“THE POOL OR DEATH OF A GOLDFISH” BY DARIA KOPIEC WINS AT BLON ANIMATION AND VIDEO GAME FESTIVAL
Daria Kopiec’s animated film „The Pool or Death of a Goldfish” has won the Baltic Sea–Nordic Competition at the BLON Animation and Video Game Festival. The jury praised the film for its emotional complexity, the strength of its visual metaphor, and the way it translates a difficult mother-daughter relationship into a distinctive and evocative animated language.
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish is a story about growing up, breaking free from imposed patterns, and reclaiming emotional autonomy. The titular pool becomes a metaphor for the unspoken feelings gradually overwhelming the protagonist. They stem from her constant need to adjust to the needs of others, symbolised in the film by the goldfish.
The title itself therefore poses a provocative question of choice: whether to remain submerged beneath the symbolic water of suppressed emotions, or to find the courage to confront the ingrained pattern of constantly putting others first and, in doing so, regain one’s freedom.
Daria Kopiec’s film was named the winner of the Baltic Sea–Nordic Competition by an international jury comprising Lithuanian-American artist, comics creator and animation writer Kaz Prapuolenis; Aušra Juknevičienė, director of Klaipėda Puppet Theatre and organiser of the international puppet theatre festival Materia Magica; and Helsinki-based XR director and visual artist Menghui Huang.
In its statement, the jury described the film as “a powerful and emotionally layered film that transforms a complex mother-daughter relationship into a compelling visual metaphor.” The jurors also highlighted the distinctive visual treatment of the characters, the music and the powerful performances, which together create a unique atmosphere and reinforce both the film’s central idea and its emotional impact.
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