CH, 2012
© Silvia Popp
0:40, stereo

The Vatican City State and Russia are negotiating the establishment of diplomatic relations. For this delicate mission they meet on a neutral territory: behind the moon.

USA, 2011
© Ingrid Doering
1:02, stereo

All the countries that are featured in this animation are interconnected to Poland in a significant, historical manner as well as their modern-day relationships and being a part of my background. The significance of Mongolia at the beginning comes from the invasion that had happened in the 13th century: it was an influence in developing the Polish cavalry, which gave rise to the American cavalry during the American Revolution.

[ This animation was created at Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois, with teacher Josephine Lipuma ]

USA, 2010
© Katherine Sweetman
0:55, stereo

El Salvador and Guatemala exist just above three, pent-up, agitated and powerful tectonic plates that make this region one of the most seismically active places in the world. Perhaps this geological turmoil filters upwards, onto the civilizations that inhabit the surface layers, in more than just the obvious ways. The seemingly regular cycles of violence and power-struggles upon the land occur with the scale and ferocity of earthquakes, and they seem as ancient as human inhabitants on the land. The militarized border between El Salvador and Guatemala is not so permeable to those in El Salvador seeking better wages and escape from the violence of civil war.

ZA, 2010
© Phillip F. Kraft
0:50, stereo

This is an exploration of the ability for all of mankind to strive for control. In this particular example, the UK is shown as a huntsman trying to gain power. The owl is a symbol of social control. The bullet fired is an equilateral triangle due to its constant formal tension. The bubbling spheres within the triangle are a symbol of the internal clashes within such a social structure, and with enough pressure, the control may subside. However, control turned to favour another dominant class, again oppressing other individuals.

[ This animation was created at The Open Window School of Visual Communication, Cape Town, South Africa, with Prof. Pluto Panoussis, head of the video department ]

USA, 2008
© NatalieAnn Rich
0:40, stereo

This animation is an exploration of how Sri Lanka and Thailand relate to each other and culturally reveal similarities in the practice of Theravada Buddhism and ceremonial tradition. Separated by the Bay of Bengal, each country has kept in tact the main practice of Buddhism while adapting it to their individual cultures and locations. These relationships are seen through the study of meditation, dance, representations of the Buddha, and natural surroundings in each country.

[ This animation was created at Gwen Frostic School of Art, Western Michigan University, USA, with Associate Professor Adriane Little ]

USA, 2008
© Alex Schneider
1:15, silent

Throughout the last half century, Israel has tried to fulfill its role as safe haven for Jews of the Diaspora by running campaigns to bring Jews in need to Israel from lands run by oppressive regimes. One such situation has come to define the relationship between Israel and Ethiopia. Although assimilation has proved difficult, today, these Jews have come to view Israel as their homeland. They pledge allegiance to the same flag that other Israelis revere, even as they keep older traditions. In my animation, I tried to frame the change from Ethiopian to Israeli as a journey that is based less on nationality and more on religion and tradition.

[ This animation was created at Newton South High School Media Lab, USA, with teachers Carol Ober and Dana Evans ]

USA, 2007
© Grand Valley State University (MI), US, 1:55, stereo

This animation celebrates the connection between Grand Rapids (in Michigan, USA), and its five sister cities: Ga District (Ghana), Omihachiman (Japan), Perugia (Italy), Bielsko-Biala (Poland) and Zapopan (Mexico).    >> Full Synopsis

Animators: Ghana: Chuck Kovalik, Steve Cain, Jacob Kubon; Japan: Jonathon Havens, Adam Cook, Jolene Flohe; Italy: Kevin Page, Geno Mallo, Elena Sobolic, Cody Flynn; Poland: Andrea Rulewicz, Tricia Kannegieter, Rob Piotrowski, and Jacob Pierzchala; Mexico: Heather McDonough, Mike Harthen, Tim Dailey, and Eric Taylor. Sound design by Deanna Morse.

