PLAYING GOD Is a Hauntingly Cool Stop-Motion Short Worth Your Time

Playing God is a beautifully strange stop-motion short from Matteo Burani and Arianna Gheller that has been seven years in the making, and it leans hard into a clever, self-aware idea.

The film explores the emotional fallout of creation itself, imagining what happens to clay characters after they’ve been shaped, animated, and then left behind by the very hands that gave them life. It’s a smart and unsettling concept.

What really makes Playing God stand out is how much personality is packed into it. The handcrafted animation feels alive and imperfect.

There’s also a behind-the-scenes featurette that digs into the painstaking creative process, offering a fascinating look at how much patience and obsession went into bringing this world to life. It adds an extra layer of appreciation once you see the amount of work involved.

The short film is currently streaming for a limited time and will only be available until January 11, 2026, so don’t sit on it. If you’re into stop-motion animation, creative storytelling, or just want to watch something genuinely different, Playing God is a great little gem worth watching.