short

stunning short film made by students at ESMA school of the arts, in montpellier, france. it won the school’s top prize for student film.

i don’t usually like 3D computer animation, but this is beautiful. and even more, i like the 2D side-to-side animation style during the storytelling.

the story is based on an apache myth, about a time when the sky was too low and men had to walk bent over, looking down at their feet. an elder of the tribe sits around the campfire with the children and tells them this story. his voice is so warm and interesting, you’ll want to watch right to the end to see how the story turns out.

the whole thing is absolutely beautiful, like something by miyazaki hayao. it’s going to be my favorite for a long time.

(via the always amazing DeK at ticklebooth)

life is short. it’s not to be wasted.

“gondola song”:
life is short, fall in love, maidens.
before the crimson colour fades away from your lips.
before the tides of passion cool within you.
for there will be no tomorrow.

from the movie “ikiru (to live)” by director kurosawa akira.

this is my favorite scene of all time. the actor, shimura takashi, portrays watanabe, who works at a city office for thirty years without passion. everyday just passes without purpose. one day, he finds out that he has terminal stomach cancer and only six months to live. he regrets that he has wasted his life and decides to do something good for society in the time he has left. he is determined to help a group of working-class mothers get a playground built. without telling anybody that he has terminal cancer, he dies alone in the snowy playground…

i heard a rumour a couple years ago that there was a plan to remake ikiru, with tom hanks in shimura’s role. i hope that plan was trashed, because they are wasting their time.

if you haven’t seen the original, make sure you do.