Awards
Game Awards
Nuovo Award Nominee - Independent Games Festival 2018
Jury Selection - Japan Media Arts Festival 2016
Official Finalist - IndieCade 2015
The Black Horse of Video Games - Ars Independent 2015
Best Arts Award - Sense Of Wonder Night 2015
Audience Award - Sense Of Wonder Night 2015
Nuovo Award Nominee - Independent Games Festival 2015
Film Awards
Anima+ Award - FILE São Paulo 2015
2nd Place Experimental Short Film - Chilemonos 2015
Grand Prix - PPAFF 2014
Special Mention - Student Competition - Animafest Zagreb 2014
Best Student Film - AniFilm 2014
Golden Horseman Animated Film - Filmfest Dresden 2014
3ème prix - Silence, On Court ! 2014
Best European Student Film - Animateka 2013
Best Student Film - Sommets du cinéma d’animation 2013
Special Mention - Animated Dreams 2013
Best School Film - International Cinema Week Madrid 2013
Jury Special Prize - PISAF 2013
Grand Prize - Cinanima 2013
Grand Prize - Best International Award - 2Annas 2013
Jury's Special Mention - Animatou 2013
Animage Best Direction Award - Animage 2013
New Talent Award - Encounters 2013
Best Swiss Award - Fantoche 2013
Anča Student Award - Fest Anča 2013
Judges' Choice - Melbourne International Animation Festival 2013
Jury's Special Mention - Animated Dreams Festival 2012
Special Mention - AniFest 2012
Other
2014 Recipient of the Kulturförderpreis of Canton Thurgau
Exhibitions
Geidai Games, Tokyo (JP) March 16 - March 17, 2024
Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich (CH) February 17 - July 23, 2023
KIKK Festival, Galerie du Beffroi, Namur (BE) October 27 - October 30, 2022
Seoul Indie Ani-Fest (KR) September 21 - September 26, 2022
Macao International Art Biennale, Main Exhibition (MO) July 16 - October 17, 2021
Shenzhen Bay STArts Festival (CN) December 25 - January 27, 2020
Festival Maintenant, Electroni[k], Rennes (FR) October 2 - October 11, 2020
Solothurner Filmtage, Futurelab (CH) January 23 - January 29, 2020
Game On! 2019, Buenos Aires (AR) November 22 - November 30, 2019
Refresh, Digital Festival, Zürich (CH) September 26 - September 28, 2019
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (JP) September 14 - December 19, 2019
Bit Bash at The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (US) August 17 - August 18, 2019
Ars Electronica, Cyberarts, Linz (AT) September 5 - September 15, 2019
3daysofdesign, Copenhagen (DK) May 23 - May 25, 2019
Flatpack Festival, Birmingham (GB) April 30 - May 5, 2019
Shed im Eisenwerk, Frauenfeld (CH) March 1 - April 4, 2019
NTT InterCommunication Center ICC, Tokyo (JP) December 15 - March 10, 2019
Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova, Ljubljana (SI) November 27 - December 9, 2018
Fantoche, Baden (CH) September 5 - September 9, 2018
Museum of Digital Art, Zurich (CH) February 3 - March 4, 2018
Kunstraum Kreuzlingen (CH) November 19 - December 11, 2016
Talks
Tokyo University of the Arts (JP) April 2024
Tokyo Polytechnic University (JP) April 2024
ETH Zürich (CH) November 2022
Slovenian Film Festival (SI) October 2022
Seoul Indie Ani-Fest (KR) September 2022
ITFS (DE) May 2022
NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium (US) February 2022
Mecal, International Short Film Festival of Barcelona (ES) April 2021
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (CH) March 2021
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (US) October 2020
Animatou Geneva (CH) October 2020
