VAF Film

Experience the newly created magical musical short film about Moss-infested Mogens
The children go on an aesthetic journey into the great Nordic Forest, visually created by the local animation studio Ouros with inspiration from the book; Mosbefængte Mogens, for which the film composer Mathias Madsen Munch wrote the soundtrack and recorded it with a full symphony orchestra.
The fantastic, animated orchestra fantasy opens up the children’s ears and eyes in an immersive way, and the children will be guided through the story by Mathias Madsen Munch, a story that speaks directly to current topics such as climate awareness, nature protection and identity and friendship.

Suitable for all ages.

The screening is in Danish

Italian airship engineer Umberto Nobile enjoys a quiet life with his beloved dog Titina, who charmed him into rescuing her from the streets of Rome. One day, Norwegian explorer superstar Roald Amundsen contacts him and orders an airship to conquer the North Pole. Nobile seizes the opportunity to go down in history. He takes Titina with him and the unlikely trio sets off on an expedition to the last undiscovered place on Earth. Their quest is successful, but in the aftermath the two men begin to argue about the glory … Through the eyes of the four-legged celebrity Titina, (re)discover a true story of triumph and defeat.

Screened in Norwegian with English subtitles

Suitable from age 11

Opening feature at VAF 2023!

Shenxiu was abandoned by her mother when she was a child. One day, she travels on a cruise ship with her family. On a stormy night, she falls into the sea and breaks into the magical “Deep Sea” restaurant, an old, transformed submarine. She meets the Chef, Nanhe, and embarks on a journey between dream and reality, life and death. DEEP SEA is the sea of the soul, where painful secrets and beautiful memories are hidden.

Screened in Chinese with English subtitles

The film is screened in 3D

Suitable for age 11+

The best animated short films from this year, all in one place!

The animated short film is a unique format – neither feature film nor tv series episode, but an intense and concise mini story offering maximum impact per minute. All the films in the program are nominated for VAF Best Short Film at the VAF Award show.

The films in this program are humorous, absurd, sad, poignant. Often, you’ll find yourself wondering “can animation really look like that?”, because the filmmaker has had free hands to experiment with hand-drawn animation, 3D animation, cutout, puppet animation and any conceivable combination of techniques.

VAF Best Short program offers a glimpse into the stunning diversity of the world of animation – and into its future: This is where the directors of tomorrow come up with the ideas and concepts that will define feature films and tv series going forward.

For more information on the films in competition, click here.

Films in the program:

• Slow Light – Katarzyna Kijek, Przemysław Adamski – 2022 – Poland
• Sweet Like Lemons – Jenny Jokela – 2023 – United Kingdom
• Her Dress for the Final – Martina Mestrovic – 2023 – Croatia
• Eeva -Lucija Mrzljak, Morten Tšinakov – 2022 – Estonia, Croatia
• Ice Merchants –  João Gonzalez – 2022 – Portugal
• ‘Think Something Nice – Claudius Gentinetta – 2022 – Swizterland
• Menagerie – Jack Gray – 2022 – United States
• Y -Matea Kovač – 2023 – Croatia
• Misaligned – Marta Magnuska – 2022 – Poland, Latvia

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 25 min
Language: Multiple languages
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Charlie the little rabbit is very much looking forward to his birthday, but it seems that the day will be completely different than he imagined. Little sister has fallen ill, and now neither mother nor father have time to celebrate Charlie. Disappointed, he decides to go to his grandmother – he must go straight through the forest!

Fortunately, he has his best friend Monica with him and together they must be brave as they embark on new adventures in the forest.

The event is in Danish

Suitable for all ages

The ANIMOK Youth jury are pupils from the 6th grade

They are taught how to evaluate animated films as members of a jury; what criteria should they judge the films on, how do they analyze films? How do they talk about them? 

They will see a specially selected short film program of Danish and foreign short films, discuss the merits of the nominees, and then select a winner. 

The goal of the ANIMOK Youth Jury is to provide kids with a forum where their ideas and thoughts are taken seriously. Through community building dialogue and group work, they experience different perspectives and views on the world while being challenged to think differently and watch films in new ways together in order to eventually find one winner.

The films in the program:

Tales of Zale – Flickering Lights – Sif Savery – 2022 – Denmark

With a Wool Ball (Con un ovillo de lana) – 2022

The Swineherd (Svinedrengen) – Magnus Igland Møller, Peter Smith – 2022 – Denmark

The Queen of the Foxes (La Reine des Renards) – Marina Rosset – 2022 – Swizterland

Princess Aubergine (Prinzessin Aubergine) – Dina Velikovskaya – 2023 – Germany

Somni – Sonja Rohleder– 2023 – Germany

Letters From the Edge of the Forest – Jelena Oroz – 2023 – Croatia

Closed to participating schools

Film x Dialogue: Faith, hope and love – Young narrator
In this event, students will meet 4 young Danish talents in film and literature. With the programme, we focus on how they use their passion for storytelling and their artistic craft as a voice for and about the youth. The students will see films, read comics, hear readings of youth literature, and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask the young artists questions when we set up a conversation about what matters to young people today and what stories they create through their own youth culture.
The talk will be facilitated by playwright Josephine Eusebius Olhoff-Jakobsen

Meet
Toke Madsen, Animation Director
Michala Elk, Author
Snackbag Studios aka Illustrators Heidi Nat Holmeå & Cecilie “Q” Maintz Thorsen

The Event is in Danish

Suitable for ages 11+ 

This new imaginative Pixar adventure ‘Elemental’ follows Ember and Wade, who live in a city where all the elements – fire, water, land and air – live together. Ember is a cool firebrand, while Wade is a quiet guy who just goes with the flow.

The Screening is closed for booking

Screened in Danish

Suitable from 7+

An exciting program with a selection of films received from art and animation schools around the world

VAF Best Graduation Film celebrates young filmmakers from animation schools around the world. All the films in the program are nominated for the Best Graduation Film at the VAF Award show.
The program is full of playful ideas, profound themes, delirious energy and a lot of courage and desire to create and tell stories. The films show a wide range of styles and techniques, where storytelling and ingenuity create unique ideas and visions from young filmmakers who are ready to go out into the world and bend it to their will.

For more information on the films in competition, click here. 

Films in the program:

• Dede is dead – Philippe Kastner– 2023 – Czech Republic
• Fox Tossing – Zénó Mira– 2023 – Hungary
• Mano – Toke Ringmann – 2022- Denmark
• The Eastern Rain – Milly Yencken – 2023 – Estonia
• La Vita Nuova – Arthur Sevestre – 2022 – France
• Fires – Mohammad Babakoohi – 2023 – France
• The Florist – Joachim Perino-Pegalajar – 2022 – France
• Hercinia – Sameliina Paurson – 2022 – Estonia
• Broken – Léa Pulini – 2022 – France
• Hope – Kanto Randresy, Oualid Laouer, Lucie Jean, Henry Mbouem Mbeck, Maxime Pitrou – 2022 – France
• Doubt – Adela Križovenská – 2023 – Czech republic
• Pussy Love – Linda Krauss – 2023 – Germany
• A Bone To Pick With – Nika Karner – 2022- Slovenia
• Shroomsday – Daniel Denzer, Marius Oelsch, Rita Weiss, Alessa Wolfram – 2022 – Austria

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 27 min.
Language: No dialogue
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 15+

Get a beer at the coolest place in town while you watch amazing animation. You can drop by anytime and watch selected programs from this year’s nominated short films in casual surroundings.

Ølluminati has closed of half of the bar to act as an alternative cinema venue during VAF. During the festival week you can drop by and watch amazing short films while you get a drink. Each night you can experience different programs. Make sure to try one of the annual VAF Beers with labels decorated by VAF Artist Niki Linroth von Bahr, and brewed by Ølluminati super-brewer and owner, Theis Bach Nielsen

• Tuesday – Screening VAF Best Short Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Short Film Award
• Wednesday –  Screening VAF Best Graduation Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Graduation Film. Plus, meet VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, in interview at 8.30 pm
• Thurday  – Screening VAF Best Experimental Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Experimental Short Film Award
• Friday – VAF Artist Short Film – A selection of short films by the VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr

All bets are off when animators experiment with techniques, formats and materials. 

Experimental films are about testing the limits of what animation can and should do. All the films in the program are nominated for the Best Experimental Short Film at the VAF Award show. 

It is a field defined by filmmakers bold enough to turn classic genres and conventions on their head. To startle the viewer with absurd, abstract, and trippy tales. All while paying due respect to the aesthetics, the technique, the medium and the narrative – not necessarily in a classic chronological sense, but by pushing the boundaries of visual, sensory expression. These films deal with beautiful images, sensual roller coaster rides, and provocations, offering plenty of surprises and food for thought along the way. 

For more information on the films in competition, click here. 

