Vive l'amour

Ever since Animated Dreams screened a selection of the finest films on the theme "Lust and sexuality – animating the subconscious" compiled by the British Animation Awards, the late-night programme for adults has become the big draw at the festival. We've continued the tradition, and for several years in a row, we have put together a special programme on eternal human themes of love and relationships, without omitting lust, sex, emotions or self-irony. In the late-night programme you will find humorous, nostalgic looks at adolescence where one's first love is still around the corner but hormones are already raging. Today love and passion are closely entwined with Internet and computer gaming culture, not just with film and media. People are looking for love more and more outside real life, and people feed the fruits of their imagination with wishful thinking and the virtual worlds fuels detachment from reality. Regardless of the seriousness of the themes, it is more of a simple, humorously spicy programme with boundless playfulness alternating with a realistic narrative style. Particular surprises at the festival include two unbridled music videos – the Hong Kong production "No one remains virgin" and the Japanese "Ketsujiru juke," which make one gasp with its sense of the absurd and wild lack of inhibition. Once again, we unravel the erotic reaches of the subconscious and hidden passions and we sing a paean to the kind of love that makes you feel ten feet tall. While feature films on sexual themes often buzz with trite clichés and often simply play on sex appeal, in animated films, the result can be more instinctive than in realistic feature films. Craziness and well-intentioned humour are also guaranteed.

Mari-Liis Rebane

Programme Coordinator

PIXEL JOY - France 2012, 2'10'', dir: Florentine Glerier

When pixels enjoy themselves...

BRAISE - France / Belgium 2013, 7', dir: Hugo Frassetto

During a drunken night out, a young man cheats on his girlfriend with a beautiful and exuberant English woman. Three of their friends watch and comment on this event. A parallel is created between that conversation and the embrace of the two lovers.

THE GIRL WITH LEAVES - Switzerland 2013, 6', dir: Marina Rosset

A fish dies. A man approaches through the trees. Strange things are happening in the forest, but all's well that ends well.

BILLIE'S BLUES - France 2013, 14', dir: Louis J. Gore

Billie Broussard is young, black and has the innocence of youth. But she soon realises that rebellious love gives birth to tragedy. A tragedy that would have torn her up had she not believed in her grand mother's old Voodoo power...As this dark story unravels, Billie grows into a woman and decides to fight back. And to keep on singing...

TONGUE-TIED - France 2012, 4', dir: Lucrèce Andreae

We're in a bar in which there are two seats to each table and various couples... Every few minutes, the men and their dates for the evening change around – it's the rule of the game!

NO ONE REMAINS VIRGIN - Hong Kong 2013, 4'40, dir: Wong Ping

KETSUJIRU JUKE - Japan 2013, 3', dir: Sawako Kabuki

Love (or being in love) is a wonderful thing that colors our life, but love is not always visible and sometimes is vague and ephemeral. This film is to express such a short-lived love putting on The Beatles's "Here, There and Everywhere" covered by my friend.

FALLIN' FLOYD - The Netherlands 2013, 7', dir: Albert 't Hooft, Paco Vink

After Floyd's break-up, his psychological problems take form as a small demon that intervenes in all aspects of his life.

AS BOYS GROW - The Netherlands 2013, 5', dir: Charlotte van Otterloo

Whenever Ben spots a cute girl, all the musicians in his body come together for a parade in his nose. What starts as a concert of upbeat funky jazz music, ends in a big sneeze - every time! Ben is ashamed and feels lonely.....until the day he notices a cute girl sneezing so loud like he has never seen before.

OPHELIA: LOVE & PRIVACY SETTINGS - Germany 2013, 3'41", dir: Bin Han To

How exposed and public can your thoughts become before it gets embarrassing? Which dirty thoughts could get you into trouble? That's the problem of our protagonist Hubert. Anyone can clearly read his thoughts in a speech balloon floating above his head. In our film we accompany him on his challenging search for a girlfriend. A comedy about „The End of Privacy".

LOVE STORY - Poland 2013, 1', dir: Karolina Specht

A short and ironic tale about relationships. An attempt to answer the question of what to do with a broken heart

IMPROMPTU - Canada 2013, 12'21'', dir: Bruce Alcock

Chuck and Sylvie have needed to have a serious talk for a while. But following a boozy cocktail hour, Sylvie spontaneously invites a dozen of her colleagues over for dinner.