Annecy 2013: Films in Competition 2
Okay so we had a day off, it’s Annecy. We had people to meet, things to see drinks to drink!
Day two of the festival brought with it another selection of films ready to animate their way into the affections of the judges, public and professionals here at Annecy 2013. Whilst Stop motion seems to be getting left out there is still plenty on show for everyone. So grab your popcorn take your seat and errrr, read about the films. I promise it will be just like being here!
Fight
Steven Subotnick – USA
It‘s always good to start with a joke and this film certainly had the audience smiling as we were presented with a fight, the likes of which had never been seen before. Two characters faced off against each other, however each frame was different. It was although someone had asked various peoples of varying skills to draw a cowboy, so whenever the figures moved each frame would almost be a different character. This lead to the two morphing into many different images building up to a frenzied explosion at the end. A great film, the “tuk-a tuk-a tuk” sound the combatants make brings with it a wry smile.
Liebling
Izabela Plucinska – Germany/Poland
From a first glance I mistook this film as a rather stark telling of abuse, the 2D plasticine effect worked really well and was accompanied by a darker substance that symbolised the dark frustration the character encountered. However the catalogue states that it is about a woman loosing her mind, wether she is loosing her mind because of abuse or simply loosing her mind is hard to tell because the it was translated into french. Whatever the story is it could have been demonstrated a lot clearer.
Kalte
Reda Bartkute – Lithuania
An anthropamorphioc female Fox appears to struggle with either guilt, depression or agoraphobia. Full of little tells and signs that are clearly symbolic the viewer is left to interpret the foxes true struggle. It was a bit of a struggle to watch.
A Wolf in the Tree
Jiaxing Lin – China
From an anthropomorphic fox to a depressed wolf. This film documents the struggle between a wolf and his tormentor, a red haired girl. She appears to tease him as he struggles with his inner demons and urge to kill, after dismissing the girl he takes an overdose of tablets. His drug induced dreams of freedom lead to him waking to a different fate. I will say the sound in this film was terrible, it really let the whole production down, needlessly loud in places and out of sync. Apart from that it had a clear narrative.
Along the Way
Georges Schwizgebel – Switzerland
A colourful journey across a landscape the scenery morphs and animation cells overlap giving a wonderful, interesting effect which is pleasing on the eyes whilst the music soundtracks the walk through. Lovely stuff!
Norman
Robbe Vervaeke – Belgium
Created using a single painting on glass which is quite a marvellous feat to behold as it is really clear what the story is. We follow a social outsider who has a unsettling passion for scabs and wounds. Whilst you do not see the film from either his point of view or the point of view of those that are affected by his oddball behaviour you are left with an outsiders opinion, the main character in neither hero nor villain. Just a bit bloomin’ weird. A great film.
Norman
Betty’s Blues
Remi Vandenitte – France/Belgium
Told in two parts, one part stop motion and the other 2D flash we are transported from a smokey blues bar via a song to a time where the racist KKK dominated the main characters world. The story goes from a song to a more linear method of storytelling. We follow the trials and tribulations as our hero gets blinded, gains musical voodoo powers and seeks his revenge. Excellent work and although the stop motion seemed a little out of place it was the first lick of stop motion the festival had given us in short competition so far.
Drunker Than a Skunk
Bill Plympton – USA
Bill Plympton has animated a poem, but before you get the idea that the king of indie animation has gone soft on us all, the poem is as gritty and as ripe for humour as you would expect from Mr P. Created with in a western style with a sepia backdrop and animated using a ball point pen to show off the expressive drunken motion of the drunk who rolled into town.
Subconscious Password
Chris Landreth – Canada
The creator of Ryan and The Spine shows off his dry humorous side as we take a trip into the subconscious of a man who is terrible with names. Charles is confronted with a cerebral game show he must win so his mind will grant him access to an acquaintances name. Created in his familiar style, the injection of humour makes this both an excellent view and a clear favourite so far.
Subconscious Password
La Courant Faible de la Riviere
Joel Vaudreuil – Canada
On a sunny day a man visits a river and memories of his childhood are reignited. We see his pubescent adventures as he tries to kiss an ugly girl who can kill fish using her mind. Made with a very dry, awkward humour and a clear favourite with the audience.
Dji. Death Fails
Dmitri Voloshin – Republic of Moldova
Comparisons between this film and “The Lady and the Reaper” are obvious to make if you have seen the first tale of the grim reaper struggling to claim a soul you have practically seen this one. However it’s still a good use of the wacky Looney Tunes-esq comedy style and I am sure anyone who had not seen the first one before wouldn’t mind.