DE / CH, 2008
© M. Thyes
3:20, stereo

This animation explores the cult of death in Catholic ideology as manifested in numerous images in churches and monasteries around Lake Constance – and the association of this cult with warfare, a link represented locally in the armaments industry at Friedrichshafen. more

Use of the music by courtesy of Berthold Büchele.

USA, 2008
© Sonya Mansour
0:35, stereo

I wanted to animate an aspect about both countries that isn't widely known. The characteristic both countries share is their love for soccer (or euro football) and track. In the animation, the viewer is taken through an optical journey that illustrates the two sports individually and, at times, simultaneously. A soccer ball travels throughout the entire piece, tying the two countries together visually.

[ This animation was created at Gwen Frostic School of Art, Western Michigan University, USA, with Associate Professor Adriane Little ]

MK, 2007
© Irena Paskali
0:45, stereo

It was a country with different cultures, religions, a lot of symbols and with beautiful, nice songs - mosaics of beauty. One day the symbols started to mix, to go crazy. It fell into a chaos, which is continuing until today. And now we are many countries, many crazy countries - and they call us banana republics.

USA, 2008
© Stacy Averill
0:40, silent

My piece was created to symbolize the ongoing connection that these two nation-states (Kiribati and Nauru) hold. Tough they both share the bond of the Micronesian Islands, this bond is strenghtened every four years through their participation in the Micronesian Games, a quadrennial international multi-sport event.

[ This animation was created at Gwen Frostic School of Art, Western Michigan University, USA, with Associate Professor Adriane Little ]

DE / CH, 2006-2007
© M. Thyes
4:20, stereo

Caribbean Carnivals and their African roots - flags from west and central Africa, flags from the Caribbean islands, and images with carnival figures. The transition from an African to a Caribbean flag shows pale colours, because white is often the colour for death and mourning in Africa - so was the way for people who were brought as slaves to the Caribbean. The transition from a Caribbean to an African flag shows carnival figures, costumes and masks that are reminiscent of African cultures.

DE, 2007
© A. Scheulen + F. Köhnen
0:40, silent
Rechtliches

The development of the German flag, from the Burschenschaft (liberal nationalist student fraternity - see 1848) to the flag of the modern Federal Republic of Germany, with historical background: the black-red-and-gold Burschenschaft tunic, the spiked helmet, the Iron Cross, the swastika, the Imperial Eagle, the flags of the Allies / victorious powers of World War II, and the two German flags prior to Reunification - all these stand for their times and symbolise specific periods of Germany's history.

USA, 2007
© Joanna Priestley
0:35, stereo

This piece was inspired by sound. The traditional choral music of Bulgaria and Mongolia are related through harmonics and musical structure. Bulgaria is represented by a silhouette of the Balkan Mountains, the Queen’s Standard, the Bulgarian Coat of Arms, a country map and the rose, the national symbol. Mongolia is represented by a mandala, the treasured steed from the Coat of Arms, a country map and the elements of the soyombo (national symbol): flame (prosperity), sun, moon, yin yang fish (male and female, reason and wisdom), triangles (death to enemies), horizontal rectangles (honesty and fairness between rulers and the people), vertical rectangles (fortress, strength of friendship).

CH, 2006
© Christoph Frei
0:55, silent

Bolivia and Japan are situated  on opposite sides of planet earth. On one side: the organic country Bolivia, full of forests, steppes and mountains, with little industry, living mainly from its agriculture and natural gasoline hoard. O the other side: Japan, highly industrialised and automated, on shaky, insecure geological territory. Two countries, antithetic in culture and geography, but partners in symmetry.

HR, 2007
© Slobodan Tomiæ
1:20, stereo

The ideas of freedom and independence are transformed into a caricature-like mixture of populist ideologies, cheap consumerism and all-pervasive globalization: The Croatian flag is being gradually supplemented by characters from history. They have become interwoven thus creating a game throughout which different ideology types have been in conflict. However, after a revolutionary emerging of the new independent state Croatia,  the ideals and traditional values are gradually weakening against a much stronger enemy – the international conformism.

