Experiencing Interruptions?

Au revoir Balthazar

A scarecrow, a storm, a broken leg. The resonant sound of a sea shell. Leaving forever.

  • Rafael Sommerhalder
    Director
    Flowerpots, Wolves, Mr Wurfel, Ely & Nepomuk
  • Rafael Sommerhalder
    Writer
    Flowerpots, Wolves, Mr Wurfel, Ely & Nepomuk
  • Stella Händler
    Producer
  • Claudia Frei
    Producer
  • Hansueli Tischhauser
    Music
  • Tobias Preisig
    Music
  • Zhe Wu
    Sounddesign, dubbing mix
  • Rafael Sommerhalder
    Production design
  • Zita Bernet
    Production design
  • Project Type:
    Animation
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 18, 2016
  • Country of Origin:
    Switzerland
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:1.85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Hiroshima International Animation Festival (section “Best of the World”)
    Hiroshima
    Japan
    August 22, 2016
  • KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival (in competition)
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    October 25, 2016
  • Anima Mundi – International Animation Festival (in competition)
    Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
    Brazil
    October 25, 2016
    South American Premiere
  • New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival (in competition)
    Chitose
    Japan
    November 3, 2016
    *** North Pacific Bank Award ***
  • Canterbury Anifest (in competition)
    Canterbury
    United Kingdom
    September 30, 2016
    *** Winner: Best International Film *** Runner up: Best Sound ***
  • Fantoche – International Animation Film Festival (in competition)
    Baden
    Switzerland
    September 6, 2016
    *** Special Mention ***
  • Animatou – Festival international du film d'animation (in competition)
    Geneva
    Switzerland
    October 6, 2016
    *** Audience Award for Best Swiss Film ***
  • Animated Dreams – International Animated Film Festival (in competition)
    Tallinn
    Estonia
    November 16, 2016
    *** Shut Up! Competition, Silver Price ***
  • Etiuda&Anima – International Film Festival (in competition)
    Krakow
    Poland
    November 22, 2016
    *** Honorary Diploma ***
  • BANJALUKA International Animated Film Festival (main competition)
    Banjaluka
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    October 23, 2016
  • LA Shorts Fest (in competition)
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 8, 2016
  • Festival du nouveau cinéma of Montréal (“P’tits Loups” competition)
    Montréal
    Canada
    October 5, 2016
  • RICA – Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma d'Animation de Wissembourg (competition jeune public)
    Wissembourg
    France
    November 14, 2016
  • Mar del Plata International Film Festival (competition Mar de Chicos)
    Mar del Plata
    Argentina
    November 18, 2016
  • Gesticulation – Rencontre de stop motion (in competition)
    La Chaux-de-Fonds
    Switzerland
    September 30, 2016
  • BALKANIMA – European Animated Film Festival (Panorama)
    Novi Beograd
    Serbia
    October 4, 2016
  • Le festival européen de courts-métrages de Nice (special program)
    Nice
    France
    October 14, 2016
  • LIAF – London International Animation Festival (section Kids 8+)
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 2, 2016
  • International Izmir Short Film Festival, Turkey (special program)
    Izmir
    Turkey
    November 1, 2016
  • Anilogue – International Animation Festival (special program)
    Budapest
    Hungary
    October 23, 2016
  • LIAF – London International Animation Festival (section Kids 8+)
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 2, 2016
  • Shenzhen Independent Animation Biennale (special program)
    Shenzhen
    China
    December 2, 2016
  • FIC AUTOR – Festival Internacional de Cine de Autor (in competition)
    Guadalajara
    Mexico
    November 10, 2017
  • Seoul Best of the Best Animation Festival
    Seoul
    Korea, Republic of
    November 24, 2016
  • Animateka International Animated Film Festival (in competition)
    Ljubljana
    Slovenia
    December 5, 2016
  • AJAYU – International Animated Short Film Festival (in competition)
    Puno
    Peru
    November 2, 2016
    *** Special Mention ***
  • Animalada Animation Short Film Contest (in competition)
    Sevill
    Spain
    November 24, 2016
  • In the Palace International Short Film Festival (in competition)
    Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna, Balchik
    Bulgaria
    December 1, 2016
    *** Nominated for Best Narrative Animation ***
  • Bogotá short film festival (program “Suiza para niños”)
    Bogotá
    Colombia
    November 6, 2016
  • Solothurner Filmtagen (in competition)
    Solothurn
    Switzerland
    January 19, 2017
    ***Audience Award, second place***
  • HAFF (junior program)
    Utrecht
    Netherlands
    March 22, 2017
  • Max Ophüls Preis (MOP-Shortlist program)
    Saarbrücken
    Germany
    January 23, 2017
