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This film, based on a fable by Russian satirist Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, presents two pompous Generals who are magically transported to a seemingly deserted island. Having never down anything for themselves before, they are helpless and are on the verge of starving when they happen upon a peasant. The immediate beginning ordering him to serve them, which he dutifully does.

The critique of the ruling class is biting, if not subtle (Shchedrin was one of Lenin's favourite authors), making this an entertaining tale. The animation is a limited, cut-out style, very reminiscent of Terry Gillian's work with Monty Python or The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' (although this pre-dates both of those by several years), and given the similar absurdist comedic approach, it works well.

An interesting and enjoyable film.

This film (known in English speaking countries as either 'The Horsemen' or 'Brave People'), tells the story of a young worker on a stud farm in pre-WWII USSR. His boss and trainer is cruel, and doubts his assessment of a potential champion horse. When the war breaks out, the trainer sides with the Nazis, while the workers band together to fight against them.

This is a unusual film, as while it tells a war story, the style is very much like an American Western (apparently Stalin loved westerns and personally ordered this film be made). The horses are very much the focus throughout, and the look of the film (over-saturated colour) really makes the film seem like a Hollywood 'B' Western. Nothing spectacular here is terms of style, and aside from the Soviet setting, the story is ultimately well worn too. Bit of a curio, not the worst.

This short animation is based on the Anton Chekhov short story of the same name, that tells the story of the eponymous dog. Kashtanka is owned by a poor, drunken carpenter and his son. The carpenter treats Kashtanka meanly and doesn't feed him well, but the son is playful with him. When Kashtanka gets lost one day, he is adopted by a stranger who trains performing animals. Eventually Kashtanka is trained to perform in the circus, but while he is now better fed, he does not seem comfortable with this new life.

The quality of the animation here ia quite good, if dated, with a focus on realism over 'cuteness'. The story is somewhat bleak, but with a hopeful undertone. Probably not cute or joyful enough for a modern child audience, but its more complex themes might hold interest. An intriguing film and insight into Russian literature and animation.

This animated short presents five characters from different parts of the world who each represent an element (fire, water, etc.) that come together to rejuvenate the planet (essentially bring on springtime).

The film was commissioned by the Olympic Foundation of Culture to commemorate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so it contains no spoken dialogue (presumably to make it internationally accessible), and has elements of 'sport' with the characters; swimming, sprinting, high-jumping, etc. As they travel.

The themes of the film align to the Olympic 'values' of teamwork, friendly competition, international relationships, etc. But it does come across as well worn territory for children's animation (Avatar: The Last Airbender at best, Captain Planet at worst).

Still, it looks good (created by several former Studio Ghibli animators), and moves briskly. Cute little short.

This silent animation is a piece of early Soviet propaganda, intended to rally support for the Soviet alliance with the Chinese Communist in the lead up to the Chinese Revolution. It presents a series of vignettes about the abuses and oppression that the Chinese working class experience, particularly in rural areas.

The cut-out style animation is of a quality typical of the era, but the narrative and editing approach is more akin to the 'Soviet' style found in the work of Eisenstein or Vertov.

As a price of overt propaganda, this is effective, albeit very dated and somewhat heavy-handed. That said, Disney would begin making film like this during World War II, so perhaps this was ahead of its time. Clearly this is of historical / academic interest, more than being an enjoyable experience, but it's definitely worth seeing on that basis.

This film follows an unemployed man who arrives in New York City and find work as a human target in a shooting gallery. Despite the obvious danger, unemployment is so rampant, he decides to stick with the job, even after getting married. Eventually having a baby, the family finally becomes disgusted by the exploitation of the shooting range owner and leaves.

With its urban setting, jazz score and unorthodox visual-style, this Soviet film is clearly influenced by (or is perhaps parodying) the underground comix of Robert Crumb and the alternative animation of Ralph Bakshi. The aggressively anti-capitalist themes are very Soviet, but otherwise this could easily be taken for an American Indie Animation. Very 70s, very Soviet, but within the context, very well done.

This short Black and White animation, shows an artist in the process of creating a self portrait. As he works he imagines the artwork coming to life, and begins to paint himself as more grand and successful, bring him into conflict with himself. As his turmoil escalates the musical score (there is no dialogue in the film) becomes more and more frenetic, building to a visual and aural crescendo.

The story is interesting and self-reflexive, making the most of the visual freedom allowed by animation. The artwork and editing is free flowing and engaging. At only 10 minutes, this is a nicely structured and conceived short film,

Pochta, based on a poem, follows a letter that is trying to find its way to real-life children's travel writer Boris Zhitlov. The story focus on the journey by plane, train and boat. The quality of the animation is akin to the work of Windor Mackay or early Disney, well done but probably a little dated for 1929. The difference here is the editing and storytelling approach, which is clearly influenced by the Soviet montage style of the era. There are many abstract elements as well, again similar to the experimental animation that was emerging at the time, such as Man Ray's films. Clearly this is more a film of historical / academic interest to modern audience, but worth seeing for those with an interest in the history of animation.

This doco by Hong-Kong American filmmaker, Wayne Wang, explores the life of legendary Chinese-American restaurateur, Cecilia Chiang. The majority of the film is in the form of interviews, which work to tell the story of Cecilia's journey from pre-war China, through the Japanese occupation, narrowly escaping the Communist Revolution before eventually establishing a restaurant in San Francisco. The focus throughout these stories is food, cooking and tradition, how they were lost or maintained through such tumultuous times. The film ends with a traditional Chinese Banquet being prepared and eaten, which looks delicious and helps convey the importance of the traditions around cooking.

This is a very simply constructed documentary. There are only three interviewees and limited footage of food beyond the final banquet. Compared to the travelogue style cooking shows so common on TV, this seems almost cheap. However, the stories and insights are rich enough to overlook the shortcomings. Definitely a worthwhile experience.

Hansel and Gretel is a dark fairy tale, so well suited to the visual style and thematic interests of director Robert Eggers. The story will be familiar, but what makes this film fascinating is the recreation of 1920s German expressionism. One could easily mistake this for the work of Murnau or Robert Weine. The black and white photography is beautiful, and the production design is effective and eerie. Hugely impressive for an early, presumably low-budget, short film. That said, it does play as essentially a student exercise, albeit a high-standard one. Nice piece of work and clear sign of the talent Eggers would continue to demonstrate.

This short documentary follows the effort of a group of Carib people from Dominica attempting to build a traditional canoe, and sail it across the Caribbean, visiting islands on their way, to the Orinoco Delta and ultimately up river to Guyana, the birthplace of Carib culture.

This is a fascinating and intimate documentary that brings the audience into a place and culture rarely seen. The landscapes are beautiful, and the ancient cultural practices are both interesting and impressive. The goal to symbolically bring together the disparate Carib people by journeying to the various islands they now inhabit, and keep their culture alive, is also inspiring.

While the voyage itself is sometimes tense, overall this is a real feel good documentary, that simply showcases people embracing, enjoying, sharing and reviving their culture and heritage.

This doco (also known as 'The Making of Sun City), provides a behind the scenes look at the creation of the 1985 protest song 'Sun City', and its accompanying music video. It's an extraordinary story of E-Street Band guitarist, Steven Van Zandt, gathering a huge and diverse group of musicians (including Lou Reed, Miles Davis, Pat Benatar, Bonnie Raitt, Joey Ramone and many more), to create the group 'Artists United Against Apartheid', with the explicit goal of boycotting 'Sun City' the largest resort/casino in South Africa.

The film really captures the passion of the artists, while also providing some confronting context of the racism and brutality of Apartheid South Africa. Unfortunately, this film was largely blocked from screening/distribution, due to its uncompromising approach which isn't afraid to point fingers beyond South Africa (including criticism of racism in the United States).

An inspiring documentary, which shows people of privilege doing something tangible to support human rights. As relevant now as ever, well worth seeing.

This short formed part of the Disney package film 'Make Mine Music'. The soundtrack is a ballad of lost love sung by Andy Russell, while the images are a montage of trees, windows and starry skies.

There's honestly not a lot to this one. The images are pretty, but not terribly inspired or technically impressive as either art or animation. That said, there's nothing particularly wrong with the piece and at only a minute or two, it passes quickly among the other shorts in the larger package of films. Certainly not one of Disney's more impressive efforts, it does not stack up to the work in Fantasia for example, but otherwise inoffensive.

This short, which forms the final part of the anthology film 'Short Piece', takes place in a futuristic Tokyo during World War 3. Human soldiers battle robots in urban warfare for control of the city.

Aside from the futuristic tech, this is essentially a war film, which follows the familiar trope of a small group of soldiers battling to survive. Some live, some die, they express their camaraderie. There's not much you n the way of character development, or even plot really. The large story of the war is not explained, nor is the specific nature of the character's mission. Essentially it's one long battle sequence, and while the action is well constructed, it's hard to invest when the stakes are so unclear. Would probably make a great 2nd act of a feature length film.

Visually impressive but otherwise the weakest film in 'Short Peace'.

This short, which forms part of the anthology film 'Short Peace', tells the story of a Samurai who is enlisted to help protect a village from an alien monster who has crash landed nearby. Meanwhile, a giant white bear, who lives in the surrounding woods, also intervenes in the battle with the alien.

There's a lot going on in this film, which brings together several common elements of Japanese anime (samurai, sci-fi, mysticism) in an interesting, unique story, which focuses upon familiar themes of Japanese cinema (technology vs. Tradition). The artwork is high quality and there's enough action to keep this visually engaging throughout.

Worths seeing either on its own, as part of the full feature.

This film was produced by Hudson Soft, an early video game company that produced Nintendo classics like Lode Runner and Bomberman. It follows a young boy who dreams of becoming a game designer, and gets his chance, only to have his idea stolen by a friend. This rivalry and the battle for justice (played out via video gaming) is the focus of the plot. The 80s was a 'golden era' for animated adaptations of children's toys, which dominated Saturday morning cartoons, and this is definitely in that camp (characters frequently play Hudson Soft games, particularly Bomberman). The art isn't up to typical anime standard, but the storyline is definitely more involved (although still short of genuine feature length) than a formulaic TV cartoon. While dated, the plot and relationships between the characters still resonate, but this is still probably more a curio for fans of classic video games.

Set at the end of the Edo period, this film depicts an unusual Japanese family. The father is a notorious womaniser who has little interest in work or fatherhood, and the mother seems to share his laidback approach to life. In contrast, the children are smart and ambitious. This quirky dynamic is periodically interrupted by trouble with the local samurai, which the father occasionally engages with.

The tone of this film shifts frequently, from cute family scenes, to violent sword fights, to mildly explicit sexual encounters. Overall though, the film is funny and certainly never boring. The animation is not as polished as contemporary anime features, much more akin to 80s television cartoons, but that never really detracts from the experience. Different and entertaining.

A young boy is sent from his city home to stay with his father on the rural plains of Tibet. He soon meets a wild dog, and forms a bond of trust and friendship. There are countless films about a boy and his beloved dog (or deer, horse, whale, alien...) and this one certainly leans heavily on the cliches and sentimentality typical of the genre. However, the Tibetan setting adds a layer of interest, with a really strong focus on Tibetan culture and utilising Tibetan folktale/mythology. That, combined with the beautiful artwork, makes this an underrated anime feature which is gentle enough for young viewers, while maintaining a sophisticated approach that will hold the interest of adults. Not outstanding, but enjoyable.

Taiwanese-American filmmaker, S. Leo Chiang, returns to his parent home in Kinmen a Taiwanese Island only 10kms off the shore of Chinese mainland. The island has been at the forefront of tensions and occasional violence between China and Taiwan since the Communist Revolution, which has obviously shaped the lives of the inhabitants. Chiang provides an overview of this complex history as well as reflecting on his own childhood experiences and those of his parents.

