(47) Short Film Sunday #30: Härlig är jorden (World of Glory) (1991)

World of Glory (1991).

Some time has passed since I wrote here last, even longer time has past since the last Short Film Sunday. Recently I started a course on FutureLearn about filmmaking and there the course participants were encouraged to name their favourite short films as well as explore some more on the links they provided - Short of the Week, Filmsshort.com, etc. - and that reminded me of my blog and my Short Film Sundays, and even more, it encouraged me to write another post on the film that I saw on the latter link provided. So here it is, the 30th Short Film Sunday will present to you World of Glory (1991) directed by a Swedish director Roy Andersson.

The film starts with a simple static shot, that you can see in the above image, and from time to time one and the same man looks back at the camera. The film continues then with the man telling his life story while watching straight in the camera. The main protagonist tells the story in a Beckett like manner of calling out a list of the things and people from his life - this is my mother, this is where I sleep and so on and so on - in a bare voice, that lacks any emotions. It is hard to grasp the full meaning of the film, though it delivers the message that "Life is quite short, after all." The film's last shot and monologue ties in with the first static shot; and in some way it reveals the meaning of this quaint and unique story.

The short film will leave you pondering on it for a while, and I am sure that each will take something else from it. Let it sink in.

(44) Short Film Sunday #29: A Day in the Lives of Sisyphus and Ivan (2012)

A Day in the Lives of Sisyphus and Ivan (2012).

Good evening, my dear readers, it is nice to write to you again. It has been a while, so Short Film Sunday is back, for today, who knows what will happen next Sunday or during the week. I know that I still owe you all a review of one certain book, it will come as a surprise at some point this year. I hope you are all doing well and have been busy in a good sense. Now back to the short film.

Today's short film will be existential and created in a way that would not be too common in a digital era - a cutout animation - it is one of the earliest forms of animation. In some ways it reminds me of Chinese shadow theater. For a while now I have been reading, flicking through, buying and carrying around Penguin's Great Ideas books, and Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus is next on my list after Immanuel Kant's An Answer to the Question: 'What is Enlightenment?'.

Therefore it only seemed suitable to introduce myself with the main idea of The Myth of Sisyphus before I start the reading, and what a better way to do it if not by watching an animation? Kati Rehback's created cutout animation A Day in the Lives of Sisyphus and Ivan tells the story of Sisyphus, who has been punished by gods, and Ivan Denisovich, who has been sentenced to spend 3653 days in a Soviet prison camp. The short is based on the writings by Albert Camus and Alexander Solzhenitsyn, both works use existentialism to criticise existing orders and modes of society. The simplistic style of Rehback's cutout animation portrays both stories in a simple, yet in a captivating way, which highlights the monotony of Sisyphus rolling the rock up the mountain or Ivan's days in the Soviet prison camp.

That is some food for thought, enjoy my dear reader and hope to see you some time soon!

A Day in the Lives of Sisyphus and Ivan from Kati Rehbeck on Vimeo.

(43) Short Film Sunday #28: Goodbye Mister De Vries (2012)

Blank.

My dear readers, this weeks Short Film Sunday for some time will be the 28th Short Film Sunday and also the last. I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do, what I need to do and what are my passions, that makes my life fulfilled, as well as other existentialist questions about me as a being and about my being, that is existence. This blog was started first and foremost because I love writing and secondly, because I love films and cinema, I love the intimacy between the screen and the viewer that is created by darkness. When I write fiction I often think, how it would look on the screen, would it be a film, an animation, hand drawn or would it be stop-motion. Writing for me goes hand in hand with a film spurred by my imagination, same as reading.

Short films are quite often dismissed and forgotten, for me they often offer more than a feature film could ever offer - a short escape from reality. Despite the fact that this little project called Short Film Sunday made me realise how quickly time passes and how diverse this form of art can be, I need to put up a sign saying: "Gone for a short while."

