Shortlist: Unreal

In a dark and clammy space, round creatures comradely moisten each other. However, their shared bliss is disturbed by bugs time and time again. Only after the creatures squash them, does the bugs’ contribution to the community become apparent.

Bernard works in a subway ticket office near the town hall. One day, a little tiger shows up and completely turns his orderly life upside down. An animated film about unexpected visitors, annoying radio songs and the joy of life.

This animated film tells the story of the prejudices, clichés and problems post-Soviet Jewish families faced upon immigrating to Germany. It takes a sensitive look at the history and experiences of immigrants.

An extraterrestrial being takes a look at the human world. Poetically, it muses about love, pain, closeness to nature, and the desire to understand the universe logically. With a soft voice, the alien begs the question if, ultimately, we are aliens to everyone but ourselves.

Growing up, a girl notices that the world around her is becoming more and more complicated, with lines appearing on the faces of those around her. While she tries to interpret the strange lines, she struggles with her own lines from childhood.

In Icarus Project, various bird species are confronted with a world nearly devoid of colour, in which scrupulous scientists nip every form of colourful expression in the bud.

This semi-fictional short film follows the protagonist to Prague and explores how the medium of film can access the memories of a city. The film is based on the stories of the director’s grandmother, who fled Czechoslovakia after the invasion of the Warsaw Pact in 1968.

Bela struggles with the ongoing lockdown and tries to keep busy with trivial tasks. The fact that he is spiraling is obvious from more than just the disarranged state of his apartment. That is, until he realises he doesn’t need to let himself be limited by isolation.

Pussy Love invites you on a seductive journey where body and gender merge and the freedom to pursue pleasure takes centre stage.

In this abstract analogy between life and an apple, one will have to face problems and suffer wounds to push boundaries. Maybe something new will grow out of it.

Father and son take part in the local car race. In order to bring home the victory, however, the son must become a car tire himself. This animated film transports us into the surreal world of car racing and parental expectations.