Maybe Elephants

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Maybe Elephants
Maybe Elephants Film Poster.jpg
Norwegian Kanskje det var elefanter
Directed by Torill Kove
Written byTorill Kove
Produced by
  • Lise Fearnley
  • Maral Mohammadian
  • Tonje Skar Reiersen
Narrated byTorill Kove
Production
companies
Release date
  • 2024 (2024)
Running time
16 minutes
Countries
Languages

Maybe Elephants (Norwegian : Kanskje det var elefanter) is a 2024 Canadian-Norwegian animated short film written and directed by Academy Award winner [1] Torill Kove. [2] The 16-minutes animated film about family and memories has been selected in various international film festivals, [3] including Annecy International Animation Film Festival [4] and Spark Animation Film Festival where the film won the Canadian Film Prize. The film is listed as part of the qualified shorts under consideration in the 2025 Academy Award Best Animated Short Film Category. [5]

Contents

Plot

Three teenage sisters find themselves uprooted from their small town in Norway when their mother decides to move to Nairobi, Kenya, in an attempt to escape the dark cloud that has been following her. The film is inspired by Kove's own experiences, [6] in the same fashion as her previous short Me and My Moulton.

Release

Since its release, the film has been selected in various festivals around the world:

FestivalsAward/CategoryStatus
2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival [7] Cristal for Best Short FilmNominated
Spark Animation Film Festival [8] Canadian Film PrizeWon
Lifetime Achievement AwardWon
Animation Is Film Festival [9] - AIF [10] Short Film Grand PrizeNominated
American Film Institute Festival - AFI [11] Shorts Program : Family FriendlyNominated
London International Animation Festival - LIAF [12] Figures in FocusNominated
Bucheon International Animation Festival [13] Audience PrizeWon
Vila do Conde International Short Film Festival [14] International CompetitionNominated

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References

  1. ↑ Amidi, Amid (2015-01-15). "Torill Kove Celebrates 'Me and My Moulton' Oscar Nomination with An Animated Film". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  2. ↑ Wolfe, Jennifer (2024-06-12). "Exploring the Gap Between Reality and Memory: Torill Kove's 'Maybe Elephants' (Extended Interview)" . Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  3. ↑ "US festival premiere of Torill Kove's Mikrofilm/NFB animated short Maybe Elephants. SoCal audiences get three chances in October to see Oscar winner's latest". WebWire. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  4. ↑ Robinson, Chris (2024-06-04). "10 Shorts You Won't Want To Miss At Annecy 2024". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  5. ↑ Magazine, Animation (2024-10-25). "Oscar Watch: The Long List of the 2024 Animated Short Award Contenders" . Retrieved 2024-12-11. Maybe Elephants - Norway, Canada - Directed by: Torill Kove - Qualified by exhibition
  6. ↑ Bobrowska, Olga (2024-07-17). "Mood Bathing. A Conversation with Torill Kove". Zippy Frames. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  7. ↑ "AWN Exclusive: Torill Kove's 'Maybe Elephants' Trailer". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  8. ↑ Skwigly (2024-10-10). "Award winners announced for 2024 SPARK ANIMATION Festival". Skwigly Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  9. ↑ Zahed, Ramin (2024-10-14). "Making Cinematic Memories at L.A.'s Animation Is Film Festival" . Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  10. ↑ Patta, Gig (2024-10-24). "Maybe Elephants | Torill Kove on Animated Short Film of Family Life in Nairobi - Animation Is Film 2024". LRMonline. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  11. ↑ "AFI Announces Full Lineup – Here, Juror #2, Maria and More". Awardsdaily. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  12. ↑ "LIAF 2024: Figures in Focus: Wanderlust (15) + Screentalk". London International Animation Festival. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  13. ↑ "BIAF 2025. 10.24 ~ 10.28 BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL 1". www.biaf.or.kr. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  14. ↑ "Maybe Elephants". www.festival.curtas.pt. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
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