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'The Last Spring', 'Metafear' and 'Cartoon Physics' Among BIAF 2026 Animation Short Selections

ZF Team 18 August 2026

Metafear Shuhei Morita animation film still

Metafear by Shuhei Morita, one of the short animation films selected at BIAF 2026

The 28th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2026), taking place October 23–27, 2026, has announced 35 films selected for its International Short Competition.

The selection brings together acclaimed filmmakers, emerging artists, and creators with professional backgrounds at major animation studios. The lineup includes films selected for major international festivals including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Annecy, and Locarno, offering a broad view of contemporary animation.

The festival has previously announced selections for Graduation, TV films, and Korean Films.

Shorts from Major International Festivals

Among the films selected for the Cannes Short Film Competition are 'The Last Spring' and 'Sisters’ Swim'. 'The Daughters of the Late Colonel' and 'Eri' were selected for Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Korean director Wonjung Choi’s 'Bird Rhapsody', selected for La Cinef at the Cannes Film Festival, will compete in BIAF2026’s International Short Competition. The film is also selected for BIAF’s Graduation Films Competition.

The Venice Film Festival short competition includes 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' and 'Distant Blue'. Berlin Film Festival selections include 'Cosmonauts', 'Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe!', and 'A Serious Thought', while Locarno selections include 'Gherking' and 'Piluk'.

The competition also includes films connected to Sundance and Annecy, extending the range of international festival selections represented in this year’s lineup.

Distant Blue Moein animation film still

Distant Blue

Notable Filmmakers and Works

Several films in the competition come from filmmakers whose work has already received international recognition. 'Metafear', directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Shuhei Morita, creates an imaginative science-fiction world through a distinctive visual language.

'Living with a Visionary', directed by Stephen P. Neary, whose credits include story artist work on 'KPop Demon Hunters', brings the experience of a major animation production into a personal short-film format.

The selection also includes 'Cartoon Physics', directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter.

From Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks to Independent Animation

Another notable aspect of this year’s competition is the presence of filmmakers with professional experience at major Hollywood animation studios.

'Dear Upstairs Neighbors', directed by Connie He, comes from a filmmaker with experience at Pixar.
'Saba', directed by Liron Topaz, is by an animator whose credits include DreamWorks Animation’s 'How to Train Your Dragon' and 'Kung Fu Panda 2'.
First Haircut!', directed by Ivo Kos, features a filmmaker whose professional background includes work on Pixar productions such as 'Soul' and 'Elio'.

These films show how artists from major studio productions are applying their experience to personal and independent animation, exploring more individual approaches to storytelling and visual expression.

Diverse Voices and Animation Techniques

The 35 selected films span hand-drawn, stop-motion, digital, paper-based, and experimental approaches, reflecting the variety of contemporary animation practices.

'The Spring Sea', directed by Koji Yamamura, reflects the poetic tradition of Japanese animation, while 'SUN’S ROSE, MOON’S LAPIS', directed by Takashi Nakamura, brings another distinctive Japanese voice to the competition.

The lineup also includes 'Motherhood' by Anca Damian, 'Paper Daughter' by Cami Kwan, 'Emulsion' by Shiyu Tang, 'Pre-Parenting' by Yu Yu, 'Empty' by Nahyun Baek and Dahyun Baek, and 'Pajarito' by Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma.

'The Question', directed by Alberto Segre and produced by XBO Films, follows the journey of journalist Henri Alleg’s testimony after he was tortured by the French army in 1957 and how his account reached the outside world.

'El Din', directed by Julien Regnard and Pascal Giraud, further expands the competition’s range of contemporary European animation.

Sun's Rose, Moon Lapis animation film still

Sun's Rose, Moon Lapis

Selection Process

The selection was made following three months of intensive viewing and discussion by director Moon Soojin, CINE21 journalist Kim Somi, BIAF program director Eugene Kim, and former programmer Lee Eunhwa. The committee reviewed films from around the world, focusing on artistic originality, animation techniques, storytelling, and each filmmaker’s distinctive vision.

Highlights

'The Last Spring' — France / Directed by Mathilde Bédouet / Selected for the Cannes Short Film Competition.
Marion and Camille, 15, are inseparable. Their final school trip to a southern island becomes a moment of first experiences and the abrupt end of carefree days.

'Metafear' — Japan / Directed by Shuhei Morita
A girl’s unnamed nightmare transforms into a monster and spreads across the world, plunging it into chaos.

'Distant Blue' — France / Directed by Amir Houshang Moein / Selected for the Venice International Film Festival.
A fisherman fleeing war lives on a remote beach, far from his past.

'Dear Upstairs Neighbors' — United States / Directed by Connie He
A young woman desperate for sleep is kept awake by her noisy upstairs neighbors.

'Sisters’ Swim' — France / Directed by Lola Degove / Selected for the Cannes Short Film Competition.
Two sisters travel to Ostend every New Year’s Day to continue their mother’s traditional swim, gradually finding a new understanding of each other.

'Empty' — Korea / Directed by Nahyun Baek and Dahyun Baek
A girl quietly creates within her isolated world until something unfamiliar enters her life.

'SUN’S ROSE, MOON’S LAPIS' — Japan / Directed by Takashi Nakamura
A wounded soldier enters a dreamlike realm where he meets Lapis, who leads him to a castle tower to awaken Princess Rose.

'The Question' — France / Directed by Alberto Segre
The film traces the journey of journalist Henri Alleg’s testimony after he was tortured by the French army in 1957, and how his account reached the outside world.