Experiencing Interruptions?

The Grind

Caught in the cogs of the corporate machine, Kotek finds himself questioning why his life is the way it is, despite doing everything "right."

The Grind explores the toll of modern work culture and its impact on personal fulfillment and identity.

  • Marty Müller
    Director
  • Marty Müller
    Music and Sound design
  • Emma Koťková
    Voice Cast
  • Marty Müller
    Voice Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Drina
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Character study, Short, Animation, Melancholic, Modern Day
  • Runtime:
    1 minute 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 16, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Slovakia
  • Language:
    English, Slovak
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Pod Zemou - Mestský festival mladých umelcov
    Bratislava
    Slovakia
    September 19, 2024
    Pre-premiere
  • Animakom Fest
    Bilbao
    Spain
    December 9, 2024
    World Premiere
    Student Competition Selection
  • Munich New Wave Short Film Festival
    Munich
    Germany
    March 19, 2025
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
  • PAFF - Pezinský Alternatívny Filmový Festival
    Pezinok
    Slovakia
    April 12, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Fest Anča International Animation Festival
    Žilina
    Slovakia
    June 27, 2025
    Slovak Premiere
    Offical Selection
  • Athens Film Festival
    Athens, Georgia
    United States
    August 18, 2025
    US Premiere
    Offical Selection
  • Kobani International Film Festival
    Bochum
    Germany
    September 5, 2025
    Quarter-Finalist
  • Animator FEST - European Youth Festival of Animated Film
    Jagodina
    Serbia
    September 17, 2025
    Offical Selection
  • Animest International Animation Film Festival
    Bucharest
    Romania
    October 9, 2025
    Offical Selection
  • GaztefilmFest
    Álava
    Spain
    November 1, 2025
    Nominee
  • Košice International Film Festival
    Košice
    Slovakia
    December 12, 2025
    Slovak Film Section Selection
Director Biography - Marty Müller

Marty Müller, nicknamed Jahoda, is a Digital Arts student at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, specializing in hand-drawn 2D animation, sound design, and video games.
Müller works as a director and writer of animated short films. He takes an active role in production, guiding projects from early concept development to their premiere on the festival circuit.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

With The Grind, I wanted to experiment with blending photography and 2D animation to create a visual contrast between the physical world and a digitally drawn character. The story is inspired by something I see more and more around me: a growing sense of uselessness and disillusionment with the traditional idea of success.

I wanted to capture the feeling of being stuck in the “grind” — fully participating in a system you fundamentally disagree with. It’s like being caught in an endless cycle of self-erasure.

The idea to make the main character a cat came from reframing and old sketch of this character - Kotek the Korporate Kat — who was meant to embody the strange relationship of ups and downs we have with modern work culture.