Starter, main course and dessert all in one: Kaboom's International Short Film Competition.
Remember that time when cinema was not a thing yet? When animation only existed within faraway dreams? Dreadful. And then Kaboom came along. Dreams became reality, and animation was king of kings. Okay okay, perhaps our story is missing a few beats, but here’s the gist: after more than a century of cinema, it all comes down to this: a showdown between animators from all over the world, dubbed the Kaboom International Short Film Competition. Whoever comes out on top, know that the one true winner is already known: the art of animation.
A grandfather tells his granddaughter about his adventurous youth in early 20th-century Montreal. He falls in love with a girl whose tears turn into pearls, which he trades to a ruthless pawnbroker who becomes obsessed with their value. As he becomes caught up in the pursuit of wealth, he must choose between his love and the promise of riches. A fascinatingly beautiful stop-motion film by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski.
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Ping gets into conflict with her girlfriend’s homophobic and aggressive father. He describes his relationship with his daughter as a layered cake—and Ping is not part of it. When the argument spirals out of control, Ping is forced to defend herself mercilessly. Whoever wants to be the cake will end up becoming it… A twisted portrayal of personal experiences by Taiwanese director Ting-Jui.
Extinction follows a woman who observes everything that is wrong in the world. She is shocked by how humanity is divided over our differences, leading to the neglect and destruction of our planet. Director Lucy McGonigal hits a nerve, showing how people often ignore these issues and carry on with their lives. The film encourages us to set aside our differences and work together to gradually restore Earth.
In a colorful world where, after each break-up, ex-partners must exchange a chosen body part, Wish You Were Ear explores the lasting impact of relationships. Here, people not only lose a literal piece of themselves with each split, but also carry visible reminders of every past love. Feeling fragmented and deformed, the protagonist is stunned to see their former ear on another person. That encounter begins their path to self-acceptance.
Five high school students try to break free and find happiness by any means necessary: carving their bodies, pretending to be blind, reshaping their image on social media, and diving into drugs. Their intertwined journeys lead them to glimpse a ray of hope—until everything falls apart at 2:14 PM.
S The Wolf is a hilarious autobiographical flashback about growing up—or, more precisely, about losing hair. Through intimate anecdotes, the film follows the directors’ capillary journey from adolescence to the present: from the trauma of the barber’s chair to his first love, and finally to the loss of the most important person in his life.
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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