Butterfly
Synopsis
In the sea, a man swims. As he does, memories come to the surface. From his early childhood to his life as a man, all his memories are linked to water. Some are happy, some glorious, some traumatic. This 2025 Academy Awards® nominee is inspired by the life story of Alfred Nakache, the Jewish French-Algerian swimmer and Holocaust survivor who endured Auschwitz and returned to compete at the 1948 London Olympic Games.
Credits
Director(s)
Florence Miailhe
Producer(s)
Ron Dyens
Script
Florence Miailhe
Editor
Nassim Gordji-Tehrani
Original Language
French
Subtitles
English, French, Spanish, German, Czech
Sound designer
Pierre Oberkampf
Broadcaster
ARTE
Festival Highlights
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NOMINEE
Best Animated Short FilmAcademy Awards®2025 -
WINNER
Crystal Bear for the Best Short FilmBerlinale Generation KPlus2024 -
WINNER
Best French Short FilmAnnecy International Animation Film Festival2024 -
NOMINEE
Best Animated Short FilmCésar Awards2025
Reviews
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"Unquestionably the most beautifully animated of the bunch."
- Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily
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"If you know nothing about [Alfred Nakache], 'Butterfly' will teach you with sensitivity, grace, and a direct approach to the evils of the Nazi regime."
- William Bibbiani, TheWrap
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"A lovely, understated piece loosely based on the life of French swimmer Alfred Nakache."
- Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap
