for Best Animated Short, "Mt. Head" marked a turning point, leading him to join the world’s most renowned animation filmmakers.

His major works since include "The Old Crocodile" (2005), "Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor" (2007) and "Muybridge’s Strings" (2011). His films were awarded with more than 100 prizes, including Grand Prizes at the four most important international animation film festivals: Annecy, Zagreb, Ottawa and Hiroshima.

Director Koji Yamamura

He has been part of many international juries, and has held numerous retrospective screenings around the world. He has been selected as the 2 place at 25 top short animated films directors over the last 25 years in 2021 at Animac, the International Animation Showcase of Catalonia. He was rewarded with the National Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2019. Koji is a Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. and Professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts.

Director Statement
His project is inspired with the Japanese picture scroll in the 12 to 13 century: Bird and Beast Character Caricature. Marine animals spread out in world ocean. Using the short rhythm of the poem, you will enjoy the various sea animals' thoughts and life. This rhyme verse in both English and Japanese at same means and this film is continued in one scene and one cut for 7 minutes.

#AniFab judge's aggregate score is 7.3 out of 10 with one stating, "a stylistic journey to visit the Polar Bear Bears Boredom. Fantastical and whimsical, and quite delightful."

Hug Me, Hug Me Right! - Short Narrative - Korea, Republic of

9/11/2021

What can happen if children live among themselves without guardians? Silver Hair, Bangs, Bobbed Hair. A suspicious man appeared where the orphans lived in hiding!

Filmmaker Lee Jian directed the short film Cemetery of Minds (2011). Since then she has worked as a creative director, Hug Me, Hug Me Right! is her first work as a director in 10 years.

#AniFab judge's aggregate score is 9.1 out of 10 with one judge stating, "I love going to film festivals solely to be able to discover films I would not see anywhere else.

As a programmer I hope for movies like Hug Me, Hug Me Right.

This movie needs a few different viewings. Each viewing you will experience something different. I am going to watch again for a fifth time. Is this what a movie is supposed to do? I can't wait to share this with our live audience.

Director Lee Jian

Birds of Hawaii - Short Documentary - USA

9/8/2021

Native Hawaiian birds were fundamental in forming the Hawaiian Islands as we know them. However, today, Hawaii is known as the extinction capital of the world with a high percentage of its native birds threatened. This film showcases many different native species as they receive care at the Hawaii Wildlife Center during their recovery journey. In addition, this film details the history of native birds as well as the dangers they face that threaten their extinction.

Kayla recently graduated from the New School with a degree in Culture and Media with a minor in Film Production. Some of my past work has consisted of directing a short film titled Her, which was chosen as a finalist for the Girls Impact the World Film Festival.

Director Kayla Franklin

#AniFab judge's aggregate score for Birds of Hawaii is 6.3 out of 10 with the following encouraging words from one, "A good effort. We want to encourage Kayla to keep making movies. Go Kayla!"

My Invisible Friend - Short Animation - Israel

9/7/2021

Each day a dog gets on the bus and follows his owner to his work as a cleaner.

While the dog becomes famous and respected due to his bus travels, his owner is invisible to the surrounding people and humiliated at his work.

The dog’s loyalty encourages the owner’s self-esteem and makes him understand that he deserves respect, too.

A 2016 Graduate of Tel Aviv University, B.A. in Art History and B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology.

2021 – Graduated from The NB Haifa School of Design (WIZO Haifa Academy of Design and Education), B.Ed.Des. Graphic Design and Education. The Final project is the short animation film “My Invisible Friend”.

#AniFab judge's aggregate score for My Invisible Friend is 7.1 out of 10 with the following note attached by a judge, "What a delightful little animated snack, more please."

Director Shelly Rosner

Neighcromancy - Student Short Animation - Canada

9/5/2021

Using the dark power of necromancy a young championship winning jockey resurrects her old racehorse to win a last race.

Director StatementI love to make people laugh and cringe, going with that, the film plays with the occult, dark humor and comedy, as well as the dark side of human behaviour. I focused on the power relationship between rider and animal and how it would play out if the animal was gifted supernatural power.

Dana Lam was born on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. After a tough period of time torn between a career path in biological sciences and arts, they chose to come to Vancouver to study 2D animation at Emily Carr. They wanted to pursue arts and animation since they were very young, as cartoons always seemed to engulf their thoughts at all times.
Dana aspires to be involved with Canadian studio animation, to work alongside the people who created the cartoons they watched as they grew up.

Director Dana Lam

#AniFab judge's aggregate score for Neighcromancy is 6.8 out of 10 with a judge stating, "it must have been a fun project for Dana - it sure is for anyone watching."

Rescues - Short Documentary - USA

9/3/2021

Rescues examines the emotional and financial impact on animal rescue workers. The documentary follows two women as they help animals find their Forever Homes.

Donna is a hairdresser who runs Susie’s Hope Animal Rescue in Greensboro, NC. With enormous vet bills and an overwhelming desire to help animals, Donna must be in a constant state of fundraising. If donations start to fall off will Donna be able to continue her life’s passion or will she succumb to financial weight as so many other rescue groups have?

Linda lives in Cumming, GA and is a volunteer foster mom for Kodi’s Club Rottweiler Rescue based in Pennsylvania. Linda has just spent nine months rehabilitating Ruger. Now Linda must let go of him so he can finish his journey to his Forever Home. Will she be able to move past this emotionally draining experience and continue her work as a foster parent?

Rescues takes an unflinching look at what it takes to work in this demanding field. Hopefully, the film will raise awareness of the financial and mental health support needs for those in the animal care field.

Whether it was listening to my grandmother regale the family at the dinner table with the tales of some unfortunate relative or a trip to a distant land through the pages of a book, I have always been drawn to stories and storytellers. During my high school years in Wilmington, NC I participated in theatre and forensics.

