BARBARA SYNAK’S “TERRITORY” WINS AT ALMATY ANIMATION FESTIVAL
“Territory”, directed by Barbara Synak, has received an award at the 2026 Almaty Animation Festival in Kazakhstan. Produced at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the film won in the Experimental Animation category.
Almaty Animation Festival is an international platform showcasing both independent and studio animation. Its programme includes competition screenings, special and non-competition sections, as well as an educational programme featuring masterclasses, lectures and discussions. The festival introduces audiences to current trends in global animation and presents works by filmmakers from Kazakhstan and Central Asia. It also provides a space for industry professionals to exchange knowledge, build connections and meet potential partners for future projects.
Barbara Synak’s “Territory” follows a protagonist who finds herself almost imprisoned within her own body. Moving through the labyrinth of her inner world, she is forced to confront obsessions, desires and tensions connected with eating. The film explores a toxic relationship with the body and portrays the experience of eating disorders from the perspective of someone living through them.
Rather than observing the illness from the outside, the animation focuses on its internal dimension, highlighting feelings of disorientation, loneliness and loss of control. Synak draws attention to emotions that may remain invisible to others, yet profoundly shape the everyday lives of people struggling with eating disorders.