Turtle Head
Directed by Allan Dransfield
Poland, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands · 2021 · 5 min 38 sec · Road Trip
Submitted to OnShow International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
A van full of performance artists travels across Europe, staging spontaneous pop-up performances at bus stops to break the ice, spark conversations and bring a little unexpected happiness to everyday life
About the film
Two friends set off on a road trip across Europe in a van, picking up fellow performance artists along the way. Their mission? To bring people together in the most unexpected of places: the bus stop. At each stop, they stage spontaneous pop-up performances for unsuspecting commuters, creating moments of surprise, confusion and laughter before jumping back into the van and driving away with no explanation. But behind the playful disruption lies a simple idea: what if the places where we wait in silence could become places where we connect? By transforming ordinary bus stops into impromptu stages, the project challenges the social isolation of everyday public life. Its aim is not simply to entertain, but to break the ice between strangers, spark conversations and spread a little happiness through the streets of Europe.
Director
Allan Dransfield (b. 1981, Yorkshire, UK) is a photographer, designer and visual artist based in Łódź, Poland. Working across Europe and China for over a decade with brands such as Fiat, Volvo and Renault Trucks, his background in automotive design runs alongside a broader exploration of what connects life around the planet. Collecting fragments of the world—images, sounds, objects and responses—he reworks them into new narratives, revealing patterns in everyday life, celebrating the overlooked and shifting perception from micro to macro and back again. Shaped by collaboration, curiosity and coincidence, his projects unfold across disciplines without fixed boundaries. In 2019, he partnered with FREITAG as their “Executive Vice Plesident for Global Happiness.”
Trailer
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Official link
Film stills
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OnShow International Film Festival — Inaugural Edition · 2026