DEATH AND MAGIC CASTLES was the winner of BEST ANIMATION at the June 2022 Under 5 Minute Film Festival.

Watch the Audience Feedback Video: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/death-and-magic-castles

“On a beautiful, sunny day five year old Zizou fell to the ground and died when his heart suddenly stopped. In that moment of losing my son I was thrown into the cold reality of America’s complicated relationship with death. Through animation, "Death and Magic Castles" explores traditions of mourning and loss in different cultures and follows my quest to bring death and life closer together in a culture where mourning is taboo and the goal is to live forever.”

Director BIO: Kari Barber is a journalist-turned-filmmaker based in Reno, Nevada. Her feature-length documentary debut STRUGGLE & HOPE aired nationally on public television on the series America ReFramed. DEATH AND MAGIC CASTLES is her personal story of suddenly losing her son at five years old.

Watch the Festival Today. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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July 25, 2022 - Filmmaker Kari Barber (DEATH AND MAGIC CASTLES)

Matthew Toffolo

OUTSIDER played to rave reviews at the June 2022 ANIMATION Film Festival.

“The magic between ‘frames’ acts on clay, the table becomes a contradictory object that can be soft and hard. Some people get into it, but others are not. There is no differentiation between superior and inferior or right or wrong in this place, but how we face the world.”

Conversation with Shuo Liu, the one man filmmaking machine, on his individual pursuit making this film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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July 14, 2022 - Filmmaker Trevor Courtney & Music Supervisor Paul Dowling (THE ROCKER AND THE PUCA)

Matthew Toffolo

July 15, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animator Shuo Liu (OUTSIDER)

Matthew Toffolo

THE ROCKER AND THE PUCA was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the June 2022 FANTASY/SCI-FI Festival.

“Animation/Family/Fantasy Short Film. A Teenage busker Jack is driving the locals mad because he plays only one tune. So, when a shape shifting trickster known as 'Puca' appears and promises Jack a cap full of coins in exchange for playing a single gig, Jack can't say no.”

Project Links

• Website

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

Conversation with director Trevor Courtney and Composer & Post Sound Editor Paul Dowling on the making of the film.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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July 14, 2022 - Filmmaker Trevor Courtney & Music Supervisor Paul Dowling (THE ROCKER AND THE PUCA)

Matthew Toffolo

GRAY MATTERS was the winner of BEST ANIMATION at the May 2022 ANIMATION Feedback Film Festival.

“Gray Matters is a stop-motion animated short film that highlights fascinating aspects of the human brain in a fun, illustrated, educational, and sarcastic tone.”

Conversation with co-creator Mariam Khodeir on the making of the film.

WATCH this film today. Go to the WILDsound TV app. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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June 24, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animator Mariam Khodeir (GRAY MATTERS)

Matthew Toffolo

“Microtoons” played to rave reviews at the May 2022 ANIMATION Film Festiva“Microtoons” played to rave reviews at the May 2022 ANIMATION Film Festival.

“What starts as a normal day for Eric the Erythrocyte becomes an action-packed adventure as the Golden Staph Gang invades the body and battles with the white blood cell army. As the general leading the army, Mike the Macrophage finds himself caught between leading the battle and keeping Eric out of harm's way. MicroToons entertains and explores the science of the microbiological world with original characters.”

Conversation with collaborators Aaron Welch & Rina Fu on the making of the film from the day they met to distribution.

Project Links

• Website

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

Film played on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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June 14, 2022 - Filmmakers Aaron Welch & Rina Fu (MICROTOONS)

Matthew Toffolo

LUCHA AND THE EKEKO was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the FEEDBACK Animation Festival.

https://www.luchaandtheekeko.com/

“When Marisol stumbles upon a peculiar doll, Elena recognizes it as an Ekeko – the souvenir/gift from an undocumented migrant girl named LUCHA. This prompts Elena to recount the colorful story of how Lucha (and her Ekeko) opened her heart … to eventually receive Marisol in adoption.”

Conversation with filmmaker Roger Edwards on the story making this film.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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June 5, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animator Roger Edwards (LUCHA AND THE EKEKO)

Matthew Toffolo

BEING A DOG was the winner of BEST FILM at the March 2022 ANIMATION Feedback Film Festival.

”Tim is longing for love. He’s a lonely human being who struggles with exclusion every day. Every time Tim feels different than others he transforms into a french bulldog. Ginger makes Tim feel human. Ginger is an old friend of Tim`s whom he was in love with, unrequited love. Tim collides with Ginger in the street, they talk and become friends again.”

http://www.felixswahn.com/

Conversation with Sweden animator Felix Swann on the making of this personal story.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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April 12, 2022 - Animator/Director Felix Swahn (BEING A DOG)

Matthew Toffolo

PORT played to rave reviews at the Feb. 2022 THRILLER/SUSPENSE Festival.

Conversation with Andrew Lehman on the making of the film.

Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/561996313

Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/slishslash7

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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March 7, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animator Andrew Lehman (PORT)

Matthew Toffolo

A VOID is one of the top Animation films that played at the Feedback Festivals in 2021. There is a 2nd screening on the WILDsound APP in February. You can watch for free and sign up at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS).