Indie-AniFest Korea (KR) September 2020
Ars Electronica, Expanded Animation Symposium (AT) September 2019
Animafest Zagreb (HR) June 2019
Game Days Trnava (SK) June 2019
Vienna Independent Shorts (AT) May 2019
FMX Stuttgart (DE) May 2019
NTT InterCommunication Center Tokyo (JP) December 2018
Animateka (SI) December 2018
Ludicious (CH) January 2018
Anifilm (CZ) Mai 2017
ZHdK (CH) January 2017
The Animation Workshop Denmark (DK) January 2017
Fest Anca (SK) June 2016
LMA Riga (LV) March 2016
Tous Ecrans (CH) November 2015
DOK-Leipzig Neuland (DE) October 2015
Sense of Wonder Night at Tokyo Game Show (JP) August 2015
Filmfestival Cannes (FR) May 2015
Animatou (CH) October 2014
Fantoche (CH) September 2014
Juries
Jury International Competition Animateka (SI) 2018
Selection Committee International Competition Fantoche (CH) 2015-18
Jury US Competition GLAS Animation Festival (US) 2018
International Jury New Chitose (JP) 2017
Jury International Competition of Independent Computer Games Anifilm (CZ) 2017
Jury International Competition Fest Ança (SK) 2014
Jury International Competition Lago Film Festival (IT) 2013
Film Screenings
69th Berlinale, Berlin (DE) 2019
Cellu l’art Festival, Jena (DE) 2015
3rd Porny Days Film Art Festival (CH) 2015
24e Festival International Séquence Court-Métrage, Toulouse (FR) 2015
9th Digital Art Festival Taipei (TW) 2015
No Budget Film Fest, Los Angeles (US) 2015
La Nuit du Court, Lausanne (CH) 2015
Prix Ars Electronica (AT) 2015
International Tour Film Fest Rome (IT) 2015
Last Friday Shorts London (UK) 2015
FILE São Paulo, Electronic Language International Festival (BR) 2015
15th Korea Queer Film Festival (KR) 2015
17th backup_Festival Weimar (DE) 2015
ANIMASIVO 8 (MX) 2015
22th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (DE) 2015
International Animation Festival Chilemonos (CL) 2015
25th Mediawave (HU) 2015
Skepto International Film Festival (IT) 2015
25th European Beauvais Film Festival (FR) 2015
33rd International Film Festival of Uruguay (UY) 2015
10th Athens Animfest (GR) 2015
3rd International Motion Festival (CY) 2015
West Side Cinema (UK) 2015
16. Landshuter Kurzfilmfestival (DE) 2015
Byron Bay International Film Festival (AU) 2015
Watersprite, Cambridge International Student Film Festival (UK) 2015
FLEXfest Florida (US) 2015
Film Festival Cine Prive in Gent (BE) 2015
16th Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival (IN) 2014
9th International Streaming Festival (NL) 2014
Couch Fest Films (US) 2014
The 24 hours of Nuremberg (DE) 2014
SIGGRAPH Asia Computer Animation Festival (CN) 2014
18th International Student Film Festival CineMAiubit (RO) 2014
23th Euroshorts Film Festival (PL) 2014
Bienal de la Imagen en Movimiento, Buenos Aires (AR) 2014
Sotto18 Film Festival Turin (IT) 2014
Breaking Ground EU Showcase Amsterdam (NL) 2014
16. Internationalen Jugend Medien Festival YOUKI (AT) 2014
14. Flensburger Kurzfilmtage (DE) 2014
27th New York Queer Experimental Film Festival (US) 2014
28th Braunschweig International Film Festival (DE) 2014
3rd Family Fiction Film Project (IT) 2014
18th Festival Ecran Libre (FR) 2014
12th The International Festival of Animated Arts "Multivision" (RU) 2014
Animpact Korea, China, Japan (KR) 2014
New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival (JP) 2014
Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival (TT) 2014
6th Re Animania int'l Animation FF of Yerevan (AM) 2014
