Inspired by the true and tragic 1917 Halifax Explosion, the NFB-produced short contemplates the journey of a sailor who survived the blast and his ensuing sudden and unexpected voyage; film makes its North American debut next month at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has announced the North American debut of Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis’s latest animated short, The Flying Sailor at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which takes place September 8-18.
The Flying Sailor was created by the Oscar-nominated and Palme d’Or-winning duo and inspired by the remarkable true account of the 1917 Halifax Explosion. In 1917, two ships collided in the Halifax Harbor, causing the largest accidental explosion in history. Among the tragic stories of the disaster is the account of a sailor who, blown skyward from the docks, flew two kilometers before landing uphill, naked and unharmed.
The 2D animated film is a contemplation of his journey. Drawing on reports of traumatic shock and near-death experiences, animators Tilby and Forbis consider the kind of cataclysmic moment that pulls us from our path, strips us bare, and utterly shifts our perspective. By suspending the sailor in a state of near-death, the film contemplates the stuff of life that is at once fleeting, profound, and utterly insignificant.
Here's the trailer:
Source: National Film Board of Canada
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