This story is about how women experience fear and discomfort while walking on the street. In this film we see Maya going through this feeling of insecurity in a task as simple as walking home, a thing made dangerous by the current violent climate in Mexico. This is not an uncommon feeling found in all women who experience the fear and questionable security on the streets of their home towns.

Conversation with filmmaker/animator on the process making this film at the Vancouver Film School.

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January 28, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animator Andrea Maldonaldo (A VOID)

Matthew Toffolo

POTTERO is an animation short that played at the December 2021 WILDsound Film Festival. There is a 2nd screening on the WILDsound APP in February. You can watch for free and sign up at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS).

“Based on family folklore and issues surrounding mental health, accessible healthcare and social mobility.”

Conversation with Lindsey Martin on the 3 year personal journey making this film.

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January 15, 2022 - Filmmaker/Animation Lindsey Martin (POTTERO)

Matthew Toffolo

THE MIRROR is an animation/documentary short film made by “Still I Rise Films” www.stillirisefilms.org/ , an organization that produces a series of short films, directed and produced by women, shatters stereotypes and honors those striving for dignity and justice.

Conversation with filmmaker Mimi Chakarova on the creative process making this very important short film.

"The Mirror" is a short animated film that weaves the personal stories, experiences and reflections of nine Black women talking about their interactions with white people.

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January 1, 2022 - Filmmaker Mimi Chakarova (THE MIRROR)

Matthew Toffolo

December 5, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Will Kim (UNFIT)

Matthew Toffolo

UNFIT was the winner of BEST ANIMATION FILM at the November 2021 ANIMATION Film Festival.

Interview with the amazingly talented animator Will Kim on the making of this unique and innovative film. Go to https://www.willkim.net/ to see more of his work.

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FOR ALL THE KINGS is a short animation film that played at the November 2021 LGBTQ+ Short Film Festival. You can watch the film and festival for FREE today HERE.

“Follow a potato’s journey to self-fulfillment.”

Conversation with Rosabel Su on the making of the film.

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November 22, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Rosabel Su (FOR ALL THE KINGS)

Matthew Toffolo

RKLSS was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the October 2021 HORROR Underground Film Festival. You can watch this film and the festival for FREE on Sunday all day HERE.

October 31, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Tank Standing Buffalo (RKLSS)

Matthew Toffolo

“Tank, a natural artist who is always drawing, runs into trouble with the law with his gang of friends. Tank is convicted, jailed, and subjected to solitary confinement and intense brutality. His art allows him to escape his terrible conditions. He discovers his own native spirituality while in jail, and through his art, finds a way to be in the world, and to reflect on his own reality.”

Conversation with Tank Standing Buffalo on how this film got made. See his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/tankstandingbuffalo/

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October 19, 2021 - Filmmaker Pia Sun (Ideal Dating With Condom)

Matthew Toffolo

“(Ideal Dating With Condom” is a Student Animation film from a school in Germany directed by Pai Sun. “In today's ever-changing sexual landscape, people can find sex-partners much easier than ever before with the development of social media.”

You can see Pia’s amazing work on her website: https://www.piasmy.com/

Conversation with Pia on the process making this film.

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October 11, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Dovi Keich (GRUF AND ME)

Matthew Toffolo

GRUF AND ME was the winner of BEST DIRECTION at the October 2021 ANIMATION Film Festival. Gruf is a graffiti character that comes to life in animation and falls in love with the street artist who created him.

You can watch the amazing film playing at the Animation Festival NOW for FREE HERE.

Conversation with animator Dovi Keich on the 3 year process making this year.

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October 11, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Jack Tenbusch (SYMBIONIC)

Matthew David Toffolo

SYMBIONIC is an animation short film about a Songbird who is forced to flee her deforested home accidentally clips her wing on a robotic facility antenna, plummeting into an underground scrap bin.

You can watch the amazing film playing at the Animation Festival NOW for FREE HERE.

Conversation with Animator Jack Tenbusch on the making of the film.

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ON / OFF is the winner of BEST FILM at the September 2021 WILDsound Festival. Considered perhaps one of the top short films of 2021. Tagline: “Endless distractions threaten to destroy creativity.”

September 27, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Nicolas P. Villarreal (ON / OFF)

Matthew Toffolo

You can watch the festival and film NOW at the Animation Film Festival streaming until the morning EST of Sept. 25th HERE

Conversation with filmmaker Nicolas Villarreal on the process of animation, making ON / OFF, being a professor and teaching the next generation of animators, and the past & future of animation.

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September 26, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator AJ Fuller (INK)

Matthew Toffolo

INK is a narrative about the anxiety of starting a creative project. The Artist struggles to put brush to paper when beginning a painting, and a small mistake leads to a rush of anxiety.

You can watch the festival and film NOW at the Animation Film Festival streaming until the morning EST of Sept. 25th HERE

Conversation with AJ Fuller on the making of this film as her final project in University.

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September 25, 2021 - Filmmaker/Animator Georgia Burnell (UNWOUND)

Matthew Toffolo

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UNWOUND was the winner of BEST ANIMATION FILM at the September 2021 Animation Film Festival. “Follows an overworked woman who manifests a store full of her childhood plushies as a way to cope with the possibility of losing her job.”

You can watch the festival and film NOW at the Animation Film Festival streaming until the morning EST of Sept. 25th HERE

Conversation with animator Georgia Burnell on the making of the film.

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