MONSTRA - Lisbon Animation Festival

Thank you so much for selecting BORNFREE to be part of this amazing film festival!

From the Project of Empty Plates by Gerser Gelly, we felt incredibly welcome from the first moment we entered the festival. We had a great time in Lisbon, seeing everything the city had to offer and we were astonished by the immense quality and talent of the international and Portuguese animators that presented.

The team is incredibly excited by the choice of making Empty Plates the winner of the curtissimas selection and we can only hope to have the chance to show our work again in the MONSTRA big screens.

I've been to some great film festivals in Portugal over the last years, like Cinanima, and was really excited to attend Monstra for the first time.
I'm super grateful that my film was selected for the Portuguese competition, and it was great seeing familiar faces and meeting other filmmakers. Big thanks to the volunteer team as well, they did a fantastic job helping everyone out.

However, having travelled from another country to attend the festival and to be told on stage that I wasn't present for the screening of my short felt disheartening. If I hadn't come down to the stage when all the filmmakers were called for the Q&A, and raised my arm last minute in front of the presenter, I would have missed the opportunity to talk about my short, and openly answer any questions from other attendees.

I was present at the festival 4 days before my short's screening, and let the reception team know I was there. I kindly asked for an accreditation card 4 days before my shorts screening. I also asked a member of the cinema to let the organisation team know that I was there for the screening, so I could be included in the Q&A.

I wasn't given any explanation on why I wasn't given an accreditation during the festival, after I kindly asked for one 4 days before the screening day of my film.
I thought that there was probably just some miscommunication through email, but having asked for the accreditation in person at the festival in advance, and not being given one, I was confused. When I asked if the accreditation card was ready on the last day of the festival, the reception members said they didn't have it, and also commented on how I wanted the accreditation card because the temporary one I got was hand written...?

I didn't mind any of this, until I realised all this overlooking would mean I would almost miss my chance to take part in the Q&A of my short's screening - because again, in the system, I was probably marked as absent the whole time, and I wasn't given any explanation on why this happened.

This impacted my experience as I was waiting for the actual accreditation card so I could attend the events without complications, and of course, be acknowledged as present, as I always look forward to take part in Q&A's.

Overall, I hope this won't happen in the future, especially with international guests, as it takes time, effort and also funds to be able to travel to Portugal and get accommodation.
While I understand that logistical issues can arise, I would appreciate more clarity and communication regarding accreditation processes to prevent this from happening to others.

I really don't like to complain about festivals, that I know are complicated events and a lot of work is required from the work team involved. It was my first time at the festival and unfortunately, it wasn't the best experience for me and I know it wasn't on any lack of communication from my part.

That said, I am grateful that my film was included in the festival’s selection, and I hope this feedback is taken constructively and does not impact future film submissions from me. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into running a festival, and I hope this feedback helps improve the experience for future attendees.

My goal is to ensure a better experience for other filmmakers in the future, and I am sharing this feedback openly and not anonymously

A huge thanks to MONSTRA for nominating my animated short film ‘Kafka and the Lost Doll’, for the 2024 festival! Although I couldn’t attend this time, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity. Lisbon and MONSTRA are a magical combination—full of creativity, energy, and inspiration—and I can’t wait for the chance to experience it firsthand in the future. The spirit of this festival, dedicated to the power of animation and storytelling, is something I deeply admire, and I look forward to being part of it one day. Until then, my heart is with MONSTRA, and I’ll keep creating with hope for what lies ahead!

I had a great experience in Lisbon!