In a new edition of CinemaChile Talks, journalists Jamie Lang and John Hopewell of Variety magazine moderate a conversation with the directors selected for the Official Annecy competition.
Hugo Covarrubias talks about the origins of his short film Bestia (Beast) (Official Competition), and Samuel Restucci and Emilio Romero shed some light on the political scenario that inspired La copia feliz del Edén ("The happy copy of Eden") (Perspective).
The session addresses topics including the creative process, the boom of Chilean animation in recent years, the echoes of the Military Dictatorship that bring together his works, the specific experiences of making animation in Latin America, as well as many other topics, anecdotes and tips for up-and-coming filmmakers.
Come experience a new episode of CinemaChile Talks, the space for dialogue and reflection, featuring talents from the country's film industry, and join us in this conversation through our social networks, on YouTube and our account on Spotify.
The short films that wowed audiences in Annecy
CinemaChile is back in Annecy at a critical time for our animation industry, as a record number of productions are taking place, with new projects constantly flourishing and with strong international connections in development.
Since 2016, when Historia de un Oso (The Story of a Bear) by Gabriel Osorio won the first Oscar for Chile (Best Animated Short Film), our animation industry has been strengthened significantly, and Annecy has been an integral part of this consolidation.
For three consecutive years, Chilean features have been selected in the Official Competition: La Casa Lobo (The House of Wolves) (Leon & Cociña, 2018), Homeless (Marion, Oryan, 2019) and Nahuel y el Libro Magico (Nahuel and the Magic Book) (German Acuña, 2020).
This year, two powerful short films will represent Chile in the most important animation festival in the world.
Both Bestia and La copia feliz del Edén have a strong political message that brings in elements of the Military Dictatorship in Chile, a common point analyzed in depth in this new edition of CinemaChile Talks.
Bestia follows the secret life of a woman who worked in the National Intelligence Directorate in Chile in 1975, training dogs and humans to commit horrendous crimes.
Her relationship with her dog, her body, her fears and frustrations, paint a portrait of the macabre fracture running through her mind and the entire country. Produced by Trebol 3 and Tevo Diaz
La copia feliz del Edén tells the story of Chilean President Salvador Allende's last day alive and his subsequent suicide. Produced by The Forest Man in the Araucanía region
What's next for animation in Chile
In CinemaChile's International Film Catalogue, which is about to be launched as part of the Marché du Film at Cannes 2021, the tremendous growth and increase in the number of animation productions is on display.
The 12 animated shorts represent a historic high, where new techniques and aesthetic approaches explore various related themes.
We are excited to continue sharing the boom in our animation industry with you, and we invite you to hear more about this growth by following our Podcast: CinemaChile Talks on Spotify!
