A story about beauty and horror. The definitive biopic documentary, delving into the life and downfall of Knud Dendermonde, the infamous damsel-devouring horror-movie actor we all know as The Smile. Through interviews, movie clips, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, the shocking truth is finally revealed.
This film raises unexpectedly deep philosophical questions in a grotesque form. (Jury report Rising of Lusitania)
The Smile is somewhat in the line of Under The Apple Tree, for it is also a Badtime Story. A series (or anthology film) of freaky fables; The Badtime Stories explore the relationship between humans and animals through offbeat, darkly comedic tales.
Length: +/- 15 minutes
Technique: Stop-motion animation
Language: English
Genre: Mockumentary, black comedy, satire
Music: Original music score
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Awards
Nominee Cristal Best Short Annecy 2023 (FR), Best short film, Melies D’argent at Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival 2023 (BE), High School Jury award Jean Prevost for Best Short Film at Du Grain a Demoudre 2023 (FR), Best Animated Short Film at TOHorror Fantastic Film Fest 2023 (IT), Best Animation Award at Edinburgh Short Film Festival 2023 (UK), Best animation at Anatomy: Crime-Horror International Film Festival 2023 (GR), Audience Award at International Film Festival – El Cine Suma Paz 2023 (CO), Best animated Short at Atlantic International Film Festival 2023 (CO), Make-believe Award at Rising of Lusitania – AnimaDoc Film Festival 2023 (PL), Best Animation at Festival Internacional de Cine del Cono Sur 2023 (CL), Best International Animation Short Film at Fantaspoa 2023 (BR), Audience award best animation at Chester Animation Festival 2023 (UK), Best animation at Long Story Short International Film Festival 2023 (RO), Best Film and Best Screenplay at Short to the Point 2022 (RO), Best Film of the Festival / Audience Choice at Couch Film Festival 2023 (CAN), Audience award best short at International Animated Film Festival Animocje 2023 (PL), Nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Soundtrack, Best Film and The Audience Award, winner Best Animation at ShortCutz Amsterdam Annual 2023 (NL), Special mention at Animation Marathon Athens 2022 (GR), Honorable Mention at Short Film Factory 2023 (RO), Honorable Mention at Blackbird Film Festival 2023 (USA), Special Mention at London seasonal short film festival X4 2023 (UK), Honorable Mention at Animation Dingle 2023 (IE), Semi-Finalist at Cannes Indie Short Film Festival 2023 (FR), Special Mention and Finalist at Le Chouette festival 2023 (FR), Honorable Mention at New York City Horror Film Festival 2023 (USA), Nominated Best Documentary at Short Stop International Film Festival 2022 (RO), Nominated for Golden Bloody Unicorn at Short film festival Bludenz 2024 (AT), Nominated Best Original Screenplay and Best Title/Credit Sequence at Terror In The Bay Festival (CAN), Nominated for Best Screenplay and winner of Best Animated Short at South African Horrorfest 2023 (ZA), Pick of the year Award at Animators Guild India Fest (IN), Best Editing, Best Actress, Best Animation, nominated for Best screenplay at Celludroid Sci-Fi Film Festival 2023 (SA)
Screenings
The Smile was nominated at prestigious festivals such as Annecy and Sitges, and earned accolades and awards worldwide. Below is a selection from the playlist.
