At the Edge of the World
A programme of National Film and Television School animation films connected by the theme of the sea and the seaside, curated from our collection by Chris Cassingham.
Yellow Belly End - a still from the film, 2 of 4 (2009) by Philip BaconNational Film and Television School
This collection of animated short films explores the sea and the seaside as a liminal space, one which mediates an exploration of their characters’ desire for connection and internal battles against their nature.
Port Nasty (2014)
A young man desperate to prove himself amongst a company of gruff and imposing whalers becomes disillusioned by the gruesome violence involved in the trade and the fatal toll it takes on the older man at the head of the party.
Port Nasty - a still from the film, 2 of 4 (2014) by Robert ZywietzNational Film and Television School
Still eager to become a whaler but conflicted by his experience, the boy surrenders to the implicit requirements of initiation into the whaling group, leaving it up to the audience to decipher just what exactly he has sacrificed within himself to do so.
Port Nasty - a still from the film, 3 of 4 (2014) by Robert ZywietzNational Film and Television School
Port Nasty, in its simple, dark blue and black hues, is a haunting and visceral story of in-groups, macho performance, and the fights we have against our inner selves.
True North (2017)
A fisherman journeying home happens upon a timid, but feral, young boy amidst the wreckage of a ship. Deciding, perhaps against his better judgement, to rescue him he must face an oncoming storm with an unknown and unpredictable companion.
True North - a still from the film, 2 of 4 (2017) by George BowlerNational Film and Television School
As the weather reaches its violent climax, the young boy becomes hysterical, screaming and wreaking havoc on the fisherman’s diminutive rowboat as it crests a massive wave.
True North - a still from the film, 1 of 4 (2017) by George BowlerNational Film and Television School
In a panic the fisherman tosses the boy overboard, at which point he reverts back to his original timid state, leaving the fisherman to live with his choice and question his own perception of these events.
True North - a still from the film, 3 of 4 (2017) by George BowlerNational Film and Television School
True North takes on the moral and philosophical weight of an ancient fable, and its deceptively simple animation follows suit. Sharp lines of light and shadow reveal the contours and hidden depths of the most basic elements of both storytelling and human nature.
Yellow Belly End (2009)
At the edge of a cliff a man in a bird costume watches and methodically keeps track of other costumed people as they jump to their deaths. His routine is disrupted by a cat with a suitcase, inside of which is a beaten-up mouse.
Yellow Belly End - a still from the film, 1 of 4 (2009) by Philip BaconNational Film and Television School
In his moment of distraction a woman dressed as a cow comes along and opens up the possibility for connection he hadn’t seen coming. One which, even clouded in mystery and unspoken intimacy, he can’t help himself from pursuing.
Yellow Belly End - a still from the film, 4 of 4 (2009) by Philip BaconNational Film and Television School
Their union, and the film itself, makes observations on voyeurism, empathy, and mental illness, and is dressed in an atmosphere of stark surrealism and peculiar peacefulness.
Sleeping with the Fishes (2013)
Sonja lives a lonely life as a fishmonger, more at ease with her fish, her only companions, than her customers, until one day a delivery man turns up who looks like a rainbow trout. Little does she know that this man will turn her world upside down.
Sleeping With The Fishes - a still from the film, 2 of 4 (2013) by Yousif Al-KhalifaNational Film and Television School
The film explores one woman’s very particular desires and fears, both of which are deeply intertwined. The animation is almost sickly to start, but takes on a smooth, lyrical quality as Sonja grows into both herself and her new relationship.
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