“THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE FOREST” NAMED BEST ANIMATED FILM
The animated film directed by Szymon Ruczyński has secured an Oscar-qualifying award. Having won the title of best animated film at the Interfilm Festival in Berlin, the Polish production now enjoys a shortened path to Academy Award consideration.
The International Short Film Festival Berlin (Interfilm) stands as one of Europe's foremost events devoted exclusively to short-form cinema. The festival holds the honour of being an Oscar-qualifying event in two categories – Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film. The Berlin showcase can also boast an excellent reputation, drawing over 7,000 submissions annually, of which a mere 500 titles are carefully curated for its remarkably diverse program.
In There Are People in the Forest by Szymon Ruczyński, a lonely, limping man is approached by a truck. Armed men jump out, grab him, and drive him away into the forest. The only witnesses are the residents of a nearby village. Since 2021 situations like this one have become part of everyday life on the Poland-Belarus border. It's an animated documentary about the refugee crisis created by a resident of a border town.
The list of all awarded films is available here.