Films in the program:

• Internet Gaga – Reinhold Bidner – 2023 – Austria
• 101 Days of Lockdown – Jelena Sinik – 2022 – Australia
• Dissolution – Sujin Kim – 2023 – United States
• This is not a bath – Pola Lotta Włodarczyk – 2022 – Poland
• The Beatles Vs The Stones – Andrew Kelleher (Dog&Rabbit) – 2022 – UK
• Juice – Mona Keil – 2022 – Germany
• All my scars vanish in the wind – María Angélica Restrepo, Carlos David Velandia – 2022 – Colombia
• EO DE ME – Viktorie Štěpánová – 2023 – Czech Republic
• Help Desk – Edwin Rostron – 2023 – UK
• The Fifth Floor – Tereza Burianová – 2023 – Czech Republic
• Soaked In – Shiyu Tang – 2022 – China
• Floating city – Chit Ng – 2022 – Hong Kong
• Hugging – Adam Wells – 2023 – Sweden

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 7 min.
Language: No dialogue
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 15+

Discover a playful toy-like world of invention featuring flying machines, kings, queens and sneaky spies, where nothing seems to go right for the world’s greatest inventor, and he is always running out of time. At the centre of it all is the audacious and ever questioning Princess Marguerite  who is the key to solving Leonardo’s quest for the meaning of life. 

Jim Capobianco is bringing the world of Leonardo Da Vinci to life in a new stylized, stop motion puppet and 2D hand drawn animated film for families & children of all ages. Voiced by Stephen Fry (Leonardo), Daisy Ridley (Marguerite), and Marion Cotillard (Louise de Savoy). 

The screening is in English with no subtiltes

Suitable from age 7+

In this film screening GDR – towards new horizons, we show 2 animated documentaries that, in their own way, interweave personal memories and documented facts into gripping stories about everyday life in the GDR. Here we meet socialism, childhood in the GDR, internal conflicts to come to terms with the past, and the students are faced with philosophical and ethical questions and dilemmas.

Films in the programme:

Stumm – Anna Theil – 2020

Katharina’s father used to work for the GDR secret service. In the mid-1990s he was arrested for a murder ordered in connection with his former job … and released. A film about family secrets and the question of whether some things better remain hidden.

Die Weite Suchen – Falk Schuster – 2015

This animated documentary follows a young family through their journey and gives an insight of holidaying close to the border in East Germany (GDR). Personal memories and factual evidence come together to create an illustrated travel journal.

Country: Germany
Duration: 1 hour 3 min.
Language: German
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 10+

Films in the programme:

Through the Cosmos – A Short Short Film

Through the Cosmos’ – A Short, Short Film

A cat eats his cereal breakfast, gets transported to the cereal galaxy and goes on an adventure, eventually returning home.

Folk og Røvere i Kardemomme By

The animated film ‘Folk og Røvere i Kardemomme By’ is a film adaptation of Thorbjørns Egner’s well-known children’s book from 1955, which is about the three robbers: Kasper and Jesper and Jonatan.

The robbers live just outside the peaceful Cardamom City, and when they need something, they just sneak into town and steal it. One day the robbers are arrested and put in the city jail. But when a fire breaks out, the trio get another chance to prove to the town that they’re more than just robbers.

Directed by Rasmus A. Sivertsen – 2023

Country: Denmark/Norway
Duration: 1 hour 34 min.
Lanuage: Danish
Subtitles: None
Age limit: No age restrictions

Film in the programme:

Teeth-Rex – A Short Short Film

In a museum filled with impressive smiles, one toothless velociraptor goes on a quest to find his look.

About TAW Short, Short Films:

The Short, Short Film project is a collaboration between the first-year Character Animation and the first-year Computer Graphic Arts students at The Animation Workshop/VIA University College, where they work together to create 45-second short films targeted at children’s audiences.

Yuku and the Himalayan Flower

Yuku loves her grandmother and her many stories from the magic book. But Yuku’s grandmother is old and tired, and will soon have to leave the family.

Country: France
Duration: 1 hour 10 min.
Lanuage: Danish
Subtitles: none
Age: 10+

An exciting program with a selection of films received from art and animation schools around the world

VAF Best Graduation Film celebrates young filmmakers from animation schools around the world. All the films in the program are nominated for the Best Graduation Film at the VAF Award show.

The program is full of playful ideas, profound themes, delirious energy and a lot of courage and desire to create and tell stories. The films show a wide range of styles and techniques, where storytelling and ingenuity create unique ideas and visions from young filmmakers who are ready to go out into the world and bend it to their will.

For more information on the films in competition, click here. 