I do not know, when there will be a next entry in this blog, but I am sure, that there will be a next one, maybe even next Sunday or Sunday after or in a few days, I am just saying that there will not be anymore guaranteed/promised posts on every Sunday. The reason is quite simple - I need more time for writing. I need to indulge more in literature, fiction, my stories and characters, I want them on paper and out of my head, so I can free some room up for future ideas and projects.

Now enough with explanations and smart talk, here you go this weeks Short Film Sunday, a lovely and heartfelt story about Mister De Vries, a lovely old man, who waits for his time to go. I stumbled upon Mascha Halberstad's created Goodbye Mister De Vries (2012) by accident, however the story has the same warmth around it as a story I wrote a couple of weeks ago.

Enjoy and goodbye my dear readers, just for a short while.

Yours truly,

Baiba.

P.S. As promised, there will be a review of "My Lunches with Orson" edited by Peter Biskind and it will hopefully happen some time soon.

P.P.S. Don't forget that Bates Motel is back with Season 2 on March 3. You still have time to watch Season 1 in case you missed it. You can read my review on Season 1 here.

(42) Short Film Sunday #27: 43,000 Feet (2012)

43,000 Feet (2012).

A few days ago my sister posted a link to a short film - 43,000 Feet (2012) - I was immediately hooked because of the short film's title and because once in my life I enjoyed mathematics, and I was really good at maths. However, 43,000 Feet is not only about calculations and hitting the right angle, it is an exploration of one's mind, what would one's mind think and what it should think, when all you have is 3 minutes and 48 seconds till your probable death after a free fall from a height of 43,000 feet. It is New Zealand based director's Campbell Hooper's first short film, previously Hooper had worked on several music videos and commercials.

43,000 Feet is a combination of illustrations, graphs, mathematical equations and, of course, the falling. Through the use of these images the film explores the statistician's, John Wilkins', take on the situation, when he is sucked out of the airplane after the emergency door malfunctions. It is a story of his thoughts that goes through his head while falling, like, how much time he has left, how he should fall and what he would tell the press, in case he survives. Although, it seems that these thoughts are more of afterthoughts, which are delivered through an even voice-over. In the end it is left open, whether he survives or not is left to the viewer's perception.

My favourite story from the short is a story about a bum and a time machine. See for yourself one man's musings while falling from 43,000 feet. Enjoy, my dear reader!

(41) Short Film Sunday #26: Fairy tales

Drawing by Margarita Stāraste.

Today's post won't really be a short film, nor it will be any kind of film post. I am making exception, because one of my all time favourite artists, animators and children book authors, Margarita Stāraste, is celebrating her 100th birthday. So I want to use my blog to wish her a very happy birthday.

Daudz laimes dzimšanas dienā, Margarita Stāraste!*

I was fortunate enough to grow up with her books and illustrations, and I was fortunate enough that my parents read those books to me. One of the best known Margarita Stāraste's created character is Zīļuks/Titmouse. During my childhood I made a few of them myself by using matches and of course an acorn.

Drawing by Margarita Stāraste.

Margarita Stāraste brought to life many little creatures in woods, in your garden, at the back of your house, raindrops and snowdrops came to life, everything had its own life and story to tell, and everything was brought to life in vivid colours. These are the tales that will be passed on from generation to generation.

So all in all it is short film Sunday, just a different kind, I am asking you to roll back your film and remember fairy tales from your childhood, maybe it's time to dive back into them, indulge yourself into a fantasy world.

There are hundreds of more pictures that I want to put in, however I leave it to you, if you want more simply google - Margarita Stāraste pasakas - to open up a whole new world in front of our eyes, and if you happen to be in Latvia go to the nearest bookshop and ask for her books, you won't regret it, even if you can't read in Latvian (if you can read in Japanese, then look up her books in Japanese, as far as I know, a few of them have been translated into Japanese).

Enjoy, my dear reader, and once again a very happy birthday to Margarita Stāraste!

Drawing by Margarita Stāraste.

*Happy birthday, Margarita Stāraste!

(40) Short Film Sunday #25: Steamboat Willie (1928)

Steamboat Willie (1928).

