Belgian humour is truly one of a kind: absurd, surreal and self-mocking. Great for filmmaking, though! (And this hilarious short film programme.)
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Belgium’s relationship with animation is anything but boring. Just as the country’s politics, its artistic output is lively and often surrealist. Today, animators like Emma de Swaef & Marc Roels continue a long-standing Belgian tradition of surrealism, magic realism and absurdism, without ever losing focus of profound human emotions. And it only seems like yesterday when the late Raoul Servais pioneered the medium in Belgium in the sixties, initiating a separate department for animation film at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent – a first for continental Europe.
Belgium loves to experiment, not just with fries and waffles. In the previous century, artists dabbled with “Ride” movies, 3D projections, and the interplay between live-action and animation. Brussels was once the capital of European animation, housing the largest animation film studio in Western Europe. Despite the country’s modest size, it has produced many a great animation film auteur, who went on to garner acclaim around the world – it feels almost surreal Hollywood has never made a call.
Yet, the Belgian animation scene is notoriously hard to pin down. At first glance, nobody seems to have anything in common … But put two and two together and the connections become apparent: a passion for graphic art deeply rooted in Belgium’s rich pictorial tradition (thank you, Flemish Masters), a nostalgic return to traditional techniques (especially stop-motion), and humour. Lots of humour, preferably of the most absurd kind. And of course, surrealism is never far from the party, and why would it be? After all, the surrealist art movement practically originated in Belgium. Or did anyone forget about René Magritte and his pipe?
Humour
A good joke is universal, but Belgian humor is truly one of a kind. It’s the special within special. Absurd, surreal and self-mocking, yet always with a warm heart for the ordinary man who just tries to make the most of every situation: Belgium’s sense of humour is as good as it gets.
We present to you: the only Belgian film ever to win an Academy Award! Nicole Van Goethem's A Greek Tragedy even beat Pixar's Luxo Jr. in the Oscar race from 1987. In this "tragey", three scantily-clad female figures struggle to hold up the crumbling remains of an ancient Greek temple.
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Catherine loves pets! But most of all, she loves her cat. As she grows up, she can't seem to connect with people. Her cat is her life, and little by little she grows up to be a crazy old cat lady ... How crazy? Well, according to Belgian animator Britt Raes: very crazy! Boasting expressive colours and offbeat yet cutesy character designs, Catherine is a touching and darkly funny story about (dis)connection.
Being adrift at sea can be challenging, but even more so with a partner. Is it possible to be adrift at sea, while also keeping you relation intact? In this dark, humorous and bloody film Jeremy and Aurora will discover this, and find out if their relationship is (ship)wrecked, or not.
A series of innocent and harmless actions in the daily lives of four ordinary people in an apartment complex. The joys and sorrows of living next to each other in a colorful cartoon. Flatlife was Belgian screenwriter/director/actor/tv personality Jonas Geirnaert's graduation work and won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
You have weird, and then you have WEIRD. In this fruity graduation film, a man crawls out of a banana and explains how he found himself there. Meanwhile, a fish is contemplating her own beauty. These two stories are observed and dissected and cause a reaction that cracks the reality the observer is in.
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Meet the world's cleanest superhero: Muscle Man! He battles a giant robot set on destroying the city. But his obsession with cleanliness and order might just be his downfall!
Going on a safari is the absolute dream holiday for middle-aged couple Linda and Troyer. Sadly enough, their wildlife experience turns into a nightmare when they get left behind. Through mixed media (combining live-action and animation), Wildebeest tells a surprisingly touching story of a couple in crisis - albeit with tons of effective gags.
Kaboom Animation Festival is the one-stop-shop for the latest and greatest in all things animated. Ranging from cutting-edge experimental arthouse to colorful stories for families and kids, Kaboom will cater to the animation needs of all. Yes, even yours, my amazing weirdo friend!
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