Encounters 2013 Part 2
Part two of my Encounters coverage starts with The Feelgood Factor a programme filled with films with that would stick a smile on your face at the very least.
Anatole’s Island by Amer Nazri Chris Shepard
This also presents a mix of the more commercial ventures and films with plenty of heart. Anatole’s Island was the first film that caught my eye, the Amer Nazri/Chris Shepard joint effort certainly delivers on the feelgood but it was the huge dollops of sarcasm that worked for me and the audience. The Primaeval Father brought to mind newspaper comic strips with its humour and design without having to reinvent the wheel (pun intended.)
Sweetie and Sunshine by Will Anderson
It was also nice to see the Will Andersons charming Sweetie and Sunshine again as well as Alisdair and Jock’s Gelato Go Home which looks great on the big screen. Noodle Fish was a creative film, however I felt it let itself down by extending its welcome just a tad too much, it remains a marvellous film due to its construction out of noodles. Whilst I could probably note all the films in this screening I would be remiss if I did not heap praise on Felix Massies In The Air Is Christopher Gray a film which balances American sentimentality mixed with a pinch of British humour in an incredibly stylish way. Surely its only a matter of time before this film starts scooping up more awards. Valentine also tugged on the heartstrings with its charming setting and animation and emotional twist at the end.
Gelato Go Home by Alisdair and Jock
After a day of screenings it was time for something a little special that I would confidently call the highlight of the animation programme at this years festival as Richard Williams sat down to get “Comfy Womfy” and discuss his “Desert Island Flicks” with Phill Jupitus.
Photograph Jon Craig/Encounters 2013
As you may expect the films selected were the crème de la crème of animation history with most of them being early Disney such Pinocchio, Fantasia and Dumbo discussing the brilliance of the craft before we saw short films such as Rooty Toot Toot, One Froggy Evening and King Sized Canary which were praised for their design and comedic delivery, the only modern film in the selection was a clip from Aardman in the form of The Pirates. Williams was filled with good humour and armed with some amazing stories and tales straight from the golden ages of animation with anecdotes and insights that had the room on the edge of their seat and although the show over ran by an hour I would bet not one single member of the audience would have objected had it lasted an hour more. After the screening he made his way to the shop and spent the remainder of the evening signing copies of his book and sketchbooks for his fans.
The morning after it was time for a screening of The Weird and the Wonderful containing surreal and a smidge of the avant-garde. It was interesting seeing Here To Fall, the BAFTA nominated short film that has been noticeably absent from most festivals up on the big screen. It is a nice film but perhaps a little too much like a music video for my tastes. The Carousel Family proves that you can still have a bit of fun if you’re attempting something different. Virtuoso Virtual is an incredible marriage of music and visuals as we follow ink across a screen as it explodes, dribbles and flows beautifully in time to the music. The Michael Frei directed short Plug and Play added some humour to the screening whilst retaining a surrealist charm. One of the best things about these screenings is that the directors get interviewed after the screenings and so finding out from director Nicolai Troshinsky that the blurry film Astigmatismo was shot in camera added an extra layer of brilliance to an already great film.
The Nether Regions by Maria Lee
Finally, my day of animation was completed by No Strings Attached the second stop motion program at the festival. The Nether Regions by Maria Lee was he first entertaining film in the program with a great design and timing but seemed to lack a punchline, this didn’t do much to damage an already engaging piece. Omega was certainly a film that really outstayed its welcome. Running at 18 minutes long the film, although a visual feast left me feeling a bit too full after barely half its running time.
Omega by Eva Franz and Andy Goralczyk
The Beast I Am seemed to suffer from this slightly too but had a more interesting idea binding it together. The stand out film in the selection was A Drop of Gold which features a pirate lusting after a naked woman with a Octopus on her head. Did I just type that? I suppose I just did, anyway the sheer effort that must have gone into the animation, set design, and execution of the film oozed from the screen.