Films in the program:

• Follow My Steps – Nils Balleydier – 2022 – France
• Funeral at Nine – Mamadou Barry, Rodrigo Veras, Ziyu Wang, Junhao Xiang, Wang Yu, Linfeng Zhou – 2022 – France
• Unscarfed – Anita Bruneburg – 2022 – Germany
• Horse – Jass Kaselan – 2022 – Estonia
• A World in Chaos – David Crisp – 2023 – Hungary
• Cow! Woof! Splash! – Lamprini Loukaidi – 2022 – UK
• Furrie – Lucie Grannec – 2022 – France
• Primitive Times – Hao Yu – 2023 – Germany
• Above The Clouds – Vivien Hárshegyi – 2022 – Hungary
• Memories of Monsoon – Dolker Angotsang, ManFei Li, Pimonwan Poli – 2023 – Switzerland
• Anscht – Matthias Huber – 2022 – Switzerland
• The Harbourmaster – Mia Ludvigsen Henriksen, Konrad Hjemli – 2022 – Norway

Q&A with Directors: 

• David Crisp (A World In Chaos)
• Lamprini Loukaidi (Caw! Woof! Splash!)

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 35 min.
Language: No dialogue
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 15+

VAF Best Commissioned Work celebrates the best in animated communication and education from Denmark and abroad. Beautiful imagery, compelling narratives and useful information – or sweet temptation – to boot.

The competition and award are organized in collaboration with Creative Viborg, focusing on how animation can be used within professions such as service, learning, advertising and more. All the films in the program are nominated for the Best Commissioned Work at the VAF Award show.

For more information on the films in competition, click here. 

Films in the program:

• Røgfri Fremtid – Sunit Parekh, Tonni Zinck – 2022 – Denmark
• The Dependency Trap – Henrik Malmgren – 2022 – Denmark
• Sou a Tigresa – Jairo Neto – 2021 – Brazil
• Design & Transformation: TON – Barbora Halířová – 2022 – Czech Republic
• Viborg Varme – Susanne Bækby Gerges – 2022 – Denmark
• Pulse At The Centre Of Being – Tsz-wing Ho – 2022 – Hong Kong
• Design & Transformation: Bomma – Magdalena Hejzlarová – 2022 – Czech Republic
• Hidden Heroes – Anna Levinson – 2022 – Germany
• Stare – Impérieux – Nikola Radulovikj – 2023 – Bulgaria
• What causes yeast infections, and how do you get rid of them? – Mette Ilene Holmriis – 2022 – Denmark
• Potato Falls – Janina Putzker – 2022 – Austria
• Ride on Joyfulness – Lei Lei – 2022 – China
• Screen Time Guidelines – Nicolaj Larsson – 2022 – Denmark
• Paul Roux – Bapteme – Alessandro Amaducci – 2022 – Italy

Country: International
Duration: 49 min.
Language: Multiple languages
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

In the last ten years, Niki has made four films, Tord and Tord, Bath House, The Burden and Something to Remember. Her latest project was a part of the animated anthology The House for Netflix, which was released in 2022.

Niki’s films have been shown and awarded at festivals worldwide, such as Cannes, Berlinale, Toronto and Sundance. Since its premiere in 2017, The Burden has received 85 awards, including Le Cristal for Best Short Film in Annecy, Best International Short Film in Toronto and Guldbaggen for Best Short Film 2018. In 2019, she was named in Variety magazine as one of “10 Animators to Watch for” and nominated for Swedens biggest newspaper Dagens Nyheter’s Culture Award. Niki is a member of The Oscar Academy and part of the short film jury for Guldbaggegalan.

Parallel to Niki’s film productions, she makes sculpture and costume design and has worked with artists such as Fever Ray and David Bowie. She has taught animation and modeling at schools such as CalArts in Los Angeles and Tokyo University of Art, Film and New Media.

In recent years, Niki has had several solo exhibitions. Her exhibition “Something to remember” at Färgfabriken in Stockholm 2019 became the art gallery’s most visited ever.

Film program

• Something To Remember

A lullaby before the great disaster. Two pigeons visit a zoo without animals, a snail measures his blood pressure at the doctor, in the CERN laboratory something has gone terribly wrong. Six moments from our age, like memories of the world we leave behind.

• The Burden

A dark musical enacted in a modern market place, situated next to a large freeway. The employees of the various commercial venues deal with boredom and existential anxiety by performing cheerful musical turns. The apocalypse is a tempting liberator.

