The 18th Animated Dreams festival (Tallinn, Estonia) received over 500 submissions, from which 66 were chosen for the festival's three competition programmes.

In the Grand Competition there are a total of 28 animated films from 21 different countries. The student competition has 24 student films and the newest competition programme SHUT UP! consists of 20 films without dialogue or narration by students and professionals alike.

 The festival's new artistic director Olga Pärn describes the selection as strong films with brilliant direction and very personal artistic statements.

Strong indeed. The festival pair of Igor Kovalyov (Before Love) and Phil Mulloy (Endgame) is also present at Animated Dreames (Mulloy in two categories).

Špela Čadež comes back with her new road movie/David Lynchian short, Nighthawk (watch the trailer). 

Ivan Bogdanov and Vessela Dancheva (Anna Blume) present a highly ritualistic short, Travelling Country. 

Traveling Country (production: Bonobo Studio)

Koji Yamamura (Satie's Parade), Vladimir Leschiov (Waiting for the New Year), Thomas Renoldner (L' Alfabeto della cose piccole) are also in competition, as well as the new film by Elli Vuorinen, Sore Eyes for Infinity.

Sore Eyes for Infinity

Estonians are represented in Grand Competition by Ülo Pikkov (The Empty Space), Kristjan Holm (Full House), and Martinus Daane Kleemet (Fatcula). In the student competition, the Estonian-based Lucija Mrzijak participates with Shuma (2016).

Shuma

 The Grand Competition will be judged by animation historian and writer Giannalberto Bendazzi (Italy), Pedro Rivero (Spain) and Estonian animation director and cinematographer Janno Põldma (Estonia).

The full list of films in the competition programme. See also the Panorama section of the festival (where familiar names appear).

 GRAND COMPETITION:

BEFORE LOVE (2015) Dir: Igor Kovalyov

PHANTOM CITY (2015) Dir: Patrick Jenkins

CURSE OF THE FLESH (2016) Dir: Yannick Lecoeur, Leslie Lavielle

THE KID AND THE HEDGEHOG (2016) Dir: Marc Riba & Anna Solanas

MONKEY (2015) Dir: Jie Shen

NIGHTHAWK (2016) Dir: Spela Cadez

SORE EYES FOR INFINITY (2016) Dir: Elli Vuorinen

LEAD IN THE HEAD (2016) Dir: Aurore Peuffier

ANALYSIS PARALYSIS (2016) Dir: Anete Melece

L'ALFABETO DELLE COSE PICCOLE (2015) Dir: Linda Wolfsgruber, Federica Pagnucco, Thomas Renoldner

