_{still: Zwermen (Janneke Swinkels and Tim Frijsinger)}

The short animated film Zwermen (Murmuration) by directing duo Janneke Swinkels and Tim Frijsinger has won the Jean-Luc Xiberras Award for a First Film at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. This award, named after the founder of the festival, is presented to the best debut in the official competition of the festival, which is considered the most important event for animated films worldwide. Zwermen, which celebrated its world premiere in Annecy, is a 12-minute stop-motion film about Piet, an elderly man in a nursing home who slowly turns into a bird. Although he is still accepted within the group, he feels it is time to join a new swarm. The film is a subtle fable about growing old, letting go and the search for connection. The film is produced by Spotted Bird in co-production with Murmur Animation and the Belgian Beast Animation. Distribution is handled by Miyu. 

See NL talked with Swinkels and Frijsinger in the run up to the festival. Read the full interview here. 
More information about all Dutch films at Annecy you can find here.