Animated Short Films - Hothouse 5
About the playlist
Hothouse is a 12-week paid apprenticeship program for emerging Canadian filmmakers. Located in Montreal, Quebec, it was created in 2003 by NFB Animation Studio producer Michael Fukushima and executive producer David Verrall. The aim is to re-imagine ways of making animation that are faster, more flexible and that celebrate the shortest of short forms.
This fifth edition of Hothouse brings together six promising new talents from across Canada: Brandon Blommaert, Philip Eddolls, Sylvie Trouvé, Neely Goniodsky, Sara Guindon and Jim Verburg. Their films were created using handmade puppets, pen drawings, collage, photography and innovative blends of mixed techniques to create six one-minute films.
This year's theme was "The Time I Changed My Mind" and each of the six films explores this theme in a different way. From a ghoul who loses his brain in Batmilk to a city that pulses with dynamic beats and hidden rhythms in Orange. From an old woman who knits herself an imaginary world in Pearl to two beings who discover an alternate perspective of the cosmos in Git Gob. From five friends who join forces when a menacing presence interrupts their party in Wiggles and Giggles to a collage of family photographs that explore memory and family history in Family Album Number One.
The films range from the poetic to the absurd but maintain the creative and technical excellence that is the hallmark of NFB animation.
To learn more
Selected films
Batmilk
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An oafish ghoul and his soft exposed brain are met with ruin when the brain is unexpectedly killed. Through paralyzed, the ghoul attains a fresh brain and is fed with new life.
About Brandon Blommaert - by Brandon Blommaert ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 44 s
Orange
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This animated short poses some interesting questions - what if buildings pulsed, trees tapped out beats or shadows could whistle us a tune? Through the creative interpretation and animation of the city's natural rhythms, Orange orchestrates a unique urban dance.
About Sylvie Trouvé - by Sylvie Trouvé ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 26 s
Pearl
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A lonely old lady sits in an empty room, knitting. As her thoughts wander, her dreams take the shape of fanciful knitted creatures and objects that cocoon her in a pattern of wonder and comfort.
About Neely Goniodsky - by Neely Goniodsky ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 27 s
Git Gob
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Two creatures wonder, "What is a hole?" They have different points of view. Their debate leads to an idea, an idea that changes the world. This is a story of practical magic.
About Philip Eddolls - by Philip Eddolls ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 33 s
Wiggles and Giggles
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A playful group is dancing when they become aware they're being watched by a huge, menacing head. When the head interrupts their good time, they take action in an unexpected way, forcing the giant head to undergo an altered state of mind.
About Sara Guindon - by Sara Guindon ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 27 s
Family Album Number One
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A layered narrative exploring memory and family history is constructed using a collage of family photographs, photocopies and personal audio recordings. The film explores the fragility of personal memory, and photos as physical tokens of that memory.
About Jim Verburg - by Jim Verburg ,
- 2009,
- 1 min 36 s
Six: Inside
- Director Carrie Haber delves deep into the anxiety, thrill and uncertainty of six aspiring animation artists as they are plunged into the twelve-week trial-by-fire that is the NFB's Hothouse for animation filmmakers.
- by Carrie Haber ,
- 2009,
- 22 min 11 s
