European Documentaries, Children’s Animation, and Student Films Will Complement the Three Main Competitions

This year’s Zlín Dog competition features 48 films from around the globe across fiction, animation, and documentary categories. Student filmmaking continues to demonstrate both a high level of craft and remarkable thematic courage, as young filmmakers explore personal crises, relationships, fear, and the desire for freedom. Animated works expand the boundaries of imagination while providing space for intimate and existential themes, while documentaries offer a sensitive perspective on social issues and everyday life.

• 175, Sepehr Nosrati, Sweden, 2025, 11 min
• 1:10, Sinan Taner, Switzerland, 2024, 19 min
• 58 Kilo, Fine Gumperi, Germany, 2024, 22 min
• A Sparrow’s Song, Tobias Eckerlin, Germany, 2025, 10 min
• Arachnophobia, Melita Sandrin, Slovenia, 2025, 3 min
• As the Wind Blows, Sara Bouguerra, Lisa Touitou, Julie Guillerm, Mathieu Tavernier, Inès Techer, Jakob Kuipers, Paul Simonnet., France, 2025, 6 min
• BBQ, Vojta Haken, Czech Republic, 2026, 4 min
• Codeswitch, Sohna Sumbunu, Netherlands, 2025, 25 min
• Cold Home, Alicja Liss, Poland, 2025, 9 min
• Cycle of Life, Amit Barkani, Israel, 2025, 7 min
• Daisy for Sister, Dorota Kaustová, Czech Republic, 2025, 10 min
• Decay Time, Vojtěch Benešovský, Czech Republic, 2025, 12 min
• Double or Nothing, Tokay, Switzerland, 2025, 10 min
• Family Album, Rogelio Hernández Pérez, Mexico, 2025, 12 min
• Family Sunday, Gerardo Del Razo, Mexico, 2025, 18 min
• First Patrol, Vojtěch Konečný, Czech Republic/Slovakia, 2025, 18 min
• Four Walls of Memory, Joanna Platek, Poland, 2024, 12 min
• Fratrum, Edit Nagyistók, Hungary, 2026, 17 min
• Horse Crazy, Johanne Udnes, Norway/Sweden, 2026, 14 min
• House on the Sea, Tünde Nagy, Hungary, 2025, 14 min
• How to Listen to Fountains, Eva Sajanová, Slovakia, 2025, 10 min
• Immortals, Edit Nagyistók, Hungary, 2026, 20 min
• Little Fury, Ivana Vogrinc Vidali, Czech Republic, 2026, 20 min
• Majini, Joshua Neubert, Germany, 2025, 20 min
• Me and You and Smoke, Rachel Shiloach, United Kingdom, 2025, 7 min
• Mountain Spirit, Nina Hynštová, Czech Republic, 2025, 8 min
• My Grandmother Is A Skydiver, Polina Piddubna, Germany, 2025, 13 min
• Nun, Ekaterina Kuznetsova, Czech Republic, 2026, 9 min
• Offside - An Unequal Game, Katja Stirnemann, Switzerland, 2024, 15 min
• Reus, Ondřej Tešnar, Czech Republic, 2026, 9 min
• Sanyi the Rooster, Lotte Salomons, Netherlands, 2025, 20 min
• Savagery, Karolína Hlavičková, Czech Republic, 2025, 20 min
• Sky Bridge, Arman Pesyan, Iran, 2025, 19 min
• The City of Silence, Marie Cornemillot, Manon Finet, Alexia Garde, Maïlys Girouard, Manon Laporte, Salomé Pereira, Clément Philipp, Margaux Plassard, Emma Stassi, Flavie Vericel, France, 2025, 8 min
• The Dance Of Solitude, Ondřej Nuslauer, Czech Republic, 2025, 29 min
• The Good Woman, Masha Mollenhauer, Germany, 2025, 24 min
• The Last Drop, Anna Tőkés, Hungary, 2024, 11 min
• The Little One and the Giant, Isabela Costa, Brazílie/France, 2025, 9 min
• The Sign of Power, Šarlota Ema Horáčková, Slovakia, 2025, 13 min
• The Undying Pain of Existence, Oscar Jacobson, Germany, 2025, 6 min
• Thousands of Hours, Barbora Vanická, Czech Republic, 2026, 7 min
• Tiger and Fox: Animals Grieve Their Loss Too, Romain Verlinde, Clémence Cognot, Sully Desplats, Arthur Davignie, Hélia Deplanque, France, 2025, 11 min
• Torn Sky, Jozefien Van der Aelst, Germany, 2025, 22 min
• White Veil, Žiga Ciber, Ireland/Slovenia, 2025, 10 min
• Wish You Were Ear, Mirjana Balogh, Hungary, 2025, 10 min
• Zore, Samuel Dostál, Czech Republic, 2025, 30 min

The European Documentary Competition for Young Audiences also offers a powerful statement, focusing on the authentic portrayal of coming of age in different parts of the world. These films follow young protagonists facing conflict, displacement, and social pressure, capturing their efforts to find their own identity and place in society. Rather than offering simple answers, they create space for understanding and dialogue.

