The Animators Who've Spent 40 Years on a Single Film
Fellow animator Richard Svensson has given me an incredible gift of this documentary by Atrocity Guide about renowned Russian animators Yuri Norstein and Francheska Yarbusova and the history of their ongoing animation production of Nicolai Gogol's 1842 novel, The Overcoat.
I'm speechless about every part of it. Nearly. So worth watching for anyone remotely interested in art, animation, creative freedom, persistence, the question of madness, collaborative relationship, a true genius, and the finest animation to have been made in human history.
We'll delve into the incredible issues this piece raises here as we go forward to produce Halfland. I say "we" because I am no longer alone.
I'm glad you enjoyed this little documentary. It's very inspiring, but also works (for me, at least) as a cautionary tale about not knowing when to compromise. By being so stubborn, Yuri Norstein has admitted that his magnum opus will probably never be finished, and thus he knows his efforts will pretty much be in vain AND he'll rob humanity of a truly fine piece of art. I can't tell how much Francheska shares his mania about the project, but she's still with him, so she must understand his point of view, at least.
ReplyDeleteOh! More than enjoyed it, Richard. It helped me for the reasons you point out and also because I felt immediately less alone in the world. I can't thank you enough for this gift.
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