Fantastic Fest 2008

It's been said that animation isn't just for kids anymore. Well, that's ESPECIALLY the case at Fantastic Fest. We'll be showcasing all aspects of genre entertainment in animated form, some of which will make you laugh, and some of which will make your body revolt.

BERNIE'S DOLL
Dir. Yann Jouette / UK, France / 2008 / 12 min.
A self-loathing cat food canner looks for happiness in all the wrong places, especially when he learns that a "female" companion can be ordered by mail. Beautifully animated in a style that proves to be less cute n' cuddlythan first glance would have you believe.

BLOOD WILL TELL
Dir. Andrew McPhillips / Canada / 2007 / 4 min.
A uniquely animated nightmare that follows the beat of your pulse and unweaves the secret link between man and insect. Music by Sigur Ros.

CITY WASP
Dir. Stephan Wicki & Tod Steven / Switzerland, USA / 2007 / 6 min.
A man combs a semi-sentient metropolis to create his own personal symphonic Frankenstein! Live action animation combines with an arguably musical score to create a short that's guaranteed to be unlike anything you've ever seen.

A COFFEE VENDING MACHINE AND HIS SWORD
Dir. Chang Hyung Yun / Korea / 2008 / 29 min
To ward of defeat in his future life, a dying ninja warrior wishes to be reincarnated with a skin of steel. He returns to modern-day Korea as a coffee vending machine.

DOG
Dir. Hermann Karlsson / Scotland, Iceland / 2006 / 2 min.
A loving eulogy to man's best friend. This animated comedy features a canine skeleton and some goofy yet sincerely tearful memories.

THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MR HOLLOW
Dir. R. Gudino / Canada / 2008 / 6 min.
A simple photograph becomes increasingly sinister upon closer scrutiny, until nearly every evil that lives in mankind's heart is unleashed upon the viewer. From the fiends at Rue Morgue!

FANTAISIE IN BUBBLEWRAP
Dir. Arthur Metcalf / USA / 2007 / 4 min.
You think it's hard being a human? Try living your life as a roll of bubble wrap! This semi-animated short follows the lives of several little poppable pals as they fall in love,question their existence and -- of course -- get fatally pinched by human fingers.

FILM NOIR
Dir. Osbert Parker / UK / 2006 / 4 min.
A senses-shaking tribute to the criminal acts of yesteryear, as traditional film noir elements are transformed through animation and bizarro artistry into a wholly original gripping thrillride.

FISH
Dir. Naoko Masuda and Max Margulies / USA / 2007 / 2 min.
The filmmaking team behind last year's FF hit THE BIRD, THE MOUSE AND THE SAUSAGE are back with a new stop-motion food tale that reveals the nature of pescatorial reproduction.

GAME OVER
Dir. PES / USA / 2006 / 4 min.
We don't need no fancy arcade...we got an arcade RIGHT HERE! Mysterious innovative stop-motion wizard(s) PES bring the universal excitement of video games into the real world in bold, unnatural ways.

KARAOKE SHOW
Dir. Karl Tebbe / Germany / 2007 / 5 min.
Here at FF, we've always recognized karaoke as a true art. But filmmaker Karl Tebbe succeeds in turning up the karaoke insanity to visually deafening levels in this megashock of musical indulgence.

MUTO
Dir. Blu / Argentina / 2008 / 8 min.
Street art taken to the illogical, beautiful maximum as an urban landscape is transformed into a moving palette of impossible creatures. Is this the most ambitious animation project of the century? Yes.

THE SQUIRREL NEXT DOOR
Dir. Carla Coma / Canada / 2007 / 2 min.
True love sees no barriers...including species. Taxidermy animation that will make you want to run out, kill things and create great art.

VIOLETA
Dir. Anna Solana & Marc Riva / Spain / 2007 / 13 min.
Violeta makes a new friend and takes him back home to meet the folks. Too bad the depths of depravity of this family is unparalleled in the history of animation.

THE WATERMELON CHICKENS
Dir. Won Jong-Shik / Korea / 2007/ 8 min.
Watermelon-eating chickens inadvertently kill a boy's grandfather. The child vows revenge...at all costs.