Murmuration

Filmstill Murmuration

Murmuration

Zwermen
Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
International Competition Animated Film
Animated Film
Netherlands,
Belgium
2025
13 minutes
without dialogue
Subtitles: 
None
German premiere

Flocks of starlings are circling above the retirement home. These impressive natural spectacles are called murmurations because from a distance they sound like collective murmuring. Not everyone hears or sees them, but the old man notices. Sometimes the starlings send a single twittering messenger to his window. Often, the birds are more present to him than his fellow humans, more present than the old demented fellow resident who regularly waters a still life of flowers, more present than his neighbours in the amateur choir. And then it happens: The old man finds a first feather in his hair, then a second, then several. Soon he grows a beak so that instead of singing he can only caw.
The last phase of life we witness here is lovingly animated: The puppet animation was created with gauze bandages, a beautiful approach to the vulnerability that comes with aging. The farewell to life shown here is devoid of pathos, not even that over-produced grief we know from many narratives of dying. Even the retirement home is a completely mundane place, neutrally portrayed. Instead, we follow this feathered farewell as a quiet but growing alienation from the world, a no-longer-belonging. And one day we will all grow the wings that go with it.


Marie Ketzscher

Trailer DOK Leipzig Logo

Screenings & Tickets DOK Leipzig Logo

28.10.
#242
CineStar 6
During Checkout you can apply discounts, your accreditation or season passes
28.10.2025
CineStar 6
#242
During Checkout you can apply discounts, your accreditation or season passes
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29.10.
#311
CineStar 2
Teil der Kompilation
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29.10.2025
CineStar 2
#311
Teil der Kompilation
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30.10.
#4C2
Cinémathèque
Teil der Kompilation
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30.10.2025
Cinémathèque
#4C2
Teil der Kompilation
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02.11.
#731
CineStar 5
Teil der Kompilation
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02.11.2025
CineStar 5
#731
Teil der Kompilation
During Checkout you can apply discounts, your accreditation or season passes
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Credits DOK Leipzig Logo

Director
Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
Script
Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
Cinematographer
Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
Editor
Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
Producer
Peter Lindhout
Co-Producer
Annemie Degryse, Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger, Ben Tesseur
Sound
Corinne Dubien
Sound Design
Corinne Dubien
Score
Roos Rebergen, Sjoerd Bruil
Animation
Rosanne Janssens, Mirjam Plettinx, Geertrui de Vijlder
Animation Technique
Puppets

Contact DOK Leipzig Logo

Main Contact
Luce Grosjean
festival@miyu.fr
World Sales
Annabel Sebag
sales@miyu.fr
Nominated for: mephisto 97.6 Audience Award, Gedanken Aufschluss Prize