You only need to take one quick look at our collection of Danish short films on Short of the Week to see how highly we rate the films coming out of ‘Denmark’s leading animation institution’ – The Animation Workshop. With the college’s output making up one-third of all the Danish shorts we’ve featured on our site, the release of their grad films is something we keep an eye on every year, as we know to expect attention grabbing aesthetics and some good old fashioned entertainment.

With their latest batch of films now all live online, we take a look through what 2017 has to offer:

LESS THAN HUMAN

Dir:Steffen Bang Lindholm

Less Than Human proves an air-punching act of defiance against the notion that the zombie genre is well and truly dead. The 6min animation is high on quirky humour, but it’s also big-hearted and poignant. With impressive 3D animation, lovable characters (even with their intestines hanging out) and anchored by a brilliant script and beat-perfect voice acting, Less Than Human is nothing less than remarkable.

CREAM

Dir: Lena Ólafsdóttir

Relentlessly grotesque, Cream (definitely NSFW) shines an unflattering light on the darkest side of humanity. With a brilliantly brutal sense of humour, intricate craftsmanship and ear-stabbing SFX, the 5 min stop motion is one of our favourites from this year’s Animation Workshop releases. It’s a winning ode to the absurdity of life made possible by the collaborative spirit of filmmaking. 

WHALE HEART

Dir: Robert Allen

With striking visuals, reminiscent of the art of the old masters, Whale Heart, rather fittingly, centres around a nautical tradition and the oldest of themes – the relationship between father and son. Dialogue-free and stunningly stylised, this 8min short is bound to impress its audience with its supernatural elements and a strong emotional pull.

STELLAR

Dir: Laura Højberg Kunov

A bleak, monotone city is brought to life by the appearance of some floating, liquid orbs in this visually stunning 5-minute short. More than making up for a lack of narrative depth (it feels more music video than short film) with its breathtaking aesthetic, Stellar’s ethereal tone and intricate detail makes this an utterly compelling watch.

Nachthexen

Dir: Julie Herdichek Baltzer

Inspired by true events, Nachthexen recounts the empowering story of, often forgotten, women war heroes. The Nachthexen – Night Witches – were the first all-female bombing squad of the Soviet Union during World War Two. A beautiful tale of friendship amidst horrible circumstances, the 8 minute short combines live action and 2D animation, and does the same with its touching and dramatic tones.

DARK DARK WOODS

Dir: Emile Gignoux

There comes a time, when we all need is a sweet, light-hearted story to brighten our day. Despite its title, Dark Dark Woods delivers just that. The traditional animation style paired with the endearing characters and youthful tone takes the audience back to the days of classical animation, making this 6 minute short an absolute joy to watch!