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🎉⭐️Playing God⭐️🎉 has been shortlisted as one of the 15 films in consideration at the Academy Awards® for Best Animated Short Film! 🔥🔥🔥omgggggg we are over the moon and incredibly grateful for this recognition because for us it represents something much more, a very important milestone for Italian animation, the first animated short film to enter in this category in over 34 years🤯
A huge congrats to the whole team who put their hearts and souls into this film. Good luck to all the other amazing films on the list, nominations will be announced on January 22🤞

directed by@matteoburani_official
written by @matteoburani_official & @gianmarcovalentino
animated by @ariannagheller_stopmo
director of photography @guglielmo_trautvetter
music by @pierdanioforni
—————————————————————————————
producer @ariannagheller_stopmo
assistant producer @eccotoupie
co-producer @autourdeminuit_productions (@nicolasschmerkin )
executive producer @onira.one (@ro.onira & @fil.sch )
Executive producer @kimmerik

puppet making @sole_sculture
sfx make-up @chiara_ziveri_sfx
—————————————————————————————
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission @cinemamic_it @le_cnc

#animatedshortfilm
#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#stopmolovers
#stopmotion_community

🎉⭐️Playing God⭐️🎉 has been shortlisted as one of the 15 films in consideration at the Academy Awards® for Best Animated Short Film! 🔥🔥🔥omgggggg we are over the moon and incredibly grateful for this recognition because for us it represents something much more, a very important milestone for Italian animation, the first animated short film to enter in this category in over 34 years🤯
A huge congrats to the whole team who put their hearts and souls into this film. Good luck to all the other amazing films on the list, nominations will be announced on January 22🤞

directed by@matteoburani_official
written by @matteoburani_official & @gianmarcovalentino
animated by @ariannagheller_stopmo
director of photography @guglielmo_trautvetter
music by @pierdanioforni
—————————————————————————————
producer @ariannagheller_stopmo
assistant producer @eccotoupie
co-producer @autourdeminuit_productions (@nicolasschmerkin )
executive producer @onira.one (@ro.onira & @fil.sch )
Executive producer @kimmerik

puppet making @sole_sculture
sfx make-up @chiara_ziveri_sfx
—————————————————————————————
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission @cinemamic_it @le_cnc

#animatedshortfilm
#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#stopmolovers
#stopmotion_community

Making of : "Playing God"

Plongez dans les coulisses de "Playing God", l'un des projets d'animation en volume les plus marquants de l'année, réalisé par Matteo Burani et produit par Studio Croma Animation et Autour de Minuit. ✨ 

Une sculpture en argile prend vie, consciente de ses imperfections… et nous entraîne dans un univers où la fragilité humaine se mêle à la magie du stop motion. 

Conçu avec trois techniques d'animation combinées – marionnettes, argile et pixilation – le film est un hommage à la création, à l'artisanat et à l'émotion pure. 

Présenté en Midnight Specials à Annecy 2025, "Playing God" révèle le travail minutieux d'une équipe de six personnes passionnées avec plus de 90 marionnettes sculptées à la main et une animation entièrement réalisée image par image. La musique de Pier Danio Forni accompagne chaque geste et chaque respiration, donnant vie à ce monde fragile et poétique. 

🕯️ "Playing God" est une ode à l'imperfection, à l'humanité et au lien entre créateur et création. Une expérience d'animation artisanale où chaque geste compte, chaque émotion est sculptée et chaque personnage respire l'âme. 

Ce Making of vous est proposé dans le cadre de notre collection en partenariat avec The Animation Showcase, rassemblant des films présentés à Annecy 2025 et désormais éligibles pour la saison des Oscars. 

🎬 Découvrez l'intégralité sur notre chaîne YouTube. 

 ✨️ Translation in English in a comment

@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @autourdeminuit_productions @onira.one

Sooo excited to share our brand-new collab with @pocko agency!🎉🚀
👉We are Studio Croma, an animation production company based in Italy specializing in stop-motion animation.
🎥We create high-quality animation commercials, branded content, short films and videoclips with exceptional attention to detail, creativity, and expertise.
Studio Croma was founded in 2013 by young talents with one main goal: -to consistently deliver stunning beautifully crafted stopmotion animation content-
👉and to celebrate this partnership we’ve got a whole week of super cool reels featuring some of our best productions! 🎥🔥

#stopmotion
#stopmolovers
#animation
#backstage
#timelapse
#pocko
#studiocroma

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

Yesterday was a day overwhelming with emotions.
The whole team was gathered like one big family, eagerly awaiting the Oscar®️ nominations, and Playing God was not among the selected names. It only took a few seconds to process the news and make it real. Thus ends our nearly five-month “death race” at the 2026 Academy Awards®️ with amid tears, frustration, and deep disappointment.
👉But we want to remind all our fans that this is exactly the story of our film, and perhaps, in the end, there was no better way to tell it.

