Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival presents to you “Meet the Filmmakers”. This episode features the films “Grandpa is Sleeping” and “Leave The Island”, which are part of Shorts Kids Animation Competition 3. Evridiki Papaiakovou spoke with director Chen Wu and producer Helga Fodorean.
Tune in to find answers to some fascinating questions, such as:
1. The film “Grandpa is Sleeping” approaches the topic of death in a gentle way. Was this the director’s intention?
2. What role does the visual style play in how the film addresses death?
3. The film “Leave The Island” uses surrealism, which is an excellent medium for exploring complex emotions. What does the flying whale represent in the film? Why was a whale chosen?
Helga Fodorean is a cultural manager and film producer with formal training in scriptwriting. She has a strong interest in the world of animation and is the director of Animest, an animation film festival held in Romania. In 2021, she initiated SYAA, a mentorship programme for women in animation. Fodorean also co-produced the film “Amok” (2018, directed by Balázs Turai), which has won several awards. She has known Matei Branea, the director of “Grandpa is Sleeping,” for several years, and they have collaborated before.
Chen Wu is a graphic designer and illustrator from Taiwan, currently based in London. In his work, he often transforms everyday objects into poetic metaphors. Through a refined and quiet visual language, he reimagines the familiar, inviting viewers to see ordinary elements in a new light. Wu has collaborated with major companies such as Adobe EU, Urban Outfitters, and Wacom. His animated film “Leave The Island” is a personal story, inspired by his own life and experiences in Taiwan and the United Kingdom. It is a story of farewell and loss. To explore these abstract concepts, Wu employs a variety of visual metaphors.
Check out the other films in Shorts Kids Animation Competition 3:
https://shorts.poff.ee/en/film/shorts-kids-animation-competition-3/
PÖFF TV is a special online festival channel to supplement the film programme, to share the emotions and meanings of the film world and exclusive interviews with festival guests.
PÖFF TV is brought to you by Ruum:um, Photopoint and Co-funded by the European Union.
---
Tallinna Pimedate Ööde filmifestival toob teieni saate “Meet the Filmmakers”. Seekord on peaosas animafilmid “Vanaisa magab” ja “Lahkumine saarelt”, mis on osa Shorts lasteanima võistlusprogrammist 3. Režissöör Chen Wu ja produtsent Helga Fodoreaniga vestles Evridiki Papaiakovou.
Kuula kaasa ja saad vastused muuhulgas järgmistele põnevatele küsimustele:
1. Film “Vanaisa magab” käsitleb surma õrnalt ja delikaatselt. Kas see oligi režissööri eesmärk?
2. Millist rolli mängib visuaalne stiil selles, kuidas film surmast räägib?
3. Film “Lahkumine saarelt” kasutab sürrealismi, mis on suurepärane vahend komplekssete emotsioonide edasiandmiseks. Mida sümboliseerib filmis lendav vaal? Miks just vaal?
Helga Fodorean on kultuurikorraldaja ja filmiprodutsent, kellel on formaalne väljaõpe stsenaristika erialal. Ta tunneb suurt huvi animatsioonimaailma vastu ning on Rumeenias aset leidva Animesti nimelise animafilmifestivali direktor. 2021. aastal algatas ta SYAA, mentorprogrammi naistele animatsioonis. Fodorean on ka filmi “Amok” (2018, režissöör Balázs Turai) kaasprodutsent, mis on võitnud mitmeid auhindu. Filmi “Vanaisa magab” režissööri Matei Branead tunneb ta juba mitmeid aastaid ja nad on ka varem koostööd teinud.
Chen Wu on Taiwani päritolu graafiline disainer ja illustraator, kes tegutseb Londonis. Oma loomingus muudab ta sageli igapäevased esemed poeetilisteks metafoorideks. Rafineeritud ja rahuliku visuaalse keele kaudu kujutab ta ümber tuttava ning kutsub vaatajaid nägema tavapäraseid elemente uues valguses. Wu on teinud koostööd muuhulgas selliste suurettevõtetega nagu Adobe EU, Urban Outfitters ja Wacom. Animafilm “Lahkumine saarelt” on personaalne lugu, sest on inspireeritud režissööri enda elust ja läbielatud kogemustest Taiwanis ja Suurbritannias. See on lugu hüvasti jätmisest ja kaotusest. Selleks, et abstraktseid kontseptsioone avada, on Wu kasutanud mitmeid visuaalseid metafoore.
Tutvu ka teiste Shorts lasteanima võistlusprogrammi 3 filmidega:
https://shorts.poff.ee/film/shorts-lasteanima-vistlusprogramm-3/
Lisaks filmifestivali filmiprogrammile linastub internetis PÖFF TV kanal, mis toob teieni eksklusiivsed intervjuud filmitegijatega ja aitab avada filmimaailma telgitaguseid.
PÖFF TV toob teieni Ruum:um, Photopoint ning kaasrahastab Euroopa Liit.
