Canada holds an iconic and unique position in the world of indie, auteur animation. Beside her network of world class schools and the iconic institution known as the National Film Board of Canada is a vast, diverse and outrageously gifted community of fiercely independents that stretches from one coast to the other and makes do with whatever resources they can muster. Combined, their output is staggering in its scope and scale and this is the first of two programmes that have been put together to paint a picture of one of the biggest unconnected animating collectives there is – the modern Canadian indie animators.
At The Horse Hospital book tickets
Animated Self Portraits (Madi Piller, 2012)
The perfect kickstart to this program. An amazing animated who’s-who gallery of some of the most iconic independent Canadian animators drawn by the animators themselves in their own individually unique styles.
Canada, 8’40
Machine (Diane Obomsawin, 2010)
Obom to her friends and fans, her films and illustration work spans decades. Her work is free spirited, takes risks and doesn’t seem to mind not quite making sense sometimes. It pushes the synapses to come to their own conclusions.
Canada, 2’19
Traces Of Joy (Jeff Tran, 2011)
Tran puts the crystal clarity of 3D CG animation to the task of depicting the gritty and ambiguous reality confornting kids seeking life’s simplest joys on the wrong side of the social dividing line.
Canada, 7’41
It’s The Good Life (Sharon Katz, 2012)
We’ll buy anything to appease our hunger for self-worth. And the world of retails that envelopes us all is only too delighted to feed that craving.
Canada, 4’27
Spirit Of Bluebird (Xstine Cook, 2010)
When the killer of indigenous woman Gloria Black Plume-Bird was acquitted on a legal technicality, her friends responded by gathering at the place of her slaying and crafting this simple, affecting animated tribute and biography to her.
Canada, 5’45
Somnium (Noah Wohl & Nima Ehtemam, 2011)
Latin for ‘dream’, Somnium reaches out to all people as a modern creation myth drawing on influences as diverse as African tribal masks, 60’s psychedelia and contemporary graphic design.
Canada, 2’42
Gluttony (Family Visit) (Ann Marie Fleming, 2011)
Gluttony: The sin of excess. Witness a family visit where food fills all the unspoken holes.
Canada, 2’17
The Myth of Robo Wonder Kid (Joel Mackenzie, 2012)
Crazy, eye-popping forces are unleashed when an experiment to create a Wonder Kid takes an explosively unexpected turn or two.
Canada, 3’00
Frenching (JC Little, 2011)
An innocent savant abroad in his own country takes up every opposite opportunity presented to get under the skin of his French speaking compatriots.
Canada, 4’05
A Girl Named Elastika (Guillaume Blanchet, 2011)
A way-cool, uber-clever little tale about a girl on the move proving that imagination is still the magic ingredient in a great film.
Canada, 3’29
Drat (Farzin Farzaneh, 2010)
The night has a thousand eyes, a million whispers and an infinity that stretches beyond the echoes of footsteps in the dark.
Canada, 10’56
Gains And Losses (Leslie Supnet, 2011)
We all make bad decisions some days. It’s hard to be rational when everything feels like fire.
Canada, 2’31
Thunder River (Pierre Hebert, 2011)
One of Canada’s truly iconic experimental animators focuses on the patterns of nature as he sees them in the cracks and crevices of the world around him.
Canada, 7’54
The Empress (Lyle Pisio, 2009)
A stop-motion film of outstanding intricacy and detail following the emotional shadow boxing that goes on when two lonely strangers meet in a seedy bar.
Canada, 8’25