Welcome back to Short Film Sunday, my dear reader. I have been gone for a while, and I have a brilliant excuse: I was enjoying myself up in the Scottish mountains and then down in the Welsh mountains, where my main concern was, where to put my next step. However, this week Short Film Sunday is back on with Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie (1928) and the reason for that is fairly simple, Disney's short animation Get a Horse (2013), that has been screened before Frozen (2013), has been nominated for Academy Award as the best animated short and it also features a very famous mouse, Mickey Mouse, 85 years after his debut. So, let's roll the film a bit back...

I am a bit of snob, when it comes to the Oscars (if you want to know why Oscar looks like Oscar, read David Thomson's "The Big Screen", a lovely little story). I am not a fan of the Academy Awards and I often disagree with nominations and wins, etc. Despite that, Mickey Mouse has always had a room on my shelf as a comic book/journal. I am quite sure, that I could still find the first Mickey Mouse comic book/journal that my parents got for me in my childhood, in the 1990's.

Steamboat Willie is often regarded as Micky Mouse and his girlfriend's Minnie's debut, although it was the third animation where Mickey appeared, but it was the first to be distributed. It is famous for being the first cartoon with synchronized sound, plus it introduced to the world one of the most famous cartoon characters - Mickey Mouse.

Enjoy the first distributed cartoon in which Mickey Mouse appeared and if you have a chance go to the movies and enjoy the latest cartoon in which Mickey Mouse stars.

(39) Short Film Sunday #24: Balance (1989)

Balance (1989).

Without balance nothing can really exist or co-exist, even chaos couldn't exist without a certain balance. I remember reading a story from 60's, can't remember the title, however the story went, that there was a family they all lived in their separate places, mother, father and a child, the only way they communicated was through their TV screens, something like Skype or video chat nowadays. They had never met in real life. However, one day they decide that they could all meet, what happens is a big explosion of emotions, because they are not familiar with human touch or other ways of communicating, all they know is the TV screen. Their meeting ends with a savage rage. The balance was destroyed.

Well, that story was written in 60's, sadly enough, it often seems to me that it is a route that humanity has taken, less real communication, more virtual communications. Balance is needed. Overcrowded Earth, every human being needs their own space, real or virtual, since there is no room on Earth, it is balanced out in the virtual world.

The short film Balance (1989) is about 5 individuals, who need to keep the platform in balance, so they wouldn't fall off of it and face death. Each individual is aware of the fact that they need to keep the platform in balance, that they need to cooperate in order to survive. What happens when one day one of the individuals pulls up a music box on the platform? Will harmony sustain? Will greed or cooperation win?

See for yourself. Enjoy, my dear reader!

Balance is a short animation made in Germany, directed by twin brothers, Christoph Lauenstein and Wolfgang Lauenstein. It has won several awards, including Academy Award for the Best Short Film in 1990.

(38) Short Film Sunday #23: The Hearts of Age (1934)

Orson Welles, co-filmmaker of The Hearts of Age (1934).

I finally got my hands on Peter Biskind's edited book "My Lunches with Orson" and I love it. It is a fantastic read, not easy, but certainly entertaining. I was nicely surprised, when I found out that Orson Welles has met William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory, while he was in Ireland at the age of 16, Welles certainly was a great magician not only on the stage or behind the camera but also in life. You can look out for my book review some time in January.

While reading the book I was looking into biography and filmography of Welles and I came across a weird and surrealist short film The Hearts of Age (1934), which Welles shot together with his friend William Vance in 1934, Welles was only 19 years old. Hence, technically speaking Citizen Kane (1941) wasn't Welles first film, as it is often regarded.

The Hearts of Age is an 8 minute long short, shot in two hours on a Sunday afternoon, its cast consisted of four people: Welles, Vance, Virginia Nicholson and Paul Edgerton. The short has no real plot or meaning, it was made out of fun, as Welles noted in his interview with Peter Bogdanovich, The Hearts of Age was a parody of Jean Cocteau's film The Blood of a Poet (1932).*

Enjoy this surreal piece of work, no making notes or doing any kind of analysis, just enjoy!