EMPTY SPACE (2016) Dir: Ülo Pikkov

CHATEAU AU GO GO (2016) Dir: Steve Gentile

SATIE'S PARADE (2015) Dir: Koji Yamamura

CAT MEETS DOG (2015) Dir: Paul Driessen

TANGO (2016) Dir: Francisco Gusso, Pedro Giongo

INK MEETS BLANK (2016) Dir: Tymoni Albrzykowski

WAITING FOR THE NEW YEAR (2016) Dir: Vladimir Leschiov

FATCULA (2016) Dir: Martinus Daane Klemet

AU REVOIR BALTHAZAR (2016) Dir: Rafael Sommerhalder

WINDOWS (2016) Dir: Angella Lipskaya

FULL HOUSE (2016) Dir: Kristjan Holm

DOTA (2016) Dir: Petra Zlonoga

PARADE (2015) Dir: Digna van der Put

G-AAAH (2016) Dir: Elizabeth Hobbs

HIGH SUMMER (2016) Dir: Josselin Facon

WINTER LOVE (2015) Dir: Isabel Herguera

TRAVELLING COUNTRY (2016) Dir: Vessela Dantcheva, Ivan Bogdanov

ENDGAME (2016) Dir: Phil Mulloy

STUDENT COMPETITION

TOUGH (2016) Dir: Jennifer Zheng

WHEN THE (2016) Dir: Raffaele Gans Pfister

CHILD (2016) Dir: Viktor Stickel, Iring Freytag

LIMOEIRO (2016) Dir: Joana Silva

WHAT THEY BELIEVE (2016) Dir: Shoko Hara

TOUR (2016) Dir: Jasmijn Cedee

AS A LITTLE BIRD (2016) Dir: Yyhely Hälvin

SCHROEDINGER'S DOG (2016) Dir: Natalia Krawczuk

ILLUSIONS (2016) Dir: Dominica Harrison

FEARS (2015) Dir: Nata Metlukh

THE GREY HOUND (2016) Dir: Josh Saunders

THE WRONG END OF THE STICK (2016) Dir: Terri Matthews

COME TO ME (2016) Dir: Marta Reis Andrade

PENELOPE (2016) Dir: Heta Jäälinoja

STARTING OVER (2016) Dir: Mika Seike

MIRROR (2016) Dir: Anna Lytton

TRACES OF THE EPHEMERAL (2016) Dir: Agnieszka Waszczeniuk

HOOTCHU (2015) Dir: June Kim

NOVEMBRE (2015) Dir: Marjolaine Perreten

ZHI-HAO (2016) Dir: Wu Chung-Yi

BESIDE ONESELF (2015) Dir: Karolina Specht

SHUMA (2016) Dir: Lucija Mrzljak

HYPERTRAIN (2016) Dir: Etienne Kompis, Fela Bellotto

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? (2016) Dir: Sophia Markatatos

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ENDGAME (2016) Dir: Phil Mulloy

THIS AIN'T DISNEYLAND (2015) Dir: Faiyaz Jafri

BATFISH SOUP (2016) Dir: Amanda Bonaiuto

MONKEY (2015) Dir: Jie Shen

AU REVOIR BALTHAZAR (2016) Dir: Rafael Sommerhalder

STARTING OVER (2016) Dir: Mika Seike

THE KID AND THE HEDGEHOG (2016) Dir: Marc Riba & Anna Solanas

GARDEN PARTY (2016) Dir: Théophile Dufresne, Florian Babikian, Gabriel Grapperon, Lucas Navarro, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Claire

MADE IN SPAIN (2016) Dir: Coke Riobóo

PARADE (2015) Dir: Digna van der Put

FISH SCALE (2016) Dir: Alicja Kot

YOU ARE NOT THE STRONGEST (2016) Dir: Emilio Yebra

TRAVELLING COUNTRY (2016) Dir: Vessela Dantcheva, Ivan Bogdanov

G-AAAH (2016) Dir: Elizabeth Hobbs

HERE THERE (2015) Dir: Alexander Stewart

PILE (2016) Dir: Raffaele Gans-Pfister

LAST JUDGMENT (2016) Dir: Junyi Xiao

THERE'S TOO MANY OF THESE CROWS (2016) Dir: Morgan Miller

FULL HOUSE (2016) Dir: Kristjan Holm

CHOPPING WOOD (2016) Dir: Emmi Heimonen

The 18th Animated Dreams Festival takes place 16-20 November 2016 in Tallinn, Estonia.

 SHUT UP! COMPETITION

ENDGAME (2016) Dir: Phil Mulloy

THIS AIN’T DISNEYLAND (2015) Dir: Faiyaz Jafri

BATFISH SOUP (2016) Dir: Amanda Bonaiuto

MONKEY (2015) Dir: Jie Shen

AU REVOIR BALTHAZAR (2016) Dir: Rafael Sommerhalder

STARTING OVER (2016) Dir: Mika Seike

THE KID AND THE HEDGEHOG (2016) Dir: Marc Riba &amp Anna Solanas

GARDEN PARTY (2016) Dir: Théophile Dufresne, Florian Babikian, Gabriel Grapperon, Lucas Navarro, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Claire

MADE IN SPAIN (2016) Dir: Coke Riobóo

PARADE (2015) Dir: Digna van der Put

FISH SCALE (2016) Dir: Alicja Kot

YOU ARE NOT THE STRONGEST (2016) Dir: Emilio Yebra

TRAVELLING COUNTRY (2016) Dir: Vessela Dantcheva, Ivan Bogdanov

G-AAAH (2016) Dir: Elizabeth Hobbs

HERE THERE (2015) Dir: Alexander Stewart

PILE (2016) Dir: Raffaele Gans-Pfister

LAST JUDGMENT (2016) Dir: Junyi Xiao

THERE’S TOO MANY OF THESE CROWS (2016) Dir: Morgan Miller

FULL HOUSE (2016) Dir: Kristjan Holm

CHOPPING WOOD (2016) Dir: Emmi Heimonen