• Bath House

Six characters meet in a bath house. The pedant bath house manager, a couple with a strange way of communicating and a gang with shady intentions. Something goes wrong.

• Tord and Tord

One day, Tord accidentally walks in to the apartment next to his own. Another person named Tord lives there, he has just moved in.

Country: International
Duration: 48 min.
Lanuage: Swedish
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Get a beer at the coolest place in town while you watch amazing animation. You can drop by anytime and watch selected programs from this year’s nominated short films in casual surroundings.

Ølluminati has closed of half of the bar to act as an alternative cinema venue during VAF. During the festival week you can drop by and watch amazing short films while you get a drink. Each night you can experience different programs. Make sure to try one of the annual VAF Beers with labels decorated by VAF Artist Niki Linroth von Bahr, and brewed by Ølluminati super-brewer and owner, Theis Bach Nielsen

• Tuesday – Screening VAF Best Short Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Short Film Award
• Wednesday –  Screening VAF Best Graduation Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Graduation Film. Plus, meet VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, in interview at 8.30 pm
• Thurday  – Screening VAF Best Experimental Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Experimental Short Film Award
• Friday – VAF Artist Short Film – A selection of short films by the VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr

At only 14 years old, Aurora lost everything during the horror of the Armenian genocide. Two years later, through luck and extraordinary courage, she escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Starring as herself in Auction of Souls, an early Hollywood blockbuster, Aurora became the face of one of the largest charity campaigns in American history.

With a blend of vivid animation, interviews with Aurora herself, and 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic, Aurora’s Sunrise revives a forgotten story of survival.

Directed by: Inna Sahakyan

Country: Armenia, Lithuania, Germany
Duration: 1 hour 36 min.
Language: Armenian/English
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Shabholm is a new Danish film by the satire collective Gigis, who in 2020 were behind the animated comedy “Blokhavn”, and subsequently made the TV series Gigis “100 problems”, which can be seen on DR.

In their new film, an oil sheik has bought Bornholm and turned the island into a Middle Eastern holiday paradise for foreigners only. Hassan is tired of Denmark and discrimination, so he gathers his Shabbas and together they head for the sunny island. But is paradise too good to be true?

• Screening of Shabholm
• Q&A after the film

Directed by: Gigis

Country: Denmark
Duration: 1 hour 46 min.
Lanuage: Danish
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 15+

Animanimals (Danish title: Dyttelidyr) is a fantastically original and lovely TV series, where we guarantee plenty of laughs for both children and adults. In each episode, a very charismatic animal embarks on an absurd adventure that can only happen to them. As they try to find a solution, each animal learns a little more about the world and life.

Country: Denmark
Duration: 37 min.
Language: Danish
Subtitles: None
Age group: 4-6 year olds

The film ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Part One’ is the sequel to the Oscar-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”.

In the film, we meet Miles Morales again, who has taken over the Spider-Man suit after Peter Parker dies. In this adventure, Spider-Man is transported through The Multiverse along with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-people to fight a villain more powerful than any they’ve faced before.

The screening is in English with English subtitles

Suitables from age 7+

“The Animation Showcase: LGBTQ+ Focus” is a special program celebrating diverse voices in animation. The program is a colorful, emotional, and heartwarming tour de force of LGBTQ+ stories. The program is curated by Benoit Berthe Siward, film strategist and founder of ‘The Animation Showcase’ consulting boutique. The screening will be presented by Benoit himself, as well as the special program “The Animation Showcase: Best of 2023” screening Friday the 29th of September during the festival.

Films in the program:

Sunday Lunch – Celine Devaux – France

The Boob Fairy – Léahn Vivier-Chapas – France

Adorable – Cheng-Hsu Chung – United Kingdom, Taiwan

In the Nature – Marcel Barelli – Switzerland

Slug Life  – Sophie Koko Gate – United Kingdom

Sasha -Serghei Chiviriga – Romania

Polyamory – Emily Worms – Belgium

Space – Zhong Xian – United Kingdom

Dissonance – Mathieu Garcia – France

Kapaemahu – Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson – United States

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 21 min.
Language: Multiple
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Open Workshop focuses its talent development efforts in animation film and games talents. All the films in the program are nominated for the Open Workshop Danish Animation Talent Award at the VAF Award show.

