Fredrikstad Animation Festival 2025: A Celebration of Global and Nordic-Baltic Animated Innovation

By Stopmo, for Stop Motion Magazine

This fall, from October 23 to 26, Norway will host the venerable Fredrikstad Animation Festival (FAF)—the oldest and most prestigious celebration of animation in the Nordic region—as it unveils its inspiring 2025 Short Film Competition. This year’s lineup is nothing short of extraordinary: 69 short films from 25 countries, presented across six distinct programs that span both global and regional perspectives, and cater to varied audiences and creative visions.

A Confluence of Tradition and Innovation

FAF’s 2025 competition emphasizes creative breadth—embracing everything from hand-drawn techniques to cutting-edge CGI, with contributions from emerging artists alongside seasoned filmmakers. This fusion of styles sets the stage for an exciting showcase of storytelling, technical artistry, and stylistic exploration.

Program Highlights: Global and Nordic-Baltic Focus

Global Competition Short Film

A sweeping global vision is captured in two programs featuring 15 films, each offering fresh perspectives from across the world. Highlights include:

• States of Matter (Netherlands, 2024) — Marvin Hauck

• Fačuk (Croatia/Slovenia, 2025) — Maida Srabović

• Children of the Bird (Hungary, 2024) — Júlia Tudisco

• DUCKS (United Kingdom, 2025) — AJ Jefferies

• This Is Not Your Garden (Colombia, 2025) — Carlos Velandia & Angélica Restrepo

• Quota (Netherlands, 2024) — Job, Joris & Marieke

This lineup underscores FAF’s mission to bridge cultures through animation, inviting audiences into vivid new worlds.

Nordic-Baltic Competition

A celebration of regional talent, this category is divided into four sub-sections:

• Short Film: Featuring Doomsday Radio (Lithuania/UK, 2025), 2nd Day & the End of the World (Denmark, 2025), and TURBULENCE (Denmark/USA, 2025).

• Student Film: Emerging voices take center stage with Water (Norway, 2025), The Undying Pain of Existence (Germany, 2025), and Keijo on the Go (Estonia, 2025).

• Commissioned Film: Notable works include Negative Space by Stéph Hope (Norway, 2025), What We Leave Unsaid by Tord Theodor Olsen (Norway, 2025), and NRK Online Abuse by Kristoffer Hofsøy Stokkerud (Norway, 2025).

• Young Audience / Children’s Film: Designed for younger viewers, with films such as Robot Leo (Estonia, 2025), MISLAID (Sweden, 2025), and Speeding, of Course (Finland, 2025).

With such a wide spectrum of categories, FAF ensures the festival embraces all levels—from academic exploration to commissioned works and playful stories for youth.

What This Means for Stop Motion Enthusiasts

Although this year’s line-up doesn’t explicitly spotlight stop-motion, the diversity of the programming sets a powerful example of global and regional inclusivity. For stop-motion artists and enthusiasts, FAF 2025 represents a vibrant source of inspiration:

• Study diverse animation techniques, from traditional to CGI, and imagine how stop-motion can meld or contrast with them.

• Spot emerging talents whose experimental narratives could cross over into stop-motion realms.

• Gauge thematic trends—such as identity, surrealism, or social topics—resonating within animated short storytelling.

Looking Ahead

FAF will release its full schedule and jury lineup soon, with festival passes already available. Interested creators and audiences can find further information at animationfestival.no.

Source

Content adapted from Animation Magazine’s report: “Fredrikstad Animation Festival Unveils 2025 Short Film Competition” (August 2025).