Numbers first. 71 short stop-motion animation films made in 31 countries, encompassing Europe, Asia, South America, and North America, were selected for the 15th edition of the StopTrik International Film Festival (24-28 September 2025, Maribor, Slovenia). 360 films were submitted for consideration.

The festival this year has both seasoned directors ( Ülo Pikkov, Miloš Tomić, Bruno Collet are among them with new stop-motion films) and emerging authors. A significant number of student films feature Slovenian participation, including student films from the University of Nova Gorica ('Arachnophobia') and ALUO University of Ljubljana ('Our Lady of Rot'), as well as Slovenian animation authors such as Žoel Kastelic’s 'Butterflies' (Panorama Wide View).

We also see: the Annecy-premiered 'The Girl Who Cried Pearls' by Maciek Szczerbowski and Chris Lavis; Paulina Ziółkowska's 'Tears',  Donato Sansone's new film 'Dark Globe' and Elizabeth Hobbs's 'Close up'

The festival cooks something on the issue of goodness for this year's programme, as evidenced by its 'Panorama JOY Ltd." programme title, and its assertion that the subject matter of many selected works explores the dark side of humanity’s influence on the world we live in.

According to the festival organizers, Olga Bobrowska and Michał Bobrowski, the vast majority of the nearly 360 films submitted for his consideration this year demonstrated impressive skill in stop motion and an experimental approach to animation, as well as a deep understanding of cinema’s ability to convey stories of significance, sensitivity, and care. (""We're drowning in goodness", - Michał Bobrowski, StopTrik Programme Director). Obviously, selections had to be made in an animation world increasingly populated by long short films.

In the Stop Motion for Children International Competition, 15 stop-motion films were selected (out of 90 short animated films submitted) in three programmes, according to age.

The Full Animation Lineup of the 2025 StopTrik Festival

Stop Motion Competition screenings: 25. – 26. 9. 2025

24 films from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, France, Lithuania, Mexico, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, UK, USA

1. Atomik Tour, dir. Bruno Collet, prod. Les Productions Vivement Lundi !, Maurfilm, 2025, France, Czechia, 13' 03"
2. Contradiction of Emptiness, dir. Irina Rubina, prod. iraru.films, 2024, Germany, 3' 25"
3. Detlev, dir. Ehrhardt Ferdinand, prod. Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, 2024, Germany, 12' 50"
4. Dolores, dir. Cecilia Andalón Delgadillo, prod. Universidad de Guadalajara, Taller Del Chucho, Agujero Negro Cine, Maltaraña, 2024, Mexico, 8' 14"
5. Girl and the Pot, The / A Menina e o Pote, dir. Valentina Homem, Tati Bond, prod. Sempre Viva, 2024, Brazil, 12' 18"
6. Girl Who Cried Pearls, The, dir. Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, prod. National Film Board of Canada, 2025, Canada, 17' 28"
7. Gnawer of Rocks, The / Mangittatuarjuk, dir. Louise Flaherty, prod. Taqqut Productions, 2025, Canada, 14' 28"
8. Hello, Headquarters / Halo, Centrala, dir. Zuzanna Heller, prod. Lodz Film School, 2025, Poland, 5'
9. High Street Repeat, dir. Osbert Parker, Laurie Hill, prod. Osbert Parker Films, 2023, UK, 4' 25"
10. Hunting / Qui part à la chasse, dir. Lea Favre, prod. ÉCAL University of Art and Design Lausanne, Hélium Films, 2024, Switzerland, 10' 50"
11. Litham, dir. Magda Brzezińska, prod. UAP University of Arts in Poznań, 2024, Poland, 1' 28"
12. Occhio, dir. Giulia Falciani, prod. Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, 2024, Germany, 6' 06"
13. On Weary Wings Go By / Linnud läinud, dir. Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, prod. Fork Film, ART SHOT, Moon Birds Studios, 2024, Estonia, Lithuania, 11'
14. Our Lady of Rot / Naša Gospa Trohnenja, dir. Bibi Erjavec, prod. Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO), University of Ljubljana, 2025, Slovenia, 5' 08" 
15. Pleasure, A / Plazer bat, dir. Sonia Estévez, prod. Tik Tak Film Studio Koop. Elk. Txikia, 2024, Spain, 4' 05"
16. Pool or Death of a Goldfish, The / Basen albo śmierć złotej rybki, dir. Daria Kopiec, prod. Marmolada Films, 2025, Poland, 13' 48"
17. Progress Mining, dir. Gabriel Böhmer, prod. Rational Vagabund Film, 2024, UK, 16' 28"
18. Psychonauts / Psihonauti, dir. Niko Radas, prod. Croatian Association of Digital Artists, 2025, Croatia, 8'
19. Recordari, dir. Carolina Cruz, prod. Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Magnetfilm Berlin, 2024, Germany, Chile, 9' 31"
20. Silent Cinema / Неми Филмови (Nemi Filmovi), dir. Krste Gospodinovski,
prod. Focus Pocus Films, Flip Book Productions, Opal Film, 2025, North Macedonia, 16' 28"
21. SKRFF, dir. Corrie Francis Parks, Daniel Nuderscher, prod. SKRFF_ology, 2024, Austria, 7' 03"
22. Sulaimani, dir. Vinnie Ann Bose, prod. Girelle Production, 2024, France, 19' 49"
23. Tears / Rozdarcia, dir. Paulina Ziółkowska, prod. Wait A Second!, Letko, 2025, Germany, Poland, 9'
24. Tennis, Oranges, dir. & prod. Sean Pecknold, 2024, USA, 10'