Films in the programme:

The TOBOS – Tobias Rud – 2023

The Great Connection – Christen Bach – 2023

Tales of Zale – Flickering Lights – Sif Savery – 2022

Let Them Eat Cake – Mathias Rodrigues Bjerre – 2023

Spring – Pernille Kjaer – 2023

The Swineherd – Magnus Igland Møller, Peter Smith – 2022

Dream – Snobar Avani – 2023

Mano – Toke Ringmann – 2022

Beanboy – Emily Hanning, Dora Grents, Anastazja Konczakowska, Ines Riquelme, Isabel Kohlmann, Nabil Afnan-Samandari, Alex Goncalves – 2022

Country: Multiple nationalities
Duration: 1 hour 33 min.
Lanuage: Different languages
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Get a beer at the coolest place in town while you watch amazing animation. You can drop by anytime and watch selected programs from this year’s nominated short films in casual surroundings.

Ølluminati has closed of half of the bar to act as an alternative cinema venue during VAF. During the festival week you can drop by and watch amazing short films while you get a drink. Each night you can experience different programs. Make sure to try one of the annual VAF Beers with labels decorated by VAF Artist Niki Linroth von Bahr, and brewed by Ølluminati super-brewer and owner, Theis Bach Nielsen

• Tuesday – Screening VAF Best Short Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Short Film Award
• Wednesday –  Screening VAF Best Graduation Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Graduation Film. Plus, meet VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, in interview at 8.30 pm
• Thurday  – Screening VAF Best Experimental Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Experimental Short Film Award
• Friday – VAF Artist Short Film – A selection of short films by the VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr

In the near future, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet’s capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threaten to change the face of the universe. 

Combining 2D and 3D animation, this stylish, smart and futuristic film noir is an adrenaline-fuelled, cinematic adventure, packed with humor and exhilarating action sequences. 

The screening is in French with English subtitles

Suitable from age 15+

The best animated short films from this year, all in one place!

The animated short film is a unique format – neither feature film nor tv series episode, but an intense and concise mini story offering maximum impact per minute. All the films in the program are nominated for VAF Best Short Film at the VAF Award show.

The films in this program are humorous, absurd, sad, poignant. Often, you’ll find yourself wondering “can animation really look like that?”, because the filmmaker has had free hands to experiment with hand-drawn animation, 3D animation, cutout, puppet animation and any conceivable combination of techniques.

VAF Best Short program offers a glimpse into the stunning diversity of the world of animation – and into its future: This is where the directors of tomorrow come up with the ideas and concepts that will define feature films and tv series going forward.

For more information on the films in competition, click here.

Films in the program:

• Letter to a Pig – Tal Kantor – 2022 – France
• 11 – Vuk Jevremovic – 2022 – Croatia
• The Skatebook – Sofia Negri – 2022 – UK
• The Borderline – Christian Arredondo Narváez – 2022 – Mexico
• Money and Happiness – Ana Nedeljković, Nikola Majdak Jr – 2022 – Serbia
• Blush – An Extraordinary Voyage – Iiti Yli-Harja – 2022 – Finland
• The Lost Courier – 子东 马 – 2022 – China
• Spring – Pernille Kjaer – 2023 – Denmark

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 20 min
Language: Multiple languages
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

The little insecure fairy-flower Roselil, who lives alone in her Rose bush, has always wanted a friend. Underneath the Rose bush lives Mr. and Ms. Mouse, who cannot find a bride for their son Karl Gustav. Roselil offers to marry him, but quickly she regrets her decision. She is saved by the butterfly Silke, who helps her to stand up for herself and a new adventurous friendship occurs.

The film is based on the children’s book by the same name, by Josefine Ottesen.

The screening is in Danish

Suitable for all ages

Is algae just smelly waste rotting on the beach? Where will you be able to live in 20 years and can the ocean run out of oxygen?

These are some of the questions you will get answered when you will gain new knowledge from research within climate and the environment through beautiful animated short films in different styles.

For this year’s Science Visualization screening, we have selected various productions that deal with climate and sustainability. All the films shown are produced under our Sci-Vi initiative at The Animation Workshop/VIA UC.

The producers; Sia Søndergaard and Agota Vegso will present the films and answer questions after the film screening

Films in the program:

• Where will you be able to live in 20 years? – Rikke Planeta, Philip Piaget
• Can the ocean run out of oxygen? – Mette Ilene Holmriis
• Can animals understand death?– Denis Chapon
• Waste Water Reuse – Jody Ghani Nordby
• Washed ashore – Cosimo Miorelli
• Kaskelot – Cosimo Miorelli
• How would a turtle see our ocean
• What about the food on my plate?
• Are we in harmony with the wildlife around us?
• What is the climate change exactly?

