Happiness Machine

An anthology of various tales told in various styles with robots being the one common element among them.

The seven short films making up GENIUS PARTY couldn’t be more diverse, linked only by a high standard of quality and inspiration. Atsuko Fukushima’s intro piece is a fantastic abstraction to soak up with the eyes. Masaaki Yuasa, of MIND GAME and CAT SOUP fame, brings his distinctive and deceptively simple graphic style and dream-state logic to the table with “Happy Machine,” his spin on a child’s earliest year. Shinji Kimura’s spookier “Deathtic 4,” meanwhile, seems to tap into the creepier corners of a child’s imagination and open up a toybox full of dark delights. Hideki Futamura’s “Limit Cycle” conjures up a vision of virtual reality, while Yuji Fukuyama’s "Doorbell" and "Baby Blue" by Shinichiro Watanabe use understated realism for very surreal purposes. And Shoji Kawamori, with “Shanghai Dragon,” takes the tropes and conventions of traditional anime out for very fun joyride.

Pig lives at the top of a hill in a town surrounded by a destructive, dark cloud. Before Pig’s father leaves to find a solution to the cloud, he builds Pig a small wooden dam to protect him and the town. The dam’s windmill keeps the cloud at bay, and Pig now has the responsibility to care for the dam. Young and alone, Pig finds love and family through his friendship with Fox, and continues to care for the townsfolk in a variety of ways. However, Pig struggles with the absence of his father, and his desire to search for his father competes with his need to keep the town safe.

Two tiny, aquatic humanoids search for their missing father, a boy battles a lethal allergy to eggs, and an invisible salaryman tries to become a hero.

A trilogy of separate stories. In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a girl and her cat enter a strange world. In "Running Man", a racer takes on the ultimate opponent. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man must shut down worker robots.

Three back-to-back anime films by three different directors make up this sci-fi trilogy three years in the making.

The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, follow the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth.

Gottland provides an unconventional look at Czechoslovak 20th century history. Inspired by the bestselling book “Gottland” from the Polish journalist Mariusz Szczygiel, this feature-length film is comprised of short stories portraying peculiar fates. Young documentary film makers from renowned Prague Film School FAMU, inspired by the book, take a closer look at the history of post-war Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic, in order to discover new heroes and remind us of the ones that were forgotten or erased from the history.

Anthology of Aardman Animation short films released in theaters in 1996, centered on the new release of the third Wallace & Gromit short, "A Close Shave." Includes: "A Close Shave," "Creature Comforts" and "Heat Electric Commercials" by Nick Park; "Rex the Runt: How Dinosaurs Became Extinct", "Rex the Runt: Dreams" and "Ident" by Richard Goleszowski; "Wat's Pig" and "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Peter Lord; "Early Bird" by Peter Lord and David Sproxton; "Pib and Pog" directed by Peter Peake

An anthology of one-minute films created by 51 international filmmakers on the theme of the death of cinema. Intended as an ode to 35mm, the film was screened one time only on a purpose-built 20x12 meter public cinema screen in the Port of Tallinn, Estonia, on 22 December 2011. A special projector was constructed for the event which allowed the actual filmstrip to be burnt at the same time as the film was shown.

30 years of freedom = 30 authors = 30 minutes of films. A unique project of Reflex magazine and Czech Television, which in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution reflects many forms and understanding of freedom. Various personalities of the Czech cultural sphere have made their minute films.

Mickey, Minnie, and their famous friends Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Pluto gather together to reminisce about the love, magic and surprises in three wonder-filled stories of Christmas past.

A collection of four animated short films, around the themes of friendship and tolerance.

Six interlocking stories reveal Bruce Wayne's earliest adventures as Batman and the steps he took to become the grim avenger of Gotham City.

As a newly crowned princess, Cinderella quickly learns that life at the Palace - and her royal responsibilities - are more challenging than she had imagined. In three heartwarming tales, Cinderella calls on her animal friends and her Fairy Godmother to help as she brings her own grace and charm to her regal role and discovers that being true to yourself is the best way to make your dreams come true.

The film consists of three novels: the first novel about Gobustan, an ancient human settlement. The second novel deals with the theme of the East and women. The third novel tells about January 20, 1990 and the Khojaly tragedy.

"The Third Wish” (AN Dong-hui, RYU Jeong-wu). A fairy godmother appears before a visually impaired young woman to grant her three wishes. "Ajukari” (HONG Deok-pyo) is a street-style cartoon. It comically depicts how a certain macho "complex" can cripple men. "Baby" (LEE Hong-su, LEE Hong-min) portrays the difficulties a career woman faces in having a child. "Shine Shine Shining" (KWON Mi-jeong) is drawn like a warm, watercolor storybook for children. "Merry Golasmas" is an adorable claymation, or stop motion animation of models constructed from clay, plasticine, etc. Last but not least, “Lies" explores homosexuality.

Three shorts and three supplements tackle the central theme of 'compliance'. A wanna-be actress findsherself trapped between her traditional loyalty to her parents and her strong-willed director; a police officer and his robot sidekick resort to unorthodox methods to fight crime; a structuring of a PSA to promote social sensitivity is taken to absurd extremes.

'Testudon', one of the most famous foolish film festivals, made a foolish anthology film about 'Japan' with 26 directors. Naturally, the directors are also foolish enough, so that you might wonder if it is really about Japan or get headache at the screening.At least, some of the 26 various works will please you. It is inevitable that the theater room will be full of laughter, hand claps, roars or booings like 'Pay back the money!'. But we won't reimburse you!

VHS OVA in a moving manga style based on the works of horror comedy artist Yumeji Tanima. Contains 2 stories. 1 "初恋のゾンビ" 2 "墓地の秘密" In the first segment, Yuki, a young student, suffers an accident at school but is soon ressurected, however she fell in love with a spirit during her quick visit to the world of the dead. In the second segment, 3 close friends plan a courage test in a haunted graveyard, Ryoko who is afraid of cemeteries, Toshiko who doesn't believe in paranormal phenomena, and Masako who lives in a house inside a cemetery.