Disclaimer: There are NO bad films on this list, all of them are 5 stars in their own right. A reminder that this is just my opinion as a viewer who watches stuff for fun. You do NOT need to agree with me.
HIFF44’s START MOTION SHORTS is a selection of animated shorts from around the world. Described as “equally haunting and beautiful” by HIFF, this shorts program was certainly a joy to watch. Keep reading to see my personal takes on each of the stories.
HAVE I SWALLOWED YOUR DREAMS
A poetic conversation between an immigrant daughter and her mother about sacrifices and dreams.
This was my mom’s favorite of the festival and I must agree that she has good taste. HAVE I SWALLOWED YOUR DREAMS is probably one of the most emotional and well-articulated short films I’ve ever seen. It tackles the complexities of parent-child relationships against the backdrop of the immigrant’s experience and it manages to do it all within 6 minutes. Absolutely astounding. Director Clara Chen reveals that the film took about 4 years to complete and it was well worth the effort. Infinitely heartwarming with smooth and gorgeous animation, Have I Swallowed Your Dreams captures the immigrants’ journey, generational guilt, and the power of familial love.
RUTHLESS BLADE
In the midst of turmoil at Six Lantern Palace, the white tiger named Eleven disrupts an impending execution to rescue his comrades, the Five Tigers of Songtang. In the heat of battle, he discovers that Ruthless Blade, a merciless adversary, is an old acquaintance and a woman he once held dear.
RUTHLESS BLADE was my personal favorite of the lineup even if it didn’t quite make the top of the list. In terms of story this one may be one of the more convoluted tales, but what you’re really watching it for is the mind blowing animation and fight scenes. The combination of 2D and 3D animation here is phenomenal, it really breathes life and blood into the drawings. I was at the edge of my seat for the entire short. Did I completely understand what was happening at first? Not really. Did I care? Absolutely not. By the end of it, my only complaint was that there wasn’t more. RUTHLESS BLADE has made me a huge fan of director Bo Zhang and I cannot wait to see what they’ll create next. I also blame this short for the Alugalug Cat 2.0’s song to make it to the top of my spotify list. Mark my words, at the rate they’re going, China may very well take Japan’s crown as the animation king of the East.
MY JACKET
Precocious middle-schooler Lilah has misplaced her jacket.
MY JACKET exceeded my expectations. With director Chesley Cannon’s background in theater, the film resembles a one-act play or a long monologue, which I wasn’t too keen on at first, but it grew on me. It’s one of the few films on this list that made me laugh in the theater. The main character is annoyingly charming, and the dialogue is spot on. MY JACKET is also the only film here where the supporting characters are just as entertaining as the lead. It’s hard to believe it all came together in six months. I will admit that I found the ending to be a tad cliché, but the journey to get there made this short worth watching.
FIRST LINE
In the corner of an anime studio, the newcomer animator Mito takes on the challenge of creating the most demanding animation part. However, Mito is hampered by seemingly unreasonable demands from the director and soon finds himself unable to draw even a single line…
Without knowing anything else about the film aside from one still frame, FIRST LINE reminded me of Studio Ghibli, which is ironic given its message. It’s the classic story of an artist rediscovering their roots and passion for their craft while grappling with the expectations of those around them. Part of the Gemnibus Vol. 1 anthology released by Toho, FIRST LINE features strong animation (as expected from Japan) and a simple, if somewhat clichéd, narrative. Nevertheless, while the premise didn’t initially grab me, the moment Mito unleashes his creativity and the film dives into a fantasy sequence, I was fully engaged. This entire sequence is visually stunning, showcasing great animation, design, and an abundance of creativity. While the story may not have been my favorite in this collection, that one sequence makes the short a must-watch for anyone wanting to experience the magic of animation.
THE BROWN DOG
At night, a watchman clocks into a lonely security booth in the empty parking lot of an upscale apartment complex
Two words to describe this film: existential dread. But in a good way, perhaps? THE BROWN DOG is the kind of short that lingers in your mind long after you’ve seen it, whether or not you enjoyed it. Based on The Brown Dog Chronicles by Willis Earl Beal, this 3D animated film directed by Nadia Hallgren and Jamie-James Medina is one of the strangest stories I’ve ever encountered. If I’m completely honest, it did lose me at times (I’ve always struggled to pay attention during long monologues), but even then, I appreciated it as a visual experience. Not to mention, Michael K. Williams delivers a fantastic narration; his voice is both soothing and chilling. The colors, sound design, and animation create a deliciously dark ambiance that evokes the feeling of walking alone on a cold night, with only the streetlights to keep you company. That said, if you’re not in the mood to question your existence, I’d recommend steering clear of this one.