We want to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey:
@animationshowcase
@animayofestival
@onira.one
@eccotoupie
@autourdeminuit_productions
@kimmerik
@londonflairpr
@ps599
@emiliaromagnafilmcommission
@sayonarafilm
@tribeca

❤️To all the friends on our team who embraced the fall with us and who will work to build something new.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

🔥🔥THIS IS….PLAYING GOD! 🔥🔥

fino al 22/gennaio puoi vedere PLAYING GOD su youtube, il corto d’animazione stop motion di @studiocroma_stopmotion

con la regia di @matteoburani_official e l’incredibile animazione di @ariannagheller_stopmo - PLAYING GOD è un inno a emarginat3 e divers3, celebra la forza che può nascere dall’unione di una comunità di esseri imperfetti e fragili, proprio come noi umani.

il film è nella short tlist degli OSCAR®️ e tra meno di 1o giorni sapremo se saremo nella cinquina in nomination!

se vuoi supportare il nostro lavoro puoi:
- guardare il film gratis — LINK IN BIO🔗
- sbirciare il dietro le quinte del film — LINK IN BIO🔗
- seguire @studiocroma per scoprire come andrà a finire
- lasciare una recensione su letterboxd.com e mdb.com — LINK IN BIO🔗

_

CREDITS
directed by MATTEO BURANI 
written by  MATTEO BURANI & GIANMARCO VALENTINO  
animated by ARIANNA GHELLER  
producer ARIANNA GHELLER 
production assistant FRANCESCA D’AGNANO  
co.producer NICOLAS SCHMERKIN 
associate producer ONIRA
executive producer RODOLFO L. MASE DARI
director of photography GUGLIELMO TRAUTVETTER  
music by PIER DANIO FORNI  
sound designer QUENTIN ROBERTNI  
sound recorded and mixed at PISTE ROUGE 
storyboard GIANMARCO VALENTINO  
puppet making SOLE PICCININNO  
sfx make-up CHIARA ZIVERI  
edited by MATTEO BURANI & GIANMARCO VALENTINO
_

@cinemamic_it

#animatedshortfilm
#stopmotionanimation
#animation
#playinggod

🎵 Composer @pierdanioforni explains how the voices of the sculptures in Playing God were made:
“Me, the director @matteoburani_official , and @edonanni.tv all stayed together and impersonated the different figures. This added an essential final touch to the music, as it made all the statues sound like they were part of one ominous thing.” We can say that creating this part of the film’s sound design was a lot of fun 🤣

Watch Now on YouTube the full Making Of-The Soundtrack-LINK IN BIO🔗

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

FYC: Playing God (Tribeca Festival 2025 Best Animated Short Winner)

Written and directed by Matteo Burani and produced and animated entirely by Arianna Gheller, PLAYING GOD unfolds inside a bare workshop where clay sculptures come to life, craving more than mere existence. When their Sculptor disappears, the figures are left to confront isolation and discover meaning through one another. Told without dialogue, the film relies on tactile movement, visual precision, and emotional restraint to explore what it means to be created and left behind.

Playing God has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film. Oscar nomination voting closes Friday, January 16 at 5PM PST.

🎵 the composer @pierdanioforni talks about how he created the score for Playing God-shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards®️ – Best Animated Short Film.
Using only two instruments: an ocarina & his voice!!🤯

WATCH NOW on YouTube @StudioCromaAnimation the full Making Of-The Soundtrack LINK IN BIO🔗

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#backstage

👉Over 300K views, 22K likes, and 1K comments — these are the interactions Playing God received on the Animatic YouTube channel @autourdeminuit_productions in collaboration with @shortoftheweek in just 3 weeks.

❤️To thank you all, we’ve decided to extend the deadline until January 22, so if you haven’t watched the short yet, you still have a bit of time :)

Watch Playing God — LINK IN BIO🔗
Watch the full making-of — LINK IN BIO🔗

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#stopmolovers

👉Over 300K views, 22K likes, and 1K comments — these are the interactions Playing God received on the Animatic YouTube channel @autourdeminuit_productions in collaboration with @shortoftheweek in just 3 weeks.

❤️To thank you all, we’ve decided to extend the deadline until January 22, so if you haven’t watched the short yet, you still have a bit of time :)

Watch Playing God — LINK IN BIO🔗
Watch the full making-of — LINK IN BIO🔗

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
#stopmolovers

🗿“Modeling was at the heart of this project, you could almost say we were more sculptors than puppet makers.”
👉This is the way we worked on the 80+ stop motion clay puppets for Playing God, all brought to life by the magical ✨puppet maker hands of @sole_sculture
Thanks to @kineticarmatures for the gear🦾

Watch Playing God — LINK IN BIO🔗
Watch the full making-of — LINK IN BIO🔗

#stopmotion
#backstage
#animation
#playinggod
#studiocroma

The artist Alberto Giacometti was the true reference behind the sculptor character in Playing God Short film.

👉The first time I saw this documentary video was on an old VHS shared with me from my high school sculpture teacher who told me: “Study this artist, and take inspiration from him.” Over time, Giacometti indeed became that inspiration, his art and his existentialist approach were the spark that shaped me and gave birth to Playing God.

#stopmotion
#animation
#animationshortfilm
#playinggod
stopmolovers
studiocroma

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production

"At its core, the film asks whether belonging can exist beyond perfection, and whether communities formed through rejection can become a source of strength rather than shame."⁠
⁠
Fragile clay Sculptures come to life in a bare workshop, craving more than just existence. When their Sculptor abandons them, they must discover the power of belonging.⁠
⁠
Playing God⁠
Dir. Matteo Burani⁠
⁠
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio⁠
⁠
CREDITS⁠
⁠
@studiocroma_stopmotion @matteoburani_official @ariannagheller_stopmo @onira.one @autourdeminuit_production