Pool or Death of a Goldfish

Borderlands Competition screening: 27. 9. 2025

12 films from Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Slovenia, USA

1. Blue Chronicles, The / Crónicas Azules, dir. Miguel Anaya Borja, prod. Carolina del Carmen Pavía Silva, 2024, Mexico, 6' 22"
2. Corridor - Jump Cut, dir. Winston Hacking, prod. Rubber Cement Films, 2024, Canada, 3' 53"
3. Dark Globe, dir. Donato Sansone, prod. Base Zero, 2024, Italy, France, 3' 18"
4. Deconstruction, dir. Neda Ivanović, prod. University of Nova Gorica School of Arts, 2025, Slovenia, 3' 09"
5. Dizzy Cavalry / Cavalerie étourdie, dir. & prod. Patrick Doyon, 2025, Canada, 1'
6. Flow of Being / Olemise kulg, dir. Helen Unt, prod. Undi Teod, Compote Collective, 2024, Estonia, Bulgaria, 11' 11"
7. Graffiti, The / Rakugaki, dir. Ryo Orikasa, prod. The Yanai Initiative at UCLA, Waseda University, 2025, Japan, USA, 12' 33"
8. Moral Support, dir. Vuk Jevremović, prod. Canvas prod., 2024, Croatia, Germany, 4' 20"
9. Notebook of Names / Cuaderno de nombres, dir. Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña, prod. Diluvio, 2023, Chile, 8' 05"
10. Sewing Machine / Õmblusmasin, dir. Ülo Pikkov, prod. Silmviburlane, 2024, Estonia, 16' 38"
11. Stampfer Dreams, dir. & prod. Thomas Renoldner, 2024, Austria, 11' 50"
12. Where Blue Meets Red, dir. Tamás Patrovits, prod. Reanimation Studio, 2024, Hungary, 4' 04"

Moral Support

Panorama Wide View screening: 26. 9. 2025

24 films from Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czechia, France, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, UK, Uruguay, USA

1. 5-Second Rule, The, dir. Collective Invisible Friends, prod. Gulnara Nizamieva, 2025, Armenia, 1' 32"
2. Another Way / Druga pot, dir. Uku Jürgenson, prod. University of Nova Gorica School of Arts, 2025, Slovenia, 1' 23"
3. Arachnophobia / Arahnofobija, dir. Melita Sandrin, prod. University of Nova Gorica School of Arts, 2024, Slovenia, 2' 49"
4. Arthur, dir. Loyer Isabel, Atalar Meriç, prod. Camera-etc, 2024, Belgium, 3' 46"
5. bach!, dir. Matylda Maciejewska, prod. UAP University of Arts in Poznań, 2024, Poland, 1' 36"
6. Blooms, dir. Kwan Yau Tse, prod. School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, 2025, China, 1'
7. Butterflies / Metuljčki, dir. Žoel Kastelic, prod. Zavod Orbita, 2025, Slovenia, 3' 37"
8. Close Up, dir. & prod. Elizabeth Hobbs, 2025, UK, 1' 15"
9. Dawn / Amanecer, dir. Clara Rodríguez de Almeida, prod. UNMOMENSTOP, 2024, Uruguay, 2' 42"
10. Foreign Bodies, dir. Lysander Wong, prod. Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 2025, UK, 3' 30"
11. Guestbook / Kniha návštěv, dir. Alice Bisová, prod. UMPRUM Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, 2025, Czechia, 1' 06"
12. I Inside the Old I Dying, dir. Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña, prod. Diluvio, 2023, UK, 3' 11"
13. It' s Been a While / 好久不見 (Hao Jiu Bu Jian), dir. & prod. Ailun Su, 2025, Taiwan, 7' 16"
14. Line, dir. Joyce Gao, Shentao Hong, Chak Wing Chan, Xinrong Chen, prod. School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, 2025, China, 1'
15. Letter to a Friend, A / Pismo Paulini, dir. Ana Prebil, prod. LUCA School of Arts, 2024, Belgium, 3' 48"
16. Long Distance / Longue Distance, dir. Iulia Voitova, prod. Avec ou sans Vous, 2025, France, 8' 17"
17. Luck, dir. Wong Long Yuet, NATHALY Irene, Lam Sze Wa, Linaura Destania, prod. School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, 2025, China, 1'
18. Mater Benefacta, dir. Marc Riba, Anna Solanas, prod. I+G Stop Motion, 2024, Spain, 11' 45"
19. Need a Good Sleep?, dir. Joseph Wallace, prod. ATime Productions, 2024, UK, 00' 38"
20. Ravenera / Гарванера (Garvanera), dir. & prod. Teodor Ralev, 2025, Bulgaria, 9' 38"
21. Thirteen, The / I Tredesin, dir. & prod. Bianca Girardi, 2024, Italy, 2' 55"
22. Thorn in the Eye / Трън в окото (Tryn v okoto), dir. Lydia Tsvetkova, Viktoria Panova, prod. New Bulgarian University, 2025, Bulgaria, 3' 22"
23. Tulipomania: Then and Only Then, dir. Cheryl Gelover, Tom Murray, prod. Tulipomania, 2024, USA, 3' 15"
24. Study in Scurvy and Hope, A / Studie kurděje/naděje, dir. Amálie Roxana Němečková, prod.Academy of Arts, UMPRUM Architecture and Design in Prague, 2025, Czechia, 1' 36"

