First Time at the Cinema is a (7th consecutive) block of short animated films for preschool children and is screened out of competition.
First Flight
Adrián Jaffé/ DE / 2025 / 3’
Three young fledglings face their greatest challenge – their first flight! The sky becomes a whirlwind of improvisation as they spin, glide, and hope for the best.
In a Faraway Forest – Apple of Discord
Timon Leder / SI, HR / 2026 / 9’
A hedgehog finds a beautiful red apple on his morning walk. He takes it outside and sets about redecorating his home, but in the meantime, the apple is discovered by a squirrel. The two friends get into an argument over who should get the apple and invite the other forest residents to voice their opinion.
Gravity Racer
Finn Walther / NO / 2025 / 4’
A fearless four-year-old decides to conquer the steepest hill in town in his homemade gravity-powered vehicle. Will courage triumph over the force of physics?
When the Tide Comes
Fêt-Nat Bailly / UK / 2025 / 10’
Through an unexpected turn of events, a sand creature and a baby sea turtle meet among the dunes. Together they set off towards the ocean, where both will discover what it means to be a part of the world they belong to.
The Marionette Kingdom
Sunčana Brkulj / HR / 2026 / 8’
The marionettes put on their usual evening show. The old man pulls the strings. The performance goes to plan – the princess finds herself in trouble and the brave prince saves her from the formidable dragon. But once the curtain falls, the marionettes start playing by their own rules.
Beaver
Biber / Julia Ocker / DE / 2023 / 3’
A mouse rescues a starving beaver stranded on an island.
Bats & Bugs
Nachtschwärmer / Lena von Döhren / CH / 2026 / 11’
Deep in the jungle, things are as usual – until one night a lantern is lit, throwing the animals into chaos. The insects cannot resist its glow. They are drawn to the light as if entranced, and the strange commotion wakes a family of bats in a nearby cave.
