Cuban Animations from the Young Directors Film Festival 2012
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Leandro de la Rosa, Harold Rensoli, Ivette Avila, Alien Ma Alfonso, Lester, Harbert Noguel, and Abdel and Adrian de la Campa
Directed by Leandro de la Rosa, Harold Rensoli, Ivette Avila, Alien Ma Alfonso, Lester, Harbert Noguel, and Abdel and Adrian de la Campa
DVD, color, 40 min.
Sr. High - General Adult
Animation, Art, Experimental Films
Date Entered: 04/14/2015
Reviewed by Justin Cronise, D'Youville College, Buffalo, NY and Genesee Community College, Batavia, NYThis collection of eight short animations were originally screened at the Muestra Joven (Young Directors) film festival sponsored by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Industry (ICAIC) to showcase emerging artists. The animations range from 3-6 minutes in length, span the years 2008-2010, and feature a variety of animation types such as stop motion, paper cutouts, claymation, cartoons, and some digital effects. While generally lo-fi and darkly humorous, highlights include the biting corporate critique of “El Traje / The Suit” by Abdel and Adrian de la Campa, and the colorful and hopeful fixer in “La Costurera / The Seamstress” by Ivette Avila.
Although certainly dated in terms of technology and not so visually impressive in our age of Pixar and the like, Cuban Animations from the Young Directors Film Festival includes potentially interesting perspectives and concepts from Cuba’s next generation of animators. This collection is recommended with reservations for students and teachers in art and animation programs in either high school or college.