This not a particularly innovative documentary, but for anyone with limited knowledge of the subject matter it's a fascinating entry point into a fascinating, albeit tragic, part of history that continues to have ramifications today. Well worth the 19mins.

This is the first animated adaptation of the popular manga series (a web-series was later produced). It follows the adventures of a cute puppy whose tail looks like a cinnamon roll (hence the name), who lives at a a cafe and is friends with a bunch of other cute puppies. Clearly this is intended for quite young kids, and on that front it's certainly no better or worse than American animated series like Care Bears, and perhaps less insipid than Paw Patrol. Anime fans might recognise director, Gisaburô Sugii, who has worked on many highly regarded anime movies and series, going right back to the original B&W Astro Boy. Those credentials don't really shine though here, but the animation is engaging and the story is harmless enough.

It's challenging to review a piece of clear wartime propaganda like this, especially when it's from the point of view of the aggressor. This short film (whose sequel is considered the first Japanese feature length animation), depicts the attack on Pearl Harbour, albeit by anthropomorphised animals. The enemy (Allied Forces) are presented as demons for the most part, although there is also a brief cameo from Bluto (of Popeye fame), as a more obvious stupid, fat, drunk American (presumably Max Fleischer was not consulted for copyright clearance). Presumably the film was intended to make the war palatable to Japanese civilians (and perhaps help parents explain things to children).

Leaving the content aside, the animation here is cute, without being overly impressive or groundbreaking. It's notably more in the style of early Disney or Fleischer than what we might typically think of as Japanese animation, although the light tone is in keeping with child friendly anime.

Clearly this is mostly of historical interest, not entertainment or artistic, but for that alone it's worth seeing.

This short film shows a day in the life of a contemporary Egyptian woman. As she goes about her day and interacts with various people; mother, partner, co-workers, strangers, the film cuts to how she is perceived by others, demonstrating the variety of challenging stereotypes that women face. The concept is simple, and in a longer film would become repetitive and heavy-handed, but is the exact kind of idea that short films are made for. The production values, cinematography and performances are all high quality, making the film even more impressive. This is a great little film that suggests a talented filmmaker in the making. Well worth checking out.

This animated short tells the story of a peaceful, friendly dragon who, with the help of a young boy and an aging knight, stages a fake battle to keep the myth of fierce dragons alive for the local villagers. There is a nice message about acceptance of difference and not feeling pressured to adhere to stereotypes that is pretty progressive considering this was made in 1941. The animation is cute, without being spectacular, and the overall tone is light and funny. Far from being a Disney classic, this is still a nice little animated short that has sadly been a bit hidden by how it was released (as part of a mostly forgotten 'compilation' film). Worth a look.

John Carpenter made this short while a student at University of Southern California. It's a fairly straightforward story about a peeping tom who puts on a balaclava and watches women through their windows. Shot in black and white, with minimal audio, the tone is suitably creepy. There's not much story, character or insight to this, possibly it would have been considered risque at the time, but it's otherwise quite conventional. That said, Carpenter's talent for visuals is evident, with the use of low-key lighting and dynamic composition making for a striking look to the film. Probably only of interest to hardcore Carpenters fans, who'll be duly entertained, otherwise just another promising student film.

Baba Amin is the story of a Egyptian father who gets talked into a get-rich-quick scheme, which immediately goes awry. He then dies suddenly, and finds himself watching his family efforts to cope from the after-life. The premise is very much in the tradition of 'It's a Wonderful Life' or 'A Matter of Life and Death', which had both been popular a few years earlier. Director. Youssef Chahine, was known to admire classical Hollywood cinema, and his films were often described as imitating the work of Hollywood filmmakers. That is certainly evident here, in his first feature, but there are still hints of the individual style that he would develop later in his career. Certainly there elements specific to the Egyptian culture, particularly the musical numbers. There's nothing exactly original here, but Baba Amin holds up well against the Hollywood films of the era.