On The Mat Outside My Door

2025 | 4:38 min | UHD | 16:9 | 5.1 Dolby/Stereo | FSK: 0 | 2D Drawn Animation

A little man, an uninvited guest, and a very unusual kind of shared living: Every day, the rat waits outside his door—large, confident, and rather cheeky. It makes itself at home on the sofa, hogs the bathroom, raids the fridge, and completely disrupts his daily routine. But when it suddenly disappears, life without it feels strangely empty…

Based on Nadia Budde’s picture book of the same name, the film brings her unmistakable style and dry humor to life. Hand-drawn animation preserves the quirky, charming visual language and amplifies the situational comedy even more.

Told with wit and sensitivity, this animated short explores annoying houseguests, unexpected loss, and the realization that sometimes you only learn to appreciate things once they’re gone.

★ Screenings & Awards ★

Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival | Portugal 2025

DOK Leipzig | Deutschland 2025

London International Animation Festival LIAF | Großbritannien 2025

Tirana International Film Festival | Albanien 2025

Schlingel Filmfestival | Deutschland 2025 

China International Children´s Film Festival | China 2025

Chicago International Film Festival | USA 2025

Animateka International Animated Film Festival | Slovenia 2025

Stadtlichter. Internationale Filmnächte in Berlin | Germany 2025

ReAnimania, Short Film Competition | Armenia 2025

Girona Film Festival | Spain 2025

Ale Kino! Festiva | Poland 2025

London International Animation Festival (LIAF) | UK 2025

Animateka | Slowenia 2025

Bamberger Kurzfilmtage | 2026

PLAY Festival | Portugal 2026

KinoAthens | Greece 2026

MONSTRA – Lisbon Animation Festival | Portugal 2026

Taiwan International Children’s Film Festival (TICFF), Taiwan 2026

Zlìn International Film Festival for Children and Youth | Czech Republic 2026

…

Making Of

Credits

Regie: Antje Heyn
Storyboard: Johanna Hochholzer
Animatic: Konrad Weise
Animationsleitung, Layout & Postproduktion; Alexander Isert
Animation: Gigi Chan
Clean Up: Adèle Pinchot
Sprecher: Pierre M. Krause
Musik: Peer Kleinschmidt
Foleys: Peter Sandmann
Sounddesign Mix: Anna von HammersteinJoh Weisgerber

Nach dem Buch von Nadia Budde