I graduated from Western Carolina University with a BA in English. Shortly after that, I obtained my MA in African-American Literature from North Carolina A&T State University. I taught college courses for ten years before returning to school and receiving my MFA in Documentary Film from Wake Forest University. I live in Greensboro, NC with my family and our five rescue dogs.

Director Ed Foster

Director Statement
Like many of you I assumed that animal rescue work must be a never-ending source of joy. They go into the shelter and pull any number of dogs and cats to shuttle off to waiting, caring families. As with most things assumed, it is entirely wrong. This is one of the hardest jobs in the world. For the most part it is a voluntary occupation that is financially draining and emotionally taxing. Every year volunteers across the US will leave creating a vacuum of need for thousands of animals. It is my hope that this film will raise awareness of the issues facing those who bring us our best friends.

#AniFab judge's aggregate score is 6.7 out of 10 with one judge writing, " A solid effort Ed, welcome to the world of animal rescue story-telling."

Whales in Tonga - Short Documentary - Australia

9/1/2021

A visual tone poem celebrating the annual humpback whale migration to the Islands of Tonga. Max Richter's music makes watching the film a near spiritual experience that re-affirms in the viewer the wonder of our natural world and the pure beauty of humpback whales.

Ed Park has been making films since 1995. In between producing and directing films he has worked as a doctor since 2000.
Ed and Ben Ferris began Anvil Films in 2000 to create an environment where they could pursue their film ideas. In the early years Anvil Films produced successful short films directed by Ben Ferris and produced by Ed Park. The crowning achievement was Ben's film 'The Kitchen' winning the Grand Prix at the prestigious Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film Festival in 2005.

AniFab judge's aggregate score is: 6.3 out of 10 with one judge writing, "This is an admirable effort. I think it should be selected so it can make Rider's Rescues Show (stay tuned). I think it needs to have a place in the AniFab universe."

The Pigeon Lady - Short Documentary - Italy

9/1/2021

Every day, an old lady - a philosopher - wanders the streets of the historic center of Rome feeding pigeons but her true mission is another.

Director StatementThe pigeon -as dove- symbolizes the "Holy Spirit", it is the first animal to come out of the ark after the "Universal Flood" and Dante speaks of them as a symbol of monogamous and faithful love, when the couple is formed, it dissolves only with death. My short film is against all forms of discrimination

Giulia Brazzale is a producer, director, screenwriter and editor. She debuted, in 2002, with a short film which won numerous awards throughout Italy.

Director Giulia Brazzale

#AniFab judge's aggregate score for The Pigeon Lady is 6.4 out of 10 with one noting, "What a delight. So may great quotes from this pigeons lady from Italy."

Cat Daddies - Feature Documentary - USA

8/29/2021

David Giovanni is living on the streets of New York, determined to stay together with his beloved cat Lucky. When he’s finally granted a spot in a transitional housing facility that accepts cats, the COVID-19 pandemic and a devastating medical diagnosis puts his future together with Lucky in doubt.

David’s journey is interspersed with portraits of other “cat dads” from all over the country and some of which struggle to navigate the unprecedented events of 2020 with their little furry friends. They include a group of firefighters, a stunt man, a truck driver, a Bay Area tech worker, a schoolteacher whose cat becomes a viral sensation, and an actor/Instagram influencer.

Director Mye Hoang

These men couldn’t be more different, but they share an unconditional love of their beloved pets. CAT DADDIES is a refreshing and timely exploration of modern masculinity and the unlikely bond between man and cat.

Mye Hoang is a Los Angeles based producer and director. She was a producer on the award-winning noir thriller MAN FROM RENO (Best Feature at the LA Film Festival and Spirit Award Nominee 2015) as well as the narrative feature I WILL MAKE YOU MINE by Lynn Chen (SXSW 2020). She has directed several narrative short films that have screened at film festivals around the world. Her first narrative feature VIETTE, a Vietnamese American coming-of-age story, debuted in 2012 and screened dozens of film festivals, including the Asian American International Film Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Fest. She is also the founder and former Executive Director of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, and former Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival. She has a BA in Cinema from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX where she was born and raised. CAT DADDIES is her first documentary feature.

Director StatementWe all know the stereotype of the crazy cat lady. And many of us have that friend, the one with the Instagram feed dedicated exclusively to cats. Self-described “Crazy Cat People” are a force to be reckoned with -- a community that’s here to stay and has only grown stronger in the age of social media. I watched over the course of a few years as my husband transformed into a bona fide cat person after he rescued a stray. However, something else changed inside him -- something deeper. He seemed to grow into a softer, more patient and compassionate person. This inspired me to find more men who had undergone a similar transformation, and document their stories as a way to explore the modern male.
As I dug deeper on “Cat Instagram,” I discovered dozens of men who seemed to be living their best life with their feline companions. Their stories ran the gamut -- from firefighters in South Carolina who unapologetically dote on their “fire cat,” to an unhoused immigrant on the streets of New York who always puts the needs of his cat above his own. Many of the subjects are the very embodiment of the traditional definition of “manliness” -- the aforementioned firemen, a stuntman, a truck driver. All of them unapologetically dote on their beloved pets in a way that I found very touching.
I see CAT DADDIES as both a collective portrait as well as a time capsule, documenting a challenging year in which people desperately needed hope, relief, and healing. It may not convert everyone to love cats, but I hope seeing images of men caring for these little creatures wins over a few skeptics and becomes a catalyst for compassionate change in a time we need it the most.

AniFab judge's aggregate score is 8.4 out of 10 with one judge noting, "Cat Daddies have their voice now, and with Mye's cat-tastic profile, it will soon be a roar. Who doesn't want to love these Cat Daddies?"

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AniFab Official Selections '21