• Becoming Roosi (Varastatud tulevik, Margit Lillak, Estonia, Germany, 2025)
• Fantastique (Marjolijn Prins, Belgium, France, Netherlands, 2025)
• Lost Stars of the Horoscope (Katrina Lehismae, Estonia, 2025)
• Rashid, the Boy from Sinjar (Rashid, l’enfant de Sinjar, Jasna Krajinovic, Belgium, France, 2025)
• What We Carry (Jessica Karlsson, Annika Karlsson, Sweden, 2026)

A long-standing cornerstone of the festival is the International Competition of Short Animated Films for Children, which this year features 52 titles selected from more than 500 submissions. Divided into three age categories, the program ranges from playful stories for the youngest audiences to more layered and emotionally resonant films for older children. Once again, animation proves it can be not only entertaining, but also thoughtful and deeply engaging.

• 9 Milion Colors, Bára Anna, Czech Republic, Norway, Germany, 2025, 15 m
• A Very Special Meal, Elena Walf, Germany, 2025, 5 min
• After Us, Wahid Ibn Reza, Canada, 2025, 5 min
• Aller & Retour, Lucia Bulgheroni, Michele Greco, Italy, 2025, 8 min
• Amber Tale, Gediminas Šiaulys, Lithuania, 2025, 12 min
• Bats & Bugs, Lena von Döhren, Switzerland, 2026, 11 min
• Bioshorts – Moldavite, Daniela Hýbnerová, Czech Republic, 2025, 4 min
• Bioshorts – Seen, Unseen, Daniela Hýbnerová, Czech Republic, 2025, 4 min
• Bird Drone, Radheya Jang Jegatheva, Australia/United Kingdom, 2024, 9 min
• Bread Knight, Thanaphat Puangsuwan, Thailand, 2025, 13 min
• Cell Buddies, Melle Windig, Netherlands, 2025, 5 min
• Christopher & the Bug, Vanessa Esteves, Kevin Micallef, Canada, 2025, 12 min
• Clay Bird, Kiran Bhakta Joshi, Nepal, 2025, 13 min
• Cloud Fish, Noé Garcia, France/Belgie, 2025, 5 min
• Dancing Friend, Elena Walf, Germany, 2025, 5 min
• Dubious Garden on the Beauty of Things, Noée Butz, Léonie Minh Xuân Codet, Manoa Tetuanui, Candice Bègue, Manon Aprin, France, 2025, 5 min
• Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe!, Andrea Szelesová, Czech Republic/Slovakia, 2026, 13 min
• Éiru, Giovanna Ferrari, Ireland, 2025, 13 min
• Experiencing and Learning. And Parenting, Małgorzata Rybak, Poland, 2025, 3 min
• Found, Juliette Baily, France/Belgie, 2025, 4 min
• Gently, Jamaica Kindlová, Czech Republic, 2026, 6 min
• Glowberry, Jessica M Fisher, USA, 2025, 5 min
• Grounded, Chris Callus, New Zealand, 2026, 4 min
• Hodgepodge, Adéla Kukalová, Czech Republic, 2025, 5 min
• I am Not Here Anymore, Nawojka Wierzbowska, France/Poland, 2025, 15 min
• Kajsa Kavet Saves Christmas, Yaprak Morali, Are Austnes, Norway, 2024, 12 min
• Kito & Maja - Pumphut the Wizard, Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez, Germany, 2025, 4 min
• La Ferme de Papi, France, 2025, 6 min
• Modern Prometheus, Jan Cechl, Czech Republic, 2026, 8 min
• Nils Karlsson Pussling, Yaprak Morali, Are Austnes, Norway, 2024, 14 min
• Noelle’s Barn, Pascale Hecquet, France/Belgie, 2025, 6 min
• Ostrich, Marie Kenov, Switzerland, 2026, 9 min
• Paw and Scissors, Shamim Shoomali, Iran/USA, 2025, 4 min
• Sandbox, Kateřina Čupová, Czech Republic, 2026, 3 min
• Sketches on Ice, Marion Auvin, France/Belgie, 2025, 4 min
• Tell Me, Primprapa Wangpichayasuk, Pleo Sirisuwan, Thailand, 2025, 9 min
• The Eagle and the Kinglet, Paul Jadoul, Belgie/France, 2025, 6 min
• The Encounter, Eszter Szoboszlay, Hungary, 2025, 7 min
• The Flowers of Malva, Anna Lys, Rémy Berlemont, Alice Hamel, Chen-Yun Hu, Ludivine Lebourg, Estelle Martin, Agathe Ribout, France, 2025, 7 min
• The Girl Who Cried Pearls, Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, Canada, 2025, 17 min
• The Naughty Seat, David Johnson, United Kingdom, 2025, 7 min
• The Piano, Avery Kroll, USA, 2025, 8 min
• Timosha, Elena Malenkina, Germany, 2025, 11 min
• Treasure Trouble, Lubica Makóová, Czech Republic, 2025, 5 min
• Tuktu, Father of Corn, Mauricio Prieto, Colombia, 2025, 13 min
• Up in Heaven, Nicolás Sole, Spain, 2026, 15 min
• Whale 52 - Suite For Man, Boy, And Whale, Daniel Neiden, USA, 2026, 11 min

Taken together, this year’s competition sections showcase a generation unafraid to reflect the world around them, find their own voice, and share powerful, authentic stories through film.