  • IndieJunior (in competition)
    Porto
    Portugal
    February 5, 2017
  • Festival Travelling («Eléphant d’or» competition)
    Rennes
    France
    February 7, 2017
  • MONSTRA (in competition)
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    March 16, 2017
  • Portland International Film Festival, USA (special program)
    Portland
    United States
    February 9, 2017
  • Dublin International Film Festival
    Dublin
    Ireland
    February 10, 2017
  • GLAS Animation Festival (family competition)
    Berkeley, California
    United States
    March 2, 2017
  • TIAF – Tehran Int. Animation Festival (in competition)
    Tehran
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    March 5, 2017
  • Cine court animé Roanne (in competition)
    Roanne
    France
    March 20, 2017
  • Mercredi de l’animation, Centre d’Art Contemporain
    Geneva
    Switzerland
    January 11, 2017
  • Be there! Corfu Animation Festival (in competition)
    Corfu
    Greece
    March 29, 2017
  • FICL, Festival de Cine de Lanzarote (in competition)
    Lanzarote
    Spain
    April 18, 2017
  • Swiss Film Award
    Geneva
    Switzerland
    March 24, 2017
    ***Best Animated Short Film***
  • Cape Town Int. Animation Festival (in competition)
    Cape Town
    South Africa
    March 3, 2017
  • Speechless Film Festival (in competition)
    Mankato
    United States
    February 16, 2017
  • RiverRun International Film Festival (in competition)
    Winston-Salem
    United States
    March 30, 2017
  • Cardiff Independent Film Festival (in competition)
    Cardiff
    United Kingdom
    May 5, 2017
    ***Best Animation***
  • El Findecoin (in competition)
    Puerto la Cruz
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    February 20, 2017
  • Craft Animation Night
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 2, 2017
  • Mecal Pro (Children’s section)
    Barcelona
    Spain
    March 14, 2017
  • Transilvania Shorts (in competition)
    Targu Mures
    Romania
    March 15, 2017
    ***Best Animation***
  • Athens International Film and Video Festival (in competition)
    Athens
    United States
    April 3, 2017
  • Travel FilmFest (in competition)
    Limassol
    Cyprus
    October 19, 2017
  • Athens Animfest (in competition)
    Athens
    Greece
    March 16, 2017
  • Animakom (in competition)
    Bilbao
    Spain
    March 16, 2017
  • FEMUCIQ – Festival Mundial de Cine Independiente de Quito (in competition)
    Quito
    Ecuador
    March 7, 2017
  • Ankara International Film Festival
    Ankara
    Turkey
    April 20, 2017
  • Golden Kuker (in competition)
    Sofia
    Bulgaria
    May 1, 2017
  • MedFest Alexandria
    Alexandria
    Egypt
    April 22, 2017
  • Animatricks (in competition)
    Helsinki
    Finland
    April 23, 2017
  • Brasil Stop Motion International Film Festival (in competition)
    Recife
    Brazil
    April 26, 2017
    ***Best Art Direction***
  • MEDIAWAVE International Film and Music Festival (in competition)
    Győr
    Hungary
    April 27, 2017
  • Cortoons Gandia Festival (in competition)
    Gandia
    Spain
    April 27, 2017
  • Anifilm (children's program)
    Trebon
    Czech Republic
    May 2, 2017
  • International Film Festival ANIMAYO (in competition)
    Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
    Spain
    May 2, 2017
    *** Best Stop Motion ***
  • KloosterKino
    Nijmegen
    Netherlands
    April 13, 2017
  • LISFE – Leiden International Short Film Experience (in competition)
    Leiden
    Netherlands
    May 13, 2017
  • Fastnet Film Festival (in competition)
    Schull
    Ireland
    May 24, 2017
    *** Shortlisted for Best Animation ***
  • Cinema in Sneakers Film Festival (in competition)
    Warsaw
    Poland
    May 31, 2017
  • River Film Festival (in competition)
    Padova
    Italy
    June 16, 2017
  • Fest Anča (competition of films for children)
    Zilina
    Slovakia
    June 29, 2017
  • CayFilm (in competition)
    George Town
    Cayman Islands
    June 30, 2017
  • La Guarimba (program “La Grotta dei Piccoli”)
    Amantea
    Italy
    August 7, 2017
  • Semaine sans télévision de Delémont (in competition)
    Delémont
    Switzerland
    April 27, 2017
    ***Audience Award***
  • La Truca – Festival Internacional de animación (in competition)
    Cali
    Colombia
    May 2, 2017
  • FICII – International Inca Imperial Film Festival (in competition)
    Lima
    Peru
    May 19, 2017
  • Festival de la Petite école du film court
    Nancy, Vézelise
    France
    May 29, 2017
  • Cheste in Motion (in competition)
    Cheste
    Spain
    June 11, 2017
  • Palm Springs International ShortFest (in competition)
    Palm Springs
    United States
    June 20, 2017
  • FICA – International Environmental Film and Video Festival (children’s program)
    Goiás
    Brazil
    June 20, 2017
  • NexT International Film Festival (NexT Kids)
    Bucharest
    Romania
    June 22, 2017
  • Animafest Cyprus (in competition)

