ESTERHAZY

Title: Esterhazy

Runtime: 25'

Genre: Animation

Direction: Izabela Plucinska (Silver bear winner)

Script: Izabela Plucińska, Anna Jadowska

Year of production: 2009

Status: Released

Countries: Poland, Germany

Production: Clay Traces (DE, Jamila Wenske), Donten & Lacroix Films (PL, Maria Blicharska, Monika Sajko-Gradowska), TVP Kultura

Support: Polish Film Institute, TVP Kultura, Media Europe Creative, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, Kuratorium Junger Deutscher Film, Defa Stiftung

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sales: New Europe Film Sales till 2019. From 2020 Donten & Lacroix films

Distribution: TVP Kultura (PL), Donten & Lacroix Films (PL)

Cast: Poland: Maciej Stuhr, Maria Peszek, Wiktor Zborowski, Zbigniew Zamachowski. Germany: Manuel Rubey, Anna Fischer, Helmuth Krauss, Ludger Pistor

Synopsis: The main character – a rabbit from the famous Esterházy dynasty from Vienna – is ordered by the family patriarch to go to Berlin to look for a wife: a dream partner, an inhabitant of the surroundings of the famous Berlin Wall. After a long search he finds Mimi and goes to Rabbit Heaven, an area between East and West Berlin. But in 1989, the Wall is destroyed…

A classic animation in plasticine technique.

Festivals & awards:

Opening Warsaw IFF, Annecy IFF, Mar del Plata IFF, Edinburgh IFF and over 100 other IFF, 14 International Awards

Premiered the Edinburgh IFF (June 2009) and opened the Warsaw Film Festival (Oct 2009) Oscar Qualifying Screenings in LA (Sept. 2009).

ESTERHAZY selected for over 100 International Film Festivals around the world awarded by 14 International Prizes, not bad for a little rabbit...

Guanajuato / San Miguel, Expresion en Corto, Mexico (Award for Best Short Animation), Drama International Short Film Festival, Greece (Award for Best Animation Film, Forli, Sedicicorto, Italy (Award for Best Animation Film), Cinessonne, Ris Orangis, France (High School Jury Award), Banja Luka International Animated Film Festival (Best Film, Nomination for Cartoon d’Or), My Europe Film Festival, across Europe (Audience Award), Kecskemét Animation Film Festival, Hungary (Best TV Special), Blue Sea Film Festival Rauma, Finland (Director’s Award), FICBUEU (2nd Award & Best Screenplay & Best Art Direction), Corby International Short Film Festival, UK (Best Short Film, The Best Director and The Best Photography)

Reviews:

"This delicate and brilliant metaphor of live before and after the Collapse of The Berlin Wall is a fascinating voice of young artist looking at the history with perversity and irony, but without easy criticism". - Piotr Felis, Gazeta Wyborcza

"Amazing! Polish cinematography has not disappeared! I recommend it to all, not only to the fans of animation!". - Onetfilm.pl

"A funny and surprising story of freedom". - Play Poland Film Festival