POLLIWOG (2024)
original german title: KAULQUAPPE

short film | digital 2d animation | 9:13 mins
written, directed and art directed by Julia Skala
 

On a forest home trip with her classmates, ten year old Marlene is struggling with her early pubescent, changing body. She feels all alone with her troubles - until she meets an oddly developed tadpole, whom she is weirdly identifying with...
 

producer: Max Pollmann
starring the voice of: Paulina Larson

animatic editor: Revan Sarikaya

script editor: Theresa Worm
lead animator and 2d effects: Benjamin Wahl
animators: Benjamin Wahl, Alina Schuster, Lydia Schüttengruber, Karla Riebartsch, Jeanne Bressand, Julia Skala, Mikael Jacobsen, Melanie Schnaidt, Louis Hartmann, Adina Barth, Gina Stephan, Kei Sabitbek.

background painting: Cristina Narata, Esther Brechlin, Julia Skala.
compositing lead: Andra Berilă

compositing: Andra Berilă, Haiyang Liu, Eileen Kammer, Julia Skala,
Leo Neumann, Paul Golter, Max Pollmann, Esther Brechlin.
sound design: Simon Wasserfall and Marc Uhlherr.
score and theme song: Clemens Gutjahr
song vocals: Julia Skala
 

Produced as an animation directing diploma film at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg's Animationsinstitut, 2024.

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​Awards + Nominations
 

The Annie Awards 2025 - Los Angeles, USA

/ Nomination as Best Student Film
 

New York Short Animation Festival Winter 2025 - USA
         / Best 2D Animation
 

Animation Dingle 2025 - Ireland

/ Nomination as Best Student Film

Cinemira Int. Children's Film Festival 2024 - Hungary 

/ Best Animated Film
 

FILMZ Mainz 2024 - Germany 

/ Audience Award as Best Animated Film

 

FICAA 2024 - Mexico

/ Honorable Mention, Best Animal Animated Short
 

Stockholm City Festival November 2024 - Sweden

/ Finalist, Best Animated Film

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Screenings

PRIMANIMA 2024 - Budaörs, Hungary
London International Animation Festival 2024 - UK
Filmschau Baden-Württemberg 2024 - Germany

ICONA FESTIVAL 2024 - Greece
Animatex 2025 - Egypt

Athens Animfest 2025 - Greece

British Animation Film Festival 2025 - London, UK
Cactus Int. Children’s and Youth Film Festival 2025 - Italy
MONSTRA Lisboa Animation Festival 2025 - Portugal

Animocje Int. Animated Film Festival 2025 - Poland

ITFS 2025 - Stuttgart, Germany

Happy Valley Animation Festival 2025 - USA
Rolle Vorwärts 2025 - Flensburg, Germany

Porto Femme 2025 Int. Film Festival - Portugal

Sehsüchte 2025 - Berlin, Germany

SHORTS 2025 - Offenburg, Germany

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