    Cyprus
    June 24, 2017
  • Euganea Film Festival (in competition)
    Padua
    Italy
    June 28, 2017
  • Int. Short Film Festival Detmold (official selection)
    Detmold
    Germany
    June 30, 2017
  • Festival du Film d’animation de Savigny (in competition)
    Savigny
    Switzerland
    July 1, 2017
  • LifeArt Media Festival (in competition)
    Athens
    Greece
    July 3, 2017
  • Vidlings & Tapeheads Film Festival (in competition)
    Hamtramck, Michigan
    United States
    July 7, 2017
  • Ojo al Piojo (in competition)
    Rosario
    Argentina
    July 10, 2017
  • Insomnia Festival (in competition)
    Yukhnovsky
    Russian Federation
    July 13, 2017
  • Cartoon Club (in competition)
    Rimini
    Italy
    July 17, 2017
  • Guanajuato International Film Festival (Program Niños en Acción)
    Guanajuato
    Mexico
    July 21, 2017
  • OpenEyes Filmfest (in competition)
    Marburg
    Germany
    July 20, 2017
  • Constantine’s gold coin (in competition)
    Niš
    Serbia
    July 25, 2017
  • Motovun Film Festival (in competition)
    Motovun
    Croatia
    July 25, 2017
  • SICAF (in competition)
    Seoul
    Korea, Republic of
    July 26, 2017
  • Animation Block Party (official selection)
    NY, Brooklyn
    United States
    July 27, 2017
  • Fünf Seen Filmfestival (in competition)
    Gilching
    Germany
    July 28, 2017
  • Zabut (in competition)
    Savoca
    Italy
    July 28, 2017
  • Two Riversides Film and Art Festival (in competition)
    Warsaw
    Poland
    July 29, 2017
  • TAIS Animation Showcase (in competition)
    Toronto
    Canada
    July 29, 2017
  • Openair Allianz Cinema Basel
    Basel
    Switzerland
    August 22, 2017
  • La Guarimba (program “La Grotta dei Piccoli”)
    Amantea
    Italy
    August 7, 2017
  • La Matatena – Festival Internacional de Cine para Niños (in competition)