Here is to a New Year and all the bizarre things that expect us!

*Information about the interview taken form OpenCulture homepage, you can view it here.

(37) Short Film Sunday #22: Tom Waits: A Day in Vienna (1978)

Tom Waits: A Day in Vienna (1978).

It has come to that, this year is over, last few hours of 2013, when a door closes, a window opens, so get ready for 2014! Don't look back, only look ahead, get ready for your next year's adventures, remarkable achievements and exciting short and longer films! It will be fabulous.

I have decided to finish off Short Film Sunday this year with some great and captivating stories and an excellent soundtrack, tuck in, grab your glass of champagne/wine/fizzy something and enjoy Tom Waits: A Day in Vienna (1978).

Filmed in April, 1978/1979, there are still some discussions about the timeline of the film, however at the end of the film, in the titles it is written that it was 1978. The films starts with Tom Waits leaning against a pump in a gas station, while smoking a cigarette, and opens up with his story, how he once worked in a place like this... When in 1978/1979 Tom Waits was touring in Europe two Austrian filmmakers, Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher, approached him in Vienna, asking whether Waits would agree to do an interview. As Rossacher said, Waits "didn't want to do a proper interview, but instead he wanted to tell stories". Hope you enjoy!

So, my dear reader, live next year in a way that you have a handful of stories to tell while sitting down by a glass of champagne at the end of 2014.

(36) Short Film Sunday #21: The Snowman (1982)

The Snowman (1982).

Who is there up in the air? Close your eyes and imagine. Never ever limit your imagination, let it fly free.

Only two nights left till Christmas Eve, and three till Christmas day, we should all remember that this is a magical time not only for kids, but for all of us. This should be time when to read folk tales, fairy tales, your own tales, it is a time to add a bit of magic to everyday life. Raymond Briggs' animated picture book without words "The Snowman", published in 1978, brings to its readers or shall I say viewers, a bit of magic, that there is something more than our eyes can see. In 1982 the book was brought to the screen in a 26 minute short film The Snowman, and for the first time it was screened on December 26, 1982, on Channel 4. Immediately it was nominated for an Academy Award. The short film, same as the book, is wordless, with an exception of the song "Walking in the Air", performed by St Paul's Cathedral's choirboy Peter Auty, who was not credited in the original version, so many think that the song was performed by Aled Jones.

The Snowman is an exceptional work of art, it was made using traditional animation techniques, pastels, pencils and other colouring tools, which were used on pieces of celluloid  and then traced over hand drawn frames. The film tells a story of a young boy James, who discovers Christmas and its magic, during Christmas night James learns about fragility of life, importance of imagination and above all he learns about the importance of friendship.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Snowman, last year a sequel was made The Snowman and The Snowdog (2012).

The Snowman will bring to your home a white, happy and magical Christmas. Enjoy, my dear readers, and have a miraculous Christmas!

(35) Short Film Sunday #20: What Do You Want for Christmas? (2009)

What Do You Want for Christmas? (2009).

Only nine days left till Christmas Eve. Excitement and hidden secrets in the wrapping paper! This is my favourite holiday time of the year, not only because Christmas is all about family, mountains of gingerbread cookies, clementines, candle light, snow and gifts, but also because of the fact, that my holiday time usually is prolonged, because my birthday is right after Christmas. Getting double as many gifts is always great! A bit selfish, but who doesn't enjoy getting gifts?

Many of us ask ourselves and our loved ones also, "What do you want for Christmas?" or "What do you need for Christmas?" And this slight change between "want" and "need" restricts our imagination of what we are going to get for our loved ones. Whether it is going to be something practical, something fun or sweet, or something that they are longing to get or something that they desperately need. I always try to keep it on the silver lining, I don't like to get things that will be sitting on the shelf and gathering dust, but at the same time I don't like to get every day things. The most important thing is to put a smile on the other person's face, that's what Christmas is all about!

This weeks short film asks you one simple question "What do you want for Christmas?" In the short you can get the whole spectrum of answers, going from a simple pair of gloves to a Lamborghini to peace on Earth, snow and having family home for Christmas. Selfish or giving, what do you really want for Christmas?

