AAFF Short Film – The Sky was Candy by Anh Tú Nguyen

A yellow and blue day in the life of a little child.

The Sky Was Candy was inspired by a memory from my early childhood, when I found a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest. I took him home to take care of him and to play together. The next day, the bird was dead.

I had been making phenakistoscope-inspired loops for several years when I came up with the idea of using this technique as a narrative device. Ultimately it took me and my team one revolution around the sun to complete this animated short.

Winner, Ann Arbor Film Festival Prix DeVarti Award for Funniest Film

This short film is an official selection from the 64th Ann Arbor Film Festival, held March 24 through March 29, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is part of one of North America’s longest-running and most celebrated festivals of experimental and independent film.

Germany | 2025 | 3 min