Q&A

Duration: 48 min
Language: English
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 13+

“Storken Richard 2 – and the mystery of the great jewel” is the sequel to Storken Richard, and is directed by Danish animation director Mette Tange, who graduated from The Animation Workshop in Viborg. Storken Richard 2 is her debut film as a director.

The adventurous Richard is actually a sparrow but was raised by storks and got his slightly odd nickname from there.

While wintering in North Africa, he meets the streetwise Samia and her gang of sparrows, who are held captive by the greedy and merciless peacock Zamano. The birds’ only path to freedom is solving a riddle that can bring Zamano the mysterious jewel. To save the sparrows from Zamano’s clutches, Richard decides to set off on an action-packed and dangerous journey. He has his friends Olga and Kiki with him, but also meets lots of new friends on his way…

The screening is in Danish

Suitable from 7+

“The Animation Showcase Best Of 2023” is a special program showcasing the most compelling animated shorts of the 2023 Awards Season.

The program is curated by Benoit Berthe Siward, film strategist and founder of ‘The Animation Showcase’ consulting boutique.
The program is currently touring the big animation festivals and studios in the world, bringing you some of the strongest titles this year. All films in the program are eligible for the Academy Awards®. The screening will be presented by Benoit himself, as well as the special program “The Animation Showcase: LGBTQ+ Focus” screening Thursday the 28th of September during the festival.

Films in the program

• 27 – Flora Ana Buda – France, Hungary
• Letter to a Pig – Tal Kantor – France
• Starling – Mitra Shahidi – United States
• Rosemary A.D – Ethan Barrett – USA
• Scale – Joseph Pierce – France, Great Britain, Belgium, Czech Republic
• Wild Summon – Karni Arieli, Saul Freed – United Kingdom

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 21 min
Language: Multiple languages
Subtitles: English
Age limit: 15+

Get a beer at the coolest place in town while you watch amazing animation. You can drop by anytime and watch selected programs from this year’s nominated short films in casual surroundings.

Ølluminati has closed of half of the bar to act as an alternative cinema venue during VAF. During the festival week you can drop by and watch amazing short films while you get a drink. Each night you can experience different programs. Make sure to try one of the annual VAF Beers with labels decorated by VAF Artist Niki Linroth von Bahr, and brewed by Ølluminati super-brewer and owner, Theis Bach Nielsen

• Tuesday – Screening VAF Best Short Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Short Film Award
• Wednesday –  Screening VAF Best Graduation Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Graduation Film. Plus, meet VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, in interview at 8.30 pm
• Thurday  – Screening VAF Best Experimental Film – All the nominated titles for this year’s VAF Best Experimental Short Film Award
• Friday – VAF Artist Short Film – A selection of short films by the VAF Artist 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr

VAF wants to give thanks to all the creators of the festival and celebrate the courage they show by sharing their work with the festival audience. The nominated films will be judged by the professional juries of 2023, who will also be announcing the winners. 
 
VAF receives animated films from filmmakers from all over the world with strong messages and stories that illuminate current themes, trends and challenges. These are films that you would not necessarily be able to see in the cinema or on various streaming services. That’s why the VAF Award nominees need to be celebrated as unique film experiences, whether it’s short films or feature films. We are always deeply grateful for the filmmaker’s courage and creative urge to create such amazing, animated experiences. 
 
The awards of 2023 is: 
 
VAF Best Feature 
VAF Best Short 
VAF Best Experimental 
VAF Best Graduation Film 
VAF Best Commissioned Work  
Open Workshop Best Danish Animated Short 
ANIMOK Youth Jury 
VAF Diversity Film 
ANIDOX:VR Award 

Read more about the awards and jury here

The film ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Part One’ is the sequel to the Oscar-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”.

In the film, we meet Miles Morales again, who has taken over the Spider-Man suit after Peter Parker dies. In this adventure, Spider-Man is transported through The Multiverse along with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-people to fight a villain more powerful than any they’ve faced before.

The screening is in English with English subtitles

Suitables from age 7+

Animanimals (Danish title: Dyttelidyr) is a fantastically original and lovely TV series, where we guarantee plenty of laughs for both children and adults. In each episode, a very charismatic animal embarks on an absurd adventure that can only happen to them. As they try to find a solution, each animal learns a little more about the world and life.

Country: Denmark
Duration: 37 min.
Language: Danish
Subtitles: None
Age group: 4-6 year olds

Experience one of the newer classics by Disney on the big screen! 

