Sometimes we tend to forget what is closest to us. Right here, in the Netherlands, there's an abundance of talent. Have faith, trust us, and discover the best of Dutch animation.
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Think the Netherlands is only about tulips, cheese, and canals? Think again. This short film programme proves we've got more talent than just riding bikes without breaking a sweat. Turns out, when we're not busy dodging rain or winning sports medals, we're actually crafting brilliant animation films... There is so much talent right here, in the Netherlands, that Kaboom just HAS to dedicate a whole competition to Dutch shorts. Who needs Hollywood when you've got the polder?
Lucille, a 14-year-old alligator, finally spends the summer with her estranged father, Bill, a blues guitarist. She joins him and his band on tour as a roadie and looks forward to spending time with him. On stage, he is charming, but getting to know him is not what she expected, as she uncovers the true meaning behind his music.
Among the scattered pebbles, a woman sits carefully in an abandoned theater. In this hall of silence and decay, the story of In the Sand unfolds, inspired by the work of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. With minimalist imagery and music, the film reflects on erasure, turning away from suffering, and the responsibility that artists carry.
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After a party full of nauseatingly similar couples, Tina rushes home—only to find her boyfriend proudly wearing the same shirt as her. In desperation, she struggles to prevent them from becoming a fused couple as well.
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A grizzly moves effortlessly through a vast landscape, as others flee from an unseen threat. Meanwhile, a human, driven by his own instincts, navigates the same terrain. Both apex predators dominate the top of the food chain, but their worlds collide when they cross paths.
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Luna, the granddaughter, helps her grandmother bury her dog. But what happens when you’re dead and buried underground? Her grandmother evades the question, so Luna is tempted to see for herself what happens below. A colorful short film exploring the tension between childish innocence and death.
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When six-year-old Otto writes his very first story, words come to life as images. As he reads aloud, his imaginative world unfolds in an animation lovingly created by his mother.
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In the serene Wadden Sea, where land and water meet, a unique roadside restaurant for birds operates along the migratory flyway. Here, guests eat and are eaten, until a single footstep throws everything off balance.
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Teenagers reclaim public spaces as their playground—until their joy collides with the vision of an angry capitalist. Through his power, the spaces are transformed, shifting from places of freedom into a manufactured “paradise.”
Location: Kanaal40, a bar located in Amsterdam’s Warmoesstraat. Working behind the bar, the protagonist gets in touch with Jay, the security guard. At the threshold of the club, he found a sense of security: a space to express themselves and explore who they want to be. I Can See Jay There is a documentary about identity and belonging, grounded in friendship.
A masked boxer waits nervously in his locker room. When the fight begins, he faces not only a formidable opponent, but also his own demons. The battle erupts into a visual storm, where reality twists into absurd shapes and vivid colors. A little visual treat by Bram Fokkens.
In a barren cell, two dogs endure the silence—one restless, the other distracted. A sudden figure at the door upends the balance, triggering a surreal transformation that blurs the line between animal and the unknown. When the door opens, only one leaves; the other is left in shock.
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When his world turns upside down, Jos, who lives with his wheelchair-bound mother, struggles to maintain his daily routine.
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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