11 Amazing Short Student Films from Gobelins Animation School

The French have always been heavily involved throughout the history of animation and hosts a variety of prestigious universities, the best known being Gobelins School of Image. Gobelins is a college located in the Latin Quartier dedicated to the visual arts. Since Gobelins began offering its animation program in 1975, several of its students have gone on to work for several companies not only within in France, but also at large studios including Disney, Dreamworks, Pixar, and Warner Brothers. The rising star in animated film companies, Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, The Lorax), was founded by a Gobelins alumni Pierre Coffin. Each year, the Gobelins Youtube page posts their students' graduate films, most of which are nothing short of remarkable. Below I have listed eleven of my favorites in chronological order (with descriptions from the Gobelins website). Why eleven? …Making lists is hard.* 

1.) After the Rain - 2008

"A child fishing in a puddle using bananas as bait catches a bigger fish than he can handle and flees with the giant fish in pursuit."

2.) For Sock's Sake - 2008

"A sock escapes from the clothes line to go clubbing."

3.) Trois Petits Points - 2010

"A seamstress is waiting for her husband to come back from the war."

4.) Le Royaume - 2010

"Just arrived in a wood, a king wants a beaver to build him a castle."

5.) A Travers la Brume - 2011

"Two brothers are hunting a legendary creature. As they hunt, the fog separates them…"

6.)  Fur - 2011

"Banned from his town because of his animality, a wolf man decides to make this segregation come to an end."

7. ) Who's Afraid of Mr. Greedy - 2011

"A man comes to get back his identity, stolen by an ogre while he was a child."

8.) In Between - 2012

"A young woman is being followed by a crocodile who represents her shyness. As he makes her life a living hell, she tries by every means to get rid of him."

9.) Trouble on the Green - 2012

"In a little french town, a minigolf tournament is organized each year. But this year, the news have announced the end of the world."

10.) One Day - 2012

"One man always on the move will have an encounter that puts into question everything he knows."

11.) Eclipse  - 2012

"On a distant planet, two sientists analyzing the field for its magnetic properties are facing an extraordinary phenomena linked to the lunar eclipse."

* For those who enjoyed this list, I recommend checking out the 2013 graduate shorts,  Un Conte (not for the faint of heart) and Annie (which is reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim and Adventure Time). The Gobelins students also create television spots for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Notable spots include Monstera Deliciosa (2009) and Beyond the Sea (2012).