Enjoy, my dear reader!

(34) Short Film Sunday #19: Le voyage dans la lune (1902)

Le voyage dans la lune (1902).

On December 8, 1861, in Paris, was born Georges Méliès, a great and important man in the history of moving pictures. By many he is considered "the father of the narrative film", Charlie Chaplin regarded him as "the alchemist of light", D.W. Griffith said "I owe him everything". To add to this, the first film that Riga, Latvia, born director Sergei Eisenstein saw, was a piece made by Méliès in Paris, in 1906.

Between 1896 and 1906 Méliès created Star Film company made around 500 films, from which less than 140 have survived. Méliès was a producer, director, writer, designer, cameraman and actor, he was the first to use dissolves, superimposition, time-lapse photography, art direction and artificial lighting effects. He showed that the camera can lie, Méliès used many optical effects. He was accused of producing kitsch and "genteel pornography", however Méliès main failing was "a paucity of imagination, which prevented him from exploiting fully the cinematic techniques he had devised".

Méliès was inspired by Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, during his military service he visited the home of Robert-Houdin, who, although retired, once had been the leading stage magician in France. In 1888 Méliès purchased Robert-Houdin theater, from the great magician's widow. Above Robert-Houdin theater was Antoine Lumière's shop. Méliès realised that with the photograph one can alter the perception of reality, it was "the essence of magic". So, no surprise that on December 28, 1895, at 14 Boulevard des Capucines Méliès attended the first ever professional screening of movies with a projector, organised by none other than the Lumière brothers. Afterwards, Méliès bought a camera, "what followed is one of the outstanding early careers in film".

To celebrate his birthday, turn off the lights, light a candle and enjoy a science fiction adventure made by Méliès, Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) (1902).

And if you want to go even further, watch Hugo (2011), and allow Martin Scorsese take you on an adventure in Paris with Méliès. If you want to grasp even more magic, watch Paul Merton's Weird and Wonderful World of Early Cinema. Enjoy!

P.S. I must admit I am proud that I was born on December 28, 1988, 93 years later after the first ever film screening took place. Planned trip to France on my 25th birthday, to visit the place where this wonder happened, but Scotland and mountains somehow won.

Bibliography.
"History of Film. Second Edition." by David Parkinson.
"The Big Screen: The Story of the Movies and What They Did to Us" by David Thomson.

(33) Short Film Sunday #18: How to Sharpen Pencils (2013)

How to Sharpen Pencils (2013).

Light and merry First Advent to everyone!

With Christmas around the corner comes warning about consumerism, don't be a victim to adverts and shopping centers, don't buy loads of stuff, instead, make your own gifts or at least put a little bit of your own work into gifts, it will be much appreciated by your friends and family, and me.

Pricefilms How to Sharpen Pencils is an enchanting short documentary about the almost lost and gone trade: pencil sharpening by hand. The short is practical and will teach you a trick or two about pencil sharpening, and there is a lot to learn, especially if you love drawing and want to treat your pencils with a respect.

The short has won several awards, including Sidewalk Film Festival award for the Best Documentary Short. Tune in, let the smile appear on your face and learn all about this artisan craft from David Rees.

Till next Sunday, my dear readers.

(32) Short Film Sunday #17: White Noise (2012)

White Noise (2012).

This Short Film Sunday will be a little step aside from traditional cinema and shorts, that are usually posted here, nevertheless, it will offer you the same enjoyment and satisfaction. White Noise is more of a documentary/adventure type of film, so enjoy the scenic views and get inspired.

Winter is just around the corner or might be already in your backyard or on top of the mountain. Well, I heard that in Snowdonia, Wales, winter is already at hand, might be a destination for the Christmas trip. While I am planning my winter mountaineering trip to Scotland, to Cairngorms mountain range, thanks to Conville Memorial Trust (I will get to use ice axe! All excited and giddy.), I would suggest you, my dear readers, to plan something amazing for your winter. So this Short Film Sunday is for your inspiration and I challenge you all to do something this winter, that you have not done before.

