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Rubatosis

DCP Available

In the silence of the dormitory, the student’s loneliness echoes through the empty corridors. As she enters the shower, unaware eyes follow her – the monster that has been growing closer with each passing day prepares to unveil its true form.

The film is in Russian language with English subtitles, mostly silent.

  • AMONIMY| Valerie Bespalova
    Producer/Director/Writer/Animator
  • Berrish
    Background Artist
  • Ronya Hochland
    Background Artist
  • Sergei Makov
    Composer/Sound Designer
  • Anna Podosinnikova
    Voice Actor
  • Alina Roslyanova
    Voice Actor
  • Ilya Antonov
    Voice Actor
  • Emil Shiran
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Horror, Drama, thriller, psychological thriller
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 17, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Kazakhstan
  • Country of Filming:
    Kazakhstan
  • Language:
    English, Russian
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Available
Director Biography

Director and animator of Official book trailers of TGCF, Fourth Wing, Heavenly Hound, Silent Reading, Till the End of the Moon

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Director Statement

Dear Festival Organizers and Selection Committee,

I am thrilled to submit my animated short film, "Rubatosis," for your consideration. As a student project created at the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, this film is a deeply personal exploration of isolation, vulnerability, and psychological tension.

The story follows a lonely student in a silent, empty dormitory. The title "Rubatosis" refers to the unsettling awareness of one's own heartbeat—a feeling that perfectly reflects the heroine's state as she faces an approaching threat.

Visually, the film relies heavily on experimental cinematic language. To emphasize the heroine's growing anxiety, I designed a dynamic filmbar (aspect ratio) that shifts, constricts, and expands in real-time, depending on the psychological tension of the scene. Furthermore, the monster inhabits the shadows, seamlessly blending into the darkness to create striking, symbolic negative spaces (counterspaces) on screen.

As a first-time filmmaker, I handled the animation and direction independently. The film is mostly silent, relying on visual storytelling, atmospheric sound design, and experimental framing to create an immersive experience.

Thank you so much for your time and for supporting student animation. I believe "Rubatosis" will bring a unique visual experience to your audience, and it would be an absolute honor to screen it at your festival.

Warm regards, Valerie Bespalova - Director / Animator