January 25th, 2021 
Jackson Murphy 
The Sundance Film Festival is one of the most prestigious events in entertainment. It’s an annual destination for movie fans and studio execs to see some big films first. Careers of actors and directors are born here… specifically in Park City, Utah. It may be hard to believe but Sundance did happen in person last year. The 2020 fest was one of the final major film-centered programs to take place before COVID shut down the entire industry last March.
So the 2021 Sundance Film Festival is the first (and hopefully only) virtual one. Highly-anticipated and breakthrough features will debut online. The Sundance website has all the information you need to purchase tickets to film screenings and special events.
This Thursday, January 28th, sees the premiere of 11 new animated short films. Nine of them are part of the Animation Spotlight presentation. The other two are in other Shorts presentation groups. All of them debut at 10amET.
Mike Plante, Sundance’s Senior Programmer, Short Film, provided this exclusive statement to Animation Scoop about this year’s animated shorts:
“Each year we get over 700 animated shorts submitted to us – it may be the toughest category to narrow down to a single program. So much exciting work is being made by independent and new voices. Our programming team strives to make a program with varied stories so you jump from one unique world to the next. Some are personal and intense, others make you laugh, and hopefully the opposing atmospheres make each short pop. We also love styles that are led by a strong vision. Even if the short was made by more than one person, you feel an identifiable, singular personality to the film that resonates.”
I’ve had the chance to screen all 11 shorts. It’s a diverse, global and visually exciting batch. Here’s a spoiler-free preview of the Class of 2021 Sundance animated shorts:
The Fire Next Time comes from the UK and director Renaldho Pelle. He takes an ordinary neighborhood scene – stores, apartment buildings, parks – and (literally and figuratively) sets it on fire. Pelle plays with color, depth and time to give us his perspective on the 2011 London riots and societal structure.
A still from The Fire Next Time by Renaldho Pelle, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Forever is screening as part of the Shorts Program 3 presentation. San Diego-based director Mitch McGlocklin says “the film is about my personal experience with an insurance company that used an A.I. algorithm to determine my eligibility for life insurance.” He uses some interesting technology merging real people and animated effects – and he allows us to think about the consequences that can spiral from the decisions we make.
A still from Forever by Mitch McGlockin, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Canada’s Alisi Telengut directs The Fourfold, about sacred Mongolian and Siberian beliefs and traditions. Telengut includes real plants, along with cool paint and texture techniques, as we learn about blessings, offerings and important cultural symbols against the backdrop of Climate Change.
A still from The Fourfold by Alisi Telengut, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Joe Cappa’s Ghost Dogs, from the U.S., is a highly inventive short that centers on a dog in a new home. He (and we) may not be entirely sure what we’re seeing. A variety of bits, gags, references and one-liners are sure to make you laugh… and maybe even creep you out.
A still from Ghost Dogs by Joe Cappa, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
GNT is an Australian entry. It’s directed by Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown. This is a comedy about three female friends who enjoy drinking, posting butt photos on Instagram and openly talking about their sex lives and body parts. Hirner and Vasquez-Brown say they were inspired by real-life conversations, and that sense of the realism and openness definitely comes through.
A still from GNT by Sara Hirner and Rosemary Vasquez-Brown, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Kang-min Kim, from South Korea, gives us KKUM. This emotional and thought provoking short sees a man interpret his mother’s dreams, which surround his life in the most specific and memorable ways. The snow-like animation, paired with perfectly structured narration, allows us to think about how we grow.
A still from KKUM by Kang-min Kimn, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Little Miss Fate is Switzerland filmmaker Joder von Rotz’s quirky and imaginative look at what fate can do to us. Is there someone – or something – that controls our every move… our decisions… our future… our destiny? There are definitely some story and visual surprises.
A still from Little Miss Fate by Joder von Rotz, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Misery Loves Company comes from Seoul-based writer, director and animator Sasha Lee. It’s about three high school students who gaze at the stars in the purple-ish blue sky one night. An interesting thought hits one of them. Lee makes us think about the future and the values of life as we listen to an original song and get inside the mind of someone who hopes for the best, even though it may not come true.
A still from Misery Loves Company by Sasha Lee, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
France’s My Own Landscapes is Antoine Chapon’s first film. If you screen this as part of the Documentary Shorts Program 2 presentation, you’ll learn so much about how creating a video game (specifically video game simulations of war and nature) impacts mental health. Narration, mixed with moments of character and scenic designs and themes of shock and healing, make this a must-see.
A still from My Own Landscapes by Antoine Chapon, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Antoine Chapon.
Souvenir Souvenir is directed by Academy Award nominee Bastien Dubois (“Madagascar, a Journey Diary”). This is a very serious story of a man making a film about his grandfather’s experiences during the Algerian War. It deals with how memories, recollections and mementos can trigger a variety of thoughts and emotions.
A still from Souvenir Souvenir by Bastien Dubois, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
And Trepanation, a U.S. selection from Nick Flaherty, uses 3D animation to showcase “a person who finds a large hole in the center of their living room floor.” What will happen next? It, like the rest of these Sundance animated shorts, has a strong hook and keeps you glued, with surprise and depth.
A still from Trepanation by Nick Flaherty, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
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