A version of this story about “My Favorite War” first appeared in the Oscar Nominations Preview issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
An animated documentary that mixes history and a personal story in the manner of the 2007 Oscar-nominated film “Persepolis,” “My Favorite War” finds Latvian director Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen examining her childhood during the Cold War, when Latvia was under Soviet occupation. And while that’s not typical subject matter for an animated feature, its director envisioned it as that from the start.
“When I got the idea that I will make a film summarizing those 20 years before we gained our independence and freedom (with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991), I knew that animation was the only possibility to make it,” she said. “I knew it would be an animated documentary, and I saw that animation would be maybe 75% of the film. It became 85%, and I’m very happy with that.
An animated documentary that mixes history and a personal story in the manner of the 2007 Oscar-nominated film “Persepolis,” “My Favorite War” finds Latvian director Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen examining her childhood during the Cold War, when Latvia was under Soviet occupation. And while that’s not typical subject matter for an animated feature, its director envisioned it as that from the start.
“When I got the idea that I will make a film summarizing those 20 years before we gained our independence and freedom (with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991), I knew that animation was the only possibility to make it,” she said. “I knew it would be an animated documentary, and I saw that animation would be maybe 75% of the film. It became 85%, and I’m very happy with that.
- 3/5/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Could this be Norway’s year at the Oscars? An unprecedented number of Norwegian productions and co-productions are on this year’s shortlists, exciting the domestic media, industry and audiences.
“Recognition from the Oscars is a great inspiration for all of us who have an ambition to reach outside our own borders,” says Yngve Saether of Motlys, who served as executive producer of Norway’s shortlisted international feature submission “Hope.” “And it builds confidence. Even though it’s a long way to four nominations, the shortlistings are welcome reminders that our films have something to do out there.”
Likewise, Anita Larsen, producer of the documentary “Gunda,” about the life cycle of a majestic Norwegian sow, through her company Sant og Usant, says: “I believe this will create a broader interest both for Norwegian stories, filmmakers and new co-productions opportunities.”
“Hope,” an intense and well-liked personal drama from helmer Maria Sødahl,...
“Recognition from the Oscars is a great inspiration for all of us who have an ambition to reach outside our own borders,” says Yngve Saether of Motlys, who served as executive producer of Norway’s shortlisted international feature submission “Hope.” “And it builds confidence. Even though it’s a long way to four nominations, the shortlistings are welcome reminders that our films have something to do out there.”
Likewise, Anita Larsen, producer of the documentary “Gunda,” about the life cycle of a majestic Norwegian sow, through her company Sant og Usant, says: “I believe this will create a broader interest both for Norwegian stories, filmmakers and new co-productions opportunities.”
“Hope,” an intense and well-liked personal drama from helmer Maria Sødahl,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
The animated film awards race this year once again features stellar family film offerings from the big studios as well as boutique powerhouses such as Cartoon Saloon and distributor GKids, but there are a handful of films found freedom in animation to tell adult-skewing, even personal stories, and even push the form to the limit.
Mariusz Wilczynski’s “Kill It and Leave This Town” explores despair and other dark parts of the human heart with animation that equals the edgy, gritty story, with cold blues, grays, muted reds — enhancing the black-ink-like animated characters and cityscapes that are confrontational and even ugly.
On the other style end of the spectrum is Yonfan’s “No. 7 Cherry Lane,” his memories of Hong Kong in 1967 during protests. It’s romantic, and beautiful.
“We did thousands of those realistic drawings of Hong Kong in pencil and charcoal on rice paper, but I would not call it photorealism,...
Mariusz Wilczynski’s “Kill It and Leave This Town” explores despair and other dark parts of the human heart with animation that equals the edgy, gritty story, with cold blues, grays, muted reds — enhancing the black-ink-like animated characters and cityscapes that are confrontational and even ugly.
On the other style end of the spectrum is Yonfan’s “No. 7 Cherry Lane,” his memories of Hong Kong in 1967 during protests. It’s romantic, and beautiful.
“We did thousands of those realistic drawings of Hong Kong in pencil and charcoal on rice paper, but I would not call it photorealism,...
- 3/3/2021
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
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