Competition 1

„On the Way in Vienna“ is a short animated film that portrays the experiences of deaf and autistic children in Vienna. The film creatively and colorfully depicts how these children interact with public transportation in the city – from the subway and tram to buses. It highlights the children’s strong interest in public transport and shows how they experience the urban spaces. On the Way in Vienna provides a unique opportunity to see the world from the perspective of deaf and autistic children and illustrates their relationship with public spaces in a large city.

We all know the electricity bill. Sometimes it’s less than feared, sometimes a big payment shocks us. Still, many won’t give up their comfort. The challenge is finding the right balance.

A woman prepares for a clown performance, navigating a journey filled with haunting flashbacks that momentarily pull her from the present. Despite these intrusions, she presses on, rehearsing and readying herself for the act. As she finally steps into the performance room, she’s struck by an unexpected emptiness—no audience, no applause—just silence. In that moment, she realizes the performance itself was a metaphor, a lifelong act shaped by illusions and a desire to meet invisible expectations. The film explores themes of identity, illusion, and self-realization, ultimately revealing her awakening to a more authentic sense of being. Open to interpretation, the animation delves into what drives us to perform and what it means to truly feel alive.

Behind the Scenes follows a family on picture-perfect holidays that slowly collapse into the overcrowded, artificial and industrial realities of mass tourism.

A man has a meeting with god.

A young woman faces difficulties in a foreign country, where bureaucratic systems and language barriers leave her feeling helpless. In a public office, her anxiety takes on a surreal form – rendering her speechless. A story about the isolation, vulnerability, and inner struggle of living abroad in a place where everything feels foreign and communication seems impossible.

A cat lover learns to accept that chickens can be as cute and loveable as cats. ‚Dry Food‘ is an animated short film about the hierarchies that exist within species.

In this fleeting blue daydream, paint in motion takes on shapes of imaginative lifeforms that shift and merge, morphing in silent conversation.

This film traces the emotional architecture of a cancer diagnosis, from the initial shock to the overlooked „low“ that follows recovery. By focusing on the delicate relationship between the patient and their support system, it explores how active communication and practical help sustain us. It is a vital reminder that the journey doesn’t end with a successful outcome—and that the caregivers standing in the shadows require just as much care as those they support.

Born from a wave of femicides in 2024 Vienna, this experimental animation processes the collective fear, anger, and helplessness of womanhood. Through a blend of candid interviews and surreal visuals, a protagonist wanders a dreamlike landscape of past conversations. The film explores the burden of societal roles, transforming the search for meaning into a shared ritual of solidarity. It is an attempt to turn a climate of violence into a space of togetherness.