Cinema Playground: Our animal friends

Welcome to the cinema! Three short movie adventures about beastly friendships. Kājām gaisā / Upside Down Latvia 2023, 12 min., no dialogue, 4 years and older R: Dace Rīdūze B: Dace Rīdūze K: Ēvalds Lācis P: Māris Putniņš, Film Studio "Animācijas Brigāde" When the sun comes up, bats go to sleep. But one spirited young bat flees his colony’s cozy tree hollow to explore the world by daylight. Everything’s different and the little nocturnal flyer’s excursion almost ends in a crash landing. But a friendship with a mouse provides a shift in perspective that enhances the lives of both young animals. Vems fel? / Who’s Wrong? Sweden 2024, 5 min., swed. ov, engl. st, germ. overdub, 4 years and older R: Stina Wirsén, Linda Hambäck B: Stina Wirsén D: Stellan Skarsgård (Sprecher) P: Linda Hambäck, LEE Film Stockholm F: Swedish Film Institute Deutsche Premiere Teddy Cat proudly brings a super hero figure to stuffed animal day at preschool. But it just can’t compete with Little Dog’s gorgeous unicorn. This makes Teddy Cat so furious that the consequences can’t be undone. Or maybe they can. Teddy Cat and Little Dog show us how something seemingly unpardonable can be forgiven and forgotten. Ummi und Zaki / Ummi and Zaki Germany 2024, 4 min., germ. ov, engl. st, 4 years and older R: Daniela Opp B: Kai Rönnau K: Daniela Opp D: Kai Rönnau (Sprecher) P: Daniela Opp, Studio Wolke Ummi is a young lady hippopotamus who would very much like a friend. Not, however, one like crazy Zaki, who she accidently saves from drowning. He is great fun because he weaves wonderful dreams, but Zaki is so small and different from Ummi. It’s only when they face danger together that they realise that differences don’t have to stand in the way of a lifelong friendship. On the contrary!