BiH/DE, 2006
© Ajdin Pajevic
1:45, silent

The formation of Bosnia & Herzegovina after wars with Serbia and Croatia. First, the breakup of Tito´s Yugoslavia is symbolised by a bleeding Red Star (Petokraka). Then the animation shows the destruction of the old symbols of unity between the different nations living in Bosnia & Herzegovina – Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats. The terrain of Bosnia serves as a chess board / battlefield for the bloody fightings...

UK, 2006
© Rona Innes
1:25, stereo

Jute has been grown in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. In 1793, the Bengal Board of Trade sent a jute fibre sample to Great Britain. Starting 1833, jute fibre was spun mechanically in Dundee, Scotland. Dundee had the advantage of locally supplied whale oil to make the jute fibres flexible and a workforce of women experienced in the spinning and weaving of linen. Scotland's jute prosperity was to last for over 100 years, until India developed the capacity to manufacture and process the raw material. India (mainly Bengal) was formerly the largest exporter of raw jute in the world.

USA / DE, 2006
© Barry L. Roshto
0:45, silent

The relationship between Cuba and the United States has always been complicated. During the Missile Crisis of 1962, when the Soviet Union began stationing nuclear warheads in Cuba capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, the world came close to nuclear war. Eventually Khrushchev, the soviet prime minister, conceded to withdrawing the warheads in exchange for the promise that the U.S. would not invade Cuba. Unknown at the time, Kennedy also agreed to the removal of U.S. nuclear missiles from Turkey. Both leaders were criticized for showing weakness in this confrontation. But, their prudent and level-headed handling of this crisis prevented a world war.

DE / CH, 2006
© M. Thyes
0:45, stereo

Since 1995, the Amazon rain forest has shrunk by 1,7m hectares a year and has been turned into farmland. During the same period, China has lost more than 6m hectares of arable land to cities, factories, roads and deserts. Brazil produces millions of tonnes of soya beans for China: Since 1995, soya bean imports from Brazil to China have increased ten thousand %. The pulses are now by far the most important item on the bilateral balance sheet, 2004 worth more than a third of Brazil's sales volume to Beijing.

DE / KR, 2006
© Nicola Tauscher
1:25, silent

This animation features the beauty of Korea and Korean women - and how especially the women suffered from the Japanese occupation.

CA, 2006
© Chris Joseph
0:35, stereo

An animation about sugar cane fields and the fight against slavery: Barbados became independent peacefully in 1966 after many centuries of solely British rule; its main crop has been sugar cane for most of this time, and the relationship between the plantation owners and the workers / slaves was a key issue in the island's history. The artist´s mother is from Barbados, and his grandfather worked in plantations to bring his family from Barbados to the UK in the 1960s.

DE, 2006
© A. Landschreiber
0:55, stereo

I have chosen to work with the flags of Uganda and the Congo (DRC), because both countries hardly know any tourism, and for me they are the heart of the so called "unknown continent". Because I cannot live and verify the reality of these countries, I quote my first big cinema experience – the film featured the gorilla who lives in that region of Africa: King Kong, and the white woman. (A.L.)

DE / CH, 2005
© M. Thyes
1:05, stereo

The huge Congo is naturally very rich with rain forest and minerals (copper, diamonds, cobalt, uranium, gold and more). For more than hundred years, this wealth has been exploited (and stolen) by European, North-American and African companies and states (and buyers often pay with weapons). Since the time the Congo was a colony of Belgium, and up to now, the minerals are often brought to the big commerce port of Antwerp.

USA / DE, 2005
© Barry L. Roshto
3:25, stereo

The last war in Vietnam with all of its traumatic effect is only a brief episode in the ancient and ongoing struggle of the Vietnamese people. This struggle is evident in the evolution of the Vietnamese flag. Although it has taken on diverse form, borrowed symbolic content from colonial powers and remains a subject of heated debate even today, there is a central thematic thread: red blood and yellow skin.

