Queer Animated Short Butterfly Kiss Selected for Vimeo Staff Picks After Award-Winning Festival Run
Skwigly
The Hive Studio and Fabian&Fred’s acclaimed short Butterfly Kiss has been selected for release on Vimeo as part of the platform’s prestigious Staff Picks strand, marking the film’s first global online availability.
Butterfly Kiss
Directed by Zohar Dvir (Mercury’s Retrograde), the Oscar-qualifying queer animated short arrives online following an exceptional festival journey. The film won the Gold Hugo Award at the Chicago International Film Festival on its first selection, earning eligibility for the 2026 Academy Awards.
Butterfly Kiss follows Carol, who panics and quarrels with her girlfriend Ray after an unexpected proposal. When Carol awakens to an apocalyptic reality in which Ray has transformed into a butterfly, the boundaries between their home and the chaotic outside world collapse. Ray’s metamorphosis and the rising tension between them threaten their relationship, forcing Carol to confront the possibility of losing the person she loves — and the sacrifices that devotion may demand.
Exploring themes of identity, transformation, and anxiety, the film blends body-horror with surreal animation to examine the emotional complexities of commitment, vulnerability, and self-acceptance. While echoing the long cinematic tradition of tragic queer romances, Butterfly Kiss reimagines the narrative, allowing its lovers to evolve and stay together.
The co-production between The Hive Studio and Fabian&Fred highlights the creative strength of international collaboration, with each studio contributing complementary expertise to craft a short film that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
At its core, Butterfly Kiss reflects a deeply human experience and the psychological and social struggles that accompany the search for belonging, love, and understanding. We are honoured that this co-production with our friends at Fabian&Fred has received Oscar-qualifying status and thrilled to share this beautiful work of art with audiences for the first time, following its run at over 70 festivals worldwide.
Amit Russell Gicelter, Founder & CEO, The Hive Studio
This film is a reflection of the strong and authentic personal touch of the filmmaker’s vision. Zohar delves deep into the innermost feelings of a romantic relationship and the uncomfortable feeling of self-doubt. Combined with the use of both 3D animation and TV-Paint for the hand-drawn 2D animation, this created the film’s angular world that perfectly supports its core narrative.
Fabian Driehorst, Co-founder, Fabian&Fred