Within the world of animation, most experimentation occurs within short format productions, whether they be high-budgeted commercials, low-budgeted independent shorts or something in between. The growing number of short film festivals around the world attest to the vitality of these works, but there are few other venues for exhibition of them or even written reviews. As a result, distribution tends to be difficult and irregular. On a regular basis, Animation World Magazine will highlight some of the most interesting with short, descriptive overviews.

If you have the QuickTime plug-in, you can view a clip from each film by simply clicking the image.

This Month:

Milch (2005), 15:30, directed by Igor Kovalyov (U.S./Russian Federation). Contact: Patrick Stapleton. Klasky Csupo Features, [E] pstapleton@klaskycsupo.com

Vent (2004), 4:40, directed by Erik van Schaaik (Netherlands). Contact: il Luster Productions, Herenweg 45, 3513 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands [V] +31.(0)30.2400.768; [E] info@illuster.nl; [W] www.illuster.nl

Safety Procedures (2004), 2:20, directed by Richard Fenwick, U.K. Contact: Richard Fenwick, 401 Centralofts, 21 Waterloo Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 4AL, U.K. [V] +44.(0)191.261.5955; [F] +44.(0)191.21.8111; [E] Richard@unified-systems.org; [W] www.richardfenwick.com

Agricultural Reports (2004), 2:32, directed by Melina Sydney Padua, Ireland. Contact: Barry O’Donoghue, Barley Films, 15 Hainault Park, Foxrock, Dublin 18, Ireland. [T] 353.1.289.9224; [E] info@barleyfilms.com; [W] www.barleyfilms.com

The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation (2004), 28:00, directed by John Canemaker, U.S. Contact: John Canemaker [V] 212.874.7462; [W] www.johncanemaker.com

Before we get to the spinach and ricotta ravioli that is Fresh from the Festivals, please allow me the following breadstick:

In a few paragraphs I’m going to rave about Milch, a new short from Igor Kovalyov. Maybe you’re lucky enough to know this animator’s work already. Maybe, like me, you saw one of his Russian shorts on Bravo 10 years ago, couldn’t read the Cyrillic credits, and never even figured out who made the exquisite mood piece you’d just seen. Either way, you’re probably going to want to see Milch.

It is playing at the Annecy festival in June.

It’s time I leveled with you. Outside of the opportunities to promote animators and to turn people on to cool shorts they should see, there’s one practical reason why I write this column. Track this concept with me.

When you read about a movie you’d like to see, you can go see it, or wait nine months and rent it. Cost: between 99 cents and $10.

When a book is published that you’d like to read, you can get it from a library or bookstore. Cost: from free to, say, $40.

Hear a good tune on the radio? Get the album overnight from an online retailer for $20.

Want to see Milch, Learn Self Defense or The Old Crocodile? Update the passport, get a visa, wait until June, hop a plane to France, book a hotel in Annecy, get a pass to a screening and enjoy. Cost: $1,400 and up.

Chris Landreth’s Ryan took the Oscar this year, and you can’t rent it. Destino was nominated last year, and you can’t rent it. The Hunger Artist from Tom Gibbons, The God from Konstantin Bronzit, Crimenals from Greg Araya — can’t rent ‘em. On the whole, only writers who get review copies can see animated shorts for less than the cost of a new computer.

Friends, colleagues, stop what you’re doing immediately and make up your own magazine. Make up your own trade rag, say you’re writing a shorts column and tell animators to start sending screeners. Because the fact is that I write about shorts so I can see the shorts. If you want to see them too, do what I do and write a column.

Anyone can do it from the privacy of their shared computer area. All it takes is an opinion and a thesaurus. So what are you waiting for?

Which brings me to my cri de coeur:

WHY IN THE NAME OF TERRA FUCKING FIRMA ISN’T THERE A HALF HOUR OF ANIMATED FESTIVAL SHORTS ON CABLE EVERY NIGHT?

GrrraaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!

Onward.