CH / DE, 2005
© M. Thyes
0:30, stereo

In this scene I feature the philosphical / religious symbols on the flags: South Korea's flag pictures a red and blue Yin-Yang symbol, surrounded by 4 kwae trigrams from the I Ching. They represent heaven, the earth, water and fire. Japan's flag is white with a red sun disk which symbolizes the Shinto sun-goddess Amaterasu. Japan´s religious culture with its native Shinto beliefs and rituals, includes influences from China and Korea, mainly Buddhism.

UK, 2006
© Monika Oechsler
6:00, stereo

The football jumps happily through all the flags of the 32 nations participating in the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2006 - and moves the flag elements in blithely dancing shapes.

MT, 2005
© Norbert F. Attard
2:40, stereo
(12,5 MB)

Maltese history is the inspiration of Metawarphoses. I based my scenes on two important historical events which took place in Malta during the 16th and the 20th centuries. They helped to save Europe and North Africa from prolonged wars and further destruction. These were the great siege of 1565 against the Turkish Ottoman Empire (when the Order of the Knights of St. John ruled Malta) and the second great siege of Malta that took place during World War II (when Malta was a colony of the British Empire).

DE / CH, 2005
© M. Thyes
0:45, stereo

An important historical connection between India and Bangladesh is Calcutta - the former cultural and economical centre of Bengal. - The bicycle rickshaw rides away from the possible confrontation of Hinduism (orange) and Islam (green). - The Dakhineshwar temple in Calcutta is dedicated to the goddess Kali, Calcutta´s “mother”. She transforms into a brick chopper and a rice farmer, while hindi music blends into islamic chanting and bengali folk music.

CA, 2005
© Peter Chanthanakone
0:40, stereo

My family fled Laos because of the Communist regime back in 1976. The democratic system was flattened and there were dark times in Laos. Bloodshed brought ethnic cleansing in the eyes of the communists when our family escaped to a safer place. It was like we floated to Canada by accident. (P. Ch.)

UK, 2005
© Rona Innes
1:30, stereo

Mozambique and Malawi are neighbouring countries in South East  Africa. Both countries are lush with vegetation and rich in minerals  but have a history of internal conflict. Western settlers  arrived in the 15th and 19th century and exploited the resources and  minerals. Flooding, drought, poverty and crippling World Bank debts  have since made Malawi and Mozambique two of the poorest in the  world. This animation aims to show the darker side of history but is  only one aspect of Mozambique and Malawi, two countries rich in  culture and creativity.

CH / DE, 2005
© M. Thyes
0:30, stereo

Spain - with its Austrian / Habsburg kings and the help of the Catholic church - invaded Mexico and destroyed a lot of Mexico´s people and culture (leaving huge Maya pyramids among other heritage). Mexico´s native tradition "Dia de los Muertos" (with colorful sugar sculls) may have integrated that historical shock. But the golden eagle still gets the snake - an aztec symbol for the former capital Tenochtitlan (today Mexico City) and the god(esse)s of the indigenous peoples.

DE, 2005
© Max Pohlenz
1:15, stereo

The Stars'n'Stripes jet is rushing through the stratosphere and CRASH! - looses some stars in accident. The hunt for the lost stars begins. A journey through sixty years of war history of the United States.

CH / DE, 2005
© M. Thyes
0:40, stereo

The river Rhein doesn´t stay so clean on its way through the countries, from Switzerland to Germany. And on the other hand: (Not only) German tourists bring (clean?) money to Switzerland ...

CH / DE, 2005
© M. Thyes
2:20, stereo

The flag of the European Union transforms itself into all the flags of its member countries, from west to east, and then into the flags of future and further possible members. While the EU expands eastwards, the wolves return to the west. But who can tell what the EU will look like in the year 2020?