Veins of Anxiety

How anxiety holds people back from doing things, taking actions and living a boundless, fulfilling life.

  • Fatemeh Zare
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Music Video, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    drama
  • Runtime:
    1 minute
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Avans
  • 16th INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL GOLDEN KUKER - SOFIA
    Sofia
    Bulgaria
    May 8, 2025
    Official Selection |SUPER SHORT ANIMATED FILM (ABOUT 1 MIN)
  • Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF) (14th Edition)
    Kyiv
    Ukraine
    September 4, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Paracho
    Michoacán de Ocampo
    Mexico
    July 25, 2025
    Official Selection
  • CARIBETOONS Festival Internacional de animación
    Magdalena
    Colombia
    August 14, 2025
    Official Selection
  • The Independent Film Festival Vilne Kino
    Kyiv
    Ukraine
    July 19, 2025
    Official Selection | Mini Films
  • Els Cineminuts
    Terrassa
    Spain
    October 18, 2025
    Official Selection
  • AZYL SHORTS – International Short Film Festival
    Bratislava
    Slovakia
    October 16, 2025
    Finalist
  • Mokkho International Film Festival
    Pondicherry
    India
    September 8, 2025
    Award Winner (Best Micro Short Film)
  • UK Seasonal Short Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    Special Mention
  • Mister Vorky
    Ruma
    Serbia
    September 25, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Proxy Act Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    October 1, 2025
    Official Selection
  • FLICKER Festival
    California
    United States
    October 16, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Luleå International Film Festival
    Luleå
    Sweden
    September 27, 2025
    Semi-Finalist | Best 1 Minute Film
  • Kodaikanal International Film Festival
    Kodaikanal
    India
    October 19, 2025
    Official Selection
  • The Anarchy and Face Film Festival ( Elevate Young Minds)
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    November 13, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Festival Internacional Cinema Imaginarios
    Querétaro
    Mexico
    November 26, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Afromeric Award of Excellence and Film Festival
    Maryland
    United States
    November 14, 2025
    Nominee
  • London Director Talents Movie Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    February 21, 2026
    Nominee | Microfilm (up to 120 seconds)
  • 13th Showreel: Effat International Student Film Festival
    Mecca
    Saudi Arabia
    April 7, 2026
    Official Selection | Best International Student Music Video
  • Latino & Native American Film Festival (LANAFF)
    New Haven
    United States
    April 17, 2026
    Official Selection
  • SCA® Global Festival Network!
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 30, 2026
    Award Winner | Best 1-Minute Short Film
  • Pune Short Film Festival
    Pune
    India
    June 7, 2026
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Fatemeh Zare

I started my artistic journey as an illustrator, constantly sketching the wild ideas that filled my mind. But I soon realized that some stories couldn't be confined to a single frame, they needed motion, energy, and life. That realization led me to animation, where my imagination could finally break free and take shape in ways I never thought possible.

To bring my visions to life, I pursued a Master of Animation at Avans University in the Netherlands, where I’ve been exploring how to transform my imagination into motion. My current film is university film project, but more than that, it’s a deeply personal journey.

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Director Statement

Anxiety is often an unseen force, one that holds people back from taking action, making choices, and embracing life’s possibilities. In my one-minute animation, I sought to capture the internal battle between the desire to move forward and the overwhelming weight of fear and doubt.

Through visual metaphors and dynamic movement, I aimed to illustrate how anxiety confines individuals within self-imposed barriers, distorting their perception of reality and limiting their potential. The character’s struggle represents the universal experience of hesitation and self-doubt, how even the simplest actions can feel insurmountable when fear takes hold.

This piece is deeply personal but also universally relatable. I want viewers to recognize that anxiety, though powerful, does not have to be permanent. By acknowledging it, understanding it, and finding ways to push beyond it, we can reclaim the boundless life that fear tries to take away.

With this animation, I hope to spark reflection, empathy, and ultimately, a sense of hope. Because even in the midst of anxiety, there is always a way forward.