Under The Apple Tree

Published on 24th of May 2018.



A measly little worm finds himself homeless, for all the apples are taken by other worms. He’s an outcast in the stormy night, until he discovers the biggest apple of them all. It’s vacant and it’s… mobile!



Under The Apple Tree is an animated stop motion horror comedy about worms, apples and death. But also a film about family troubles. A film with a heart, although it might not be beating any more.



Awards: Golden Calf award for Best Short Film and Festival Favorite at the Netherlands Film Festival 2015 (NL). Best Animated Short at the Atlanta Horror Film Festival 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). Animated Fantasy at the Dragon Con Film Festival 2016 in Atlanta (USA). Best Professional Film at Festival Stop Motion 2016 in Montréal (CA). Best Short at Eerie Horror Filmfest 2016 in Eerie (USA). Best Director at Eerie Horror Filmfest 2016 in Eerie (USA). Best Short NYC Horror Film Festival 2016 in New York (USA). Best Stop Animated Short Film at South African Horrorfest 2016 in Cape Town, (SA). Third prize Animfest Athens 2016 (GR). First prize at Animation Marathon 2016 in Romanso, Athens (GR). Best Horror U-Horror Fest, Los Angeles, (USA). A Wildcard (audience award) at Hellfire 2017, Folkstone (UK). Best Short and Best Feature at British Animation Film Festival BAFF, London (UK). Melies d'Argent for best European fantastic short film at Grossmann fantastic film & wine festival (SLV). Nominated for the Dutch Directors Guild Award 2016 (NL).



One of the most well-crafted stop-motion films we’ve seen. Deeply funny. (Skwigly Animation Magazine)

Imagine the Gruffalo with Zombies. (Grimm Up North)

The excellently told story is peppered with morbid humor, its archaic English voice-overs entirely in rhyme. (Netherlands Film Festival)

Quality storytelling, originality and personality of characters, great animation performance. (Festival Stop Motion Montréal)

A film worth freezing for. (Anchorage International Film Festival, Alaska, USA)

18 minutes of macabre delight, this short should be every child’s first horror experience (The Ink And Code)

A brilliant stop-animated short giving a new spin on the zombie theme. (South African Horrorfest)

The attention to detail throughout the film is exquisite, it’s beautifully crafted and the story is brilliant and ingenious (…) I would love to see Under The Apple Tree developed into a feature film. (Atomic Age Renegades)

Quality, humor and exuberance. (Melies.org)

Griezelig, geestig en met grote liefde voor het horrorgenre gemaakt. (Trouw)



Copyright 2015 Pedri Animations / Erik van Schaaik Productions