White Noise (2012) from TimeLine films, featuring talented, admirable and regarded as the best big mountain rider, Xavier De La Rue, is a fantastic starting point in the search of inspiration. It will take you through snow, on top of the mountains, deep down in valleys and out in the sun, it is a fantastic trip to start your winter with. So wrap up, grab a glass of hot whiskey and enjoy the film! See you all out in the snow!

(31) Short Film Sunday #16: Castello Cavalcanti (2013)

Castello Cavalcanti (2013).

Take one part Hollywood, one part fashion house, pick a European city, add some colour and... ACTION! A second collaboration between Prada and Wes Anderson (the first collaboration was advertisements for the fragrance Candy L'Eau, watch it here)  has resulted into a peculiar, quirky, colourful and charming  short film Castello Cavalcanti, which was released earlier this week. If it seems too long of a wait for The Grand Budapest Hotel (watch the trailer here), which will be released in March next year, or you just want to add some spice and colour to your otherwise bland and wet autumn evening, then this is for you.

Castello Cavalcanti is a short film indicatively set in Molte Miglia (translation: Many Miles), Italy in September, 1955, where an idyllic evening in the town is disturbed, when a race car crashes into a town center. Jed Cavalcanti, played by none other than Jason Schwartzman, emerges from the wrecked car and smoke. After his anger about the crash has reduced, he soon finds out that he has returned home, and friendly villagers actually are his ancestors.

The short film is vivid, performances are great and filming technique lets you stare right into the turmoil of adventure. Enjoy!

(29) Short Film Sunday #15: Out of a Forest (2010)

Out of a Forest (2010).

Out of a Forest (2010) is a little stop motion animated gem masterfully directed by Tobias Gundorff Boesen as his Bachelor degree film from  The Animation Workshop, it has deservedly won several awards and has been screened in quite a few film festivals.

Set in the woods surrounding Viborg (that makes me want to return to Denmark), Denmark and accompanied The National's song "Slow Show", it is a fantastic combination of a dark dreamlike story with a twist and happy out of a hat ending. The little hare family reminds me of bed time stories from my childhood, as well as, of my stuffed toy hare.

Have a nice cup of tea, sit back, enjoy and see for yourself what happens with the hare family!

P.S. Also give a listen to the new The National album "Trouble Will Find Me", a superb album.

(28) Short Film Sunday #14: I'm Here (2010)

I'm Here (2010).

Spike Jonze is better known for such films as, Being John Malkovich (1999), Adaptation (2002), Where the Wild Thing Are (2009) or Scenes from the Suburbs (2011), which is a short film inspired by Arcade Fire's Grammy award winning album "The Suburbs", and is available as part of "The Suburbs" deluxe release. (Watch it, if you can hunt it down, whether you are Arcade Fire fan or not. I strongly recommend.)

The short film I'm Here is a nontraditional, poignant and heart-breaking love story. As bizarre as it may seem, it is about robots, only machines... Yet, Jonze has made it so, that you fall in love with the protagonist Sheldon in the first minutes of the film. One of the reasons for that could be that his voice belongs to none other than Amazing Spider-man, Andrew Garfield. Or it could be also because, be it machine or not, once human created, it may arise humane feelings, and if you have heart you will warm to Sheldon. All in all, why would we think that humans are the only ones capable of loving someone? Sheldon falls in love with music, a girl and a starry night. With that he opens a door to a different world, a world more fulfilled, a world of emotions and dreams.

Jonze in his short portrays a world, which is cohabited by humans and robots. A sci-fi love story, where combination of numbers (binary code) is equated to humans, their identities and feelings. However, it is not portrayed in a negative way, instead, the short portrays Sheldon and Francesca's (played by Sienna Guillory) love in a very intimate way, where outer image or money don't play any part. Their love will endure anything, even falling apart...

In some ways it gives hope, if the two man-made machines can fall in love in a fictional world, then I would like to think that human civilisation isn't completely lost to consumerism, yet.