BANJALUKA 2014 International Animated Film Festival (BA) 2014
33rd Uppsala International Short Film Festival (SE) 2014
10th Festival de Animation Fida Chile (CL) 2014
Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival (CH) 2014
Priit Pärn Animated Film Festival (EE) 2014
MIX Copenhagen | LGBT Film Festival (DK) 2014
The International Animated Film Festival KR ok(RU) 2014
Best Of Short Films Festival (FR) 2014
BUT Film Festival (NL) 2014
Hiroshima International Animation Festival (JP) 2014
10th InDPanda International Film Festival (CN) 2014
Shortorama (FR) 2014
Insomnia Film Festival (RU) 2014
KloosterKino (NL) 2014
9th Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove (ES) 2014
MIAF 4, Melbourne (AU) 2014
Isola Cinema Film Festival (SI) 2014
Animafest Zagreb (HR) 2014
NW Animation Fest (US) 2014
AniFilm 05 (CZ) 2014
29° TGLFF (IT) 2014
Les Rendez Vous du Hublot, Cinema Experimental Arts Numeriques, Nice (FR) 2014
Darklight Festival (IE) 2014
Filmfest Dresden (DE) 2014
Silence, On Court ! (FR) 2014
Festival cinéma du monde de Sherbrooke (CN) 2014
Go Short Nijmegen (NL) 2014
Fête de l'anim' (FR) 2014
Monstra, Lisbon Animated Film Festival (PT) 2014
16th Mecal International Short Film Festival, Barcelona (ES) 2014
ANIMA Brussels, Animated Night Competition (BE) 2014
ANIMAC (ES) 2014
7th Glasgow Short Film Festival (UK) 2014
49th Solothurn Film Festival (CH) 2014
Animazione Piccolo Festival dell'Animazione, Roggiuzzole (IT) 2013
18th Brazilian Student Film Festival, Rio de Janeiro (BR) 2013
Curtocircuito International Short Film Festival, Santiago de Compostela (ES) 2013
Animateka Ljubljana (SLO) 2013
19th Leuven Kort (BE) 2013
Animated Dreams (EE) 2013
Sommets du cinéma d'animation (CN) 2013
14th ‘du grain à démoudre’ Film Festival (FR) 2013
AnimA 2013, Taipei (TW) 2013
Expotoons, Buenos Aires (BR) 2013
KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival (NL) 2013
Interfilm Festival Berlin (DE) 2013
Bradford Animation Festival (UK) 2013
Cinanima International Animated Film Festival, Espinho (PT) 2013
Puchon International Student Animation Festival PISAF (KR) 2013
17th Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (CH) 2013
Extreme Cinema Festival, Toulouse (FR) 2013
Big Cartoon Festival Moscow (RU) 2013
Curta Cinema, Rio de Janeiro (BR) 2013
2nd Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Invitational (US) 2013
Les Utopiales, Nantes (FR) 2013
DOK Leipzig (DE) 2013
32nd Festival Cinéma Rouyn–Noranda (CA) 2013
London Int. Animation Festival (GB) 2013
2nd PRIMANIMA World Festival of First Animations, Budapest (HU) 2013
Chitrakatha’13 (IN) 2013
Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS (LV) 2013
Kaohsiung Film Festival (TW) 2013
15th International Weekend of Animation Wiesbaden (DE) 2013
Un Festival C'est Trop Court, Nice (FR) 2013
57th BFI London Film Festival (GB) 2013
Animatou, Geneva (CH) 2013
8th Anim’est Bucharest (RO) 2013
Festival Balkanima, Belgrade (RS) 2013
10th China International Animation Festival, Changzhou (CN) 2013
Queer Lisboa 17 (PT) 2013
Animage Festival, Pernambuco (BR) 2013
Ottawa International Animation Festival (CA) 2013
Encounters International Short Film Festival (UK) 2013
9th Varna Festival of Animated Film, Sofia (BG) 2013
L'Étrange Festival, Paris (FR) 2013
Milano Film Festival (IT) 2013
Fantoche, 11th International Animation Festival (CH) 2013
Illustrative Berlin (DE) 2013
