Special Screenings
Universe Room – A Tribute to Clyde Henry
Discover Clyde Henry—the stop‑motion and illustration studio of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski—at this comprehensive retrospective screening. From humble toothpaste‑and‑jam sculptures to their utterly original and mesmerizing debut Madame Tutli‑Putli (Academy Award–nominated), their work brims with surreal detail, dark humor, and captivating artistry.
Inspired by Svankmajer, The Brothers Quay, and 1970s film magazines—and fueled by late‑night pub brainstorms—Clyde Henry has redefined animation across short films (Higglety Pigglety Pop!, Cochemare, The Girl Who Cried Pearls), satirical vignettes (We Eat Shit, We Drink Too Much), music collaborations (Patrick Watson, Arcade Fire), gaming promos (South of Midnight), VR (Gymnasia), and Cirque du Soleil projections. Haunting yet familiar, their evocative and mysterious visuals ultimately contains deeply layered and compassionate explorations of the oddity known as the human heart. (Chris Robinson)
Kinetic Curiosities: The Films of Gina Kamentsky
A frequent (and beloved) presence at the OIAF, Kamentsky’s camera-less, abstract animations combine technical innovation with wild, hilarious, and often saucy storylines. The result is a mixed-media buffet of found sounds and images, infused with a comic and often absurdist sensibility. In a rare feat, her work proves that abstract animation can be both entertaining and genuinely funny! (Chris Robinson)
Raw Outrage – The Films of Phil Mulloy
If Disney is animation’s heart, then Phil Mulloy is its dark, pulsating bowels. Far from cuddly heroes and moral fables, Mulloy’s crude, bold-lined animations skewer social, political, and religious hypocrisy with biting cynicism. In Cowboys, The Christies, Endgame, Intolerance, and The Ten Commandments, his grotesque stick figures inhabit a world where repression breeds absurdity, and violence feels inevitable. In today’s chaotic age, his scathing satire feels more relevant than ever, exposing the cycles of greed, cruelty, and self-delusion that define humanity. Relentlessly bleak yet wickedly sharp, Mulloy’s work reminds us that if we started over, we’d end up right back here.
This three-part retrospective will be accompanied by an exhibition of Mulloy’s art. He will also give a talk about his career and serve as a member of the OIAF25 Short Film Competition jury. (Chris Robinson)
Eternal Stories: Animating Ancient Greek Myths
Greek myths, first told almost three thousand years ago, have had fascinating afterlives in Western cultural history. Each era tells these stories again, in the visual arts, in novels, poems, plays and films. We never cease to be inspired by these eternal narratives of dysfunctional families, the ravages of war, the stubbornness of free will in the face of an inexplicable destiny. And each version reflects the atmosphere, ideology and current crises of the time and place that does the retelling.
The films in this program are inspired by Greek myth, with a particular, but not exclusive, focus on Greek drama. These versions are subversive in the free-wheeling way unique to animation. They are satirical, poetic, psychoanalytical; they contain social critique and fresh interpretations. Their aesthetic often contains a tribute to the material evidence of antiquity, or includes meta-dramatic elements that remind us of our continuing, complex and exciting relationship with the ancient world. (Magdalena Zira)
New Way, New World – Connecting Japanese Animators to the World
New Way, New World: Connecting Japanese Animators to the World (NeW NeW), a pioneering initiative by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) and the Japan Arts Council, empowers Japanese animation creators on the global stage. By fostering international connections and providing access to premier animation festivals, NeW NeW propels filmmakers towards collaborative partnerships. At this special program, witness the brilliance of past OIAF Grand Prix laureates—Sarina Nihei, Honami Yano, and Ryo Orikasa. Joining them are three dynamic talents handpicked by the project: Ryo Hirano, Kazuki Sekiguchi, and Isaku Kaneko. Through insightful screenings and talks, these visionaries will unveil their remarkable achievements and exciting future endeavors. (Nobuaki Doi)
