Radix – Stop Motion Short Film by Anne Breymann
German filmmaker Anne Breymann returns to the world of handcrafted animation with Radix, a four-minute stop motion short that captures a quiet, intimate moment between two mysterious tree-like creatures. The film has recently screened at international festivals including Annecy 2025 and Palm Springs ShortFest, where its poetic simplicity and tactile visuals have drawn strong attention.
Told entirely without dialogue, Radix explores the meeting of two hybrid beings perched on a tree branch. They appear part-bird, part-root — fragments of nature that have found motion and curiosity. Their cautious interaction gradually turns tender as they reach toward one another, transforming in ways that feel both emotional and organic. The story unfolds through texture and rhythm, evoking life’s cyclical patterns and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Breymann directed, wrote, and produced the film, working closely with animator Jonatan Schwenk, cinematographer Björn Ullrich, and sound designer Michal Krajczok. The miniature sets and puppets, sculpted and painted by hand, carry the distinct physicality of Breymann’s past work — where materials seem alive and the smallest movement can communicate entire emotions.
“Two creatures meet on a tree. Their encounter goes deep down to the roots and beyond,” reads the film’s official synopsis — a fitting summary of its layered symbolism and title. Radix, meaning “root” in Latin, reflects both the literal setting and the deeper themes of origin, growth, and connection.
The short stands as a reminder of how stop motion can convey profound ideas through silence and tactility alone. In an era of high-speed digital imagery, Radix slows the viewer down, inviting reflection through motion measured frame by frame.
For fans of handcrafted cinema, Radix is a small but potent work that reaffirms why stop motion remains one of the most expressive storytelling mediums today.
Director: Anne Breymann
Animation: Anne Breymann, Jonatan Schwenk
Cinematography: Björn Ullrich
Sound/Music: Michal Krajczok
Country: Germany
Duration: 4 min 14 sec
Technique: Stop Motion, No Dialogue
Festivals: Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025 (Midnight Specials), Palm Springs ShortFest 2025, Krakow Film Festival 2025
Sources:
Annecy Festival – Official Selection
Krakow Film Festival
MUBI
Anne Breymann – Official Site
