Stop motion animation short
Piet, an elderly man in a nursing home, finds himself limited in his actions when he suddenly begins to transform into a bird. Although he is still accepted within the group, he feels that it’s time to join a new flock.
‘Zwermen’ is our first short stop motion film. In 2013, Janneke made her graduation film at the animation department at KASK art school in Belgium. It was a short documentary about her grandfather. She spent a lot of time filming in the nursing home and the quiet rhythm of life there made a lasting impression. Some of the residents went with the flow, as others were more on their own, not willing or capable anymore to join a new group anymore. A few years later, we began writing ‘Zwermen’, and that atmosphere became one of the film’s earliest sources of inspiration.
Produced by: Spotted bird, Beast Animation, MurMur
‘Zwermen’ got financial support from the Limburg Film Fonds, Dutch Film Fonds, Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds, Creatieve Industries fund NL, Brand Cultuur Fonds and had its world première at International Animatiefilmfestival in Annecy on June 13th 2025!
MURMURATION is having a great festival run over the whole world and even won some beautiful awards already:
– Annecy International animation festival France: Jean-Luc Xiberras award for best debut
– MIFF Melbourne International Filmfestival Australia: Best animation short
– Avond van de Limburgse Korte film, NL: Audience award
– CinéOpen Festival de Cinéma de Pontarlier France: Special mention from the jury ánd Audience award
– BanjaLukanima Banja Luka International Animated filmfestival Herzegovina: Award for best animation technique
– Sulmona International Film festival Italy: Best animated short
– SCAD Savannah Film festival USA: Best professional animated short
– International Animated film Festival Tofuzi Georgia: Best animation for adults
– Philly animation festival Philadelphia USA: Best short
– Aguilar Film festival Italy: Audience award
– Limburg Filmfestival NL: Best professional fiction short
– Kaboom Animation festival: Best Dutch Short Award
– Festival Ciné Court Animé: Special Mention Young viewers’ jury and moviegoers jury
– PIFF Playgrounds international Film festival – Special mention
– ITFS International Trickfilm Festival Stuttgart – Special mention from the Grand competition Jury
Fotos: Renske Zwaan
