Within the world of animation, most experimentation occurs within short format productions, whether they be high-budgeted commercials, low-budgeted independent shorts or something in between. The growing number of short film festivals around the world attest to the vitality of these works, but there are few other venues for exhibition of them or even written reviews. As a result, distribution tends to be difficult and irregular. On a regular basis, Animation World Magazine will highlight some of the most interesting with short, descriptive overviews.

If you have the QuickTime plug-in, you can view a clip from each film by simply clicking the image.

This Month:

Last Rumba in Rochdale (2002), 10 min., directed by John Chorlton, U.K. Info: Josephine Law, Producer. Tel.: 44 (0) 7747 848894. Fax: 44 (0) 208 896 1669. Email: josie@illuminatedfilms.com.

Little Numba (2002), 3.5 min., directed by Daniele Lunghini and Diego Zuelli, Italy. Info: Daniele Lunghini, via Ruffini 10, 42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy. Web: www.ondaonirica.com.

The Fall (2002), 1.25 min., directed by Burak Sahin, Turkey. Info: Burak Sahin, Kuzgun St. #1-13, A. Ayranci 06540, Ankara, Turkey. Email: sahinburak@hotmail.com.

Escapism (2002), 6.25 min., directed by Avi Ofer, Israel. Email: info@aviofer.com. Web: www.aviofer.com.

Dollsville (2003), 9.5 min., directed by John Wray, USA. Tel.: 310-592-3981.

The dead can dance in Last Rumba in Rochdale. © 2002 John Chorlton.

Last Rumba in Rochdale
Last Rumba in Rochdale is a black comedy. It tells the tale of Bodney Brooks, a 12-year-old boy who lives with his father, sister and grandma (Gran) in the family-run morgue. Bodney always seems to be getting into trouble and grounded, for some reason or another. So, he wiles away his time in his room, reenacting the day’s events with computer-controlled puppetry. In order to make amends for his behavior, and to return to the good graces of his family, Bodney decides to organize a party for Gran where she can fulfill her youthful wish to dance once again with Federico Formaggio — the greatest dancer in all of Italy!

Old-timer Federico reluctantly agrees to Bodney’s imploring, but through an accidental turn of events, Federico meets with his demise. Bodney schemes to turn the untimely disaster into a hopeful outcome, reinvigorating Federico’s corpse at the party with the forte of his computer-controlled puppetry. As the slow dance with drunken, clueless Gran turns to flash dance and breakdance, Bodney struggles to keep pace, and eventually the ruse falls apart.

It would appear that Last Rumba in Rochdale has been produced on a shoestring budget, but it is achieved with such professional flair that it is a clear indicator of the resourcefulness and talent of John Chorlton and his collaborators. Chorlton is a recent alumnus of National Film & Television School in England, and Last Rumba is his graduation film. With the help of producer Josephine Law, cinematographer Jon Driscoll, editor Richard Overall and sound designer Toni Bates, among others, Chorlton managed to animate much of the 10-minute, 3D stop-motion movie over the course of 10 months. Add to the project the volunteered time of local voice actors, recording studios and equipment companies, and one can begin to see how production value was layered into the film. Its overall direction, pacing, set design and camera work allow the story to unfold with wonderful quickness and humor.

Last Rumba has screened at such film festivals as Anima 2003 (Brussels), Cinanima (Portugal), Brief Encounters (Bristol, U.K.), and PISAF Animation Festival (Korea). It won the Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival (2002), and Best Animated Short Film at the 2002 Sitges International Film Festival (Spain). Last Rumba also won the Verna Fields Award at the Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards (2002) for Best Sound Editing in a Student Film.

Toward the end of the movie, as Bodney is grounded again in his room, we briefly see the hand of the stop-motion creator (John Chorlton) working the model of Bodney, as the boy himself manipulates his computer-controlled puppets. It is a welcome, wry wink.