    Mexico
    August 8, 2017
  • Lucania Film Festival (in competition)
    Marconia di Pisticci
    Italy
    August 9, 2017
  • Film Festival della Lessinia (children’s program)
    Bosco Chiesanuova
    Italy
    August 17, 2017
  • Open-Air Cinéma La Tour-de-Peilz
    La Tour-de-Peilz
    Switzerland
    August 17, 2017
  • Imaginaria (in competition)
    Conversano
    Italy
    August 22, 2017
  • Nancy International Film Festival (in competition)
    Nancy
    France
    August 25, 2017
  • Festival Interactif de Cinéma de Lévis (Programme jeunesse)
    Lévis
    Canada
    August 26, 2017
  • BuSho Film Festival (in competition)
    Budapest
    Hungary
    August 29, 2017
  • Gässli Film Festivals (in competition)
    Basel
    Switzerland
    August 30, 2017
  • Kraljevski Filmski Festival
    Kraljevo
    Serbia
    August 31, 2017
  • FICBUEU (family program)
    Pontevedra
    Spain
    September 9, 2017
  • Great Message Film Festival (in competition)
    Pune
    India
    September 23, 2017
  • Tournez court – Festival du court-métrage de Saint-Etienne (in competition)
    Saint-Étienne
    France
    September 25, 2017
  • 3D Wire Market
    Segovia
    Spain
    October 5, 2017
  • Film Festival For Children and Youth Yerevan (in competition)
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    November 7, 2017
  • StopMotionMx
    México City
    Mexico
    August 17, 2017
  • Montreal International Animation Film Festival – ANIMAZE (in competition)
    Montréal
    Canada
    August 17, 2017
  • Freiluftkino Baden
    Baden
    Switzerland
    July 21, 2017
  • Varna – World Festival of Animated Film (Panorama)
    Varna
    Bulgaria
    September 13, 2017
  • Festival Stop Motion Montréal (in competition)
    Montréal
    Canada
    September 15, 2017
  • Turku Animated Film Festival (TAFF Junior program)
    Turku
    Finland
    August 23, 2017
  • SESIFF – Seoul int. Extreme-Short Image & Film Festival (in competition)
    Seoul
    Korea, Republic of
    September 12, 2017
  • Bolton Film Festival (in competition)
    Bolton
    United Kingdom
    September 20, 2017
  • Cinema Teatro Palladio
    Cesuna
    Italy
    August 21, 2017
  • FARCUME – Festival Internacional de Curtas-Metragens de Faro (official selection)
    Faro
    Portugal
    August 23, 2017
  • Shorts Mexico (in competition)
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    September 6, 2017
  • Festival de Cinéma de la Ville de Québec
    Québec
    Canada
    September 13, 2017
  • CyBorg Film Festival (in competition)

    Italy
    September 22, 2017
  • Minikino Film Week – Int'l Short Film Festival Bali

    Indonesia
    October 7, 2017
  • Filmfest Eberswalde (in competition)
    Eberswalde
    Germany
    October 7, 2017
  • Innsbruck Nature Film Festival (in competition)
    Innsbruck
    Austria
    October 10, 2017
  • ANIMA – Córdoba International Animation Festival (in competition)
    Córdoba
    Argentina
    October 11, 2017
  • TIAF — Taichung International Animation Festival (in competition)
    Taichung
    Taiwan
    October 13, 2017
  • Gig Harbor Film Festival
    Gig Harbor (Washington State)
    United States
    October 26, 2017
Director Biography - Rafael Sommerhalder

Born in Switzerland in 1974, Rafael Sommerhalder studied Film Direction at ECAL in Lausanne and Animation at the Royal College of Art in London. He lives and works as an animator/filmmaker in Zurich, Switzerland.



FILMOGRAPHY:
2013 Ping Pong
2009 Wolves
2008 Flowerpots
2004 Mr Wurfel
2000 Ely & Nepomuk
*All animated short films

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