Hunting – When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Switzerland, 2024 – Directed and written by Lea Favre
Stop Motion / Puppet Animation – 10’50” – Produced at ECAL (École cantonale d’art de Lausanne) and Hélium Films
In Hunting, Swiss director Lea Favre turns her lens inward to explore the act of observation itself. Crafted in beautifully tactile stop motion, the film follows a filmmaker—also named Lea—who sets out to find the perfect subject for her next documentary. What begins as an innocent pursuit quickly transforms into a sharp, self-aware tale about power, curiosity, and reversal. When the filmmaker finally believes she’s captured her prey, the tables turn. The observer becomes the observed. The hunter becomes the hunted.
A Self-Reflective Stop Motion
Created as Favre’s diploma project at ECAL, the prestigious art and design university in Lausanne, Hunting blends realism and metaphor through the expressive physicality of puppet animation. Favre wrote and directed the piece herself, supported by a creative team including Diane Derib (production design), Constantin Rytz (animation), and Lara Wedekind (sound design).
The film’s minimal urban setting—a bus stop flanked by muted billboards and distant figures—frames a world that feels both familiar and uncanny. Favre’s puppets, delicately textured and warmly lit, move with the nervous energy of real people caught between curiosity and exposure. Through the handmade aesthetic, Favre draws the viewer into the fragile line between artistic intent and intrusion.
Festival Success
Since its 2024 completion, Hunting (French title Qui part à la chasse) has traveled an impressive international circuit. It premiered in 2025 and was selected for numerous festivals including:
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Annecy International Animation Film Festival (Graduation Films Competition)
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Animafest Zagreb (Student Film Competition)
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Fantoche International Animation Film Festival (Switzerland)
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Encounters Film Festival (Bristol, UK)
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Kraków Film Festival (Poland)
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Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS)
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Norwich Film Festival (UK)
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Anim’est, Animatou, Varna, Guanajuato, Locarno, and Huesca
At these events, Hunting garnered major recognition:
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Best Swiss Film and Best Film – Fantoche 2025
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Lotte Reiniger Förderpreis für Animationsfilm (Student Competition) – Stuttgart 2025
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Audience Award – Encounters Film Festival 2025
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Silver Dragon & Don Quixote Award – Kraków 2025
Its Fantoche win qualified it for Oscar consideration in the animated short film category—an exceptional achievement for a student production.
Themes of Pursuit and Perspective
Beneath the playful premise, Hunting reflects a deeper anxiety about filmmaking itself: the act of pursuing truth while risking distortion. Favre mirrors her own creative journey through her on-screen persona, making the story feel personal yet universal to any artist searching for meaning in their work.
In an interview with Swiss Films, Favre described her stop-motion practice as a way to “observe people without really being there.” This paradox—of closeness without intrusion—forms the heart of the film. Hunting captures the thrill and discomfort of seeing and being seen, told through the patient gestures and breathing rhythms only puppet animation can express.
Looking Ahead
Currently represented by SND Films for world distribution, Hunting continues its festival run through 2025. While not yet publicly available for streaming, the film can be viewed through festival programs or by request for institutional screenings.
Lea Favre’s emerging voice marks her as one of the most promising new talents in Swiss stop motion. Her work invites audiences—and artists—to question their own gaze. In the world of Hunting, every pursuit carries the risk of discovery.
Sources
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Annecy Festival – Hunting (Graduation Competition)
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Animafest Zagreb – Hunting Student Film Competition 4
