Ding (Thing)
2021 · 5m · Germany
Directed by Malte Stein
Genres: animation, dark comedy, horror
Tones: dark, darkly comic
A man on the street is relentlessly stalked by a small, naked, bucktoothed creature that escalates from unsettling fascination to violent aggression, biting chunks out of his leg. The film is a darkly comic horror-parable about fear, impulsive aggression, and the absurdity of violence.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Naked bucktoothed creature stalks and bites a man, made by one guy doing every job. Four minutes of one-man horror absurdism — exactly the right scale for the joke.
Stein single-handedly authored a tiny ridiculous monster as inverted horror-trope — Bambi Meets Godzilla logic applied to escalating aggression. Four and a half minutes of dark comic compression; the festival recognition is correct.
Virtually one-man production — written, directed, animated, composed, and sound-designed by Malte Stein — that inverts monster-movie convention by making the terrifying creature laughably small. Animafest Zagreb Special Jury and Fest Anca Best Animated Short on a 4:32 piece is real validation.
Reviews
Ding has all the components we're looking for, as it's unique, unforgettable and confirms Stein as an exciting new voice in the short film arena.
You'll be looking over your own shoulder after watching Malte Stein's hand-drawn animated film.
Festivals
- Annecy International Animation Festival 2022
- Animafest Zagreb 2022, Special Jury Award
- Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2022, Best Animated Short
- Tatsuno International Film Festival 2022, Grand Prix Animation Short Film
- Sardinia Film Festival 2022, Manfredo Manfredi Award
- Florida Animation Festival 2022, Honorable Mention
- MUMIA 2023, Honorable Mention