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Bug

In a desolate dystopian world where humanity has long been extinct, a robot scavenges for parts to rebuild a companion while tending to a treasured oasis - a radiant greenhouse that stands as a fragile testament to the beauty that once graced the Earth. On his journey, he encounters a beetle, forming a valuable friendship. Together, they embark on a journey filled with discovery, bringing hope and connection in the midst of desolation.

  • Andrey Oliver
    Studio 003
  • Enzo Bonini
    Studio 003
  • Julia Marques
    Studio 003
  • Marina Lobo
    Studio 003
  • Pedro Mancini
    Studio 003
  • Tiago Eugenio dos Santos
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation
  • Genres:
    Sci-fi, drama, post-apocalyptic
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 23 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 29, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    400 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Brazil
  • Country of Filming:
    Brazil
  • Language:
    No Dialogue
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:09
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University Anhembi Morumbi
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • 3º Festival de Cinema de Animação Universitária da FAAP
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    October 28, 2025
    Melhor Animação 3D / Melhor Montagem
  • PAFestival - 1º Festival Internacional de Animação da Anhembi Morumbi
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    December 7, 2022
    Melhor Direção de Arte / Melhor Narrativa
  • FESTIVAL DE SANTA CRUZ
    Maricá
    Brazil
    November 26, 2024
    Melhor Curta-Metragem Brasileiro
  • Dialog Film Festival

    February 15, 2024
    Best Animation
  • Sunny Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    October 31, 2023
    Best Student Film
  • Brazil New Visions Film Fest
    Camaragibe, Pernambuco
    Brazil
    October 8, 2023
    Best Short Film
  • São Paulo Film Festival
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    November 24, 2023
    Melhor animação
  • FECEA - Festival Internacional de Cinema Escolar de Alvorada
    Alvorada, Rio Grande do Sul
    Brazil
    November 27, 2023
    Melhor Direção de Arte
  • Reel Harmony Film and Script Festival
    London
    October 27, 2023
    Best Animation/ Best Producer
  • International Film & Script Festival Lotus
    Athens
    Greece
    June 10, 2023
    Best Animation
  • Lion International Film Festival
    Firenze
    Italy
    August 4, 2023
    Best Animation
  • Play Short - International Film Awards

    February 11, 2024
    Best Animation Short
  • Khabarovsk International Animation Film Festival "Animur"

    September 28, 2023
    Best animation short for teens
  • Student Awards Student Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    August 31, 2023
    Semi-Finalist Best Animation
  • Student World Impact Film Festival

    June 18, 2023
    Semi-finalist
  • Festival de Curta Capiranga
    Castanhal, Pará
    Brazil
    March 14, 2025
    Nomeado
  • French International Modern Film and Script Festival
    Paris
    France
    September 5, 2023
    Nominee
  • Animation Studio Festival
    Paris
    France
    October 31, 2023
    Nominee
  • Paris Play Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    June 30, 2023
    Nominee
  • Animex Screen
    Middlesbrough, Teesside
    United States
    November 6, 2023
    Nominee
  • Palma Film Festival
    Palma
    August 14, 2024
    Honorable Mention
  • AnimArte - International Student Animation Festival of Brazil
    Rio de Janeiro
    Brazil
    November 5, 2023
    Honorable Mention
  • Black Owl Festival
    Bodrum, Mugla
    April 24, 2024
    Honorable Mention
Distribution Information
  • SPCine Play
    Distributor
    Country: Brazil
    Rights: All Rights
  • SESI
    Distributor
    Country: Brazil
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography

We are an independent studio formed by five members. We all met each other at Anhembi Morumbi University while studying Animation Design in 2019. During the course, we became great friends to the point where working together became natural. In early 2022, we started the production of the short film BUG, which was our final project. Its production lasted approximately one year, and as soon as it was ready, we presented it at PAFestival and won two awards for Best Narrative and Art Direction. We see animations as a means of creating universes and stories that can transport us to another world and evoke emotions, questions, and entertainment for the viewers.

Formed by:
Andrey Oliver;
Enzo Bonini;
Julia Marques;
Marina Lobo;
Pedro Mancini.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

We, from Studio 003, created the short film BUG as our Final Course Project in college, but it ended up becoming a bigger project that we are extremely proud of.

Throughout our four years of college, we always made films focused on comedy; it was our comfort zone in a way. When we reached the final year, we thought about doing something that would push us out of that comfort zone, something dramatic, personal, and emotional. In the beginning, we jokingly said, "Let's make others cry!"

BUG gets its title from the Beetle present in the animation, which serves as a key piece for the story's resolution. Additionally, it also works as a pun since the term "bug" is used to refer to a flaw in a code or a problem in a computing context. But in our story, it is precisely the solution.

The idea for the short film came to us through the song "Travel" by The Hunts, which became the film's soundtrack. Interestingly, the aesthetic of the pink clouds surrounding the greenhouse came from an unofficial "lyrics" video of another song, which had an image with pink clouds in the background.

BUG can have various interpretations, and the more people watch the short film and discuss it with us, the more we see that. Regardless of these interpretations, our intention from the beginning was always to make it possible for anyone to identify with the story. Because of that, the main character, the Blue Robot, went through a long phase of concept development until we arrived at a silhouette that pleased us and didn't resemble any specific gender, while still maintaining a humanoid shape.

As for its meaning or message, we can say that it evolved with us as we produced BUG. We concluded that the short film is primarily about three things: Nostalgia, love, and empathy. Ironically, these are things that a robot or an artificial intelligence would hardly feel, but in our opinion, that's exactly why a robot would be the ideal protagonist for this story.

Technically speaking, the production of the short film was fun but challenging at the same time. We had one year to produce the entire short film. We initially started in Blender since we were already familiar with the program. Around the middle of the year, we decided to use Unreal Engine in conjunction with Blender, mainly because of its real-time rendering capabilities. Since we didn't have much time left for rendering, Unreal Engine was a perfect fit for us, and we also gained a lot of knowledge about another important program.

So, we animated in Blender and then transferred the animation to Unreal Engine to combine it with the environments, lighting, and finally render it.

Visually, BUG has two contrasts: the Robot's greenhouse and the world outside it. Colors were primarily used to differentiate these settings. For the outside world, "The Last of Us" was a major reference, using gray combined with dark green vines growing on reddish buildings to convey a clear and immediate sense of abandonment. On the other hand, the greenhouse is the opposite, with vibrant colors and a pink sky to create a feeling of comfort and warmth, both for the viewer and the character.