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival presents to you “Meet the Filmmakers”. This episode features the films “Grandpa is Sleeping” and “Leave The Island”, which are part of Shorts Kids Animation Competition 3. Evridiki Papaiakovou spoke with director Chen Wu and producer Helga Fodorean.
Tune in to find answers to some fascinating questions, such as:
1. The film “Grandpa is Sleeping” approaches the topic of death in a gentle way. Was this the director’s intention?
2. What role does the visual style play in how the film addresses death?
3. The film “Leave The Island” uses surrealism, which is an excellent medium for exploring complex emotions. What does the flying whale represent in the film? Why was a whale chosen?
Helga Fodorean is a cultural manager and film producer with formal training in scriptwriting. She has a strong interest in the world of animation and is the director of Animest, an animation film festival held in Romania. In 2021, she initiated SYAA, a mentorship programme for women in animation. Fodorean also co-produced the film “Amok” (2018, directed by Balázs Turai), which has won several awards. She has known Matei Branea, the director of “Grandpa is Sleeping,” for several years, and they have collaborated before.
Chen Wu is a graphic designer and illustrator from Taiwan, currently based in London. In his work, he often transforms everyday objects into poetic metaphors. Through a refined and quiet visual language, he reimagines the familiar, inviting viewers to see ordinary elements in a new light. Wu has collaborated with major companies such as Adobe EU, Urban Outfitters, and Wacom. His animated film “Leave The Island” is a personal story, inspired by his own life and experiences in Taiwan and the United Kingdom. It is a story of farewell and loss. To explore these abstract concepts, Wu employs a variety of visual metaphors.
Check out the other films in Shorts Kids Animation Competition 3:
https://shorts.poff.ee/en/film/shorts-kids-animation-competition-3/
PÖFF TV is a special online festival channel to supplement the film programme, to share the emotions and meanings of the film world and exclusive interviews with festival guests.
PÖFF TV is brought to you by Ruum:um, Photopoint and Co-funded by the European Union.
---
Tallinna Pimedate Ööde filmifestival toob teieni saate “Meet the Filmmakers”. Seekord on peaosas animafilmid “Vanaisa magab” ja “Lahkumine saarelt”, mis on osa Shorts lasteanima võistlusprogrammist 3. Režissöör Chen Wu ja produtsent Helga Fodoreaniga vestles Evridiki Papaiakovou.
Kuula kaasa ja saad vastused muuhulgas järgmistele põnevatele küsimustele:
1. Film “Vanaisa magab” käsitleb surma õrnalt ja delikaatselt. Kas see oligi režissööri eesmärk?
2. Millist rolli mängib visuaalne stiil selles, kuidas film surmast räägib?
3. Film “Lahkumine saarelt” kasutab sürrealismi, mis on suurepärane vahend komplekssete emotsioonide edasiandmiseks. Mida sümboliseerib filmis lendav vaal? Miks just vaal?
Helga Fodorean on kultuurikorraldaja ja filmiprodutsent, kellel on formaalne väljaõpe stsenaristika erialal. Ta tunneb suurt huvi animatsioonimaailma vastu ning on Rumeenias aset leidva Animesti nimelise animafilmifestivali direktor. 2021. aastal algatas ta SYAA, mentorprogrammi naistele animatsioonis. Fodorean on ka filmi “Amok” (2018, režissöör Balázs Turai) kaasprodutsent, mis on võitnud mitmeid auhindu. Filmi “Vanaisa magab” režissööri Matei Branead tunneb ta juba mitmeid aastaid ja nad on ka varem koostööd teinud.
Chen Wu on Taiwani päritolu graafiline disainer ja illustraator, kes tegutseb Londonis. Oma loomingus muudab ta sageli igapäevased esemed poeetilisteks metafoorideks. Rafineeritud ja rahuliku visuaalse keele kaudu kujutab ta ümber tuttava ning kutsub vaatajaid nägema tavapäraseid elemente uues valguses. Wu on teinud koostööd muuhulgas selliste suurettevõtetega nagu Adobe EU, Urban Outfitters ja Wacom. Animafilm “Lahkumine saarelt” on personaalne lugu, sest on inspireeritud režissööri enda elust ja läbielatud kogemustest Taiwanis ja Suurbritannias. See on lugu hüvasti jätmisest ja kaotusest. Selleks, et abstraktseid kontseptsioone avada, on Wu kasutanud mitmeid visuaalseid metafoore.
Tutvu ka teiste Shorts lasteanima võistlusprogrammi 3 filmidega:
https://shorts.poff.ee/film/shorts-lasteanima-vistlusprogramm-3/
Lisaks filmifestivali filmiprogrammile linastub internetis PÖFF TV kanal, mis toob teieni eksklusiivsed intervjuud filmitegijatega ja aitab avada filmimaailma telgitaguseid.
PÖFF TV toob teieni Ruum:um, Photopoint ning kaasrahastab Euroopa Liit.
