Abstract Showcase
The International Competition Programs are the backbone of the entire MIAF mission. Drawn from more than 2,000 submissions they showcase the best, most imaginative animating talent on the planet in a series of programs in which the only rule is diversity.
MIAF is one of the very few animation festivals in the world to devote an entire program to abstract and experimental animation. We do this because we believe that the tenets that underpin great abstract animation go to the very heart of what it is to create beautiful, frame by frame animated imagery; a form of animated artmaking with a history that reaches back to the earliest days of the animation.
Also – we do it because we love abstract animation!!
This Collage Life
Paul Fletcher
Australia, 7’10, 2024
A feeling of living in a collage; so many layers of simultaneous events, influences and inspirations, sadness and joy.
Mind Over Mood
Ecem Mora
Estonia, 2’18, 2015
Colour, shapes and weather. All play on our mind and affect our mood.
Fok Nabo Distorio
Francesco Rosso
Estonia, 7’04, 2014
A riveting experiment in form, motion, and sound is created through the manipulation of multiple light sources and transparent objects.
Eternal Casket
Beta Hsu Yun Chu, Sofya Antonova, Thore Flynn Hadrée
Hong Kong, 3’24, 2022
Romantic neon light, colourful billboards, and gleaming blurry images dazzle the pilgrims at the shrine.
Pierce
Xing Tong
Hong Kong, 1’14, 2021
An intensely imagined study in surface textures, crafted in charcoal and watercolour, abstractly visualising the concept of “pierce.”
Gabriel’s Oboe
Jean Detheux (Music, Frank Mento)
Canada, 2’22, 2024
Inspirations collided when a digital artist (Detheux) and a renowned musician (Mento) learned that they shared a love for Ennio Morricone’s “Gabriel’s Oboe.”
Simple Forms
Natalia Ryss
Israel, 3’30, 2023
What is Sound? What is Music? …what is Rain? Sound is tied to Images as if it was one object, like “phoneme”.
Enfold
Steve Socki
USA, 4’07, 2023
Mysterious figures dance within a shrouded, watery world of textures. Hidden images reverberate with the accompanying soundtrack of a glass harmonica.
Dawn & Dusk
Toni Mitjanit
Spain, 5’10, 2023
Dawn & Dusk is an abstract exploration of the temporal space between dawn and dusk, utilising the high sheen of cut-crystal 3D CGI animation.
Electronic Insects
Keum-Taek Jung
USA, 1’30, 2023
A high energy, image-rich exploration of the infinite connection that we all know exists between nature and abstraction.
Troada
Vitor Hugo Rocha
Portugal, 2’43, 2022
The cycle of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter is suddenly interrupted by a storm infused with rich currents of psychedelia.
Omouro
Naoya Shibahara
Japan, 2’36, 2023
An utterly intriguing excursion into places usually unseen, using woodblock prints that superimposes the inside of one’s own heart onto a strange tree cave.
The Artist In The Machine
Claudia Larcher
Austria, 3’25, 2022
Form is like a mechanical framework that is only brought to life with corresponding content. But what if the artistic process is delegated to computational procedures?
‘Prototipo
Tina Frank & General Magic
Austria, 4’00, 2023
A perception-shifting audiovisual artwork exploding with saturated light, colour, movement, and synesthetic sound.
Vision
Cağıl Harmandar
Japan, 7’20, 2022
Eyes are magical spheres that make up dreams and retain memories. In our eyes, the visions of ‘the within’ and of ‘the beyond’ overlap. New worlds come to be when our gazes meet.
To Hear To See
Dirk de Bruyn
Australia, 4’35, 2023
A compelling blending of sound and image building on the experiments of Nikolai Voinov (with, perhaps, a nod to the handmade soundtracks created by Norman McLaren).
This session is classified: Unclassified (M) Mature, not recommended for viewers under 15 years.
Please note that Backlot is NOT fully accessible. There are stairs with handrails, but no lift to the second floor where the cinema is located.