CAFF, the Cultural Animation Film Festival is designed to showcase unique animated films based on the cultures of who we are. Our hopes is that these films will shed a better light on who we are as a people. We also hope that CAFF will inspire animators both new and seasoned from around the world to create films and share their stories.

Schedule:

November 16, 2024

CAFF 2024 Saturday Matinee Featuring Wetsitales! - 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Wetsitales : The Creation Story

came from a bamboo offspring of 2 breezes. The man and the woman became the origin of all races. A Tagalog Folk Tale.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 3:38 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Flood Story

The world was refreshed after the flood, this is the version this side of the world. A Bukidnon Folk Tale from the Philippines.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 2:32 Minutes

Young Animator​

Wetsitales : Aponibolinayen and the Sun

Aponibolinayen is a lovely maiden who went into an unplanned trip to the heavens and met the man of her life, Ini-init. An enchanted adventure mixed with culture and traditions of the Tinguian Tribe. Based on a Philippine Folk Tale.

​Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 11:33 Minutes

Young Animator​

Wetsitales : How the Moon and the Stars Came To Be

A lady lost her finest jewelry only to find it up the night sky. A Bukidnon Folk Tale from the Philippines.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 2:11 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : Mengal Kapitan Tercero​

Being a Mengal is a great responsibility that is given only to powerful men in the community. Leaders in the community's daily life, it's economy, peace and safety. The people of Camarag were blessed with such a leader, Kapitan Tercero, all is well in their town until greedy invaders wanted to enjoy the riches and take control of the land. Kapitan made the wisest and bravest decision to save Camarag which is now the present Echague, Isabela.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 6:20 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : Laguna Copperplate

Ravaged by colonization, wars and illegal trade that removed and erased many documents and proof of ancient cultures within the archipelago, a tangible document shared a glimpse of how our ancestors lived. A story once buried in the waters of Lumban, Laguna.

​Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 4:45 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Legend of The Pineapple

Pina was never used to responsibilities and doing tasks, she is a carefree girl with no life skills. One day her mother got sick and she had to take on her mother's tasks. It was a horrible experience, her mother could not rest and recover as Pina became an additional burden instead of help. Mother in frustration left a curse that changed Pina's life.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 6:16 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Origin of the Echo

Making all the excuses to skip doing house chores and help at home. A boy found his ultimate excuse and continued to evade helping his mother until he was found out. The repercussions were eerie. A cautionary folktale from Bicol in the Philippines.

​Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 9:49 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Sun and The Moon (Visayas)

The newly married couple started their relationship right, however, a promise was broken and the marriage fell apart. A version of the Sun and the Moon folk tale from the Visayas of the Philippines.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 3:04 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Tattooed Men

Two friends who were not contented about themselves wished for something that changed their lives.. for the worse. A folk tale from the Igorots of the Cordillera Region in the Philippines.

​Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 3:03 Minutes

Young Animator

Wetsitales : The Legend of Gagamba

A talented artisan, Gamba, takes her craft seriously to the point that everything else is set aside. Family, homelife, nutrition and rest are taken for granted and the people around her complains. When Gamba broke the heart of her loving mother,the consequence changed her life. A story from Bikol in the Philippines.

Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

​Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 5:35 Minutes

Young Animator

CAFF 2024 Saturday Night Animation Show - 7:00PM - 9:00PM

Hide & Seek

"Hide & Seek" is an animated short film that narrates the story of a child and his fish on their journey into the unknown, following the raid on the child's town during the ongoing war ravaging his country. The short film captures the steps of this journey and its transformations, concluding as the child reaches one of the coasts.

Director: Rami Abbas

​​Country of Origin: State of Palestine

​Length: 7:14 Minutes

i killed a worm

Haunted by a childhood memory, a girl scales a mountain of her regrets to learn how to exist and live with her inner guilt.

Director: Despi Markaki

​Country of Origin: United Kindom

​Length: 4:23 Minutes

​Student Film

The Bell

Life is good in Padre Pi's town because of his magical bell. But what about the other towns? Society will crumble in this 11-minute short!

​​Directed by: Mark Mendoza

Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 11:01 Minutes

Wetsitales : The Frog Who Wished to be as Big as an Ox

There was an initial accident in the pond, a mother frog wanted to avenge her loss, perhaps grief, perhaps overwhelming emotions led her to get into another fatal accident. A sad day for frogs. A folk tale from Cebu

​​Directed by: Jade Dandan Evangelista

Country of Origin: Philippines

​Length: 3:05 Minutes

​Student Film

It Will Pass Away

After the end of a relationship that went nowhere, a woman's complex emotions seem to be amplified, and in the midst of insomnia she feels she can touch the many subtle voices...

​​Directed by: Nan Yao

​Country of Origin: China

​Length: 5:08 Minutes

25

On 25 april 1974 a revolution led by a military movement ended the dictatorial regime in Portugal and initiated implementation of democracy. Since then the word freedom has become part of people's voices and actions.

