Rise and Shine 2025: New Short Animation Projects to Be Developed

3 European animation organizations, CEE Animation, Animafest Zagreb and Animateka Festival have joined forces to select emerging animation artists and their projects for further training and development.

Out of 60 applications received, 11 animation projects have been selected for the three-part programme. Throughout the programme the participants will be led by scriptwriter and pitching mentor Anna Vášová. A special focus will be on the project's story, which they will work on with screenwriter, director and producer Pedro Rivero as a mentor. Creative producer Jelena Popović (the National Film Board of Canada) will cover production specifics.

The first part of Rise & Shine will occur at the World Festival of Animated Film - Animafest Zagreb in June. The second part will take place online in October 2025. The third and final part will take place at Animateka International Animated Film Festival in Ljubljana in December 2025, culminating in the pitching presentation in front of the international audience and a selected panel of animation professionals.

We are very excited to welcome the fourth generation of inspiring projects and talents for Rise & Shine this year. We are sincerely thankful to our tutors
and team, and previous participants, as they are not only helping us to enjoy as we embark on this creative journey every year, but also to promote the programme as unique and useful, helping us reach quality projects with each new edition - Matea Milić and Saša Bach - Rise & Shine project managers

Selected 'Rise & Shine' Projects 2025

Daylight, d. Ayala Shoshana Guy, p. Fabian Driehorst, Fabian&Fred GmbH,Germany

Lolly tries to piece together her experiences as a call girl. Through conversations with sex workers, she gains new perspectives on desire, coercion and her own past.

Family Recipe, d. Lou-Anne Gérard, p. Titouan Tillier, Frigo Films, France
Jeanne wants to make a good impression at the annual gathering, but it’s difficult to stay calm when what looks like her uncle's corpse is served on the plates.

I Was Born Under This Tree, d. Mihaela Mîndru, France / Moldova
A young girl digs beneath an old walnut tree, uncovering layers of family stories, hidden grief, and ancestral myths, in a poetic animated tale about memory, inheritance, and the invisible threads connecting generations

The Place of Home, d. Henri Veermäe, p. Erik Heinsalu, GRAFIK OÜ, Estonia
Between a family and their home lies a frontline, new regimes, and a vast lake. Is one lifetime enough to pave the way back home?

Lovers in a Dangerous Time, d. Daniel Sterlin-Altman, p. Alexandre de Paillerets, Une boîte de plus, France  

Having escaped the pits of substance abuse, lovers Lindo and Beaux seek refuge in a dream of love and solitude—until the harsh tides of war and climate collapse tear through their fragile sanctuary    
     
Redefining Island, d. Julie Černá, p. Michaela Režová, Pure Shore, Czechia
When dating reality show contestants find themselves off the cameras, the love they created suddenly feels empty and the appearances superficial.

Runaway Heart, d. Mery Gobec, p. Nataša Vugrinec, Studio Virc, Slovenia
Unhappy housewife Ružica ventures into the world to find her runaway heart, and she finds it in the most unexpected place.

Seal the Deal, d. Lea Vučko, p. Damir Grbanović, Octopics, Slovenia

Will works a lousy job for a living, while dying to live like a seal.

Sighthounds, d. Marko Por, Slovenia
Two defiant sighthounds spark a rebellion in the dangerous world of dog racing and coursing.

The Chestnut Fair, d. Valeria Weerasinghe, p. Eleonora Muzzi, Sayonara Film / Italy
At a chestnut fair, two sisters crack open chestnut shells that transport them into different worlds, testing and mending their bond in dreamlike landscapes. 

Waltz on the Shore, d. Anna Tőkés, p. Bálint Gelley, CUB Animation, Hungary

On Grace’s island the weather is influenced by her mood, which is always cloudy and gray. One day, she gets help from her friends to express her feelings through dance,and together they lure the sun out

Participating projects will compete for several awards: Rise & Shine Audience Award, CEE Animation Forum Award which grants direct selection to the CEE Animation Forum  2026, Rise & Shine Film Centre of Montenegro Award and Short Film Market Clermont-Ferrand Attendance.

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