Still: Beautiful Men - Nicolas Keppens

Nicolas Keppens' Beautiful Men* (NL Co-Prod. Ka-Ching Cartoons, sales: Miyu Distribution) is selected for the Official Short Films in Competition. The short animation screened at IFFR earlier this year and was among others part of Clermont-Ferrand. SEE NL talked to Joost van den Bosch and Erik Verkerk of Ka-Ching Cartoons about the film, before heading to the festival in Clermont-Ferrand.

Preoperational Model (prod. Video Power) from Dutch-based Swedish director Philip Ullman is joining the same competition. The film got selected for the Berlinale, where Ullman discussed their animated short film with SEE NL, in which an anthropomorphic princess and her maid prepare for a new day in the royal court.

In the Young Audience Short Films Competition is Rik Schutte's Wing It! (prod. Blender Studio). The film is a cat and dog cartoony homage, with a rocket twist. SEE NL interviewed Schutte about his work, on his way to Annecy.

Adriaan Lokman is taking part in the VR Competition with his Flow VR* (NL Co-Prod. Valk Productions). It had its world premiere in Venice and was shown among others at Clermont-Ferrand and Kaboom Animation Festival. In the run up to Clermont-Ferrand, director/artist Lokman talked to SEE NL about his dramatic 360-degree interpretation of the air that surrounds and which, in part, defines us.

The second VR selected for this competition is The Imaginary Friend*** by Steye Hallema (prod. Studio Biarritz), which also celebrated its world premiere in Venice followed by selections for SXSW and BFI London IFF. In the interactive work a grieving child struggles to separate reality from fantasy. He creates YOU–his (imaginary) friend–to fight the monsters in his mind. We spoke with Lokman about his film when it got selected for Venice Immersive last year.

Two Dutch films are in Annecy presents, out of competition. Mascha Halberstad's Fox and Hare Save the Forest** (prod. Submarine, sales Urban Distribution International), who gainedmuch success in 2022 with her comedic stopmotion feast Oink*. Her latest work got selected for the Berlinale. You can read the interview with Halberstad before heading to the German capital here.

The second film in this programme is Panda Bear in Africa**, directed by Karsten Kiilerich & Richard Claus, who also produced the film through his production company Cool Beans (sales: Cinema Management Group International). SEE NL interviewed Claus about their vibrant feature animation, when it was part of the Stuttgart Trickfilm International Animated Film Festival.

Part of Commissioned Films is Erwin van den IJssel's Playgrounds In Motion "2023 Opening Titles", a title sequence for a brand new animation and motion design festival held in London and Rotterdam.

Closing off the Dutch line-up with The Refusers (prod. Tinsel Studio) by Wiep Teeuwisse, which is selected for the closing ceremony of the festival where it will have its avant premiere.

Here you will find the complete overview of Dutch (co-)productions at Annecy and the screening schedule.

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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Production Incentive
*** Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund and Creative Industries Fund (Immerse\Interact)