FORTUNE COOKIE
A fortune–cookie–head crumbles himself, piece by piece in order to keep devouring creatures out of his way.
FORTUNE COOKIE is a heartbreaking tale wrapped in an unassuming package. At a first glance, the stop-motion animation exudes a certain innocence, with its simple—and dare I say, kind of cute in a horrifying way—character designs. However, as the story unfolds, the audience becomes increasingly aware of the darkness lurking beneath the surface. According to director Fu Yang, FORTUNE COOKIE is a concept born from her own experiences, serving as a metaphor for reality. While I’m not sure the short offers anything particularly new regarding mental health and burnout, its ending delivers a twist I definitely didn’t see coming.
BAIGAL NUUR – LAKE BAIKAL
The formation and history of Lake Baikal in Siberia are re-imagined with hand-made animation, featuring the voice of a Buryat woman who can still recall some words in her endangered Buryat-Mongolian language.
Beautifully animated with hand-painted imagery, BAIGAL NUUR – LAKE BAIKAL is a love letter to Siberia from Mongolia. It’s an extraordinary piece, featuring some of the most vibrant colors and textures I’ve seen in animated films. The use of the endangered Buryat language is both melodic and powerful. Director Alisi Telengut creates a wonderfully immersive experience of nature that audiences will never forget, though whether they fully understand what’s happening is debatable. If you appreciate animation as a medium of expression, art, and culture, BAIGAL NUUR – LAKE BAIKAL is definitely worth checking out. However, for those seeking a clear narrative, this may not be the film for you.
TEHRAN IS OURS
A girl joins protests on the city streets. Like everyone else, she wears a mask to keep her face unrecognizable. She and many others meet police resistance; she is trapped in an empty alleyway. It is there that she is shot. But she cannot be silenced in this political drama.
I don’t have too much to say about TEHRAN IS OURS simply because it’s a short film that speaks for itself. It’s a political drama piece that has to do with the silencing of voices and the fight for standing for what you believe in. Whether the audience likes this film or not is besides the point because I don’t think its story is meant to be something you can like or dislike. The short focuses more on delivering a message than on providing a succinct narrative, highlighting the reality of standing up against oppression and police brutality while capturing both the fear and bravery of those involved in the struggle. If you’re looking for an animated short purely for entertainment, this one probably isn’t for you. However, it’s clear that TEHRAN IS OURS possesses a voice that refuses to be silenced.
MÛ
Due to an extreme drought, a child sets out in search of the last remnants of water to sacrifice to a dried-up divine water spring.
MÛ is one of those stories that has a very strong concept with a very strong message, but is rather understated and simplistic when compared to the rest of the films on this list. The animation is super cool with its picture book aesthetic and I always appreciate a film that attempts to tell its story without dialogue but the story, in my opinion, was just a tad too slow for me. With that said, water scarcity is a significant issue in our world, and I applaud director Malin Neumann for shedding light on it.
THE UNSEEN
Timo is busy making his nest, when he hears a reply to his mating call. Desperate to find his mate, he takes flight, only to find the source of the reply is not what he had hoped.
THE UNSEEN, directed by Francesco Guarini, sheds light on animal endangerment, but more specifically bird endangerment. It’s a film that stabs in the heart, encouraging the audience to feel the same pain these birds experience. It’s a remarkable achievement, especially considering I find birds to be absolutely terrifying, so hats off to Francesco Guarini for making me care about an animated bird. However, due to its focus on endangered species and its brief runtime of about 3 minutes, it borders just on the edge of being more like a PSA. Not a bad thing per say, but I would’ve loved to see a longer narrative for this one.
Kaitlyn Kim was born and raised on the island of O’ahu and is a currently a senior at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa studying Cinematic Arts and Business Management. When she was little, she had a deep love for storytelling in all of its forms, but specifically in film. As a screenwriter, she is deeply passionate about telling unconventional and personal stories across all sorts of genres. She has recently become more involved with HIFF, serving as a part of their Student Advisory Committee and, briefly, as their Events Production Intern. In her free time, she enjoys reading cheesy YA novels and play farming video games like Harvest Moon.
The HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) program supports sustainable film criticism in Hawaiʻi through mentorship and paid career opportunities for Hawaiʻi-based AANHPI critics. The mission of HOCCI is to broaden diversity in film criticism across the Pacific and use influencer branding strategies to spark career opportunities. The 2024 HOCCI is supported by Critical Minded, a grant-making and learning initiative that supports cultural critics of color in the United States.