Letter to A Friend

Panorama Joy Ltd. screening: 28. 9. 2025

11 films from Colombia, Czechia, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Sweden, UK, USA

1. Buckshot, dir. Trevor Hardy, prod. Pigbird Animation Studio, 2025, UK, 0' 10"
2. Carcassonne-Acapulco, dir. Marjorie Caup, Olivier Héraud, prod. 12//24 FILMS, Association 1071, 2025, France, 13' 47"
3. Foil Guy vs ANVIL, dir. & prod. Malcolm Lamont, 2024, USA, 1'
4. Garden / Bašta, dir. Miloš Tomić, prod.kuda.org, 2024, Serbia, 3' 24"
5. Garu & Ponki / Garu y Ponki, dir. Cristhian Jallier, prod. Verité Colombia, Panther Films, 2024, Colombia, 11'
6. History of Humanity. Summarized (for Kids), dir. Stefano Bertelli, prod. Seenfilm di Bertelli Stefano Sas  & c., 2024, Italy, 1' 30"
7. Ovary-Acting, dir. Ida Melum, prod. Klipp og Lim, 2025, Norway, Sweden, UK, 12' 26"
8. Paws & Pestilence, dir. & prod. Laura Venditti, 2025, Canada, 00' 51"
9. Refusers, The, dir. Wiep Teeuwisse, prod. Tinsel Studio, 2024, The Netherlands, 2' 31"
10. What Was I Made For?, dir. Anja Giele, Producers: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, 2024, Germany, 2' 28"
11. Why Don' t You Touch Me? / Proč se mě nedotýkáš?, dir. Eliška Oz, prod. Kouzelna animace, 2025, Czechia, 6' 17'

Ovary Acting

Programmes selector: Michał Bobrowski.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: STOP MOTION FOR CHILDREN

Stop Motion for Children 1: 24. 9. 2025
Stop Motion for Children 2: 24. 9. 2025
Stop Motion for Children 3: 26. 9. 2025

Stop Motion for Children 1 (6-8 years old):

1. Bobel' s Kitchen, dir. Fiona Rolland, prod. Atelier de production de La Cambre, 2024,Belgium, 10' 25"
2. Clayful Adventure, A, dir. & prod. Florrie Macleod, 2025, UK, 3' 54"
3. Hatter, The / Kapelusznik, dir. Matylda Maciejewska, prod. UAP University in Poznań, 2024, Poland, 00' 45"
4. Le Petit et Le Géant, dir. Isabela Costa, prod. VLAD& co, 2025, Brazil, France, 8' 40"
5. Once Upon a Time in Dragonville / Il était une fois à Dragonville, dir. Marika Herz, prod. Folimage, 2024, France, Switzerland, 9' 15"

Stop Motion for Children 2 (9-11 years old):

1. I Found a Box / J' ai trouvé une boîte, dir. Eric Montchaud, prod. Sacrebleu Productions, 2024, France, 9'
2. Flower Lantern in the Woods, dir. & prod. Yiling Zeng, 2023, USA, 6' 10"
3. Night Boots, The / Les Bottes de la Nuit, dir. Pierre-Luc Granjon, prod. Am Stram Gram, 2024, France, 12' 21"
4. New Home For The Goat Family, A / Ein neues Zuhause für Familie Ziege, dir. & prod. Maria Steinmetz, 2025, Germany, 7' 23"
5. Once Beneath a Time, dir. & prod. Amelia Dickson, 2024, USA, 4' 42"

Stop Motion for Children 3 (12-14 years old):

1. Down in the Dumps, dir. Vera van Wolferen, prod. Family Affair Films, 2024, The Netherlands, 18'
2. Dragfox, dir. Lisa Ott, prod. NFTS, 2024, UK, 8' 10"
3. Filante, dir. Marion Jamault, prod. Phenomenes Films, 2024, France, 8' 49"
4. Freak of Nature, dir. Alexandra Lermer, Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, 2024, Germany, 8' 16"
5. SHORTS FROM THE BOX / Modern Times, dir. Géza M. Tóth, prod. KEDD Animation Studio, 2024, Hungary, 10' 36"

Dragfox

Selectors: Jelena Dragutinović, Brina Fekonja

The 15th StopTrik International Film Festival takes place in Maribor, Slovenia, from 24 to 28 September 2025.  The festival's Grand Prix in all competition programmes is awarded by popular vote

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