​​Directed by: 6D Student class

​Country of Origin: Portugal

​Length: 3:05 Minutes

Rise Up & Fight

Three Freedom Summer Civil Rights volunteers—Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner—return to Mississippi 60 years after their untimely deaths expecting a world of change. They are shocked to discover that human rights issues are still plaguing our nation and, accordingly, issue an urgent call to action! 

​Directed by: Nolan Williams, Jr.

​Country of Origin: United States

​Length: 5:00 Minutes

​Student Film

My Turn!

One sunny morning in Jakarta, Indonesia, Beth and her younger sister Liz become fierce rivals in their race to the bathroom. Beth regrets unintentionally hurting her little sister during the scuffle, and they both realize how much they care about each other.

This short film embraces the charm of 2D animation, paying homage to the classic styles of Saturday morning cartoons. At its core, My Turn! is about the childhood experiences of director Isabelle Tumboimbela growing up with her younger sister. This film hopes to provide Southeast Asian representation to the animation medium.

Produced in San Jose, California, USA at San Jose State University in association with the Shrunkenheadman Club

​Directed by: Isabelle Maria Tumboimbela, Daisha Lin Sherman

Country of Origin: United States

​Length: 4:53 Minutes

​Student film

In Ten Minuets

The little granddaughter lives with her grandmother. Grandma waits for her granddaughter at home after school every day.

That day, grandma still cooked the meal, but she couldn't wait for her granddaughter to come back. Grandma's worries about her granddaughter turned into exaggerated imagination, filling every moment of waiting......

​Directed by: Fu Xiaoyue

​Country of Origin: China

​Length: 5:16 Minutes

The Big Change

In a not too distant time, freedom of choice and expression were not acquired rights of a people. A big change needed to happen.

​​Directed by: Andreína Agrela;Eduardo Namora ; Matias Oliveira; Jayden Pereira; João Sousa; Liane Aranjuren; Margarida Sousa; Soraia Santos; Matilde Correia; Nancy Paixão; Santiago Gonçalves; Simon Freitas; Tomás Teles; Vitória Ferreira

​Country of Origin: Portugal

​Length: 3:00 Minutes

​Student Film

Buffalo

Water buffalo is a gentle and strong creature. One day, as I reflected on why I was attracted to this animal, I recalled the first time I saw a water buffalo at my grandmother's house as a child. I didn’t perceive it as gentle back then, but in that scene, my parents showed a side of themselves I had never seen before—they were happy and relaxed.

​Directed by: Yiheng Li

​Country of Origin: China

​Length: 3:12 Minutes

Student Film

A Dog's Purpose

"A Dog's Purpose" is a heartwarming animated story about a playful puppy named Loso who enters the lives of a family struggling to find joy and purpose. As Loso grows, he becomes not just a pet but a beloved family member, bringing laughter, companionship, and a renewed sense of purpose to each family member.

However, as Loso ages, he begins to face health challenges. The family rallies around him, providing love and care as he bravely battles his illness. Despite their efforts, Loso eventually passes away, leaving a void in their hearts.

Through their grief, the family reflects on Loso's impact on their lives. They realize that although he may be gone, his legacy of love, joy, and purpose lives on in their memories.

"A Dog's Purpose" is a poignant tale that celebrates the bond between humans and animals, showcasing how even the smallest creatures can bring immense meaning to our lives.

​Directed by: Suhra Nahib

​Country of Origin: United States

​Length: 3:09 Minutes

shush

This is an animated short with no dialogue, based on Taoist culture, mainly about a Taoist god Mazu who takes on human form but is afraid of being noticed by people. Then a young Taoist boy accidentally wanders into her temple, and an interesting interaction happens between them.

​Directed by: Yihe Zhao

​Country of Origin: China

​Length: 1:58 Minutes

Lawrence of Moravia

The Catholic clergyman Alois Musil is one of the most important discoverers of the archaeological treasures of the Muslim world. He was caught in the Middle East by WW1. The Austrian government at that time wanted to turn him into a spy, which is why he is known today as the „Moravian Lawrence of Arabia“. The printed sheets of Musil‘s travelogues inspired the director and artist Jan Cechl to create traditional, semi-plastic puppets that experience dangerous adventures in the fairy-tale Orient, full of fiery genie and Bedouin wisdom. As a Sheikh Músa ar Ruelli, the Moravian priest becomes a wild nomad of the desert, and during a dangerous expedition he discovers the lost Amra Castle, which makes him famous throughout the world. At the same time it is also a playful reference to one of the most valuable jewels of world cinema - the film Lawrence of Arabia by David Lean.

​Directed by: Jan Čapar

​Country of Origin: Czech Republic

Length: 14:00 Minutes

Common Fly

Nobody cares about Jeff, a middle aged housefly crushed by unfulfilled expectations. A dissatisfying marriage, insufferable children, and mind-numbing job push him to try to regain control of his life.

​Directed by: Ian Alexander Castracane

​Country of Origin: United States

​Length: 14:11 Minutes

Student Animator

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Date: November 15 - 17, 2024