January 20th, 2022 
Jackson Murphy 
The Sundance Film Festival is back, and it’s once again showcasing incredible animation talent from around the globe. The 15 animated shorts selected for the 2022 Virtual Fest are filled with intricately bold visuals and just as unique and interesting stories covering a wide range of topics. Here’s an Animation Scoop EXCLUSIVE Quote from Sundance’s Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Short Film:
“Of all the forms of filmmaking we get to see and show, animation is probably the most exciting. The biggest risks are taken, style coming straight from the animator’s mind, trippy characters… There is never enough space to show all the ones that we love. The 2022 group is just some of the impressive work being done in the medium today. Hand-drawn, painting, miniatures, CG… visions that you want to sink into and be moved by. There are some captivating political overtones, and there are small, poetic moments. And a few are overboard and will f**k you up in a good way. While you might have seen some already – we do not have a premiere policy for short films – we hope you’ll find new voices you have not heard before.”
The significance of the title “$75,000” won’t be revealed until near the end. Director Moise Togo presents transparent imagery and moments of stillness with haunting stories.
Bestia
Stop-motion “Bestia” (from Chile) opens with a woman on a flight. As she’s traveling to an unknown destination, we get to travel into her intense past. And what’s discovered is pretty shocking.
Chilly And Milly
“Chilly & Milly”, directed by William David Caballero, is a tribute to his parents. He uses pictures of toy figures and dollhouse furniture — and audio commentary from him and his mom and dad.
A still from The Fourth Wall by Mahboobeh Kalaee, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
In “The Fourth Wall”, a boy describes his parents as he attempts to overcome a stutter. Mom is shown with a washer, dad a refrigerator. A new baby arrives, too, to shake-up the dynamic.
A still from Goodbye Jerome! (Au Revoir Jérôme!) by Adam Sillard, Gabrielle Selnet and Chloe Farr, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
“Goodbye, Jerome!” asks the legitimately thought-provoking question, ‘What if, once we died, we wanted to reconnect with our significant other in Heaven?’ You can’t quite predict where that concept goes from here.
A still from The Hork by Nicole Stafford, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Video game fans should love “The Hork”, a four-minute exercise from director Nicole Stafford in which a protagonist seeks to defeat an enemy by accomplishing a specific task.
Meal On The Plate
“Meal on the Plate” (from China) is a hand-drawn “Meat or Plants?” comedy about a community that becomes what they eat.
Night Bus
20-minute “Night Bus” places us in a gritty scenario: passengers on the last bus of the day get on each other’s nerves through mistrust, betrayal and all-out unhinged violence.
A still from Rendang of Death by Percolate Galactic, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
“Rendang of Death” has a similar sense of energy, showing just how crazy people can get when they want food.
A still from Socrates’ Adventures in the Under Ground, by Aria Covamonas, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Aria Covamonas.
“Socrates’ Adventures in the Under Ground” presents the visions and ideas this master had, using light and darkness.
“Soft Animals”
Through pencil drawings and paint splashes, “Soft Animals” showcases how a man and a woman reconnect when they see each other for the first time in a long time. This three-minute short from director Renee Zhan is portrays a sexual experience artistically and without reservations.
“Swallow The Universe”
Thrilling “Swallow the Universe” will never make you look at frogs the same way again. (And you may spot the head of an iconic mouse as well.)
A still from Sweet Nothing by Joana Fischer and Marie Kenov, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Marie Kenov.
Comedic “Sweet Nothing” is about a woman lounging by large, bold flowers. She notices a man mowing the grass and may want to make a move. Will it be successful?
“We Are Here”
“We Are Here” is a platform for immigrants to share their struggles and aspirations. Their narration is accompanied by various colorful backgrounds with waves, lines and shapes.
“Zoon”
And “Zoon” is another memorable, immersive short. Director Jonathan Schwenk creates white, lizard-like creatures… and some other white creatures. What they do will definitely surprise you.
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