August 6-10, 2024 Short film festival Bludenz (Austria) Nominated for Golden Bloody Unicorn
January 14, 2024 – Los Angeles CineFest (USA)
December 10, 2023 – Volkshotel Amsterdam (Netherlands)
December 7, 2023 – New York City Horror Film Festival (USA)
December 2, 2023 – Animators Guild India Fest (India) – MoStopMo – Stop Motion Shorts Festival (USA)
December 1 – December 10, 2023 – Celludroid Sci-Fi Film Festival (South Africa)November 24 – November 26, 2023 – Du grain a demoudre (France) Winner High School Jury award Jean Prevost for Best Short Film
November 23, 2023 – Animalcoi (Spain) – Les Rencontres Cinessonne (France)
November 22, 2023 – Anatomy: Crime – Horror Film Festival (Greece) Winner Best Animation
November 19, 2023 – exground filmfest Wiesbaden (Germany)
November 17, 2023 – Fenêtres sur Courts Dijon (France)
November 16 – November 19, 2023 – Rising of Lusitania – AnimaDoc Film Festival (Poland) Winner Make-believe Award
November 12, 2023 – Festival Europeen du Film Court de Brest (France)
November 5 – November 10, 2023 – Edinburgh Short Film Festival (Scotland) Best Animation
November 5, 2023 – November 21, 2023 – Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival (Belgium) Award for Melies D’Argent
November 1, 2023 – Sacalacalaca, Interdimensional Horror & Sci-Fi Festival (Mexico)
October 31, 2023 – ALPINALE Short Film Festival, horror night (Austria)
October 25, 2023 – November 5, 2023 – South African Horrorfest (South Africa)
October 21, 2023 – Weird Wednesday
October 20 – October 28, 2023 – Message to Man – Petersburg (Russia)
October 18 – October 21, 2023 – Terror In The Bay Festival (Canada) Nominated Best Original Screenplay, Nominated Best Title/Credit Sequence
October 17 – October 22, 2023 – TOhorror Turin (Italy) Winner animated short film
October 14 – October 30, 2023 – Kaohsiung Film Festival (Taiwan)
October 7 – October 13, 2023 – Filmfestival Cyprus
October 5 – October 15, 2023 – Sitges (Spain)
October 4 – October 8, 2023 – Linoleum Festival (Ukraine) – Funcinema (Argentina) – Eerie Horror Fest (Pennsylvania, USA)
September 30 – October 1, 2023 – Court Métrange (France)
September 28 – October 1, 2023 – Trickfilm Festival Düsseldorf – Contemporary Animation (Germany)
September 27, 2023 – International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLiNGEL (Germany)
September 1/9 – Off-Courts Trouville – France
August 11/14 – Flipbook Festival – Macedonia
July 14/16 – Ciudad de Mexica Int Film Festival – Mexico
July 13/16 – Snake Alley Festival of Film – USA
June 29 / July 9 – Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – South Korea
June 27/30 – Atlantic International Film Festival – Colombia
June 19/24 – Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival – Slovenia
June 18/21 – Cannes Indie Short Film Festival – France
June 11/17 – Annecy – France
June 6/11 – Short Film Festival Hamburg – Germany
May 19/22 – Southern Cone International Film Festival – Chili
May 19/21 – Toronto International Spring of Horror and Fantasy Film Festival – Canada
May 11 – British Animation Film Festival – UK
May 5/13 – Lanzarote Film Festival – Spain
May 2/7 – Anifilm – Czech Republic
April 30 – Palm Springs International Animation Festival – USA
April 19 – Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – Belgium
April 13/23 Fantaspoa – Brazil
April 12/22 – Animocje – Poland
March 28 – Couch Film Festival – Canada
March 24 – Animation Dingle – Ireland
March 22/27 – Landshut Short Film Festival – Germany
March 5 – Chester Animation Festival – UK
March 1/5 – Washington DC Independent Film Festival – USA
February 25 – International Animation Film Festival Brussels – Belgium
February 24 / March 4 – Fantasporto – Portugal
January 28 / February 3 – Filmfestival Oostende – Belgium
January 27 – Snowtown Film Festival Watertown – USA
January 22 – Shortcutz Annual Awards Amsterdam – Netherlands
January 3 – Shortcutz Rotterdam – Netherlands
December 17 – Roots Festival The Hague – Netherlands
December 13 – Short Stop International Film Festival Iași – Romania
December 6/13 – Bogoshorts Bogotá – Colombia
November 28/30 – Animation Marathon Athens – Greece
November 18/20 – Shivers Konstantz – Germany
November 7/13 – CINANIMA Espinho – Portugal
October 25 – Shortcutz Amsterdam – Netherlands
October 14 – Anim’est Film Festival Bucharest – Romania
October 6 – FIFF Namur – Belgium
Wanna know more about The Smile? Check out The Smile Blog!