Family Dinner
Tonight, dinner starts with a slice of tomato.
Directed by: Huayi Yu
Love and Peace and Beaver
A young beaver living in the forest dreams of achieving great things. But how will he react when his home is threatened by a mysterious figure...?
Directed by: Stephen Redmond
Open Eire
Six year old would-be animator Dáire takes us on a doodle sketch journey across Ireland’s culture, heritage and nature.
Directed by: Walter Giampaglia
STRIDE & SHINE!
STRIDE & SHINE! is a hand-drawn experimental animation about a character going through a vibrant journey and collecting pieces along the way. It is designed with a container for a head, symbolizing an open and receptive mind. She navigates a world of vibrant colors, abstract characters and shifting environments, shining as she grows through each experience. The film explores the idea of immersing oneself in an ideal, supportive world, embracing the journey where kindness and encouragement guide the character forward.
Directed by: Xinyi Tian
Ma Mao
A little cat named Mao sneakily follows her owner around town, helping her escape claw-ful cat-astrophes.
Directed by: Thanh Ngo
Chirp Talker
On her city balcony, Audrey delights in the flutter of tiny birds—fluffing their feathers, chattering, and sneaking tangerine bites. Their chirps sound like cheerful hellos and playful spats, inspiring her to invent a bird-language translator that unlocks their secret conversations.
Directed by: Audrey He-Qing Cheng
Once upon a starry night
A brave mouse helps the fallen stars return to the sky.
Directed by: Masha Rumyantseva
Christopher & the Bug
Christopher and the Bug is a heartwarming short film about a reclusive owl whose peaceful
solitude is disrupted when a tiny bug unknowingly moves into his home. As their paths
intertwine, he discovers the transformative power of friendship, empathy, and inclusion.
Directed by: Vanessa Esteves, Kevin Micallef
Skin Colour
Eight-year-old Maya wants to draw the best portrait in art class, but when she realizes that the shade the teacher calls "skin color" doesn't match her own, she feels torn between her truth and her desire to please the teacher and excel. Through her journey, Maya will discover the beauty in the different shades and colours that exist in the world.
Directed by: Gilad Pfeffer
Express Photo
A girl tourist is practicing taking photos in the mountains when a monkey snatches her camera and runs away. The girl chases the monkey through the jungle, until unexpectedly the monkey asks the girl to take a family photo of her monkey family.
Directed by: Stella Martinelli (Ringling College Festival Assistant)
A Brotterway Show
This musical short film sees a river otter stage manager preparing her team for their musical's opening night. Sadly, her preparations are interrupted right before the audience arrives!
Directed by: Audrey Vega
The Timekeeper
A little girl who once rebelled against her grandmother’s strict schedule discovers the heart that beats behind every second and grows up to carry its rhythm on.
Directed by: Chenchen Zhou
Porcelain
‘Porcelain’ is a 2D animated sequence that follows a porcelain dog’s chase for its ball through a pottery shelf. Weaving through each piece, a visual adventure unfolds as illustrations come to life, exploring the different styles of pottery.
Directed by: Grace Kwok
Miria
On a normal afternoon, a little girl named Miria is happily drawing in the living room when a mysterious, magical star appears, enters her house, and heads straight for her toys. What seemed like a peaceful day suddenly turns into a whirlwind of enchantment, with toys floating through the air and magic all around. But if her mother walks in... will she find out?
Directed by: Fanny Arteaga
Pow!
A Native American kid scrambles to charge his dying video game console at a bustling intertribal powwow.
Directed by: Joey Clift