Enjoy, my dear readers.

Good night!

(27) Short Film Sunday #13: Red Shirley (2010)

Lou Reed (1942-2013)

All morning I was doodling around, then I watched Roman Polanski's Tess and started to think about preparations, in case a promised storm comes to Cardiff. I had my short films set aside, that I want to write about. Well... The storm came. But not the storm in its conventional meaning. I came back from a walk, started cooking dinner and my partner said: "Lou Reed is dead." In an hour I was gone, the storm of silence to remember and commemorate the great and legendary Lou Reed has started. Dangerousminds and OpenCulture posted it, nothing on BBC, still in disbelief till BBC posted it. The great and influential musician is gone, however, his work will always live on.

So, the course for this Sunday's Short Film Sunday has changed... Enough with words, enjoy Lou Reed's art.

Thus, here is a short film/documentary Red Shirley directed by the great Lou Reed. The trailer is below, the full film you can watch here.

A really moving and emotional piece. Enjoy and before you go to sleep, listen to one of the greatest live performances and one of the best Lou Reed's albums "Animal Serenade":

Lou Reed was a man who will be remembered and his art will never be forgotten. RIP.

(26) Short Film Sunday #12: Cukurvate (Candyfloss) (2012)

Cukurvate (2012).

For a week I have enjoyed the lovely autumn in Latvia, chilled air, red, yellow and green leaves, which flicker in the sunshine, Indian summer, autumn harvest, falling leaves embellish your path, while you stroll through the park, a far far away smell of snow in the air and crisp grass in the mornings and misty meadows in the evenings, that for me is autumn. I will always need in my life four seasons, hot summers, freezing cold winters, awakening spring and colourful and rich autumn, full of harvest, and for that I love Latvia, it has it all!

So this week I offer you  a little glimpse into one of Latvia's cities, a city where I spent three years in school, that is Kuldīga. Yeah, with that weird line above the "i", that for you is Latvian.

The aim of the short film is to capture the old and romantic style of Kuldīga, with its wooden houses, charming little streets, an old bridge with a picturesque view of Ventas rapid, the widest rapid in Europe. As the director Oskars Morozs said, the short is made in the style of Federico Fellini and, especially, La Dolce Vita. It is made in black and white, in order to emphasise the antique value of the city. Candyfloss tells a story about the city of Kuldīga through kids playing hide and seek, saving a goose and enjoying one of the biggest treats of the childhood - candyfloss. Enough said, enjoy and founder away in your childhood memories!

And here are some scenic views Latvian autumn:

(25) Short Film Sunday #11: Alma (2009)

Alma (2009).

Alma (2009) is  a brilliant little short film, creepy and scary, especially if all your childhood you had been scared of dolls. Well, I was and still am... And after this short I know why. The short is written and directed by Rodrigo Blaas, a former Pixar animator, who has worked on such beloved animations as, Wall-E, Up, Ratatouille, as well as La Luna (read my post on La Luna here), which are also my four favourite Pixar animations.

The animation is set in Barcelona during winter time and in concentrates around a little girl named Alma (in translation from Spanish it means "soul", which actually gives quite a deep subtext to the story), who gets tricked into an enchanted toy store, after in its window she sees a doll who looks like her. However, she doesn't know what awaits her in the spooky world of dolls...

The story is very well crafted, the animation is marvelous, and although the imagery of the short is sweet and adorable, as you can see from the picture above, despite that, there is quite a bit of underlying spookiness and creepiness. The short has won Animacor, International Animation Festival in Spain, award for the Best Andalusian Short, in 2009, it has also won an award for the Best Short in L.A. Shorts Fest in 2009. In 2010 it was announced that DreamWorks has made a deal with Rodrigo Blaas to adapt his short film Alma into a full length feature film, he himself will be directing it, with Guillermo del Toro executive producing it. According to this Variety article in June, 2012, the film was in visual development stage. So if you enjoy the short keep your eyes open, when the full length feature hits the big screens.

Now I will keep quiet and let you enjoy this adorable little piece! Have a good night's sleep!