The Changeling

A film adaptation of Selma Lagerlöf's fairy tale of the same name about a married couple who are given a troll child. "The graduation film by Maria Steinmetz [...] has a very unique animation and sign language, which mixes elements of iconography and Art Nouveau, and thus sets special accents for the theme. The short film largely dispenses with language or uses typography in some places. This gives its images a particularly strong impact. However, this also results in its own humorous effects, which lend lightness to its idealistic theme. The color composition of the film gives it a warm effect and implements the contrast of the theme. The sun-yellow glow of the human figures depicted is contrasted with the dark troll. The reflection of people in the dark, the unknown and the hidden side is thus convincingly portrayed. The film's appeal not to deny the strange, dark and threatening, but to recognize it as part of nature, is convincingly implemented in this short film." (FBW jury statement - Rating particularly valuable)