Anibar International Animation Festival (XK) 2013
7ème Festival Cinéfil, Région Rhône Alpes (FR) 2013
Lago Film Fest (IT) 2013
PHI Centre Montreal, Prends ça court! (CN) 2013
6th Fest Anča (SK) 2013
ANNECY International Animation Film Festival (FR) 2013
15th Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia Tokyo (JP) 2013
10th Vienna Independent Shorts, Animation Avantgarde (AT) 2013
53rd Krakow Film Festival (PL) 2013
Rooftop Films NY (US) 2013
12th Festival of Animated Films AniFest Teplice (CZ) 2013
16e Festival du court métrage de Bruxelles, Nuit du court (BE) 2013
20th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (DE) 2013
Hallucinations Collectives Lyon (FR) 2013
Flatpack Festival Birmingham (UK) 2013
Tabakalera San Sebastian (ES) 2013
Clermont–Ferrand Short Film Fest (FR) 2013
Eyeworks Festival of Experimental Animation (US) 2013
London Int. Animation Festival (GB) 2013
Fabulous Fringe Film Festival (CA) 2013
Melbourne International Animation Festival (AU) 2013
Formentera Film Festival (ES) 2013
Roanne, 4e Festival international du court métrage d'animation (FR) 2013
Monstra Festival (PT) 2013
33rd Fantasporto Oporto International Film Festival (PT) 2013
Animateka Ljubljana (SI) 2012
Animpact Animation Festival Max (KR) 2012
Animated Dreams Festival (EE) 2012
interfilm Berlin (DE) 2012
Bradford Animation Festival (UK) 2012
CoutOut Fest Mexico (MX) 2012
DOK–Leipzig (DE) 2012
10th International Animated Film Festival Tindirindis (LT) 2012
Animatou (CH) 2012
Anim'est (RO) 2012
Fantoche, 10th International Animation Festival (CH) 2012
International Animation Festival Hiroshima (JP) 2012
Lago Film Fest (IT) 2012
Annecy International Animation Film Festival (FR) 2012
52nd Krakow Film Festival (PL) 2012
AniFest (CZ) 2012
36 Schweizer Jugendfilmtage (CH) 2012
47th Solothurn Film Festival (CH) 2012
Selected Press
directorsnotes.com - TheyAreAnimators #16: Michael Frei
encounters-festival.org.uk - Interview with Michael Frei
lbbonline.com - New Talent: Michael Frei
barshorts.com - Bar Short Question Time with Michael Frei
killscreendaily.com - Plug & Play exposes the hopelessness of digital communication
thecreatorsproject.vice.com - Plug & Play Is a Surreal Game About Love and Technology
indieheaven.com - Plug & Play was the most awkward 15 minutes of my life.
theverge.com - You should play this weird iPhone game about love and electricity
shortoftheweek.com - Two anthropoid creatures explore love
creativeapplications.net - Plug & Play: "Nothing less than love"
animalnewyork.com - Making Plug & Play
gamasutra.com - Road to the IGF: Plug and Play (Interview)
Le Temps - Interview (French)
formatcourt.com - Plug & Play de Michael Frei (French)
Migros Kulturprozent - Brot und Spiele (German)
Amriswil Aktuell September 2013 - Freis Filme ohne Gesichter erobern die Welt (German)
www.tagesanzeiger.ch - Kurzfilm der Woche (German)
Magazin Saiten April 2013 - Fingernde Finger (German)
Magazin Saiten March 2012 - Weg von geraden Linien (German)
Biography
1987 born in Appenzell, Switzerland
2002-06 Apprenticeship as draftsman
2008-12 Hochschule Luzern D&K, BA Animation
2010-11 Estonian Academy of Art, MA Animation
2013 Independent Director
2014 Animation Artist in Residence Tokyo
2015 Co-Founder of Playables
Contact / Social
Mail: mail at michaelfrei.io
Twitter: twitter.com/michaelfrei10
Vimeo: vimeo.com/michaelfrei
Youtube: youtube.com/michaelfrei
Facebook: facebook.com/michaelfrei.io