Focus: Borders is a competition dedicated to medium and feature-length fiction, animated, and hybrid films distinguished by a strong authorial voice and a search for original ways of telling stories about the contemporary world. The diversity of approaches to long-form cinema presented in the selected works proves that film still has much to offer. This year’s competition features 8 titles.
Olivia, haunted by a past love, hides her ghost under the bed. Barbara, rejected by Mauricio, escapes into a world of fantasy. Mauricio is swallowed by the earth. Meanwhile, Ramon tends to a strange plant — a reflection of Olivia, with whom he loves.
This surreal animated impression explores the complexity of emotional relationships. The film’s creator, Tomas Pichardo-Espaillat, initially planned to make several short films, but soon realized they all told the same story. He eventually combined the separate threads into one feature-length film. To highlight the differing perspectives of the characters, each storyline is presented in a distinct artistic style.
The diverse aesthetics blend in Pichardo-Espaillat’s film into a surprisingly cohesive whole, one that fully embraces the expressive possibilities of animation to convey the layered emotions and passions of love. The result is a moving and captivating work.
Film awarded at e.g. Animator IAFF and Locarno IFF.
After the screening, we invite you to join a discussion.
