The "MONSTRA à Solta" returns to Porto with the presentation of two sessions for this August. The chosen films were in competition at this year's festival in Lisbon. In this second session, you can check out animations coming from: Austria, Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Macau, Portugal and UK. This is another partnership between the festival and Saco Azul Associação Cultural and Maus Hábitos.

Program

▪️Tie

Alexandra Ramires, Portugal, 2020, 11’

Under a gloomy sun, two characters with symmetrical handicaps look for adaptation.

▪️Bye Little Block

Éva DARABOS, Hungria, 2020, 8’

The protagonist learns that soon she will have to leave her blockhouse flat for good. After receiving the upsetting news she is overwhelmed with emotions. Her teardrop of farewell grows into a concrete monolith. When the drop hits the ground a surreal panorama of the block - she used to call home - unfolds.

▪️Flamingo

Kawo a.k.a. Sushijojo, Macau, 2019, 8’

I have this dream about driving an uncontrollable vehicle for three and a half years.

Each time it changes a little, I want to capture these emotions, in order to read the message behind it.

▪️Community Heroes: Sara Ali

Pedro Serrazina, Portugal, 2020, 5’

Sara is 24 years old, a computer engineer and lives in Almada. At the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, Sara describes what changed in her life. Outside, people no longer go for a stroll and cars cannot be seen. The living room now doubles as an office and as a cinema. Being able to be together with her family has become a challenge that is difficult to achieve. But, as with her academic degree that was very male dominated, or with matters of religion, Sara believes in the strength of character and creativity to adapt to the most unexpected situations. Community Heroes is part of ReThink, an EU sponsored campaign against religious discrimination.

▪️The Passerby

Pieter Coudyzer, Bélgica, 2020, 16’

On a summer day, the paths of two boys unexpectedly cross.

▪️Thorns and Fishbones

Natália Azevedo Andrade, Hungria, 2020, 10’

Three young children, bored and neglected, live off the adventures they create in their own heads, until a day comes when they try to reach the outside. The mother, always busy, seems completely emotionally detached from her surroundings. As the children grow and the mother’s routine is ever more tiresome, the secrets of the mysterious house become apparent.

▪️Apfelmus

Alexander Gratzer, Áustria, 2019, 7’

While two birds talk about their existence, a small apple makes its way into the depths of a cave under watchful eyes.

▪️The Song of A Lost Boy

Daniel Quirke, UK, 2020, 10’

Ben a young choir boy, who after his voice breaks mid solo, has a crisis of faith, decides to run away from his community. He happens upon a group of nomads who take him in, though Ben hides a secret about who he really is, and must decide what to do with it.

▪️See Me

Patty StengerYvonne Kroese, Holanda, 2020, 8’

When nobody sees you, you seem to disappear. Only when you fall, you seem to belong, just for a little while.