De Dag van de Korte Film (The Short Film Day) (with English subtitles)

The programme:

Balcony Cacaphony – Quentin Haberham (Netherlands 2023, 5 min., animation)
When a rich lady is forced to swap her mansion for a small apartment with a balcony, she has trouble getting used to her new neighbour and his strange hobbies. His loud music is the catalyst for an escalating quarrel, which takes on ever absurd forms in this jumpy animation. This ranges from simple noise pollution to incense terror and flying gin and tonic glasses. Will the two settle their dispute, or will things get relentlessly out of hand?

Gleuf – Isis Mihrimah Cabolet (Netherlands 2023, 17 min.)
In this examination of loneliness, director Isis Cabolet introduces a seventy-year-old woman to a young man whose life is not a social cornucopia either. Although they seem to be poles apart, they do rekindle each other’s spirits. Beppie Melissen plays the role of a mentally and socially isolated elderly woman; Michael Muller is her younger counterpart.

Het Optreden – Claire Zhou (Netherlands 2023, 20 min., animation)
Lin (41) prepares for her solo during the Chinese New Year celebrations of her church. She wants to impress the community, but her mentor thinks her singing does not really ‘touch’ people yet. He advises Lin to really open up, but that is hard. When subsequently rumours go around about her son not coming to church anymore for some time, Lin faces a tough choice. Will she keep hiding herself or will she show her true colours?

Ik Ben Geen Robot – Victoria Warmerdam (Netherlands 2023, 22 min.)
‘Do people think your conduct is aloof?’ When the young music producer Lara fails to convince her computer she is not a robot, she has her doubts too. Because no matter how often she identifies the traffic signs and trees in the tests, the computer will not accept her ticks. In panic, she calls her boyfriend for comfort, but this only complicates the situation further, in this absurd comedy full of black humour involving Lara’s existential dilemma.

Lucid Dreaming – Emma Evelein (Netherlands 2023, 15 min.)
Making a train journey, a girl is intrigued by the unknown traveller sitting across from her. Deeper and deeper, she loses herself in his perceptions. Both the train itself and her fellow passengers become an ever-intensive part of this experience, in this short dance film. During the ride, while empathy becomes powerful and fragile at the same time, the two passengers come closer to each other – without uttering a word.

When Doves Try – Thalia de Jong (Netherlands 2023, 3 min.)
Male dove Doffer courts female Duifje in this eerily familiar dance of attraction, seduction and... disillusionment. By the way, they are everything but boring humdrum pigeons. What strikes the eye is the hip design, with realistically captured birds set against a crisply coloured background and romantic soundtrack. This way, all attention is focussed on the graceful come-on.