Hurikán
| Hurikán | |
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| Directed by | Jan Saska |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 13 minutes |
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Hurikán is a 2024 Czech animated short film co-written and directed by Jan Saska.
Release
The 13-minutes film following the eponymous hero on a nighttime odyssey through Prague has been selected in various international film festivals[1], including the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival[2] and Hollyshorts Film Festival[3].
Hurikán was shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the category of Best Animated Short Film.[4][5]
Plot
Set in Prague, Hurikán follows the story of Hurikán, who sets out to save his favorite beer stand from closing. Hoping to win the affection of the bartender he admires, he embarks on a quest to retrieve a new keg. What begins as a simple errand turns into a chaotic adventure through the unpredictable and boisterous streets of Žižkov, a neighborhood as unruly and hungover as Hurikán himself.
Style
Hurikán combines elements of classic action cinema and film noir[6] within the setting of Prague’s Žižkov district. Thematically, the film centers on antiheroes[7] navigating a nocturnal cityscape, reflecting both external pursuits and internal conflicts.
The film pays homage to the golden era of Japanese animation[8] from the 1980s and 1990s[9]. It is a black-and-white, 2D animated short[10] that combines traditional cel-style techniques[11] with a digital production pipeline. Despite the use of 3D[12] references during development, all visuals in the final film are hand-drawn and animated frame by frame.
Accolades
Since its release, the film has been selected in various festivals around the world:
| Year | Festivals | Award/Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Annecy International Animation Film Festival | Audience Award for a Short Film[13] | Won |
| Czech Film Critics’ Award | Best Short Film[14] | Won | |
| 2025 | Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival[15] | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| Sundance Film Festival[16] | Best Short Film | Nominated | |
| Hollyshorts Film Festival[17] | Best Animated Short Award | Won | |
| SXSW[18] | Best Short Film | Nominated | |
| Festival Premiers Plans Angers | Audience Award[19] | Won | |
| Animafest Zagreb | Audience Award[20] | Won |
See also
References
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (2024-12-16). "2025 Sundance Film Festival Reveals Short Film Program". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ www.pro-idea.cz, Pro-idea s r o /. "Czech films win multiple awards at Annecy IAFF | Czech Film Center". www.filmcenter.cz. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (2025-08-18). "HollyShorts Winners: 'Trapped,' 'A Son And A Father,' 'Hurikán' And 'Voices from the Abyss' Earn Oscar-Qualifying Awards". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ^ "98th Oscars Shortlists in 12 Award Categories Announced". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ Hilary Lewis, Beatrice Verhoeven (18 December 2025). "2026 Oscars Shortlists Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ Staff, F. N. E. "Jan Saska's Animated Short Hurikán to Compete at Sundance - FilmNewEurope.com". filmneweurope.com. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ Giulia Martinelli (2024-12-22). Ep.24 Hurikán by Jan Saska. Retrieved 2025-11-14 – via YouTube.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin (2024-06-08). "Brief Encounters: Discover Eight of the Creative Shorts Competing at Annecy This Year". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ Lang, Jamie (2025-10-21). "2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: 'Hurikán' Director Jan Saska". Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ film, Maur. "Jan Saska's Animated Short Hurikán to Compete at Sundance". Maurfilm. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ Bond On Cinema (2025-10-16). HURIKAN Animators Reveals Secret to Award Winning Animation Short Film. Retrieved 2025-11-14 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Hurikán se zacyklil v devadesátkách. A není sám, říká Jan Saska o svém hrdinovi". reportermagazin.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2024-06-15). "Annecy Winners: Adam Elliot's 'Memoir Of A Snail' Wins Top Cristal Award". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ "Ceny české filmové kritiky 2024 – Ceny české filmové kritiky". filmovakritika.cz. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ www.pro-idea.cz, Pro-idea s r o /. "Czech films at Clermont-Ferrand 2025 | Czech Film Center". www.filmcenter.cz. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ "Krátký animovaný film Jana Sasky bude soutěžit na Sundance | ČeskéNoviny.cz". www.ceskenoviny.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ "Announcing the 2025 HollyShorts Official Selections". HollyShorts Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ www.pro-idea.cz, Pro-idea s r o /. "Czech films at 2025 spring festivals | Czech Film Center". www.filmcenter.cz. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
- ^ "Hurikán - Jan Saska | Festival Premiers Plans d'Angers". Premiers Plans. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ Team, Z. F. (2025-06-09). "Animafest Zagreb 2025 Winners: "Dull Spots of Greenish Colours', 'Memoir of a Snail'". Zippy Frames. Retrieved 2025-11-14.