The always optimistic and fearless Anna is going with the rough mountain man and his loyal reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find her sister Elsa, who’s icing powers has created an eternal winter in the kingdom of Arendelle. Through similar to Everest conditions, mysterious trolls and a comical snowman, by the name Olaf…. Do they find Elsa in time to save Arendelle? 

The Screening is in Danish

Suitable from age 7+

Opening feature at VAF 2023!

Shenxiu was abandoned by her mother when she was a child. One day, she travels on a cruise ship with her family. On a stormy night, she falls into the sea and breaks into the magical “Deep Sea” restaurant, an old, transformed submarine. She meets the Chef, Nanhe, and embarks on a journey between dream and reality, life and death. DEEP SEA is the sea of the soul, where painful secrets and beautiful memories are hidden.

Screened in Chinese with English subtitles

The film is screened in 3D

Suitable for age 11+

All bets are off when animators experiment with techniques, formats and materials. 

Experimental films are about testing the limits of what animation can and should do. All the films in the program are nominated for the Best Experimental Short Film at the VAF Award show. 

It is a field defined by filmmakers bold enough to turn classic genres and conventions on their head. To startle the viewer with absurd, abstract, and trippy tales. All while paying due respect to the aesthetics, the technique, the medium and the narrative – not necessarily in a classic chronological sense, but by pushing the boundaries of visual, sensory expression. These films deal with beautiful images, sensual roller coaster rides, and provocations, offering plenty of surprises and food for thought along the way. 

For more information on the films in competition, click here. 

Hopsättning (Assembly) – Kyle Brooks– 2022 – US

Architects’ Cruise – Simon Hamlyn – 2022 – UK

Realitude – Théophile Farant – 2022 – France

Frozen Frog – Yiyang Sun – 2023 – China

Hungry Ghost – Guido Devadder, Kaitlin McSweeney – 2022 – Belgium

Dog, Ball, Park – Renana Palmor – 2022 – Israel

Vicious Circle – tianyun lyu – 2022 – US

Unnamed Road – Songkai Zhou – 2022 – UK

Saltwater – Declan McKenna – 2022 – US

From the Past – Hanna Palamarchuk – 2023 – Czech Republic

artifacts of you, artifacts of me. – Brecht De Cock – 2022 – Belgium

Blumentanz – Raito Low – 2022 – Taiwan

Country: International
Duration: 1 hour 10 min.
Language: No dialogue
Subtitles: None
Age limit: 15+

Join this funny and imaginative film program for the little ones as we show a series of international animated short films all taking us on a trip into nature. The films are in multiple languages but are very easy to follow

After the film screening, it is possible to go over to ANIMOK’s creative workshop in Tinghallen, where you can continue playing with the stories through animation and drawing.

Recommended from 5 years

The short film program will be showing several screenings:

• Velkomst og introduktion
  Hunden Ib – Taler med Kim D
  Lille Malabar: Havbundens skorstene
  Rainboy
  Lille Malabar: Planten med de 1000 skjulesteder
  Spot Hits the Spot
  Hunden Ib – Bliver forfulgt at nogle bænkebidereCat and Bird
  Pizza Touch
  Tænk hvis…
  FISK
  Hunden Ib – Ser Nordstjernen
• Bubble Up

You don’t have to be a superhero to be super! Hedvig has shrunk her father’s superhero suit, and now he can no longer be the town’s Super Lion. Typical Hedvig, who is rather clumsy and mostly likes to play, but when her father chooses strong and sovereign cousin Adrian to become the new superhero, Hedvig must take up the fight. Join us on an action-packed and humorous hunt for the super lion title!

The screening is in Danish

Suitable for all ages

VAF presents this classic Disney film from 1994

An amazing adventure about Simba, the temperamental lion cub who dreams about ‘soon to be king’. Led astray by his regrettable uncle Scar, Simba chooses a simple and unworried lifestyle with his hilarious friends Timon and Pumba, and soon he forgets his royal responsibility.  

But soon fate strikes, and he must return home and reclaim his place in the eternal circle of life.  

The screening is in Danish

Suitable from age 7+

VAF Artist of 2023, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, have choosen her favourite animated feature to present at VAF!

Michael Stone, husband, father and respected author of ‘How May I Help You Help Them?’ is a man crippled by the mundanity of his life.  

On a business trip to Cincinnati, where he’s scheduled to speak at a convention of customer service professionals, Michael checks into the Fregoli Hotel and meets Lisa Hesselman, a socially awkward sales rep from Akron who may or may not be the love of his life. 

The screening is in English with no subtitles

Suitable from age 15+