Animated Films on Care, Coming of Age, and Living with Trauma to Showcase at RAI Film Festival
Skwigly
The RAI Film Festival showcases ground breaking documentary filmmaking from around the world, and the 2023 edition will take place online globally from 3-31 March, streaming over 80 non-fiction films, and in-person in Bristol, UK, at Watershed on 25 March (5pm to 6pm).
The films
The Water Holds Me / The Water Binds Us Dir. Lily Mae Kroes, 2 mins
Based on the stories of women who dip, dive and swim in rivers, lakes and seas, this animated film evokes many different experiences in one swim, from the anticipation of getting in cold water to the feeling of floating alone and the conviviality of bobbing together. The film celebrates the power of water to wash away pain and fear and restore and revive our relationships with the natural world and each other.
Bridging the Gap Dirs. Nina Ross, Meg Barrett, 7 mins
Aged 18, Meg started hearing a voice. She tried ignoring it, didn’t tell a soul, yet the voice grew. More abusive, more delusional and often completely out of her control. Eventually, her paranoia wore her down. She experienced ‘an explosion of mental health’, followed by years of medical intervention and institutions. Bridging the Gap offers a snapshot of Meg’s world as she grapples with the boundaries between her internal delusions and her everyday life. This film challenges the viewer’s perspective on hearing voices, opens their eyes on medicalisation, and begs the question ‘what even is reality?’.
Forms of Care Dirs. Charlotte Kühlbrandt, Maayan L. Matz 7 mins
A stop-motion animation following the story of a mundane death, and the forms of care that accompany it. The script is taken verbatim from an interview conducted as part of an ethnographic research project examining everyday practices of palliative care.
I (heart) Jack Lalanne: A Cartoon Memoir Dir. LeAnne Erickson, 14 mins
The filmmaker, a lesbian, feminist baby boomer, shares her coming out story with the help of exercise guru Jack LaLanne. Combining animation with the written memoir, I (heart) Jack LaLanne pushes the conventions of documentary film. This LGBTQ+ coming of age story also addresses the ramifications of female aging in a society obsessed with youth.
The Train Driver Dir. Christan Wittmoser, Zuneil Kim, 6 mins
An anonymous train driver recounts his experience with suicide on the rails. Six times he experienced people taking their own lives before his eyes. While surf fishing, he tries to distract himself – but does something like that really leave no trace?
Animating the Future Dir. Sophie Marsh, 5 mins – World premiere on Saturday 25 March 17:00 (this title is not available for streaming).