Sometimes separation is inevitable. Despite love and enthusiasm. The films in this programme may not have made it into this year's competition, but they have found their way into the hearts of many a delighted team member. And as true fans, they want to see their favourites on the big screen. Kill Your Darlings, the programme that now enjoys cult status at Kurzfilmtage, makes sure of that. It shows what other selection committees have been unable to cope with and does not shy away from daring experiments or obscure storylines. The orgy of images is ready – we’ll leave it to the audience to provide for everything else.
Recommended for ages 18+

The King
Milja Viita/Veli Granö / Finland 2024 / 7'30" / colour/black & white / Finnish / Exp/Doc
In 1975, Finnish singer Rauli «Badding» Somerjoki sent a recording of his local hit «Lights» to Elvis Presley, hoping his idol might like it. He received no answer, but soon after Elvis passed away, rumours started spreading that potatoes resembling Elvis were growing in Badding's home village of Somero.

Hey Sweet Pea
Alee Peoples / USA 2023 / 11'11" / colour / English / Exp
Parental aging and an existential wave collide in funny ways. «Hey Sweet Pea» borrows scenes from the 1984 children's sci-fantasy movie «The Neverending Story» to process our collective grief.

The Inescapable Desire of Roots
Mark Chua/Li Shuen Lam / Singapore 2024 / 5'39" / colour / Mandarin/English / Exp/Fic
A man grows strange tufts of hair on his body. The overlaid projections of 16 mm and S8 loops result in a bizarre film that is intended to illustrate the existential rage against discipline and body cult in Singapore.

Stuffed
Louise Labrousse / France 2024 / 10'30" / colour / French / Ani
Olla wants to relax in the warm bathtub with an instant noodle soup. But nothing goes as planned. Olla accidentally slips the tray of soup into the bathtub. Disaster...

Crazy Lotus
Naween Noppakun / Thailand 2024 / 15'10" / colour / Thai / Fic/Exp
The Distant Heart glasses create endless possibilities and offer an escape from reality. Tempting as well as frightening. When the boundaries between urban spaces and the digital environment dissolve, how do you recognize the right path? Does it even exist?

A Date with Chimney Alfonzo
Karolina Szablewska/Allie Brown/Justin Tomchuk / Canada 2024 / 6'16" / colour / English / Fic/Ani
Allow Chimney Alfonzo to introduce himself and his food and indulge you on the first date. You won't be able to banish it from your memory, because it's animated in coloured pencils!

Occhio
Giulia Falciani / Germany 2024 / 6'5" / colour / English/Italian/German / Ani
An important sensory organ, the eye, is damaged. The exhausting healing process takes us on an inner journey full of pain, fragility, and mental unrest, in which even superstition and witchcraft seem to have an influence on recovery.

Circle of Life
Peter Millard / United Kingdom 2024 / 3'33" / colour / English / Ani/Exp
Every species has its own life cycle.

Lunatic
Robin Noorda / Netherlands 2024 / 16' / colour / English / Ani/Exp
Astronaut Antonio is left behind on the moon after his coming-out. Here he becomes aware of pressing earthly problems – for example, the climate crisis or the increase in human waste, which is also reflected in space debris. Finally, he meets the omniscient «I Am AI», who also happens to be the voice over.