19/07/2024 - Niko Mlynarčík’s ambitious winning film of the Slovak shorts competition at Fest Anča candidly explores online bullying but overwhelms its topic by overstraining the narrative

Winner of Best Slovak Animated Short at this year’s Fest Anča, Wereawolf by Niko Mlynarčík shines a dim light on cyberbullying. Though commendable in its ambition to candidly explore themes often hidden in chat rooms, this short exhibits a biting temperament that diminishes its message. Wereawolf’s scruffy vision, created by blending 2D and hand-drawn animation, paints a dynamic picture of compulsive internet culture, but its snappy nature subdues the possibility of a nuanced exploration of online youth.

Laura is a grungy-looking teenager who prefers to spend her time online, usually chatting with Isaac, a friend whose real identity remains hidden. Their wolf-like digital avatars, drawn in a rough, fidgety style that defines the film, signal their shared interest in anthropomorphic animals. As they converse, darker implications emerge, revealing that Laura often makes weirdly erotic artwork for Isaac - sketches that remain unseen by the audience. After finishing another drawing, the protagonist is taken aback by Isaac’s demand to replace the anthropomorphic wolf’s human genitals with "dog bits". This request turns into a firm order once Isaac threatens to expose some of Laura's more twisted art if she doesn’t agree.

The tension is palpable as Laura, feeling uneasy, hesitantly tries to find inspiration through an incognito Google search. As the narrative progresses, the sense of anxiety increases, amplified by the look of her cramped, darkened room. Afraid that her search history may remain visible, she seeks a solution outside, trying to lure a stray dog to use as a reference for her drawing - an attempt that ends in a nasty bite.

Here, Mlynarčík indicates a predisposition for caustic storytelling, despite the well-crafted animation. The film opens with a title card informing the audience that age restrictions are pointless, signalling a desire to push the envelope. By the end of the seven-minute runtime, this ambition seems to steer the film in a direction where the excitable animation lashes out, overshadowing the story’s subtler points and making it less palatable for the audience, regardless of age.

While Wereawolf doesn't quite get its message about cyberbullying across, its visuals capture the engrossing nature of the internet. The rudimentary style that the online chat is drawn in brings to mind images created using Microsoft Paint, lending a nostalgic feel to the late-night exchanges. This retro atmosphere is enhanced by the muffled sounds of the 8-bit track heard from Laura’s headphones. The jittery melody, however, also isolates her within the digital space, acting as a constant reminder of the pressure she faces from the harsh words displayed on the screen.

Wereawolf is ambitious, has a vivid identity and even presents some nostalgic qualities. Yet the story gets lost in excessive experimentation with abrasive visuals and a misplaced desire to shock. While this short paints an evocative picture of internet culture and its toxic atmosphere, the film’s tendency to overstrain the narrative and its graphic expression ultimately sidesteps a deeper treatment of its contemporary themes.