The 21st edition of the macabre festival It came to an end but left us in its wake, as usual, an interesting curatorship that usually exploits everything related to terror but also opens the doors to the fantastic and science fiction. Although the feature films are usually the ones that attract the most attention, the universe of short films is definitely always prominent and usually captures the attention of the beings of the night that are part of the entourage of this film festival.
That’s why in Chronicle Scenario It’s time to talk about those projects that rarely find space beyond these festivals, starting with a selection of the best in the animated short film area, which was the smallest in this year’s competition but which, among its seven projects chosen , had a great quality to experiment with genres such as comedy, slasher, dark fable and post-pandemic science fiction.
Paolo Gaudio, with a stop motion project, reinterprets the story of the Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
Courtesy
The Black (Re)Cat
who does not know Edgar Allan Poe? He is a classic author of the genre whose tragic story and his lonely death created an aura of mystery around him that only adds to his mystique. His Extraordinary Narratives have been references for many, causing the author to be freely honored by several, whether in film, music or television, where his texts have come to life even with the simpsons in a fabulous adaptation of his most popular poem, The Raven.
Now comes the turn Paolo Gaudio, which with a stop motion project reinterprets the story of the Black Cat and puts Poe as the silent protagonist of this classic story where someone hides a secret behind the walls and a peculiar black cat is the cause for which he is trapped. Showing the fanaticism or at least knowledge of the author’s work, this short adds to the beautiful tributes to the native of Baltimore.
Everything can go well until your partner for the night turns out to be something you did not expect
Courtesy
buzzkill
What can go wrong on a blind date? The lack of chemistry, the null topic of conversation, the urgent need to end it or simply everything can go well until your partner for the night turns out to be something you did not expect.
Peter Ahern raises this funny question in this animated short film that refers to the classic ‘cartoon’ style, with a lot of irreverence, humor and madness but paying homage to the 80s in every way, specifically by giving it a slasher/thriller vibe with or black humor that ends with a tremendous punch line.
In addition, there is the plus of rounding off all this eighties vibe with a protagonist, who gives voice Kelly McCormack, which breaks that paradigm of the final girl. This, together with the effort of Ahern who does the voice of the counterpart, as well as the animation, direction, production and script of the project demonstrate the ability of the independent filmmaker to carry out a story, as I would say blonde‘one way or another’.
Pain, confinement, mourning, facing ourselves and assimilating that the pandemic was something that locked us up to deprive us of our loved ones is difficult
Courtesy
The days that (never) were
Definitely, this and the following project were, of the seven presented in this macabre dystopian, those who conquered the soul of the writer. And it is that the Spanish duo of Kevin Iglesias Rodriguez Y Pedro Rivero they know how to shake the viewer, always.
It is enough to see their film history to confirm that they are a duet that has gone ahead with the genre. Rivero has projects like psychonauts Y birdboy under his arm, which achieved great critical success and with the public. Iglesias is a producer of the night of the virginthat grotesque and funny horror film that has won many awards.
Together, the duo returns to the pandemic sensation from a sci-fi angle as it focuses on three characters who are about to have the time of their lives… until a strange space phenomenon makes an appearance to interrupt everything: Jupiter takes the place of our moon.
Pain, confinement, mourning, facing ourselves and assimilating that the pandemic was something that locked us up to deprive us of our loved ones is difficult. And the end is harder, because even with the confinement over, the worst consequence is now the internal unfolding and the mental confinement with ourselves. Sparkly.
Medina manages to give us a beautiful and hard project in which the final message acquires a brutal relevance and reflection
Courtesy
Uncle
Juan Jose Medina He is one of the most talented filmmakers we have in the country. And as an example, he leaves this new short film filmed in stop motion and photographed by his eternal friend, the also talented Rita Basultowhere he plays with the story of a young man, some mines and the legendary figure that protects or devours them, the Uncle.
Mixing the principles of a dark fable which Guillermo del Toro in The Pan’s Labyrinth, Medina He manages to give us a beautiful and hard project in which the final message acquires a brutal relevance and reflection about childhoods lost in a country submerged in violence through a legend of the mines.
That powerful message is the one that resonates and gives several layers to this short film, where the animation is impeccable and for this reason it won the best festival award. In addition, it is a cry for the Mexican industry to turn to see these products, that Mexican animation is more alive than ever.
chronicle scenario
Read more about film festivals
EFE in San Sebastian
Danieska Espinosa
Fco. Javier Quintanar Polanco
We would love to say thanks to the author of this write-up for this outstanding material
