Paul’s sister is sad: Ever since his little dog passed, her big brother has stopped drawing the fantastic comic adventures in which he and his dog were the heroes. His little sister doggedly insists that he finally complete that one unfinished drawing. And lo and behold, his beloved dog comes back to life in the pictures. Together, the two set out on a last, eventful journey. Maybe this makes it easier for Paul to say farewell. Beautifully drawn in blue and white, the film itself is designed like a comic.

Lina Dinkla

Building bridges over and over again. That is what keeps Florian and Malene busy, because how could it be otherwise: After all, the two children live on opposite sides of a brook but want to play with each other all the time. But then the war comes – and Florian is no longer allowed to visit Malene, because she now lives in enemy country: the brook has become barbed wire. In her child-oriented cut-out adult film (and vice versa!), Anita Killi explores the different ways young and old perceive life, visually inspired by the Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen. The microcosms of the little ones are lovingly captured, from playing in the snow to rubbing their noses together, while Killi also directs her attention to the arbitrariness of most conflicts. “War never dies, it just sleeps from time to time”, Florian’s father says, and: It’s the adults who wake it up. But maybe the succeeding generations will come up with something new after all?

Marie Ketzscher