Andrei Khrzhanovsky directs this mystical Russian animation from 1972, Butterfly, about a boy and the butterflies he catches. One day, the tables turn, and the boy finds himself caught by a giant butterfly. Music by Matthias Müller.
Category: Animation
Jul 17 2022
Aleksandr Petrov, Master of Painted Glass Animation
Today is the birthday of Aleksandr Petrov, the Russian animator born July 17, 1957, in the village of Prechistoye. He is known for his unique technique of creating animations from pastel oil paintings on glass, using his fingertips to paint for added texture. Petrov’s first animation was made in 1988, Marathon, and was a tribute …
Jun 22 2022
Soviet Film Wednesday: The Scarlet Flower
The Scarlet Flower (Аленький цветочек, Alenkiy tsvetochek) is a popular Russian folktale based on Sergey Aksakov’s rendition of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Similar to the traditional tale, it begins when a merchant father, Stepan Yemelyanovich, asks his three daughters what gifts they would like from his travels. The oldest daughter, Gordeya, wishes for …
May 04 2022
Soviet Film Wednesday: Children and Matches
Yuri Norstein gives us a clever public service message in this 1969 short cutout animation, Children and Matches.
Mar 02 2022
A Wintry Wednesday Ukrainian Lullaby
In solidarity with the people of the Ukraine and all of the brave Ukrainians and Russians opposing this war, may you find love and peace 🕊️ Instead of the usual Soviet Film Wednesday post, today I am sharing a Ukrainian lullaby as thoughts of the Ukraine weigh on my mind. This beautiful film was created as …
Feb 27 2022
Disney Legend Rolly Crump
Disney imagineer and animator Rolly Crump was born on February 27, 1930 in Alhambra, California. Inspired at the young age of three by the Disney Silly Symphony short, Three Little Pigs, Crump began drawing in 1933. He started working with Disney in 1952, doing “inbetweening” or “tweening” to provide the illusion of smooth movements between film frames. …
Oct 21 2021
Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
Today is the birthday of Disney artist and designer Mary Blair, born on this day October 21, 1911 in McAlester, Oklahoma. Blair was an integral part of Disney, designing incredibly beautiful, unique concept art for a variety of Disney attractions and animated films, including her most well known work on the “It’s a Small World” …
Jul 14 2021
Soviet Film Wednesday: Ballerina on the Boat
Ballerina on the Boat is a wonderful summer-y animation about a ballerina who takes a ride on a ship and dances about, practicing her moves at the delight and distraction of the crew. It is a lovely, humorous, and leisurely voyage until a storm comes, which leads to a surprise ending. There is no need …
Jun 16 2021
Soviet Film Wednesday: There Will Come Soft Rains
In this eerie animation, a nuclear bomb hits a California town, and only one house is left standing, an automated house with robots. The people did not survive, but the robots who cook, clean, and take care of everything continue with their daily routines long after the humans are gone. Finally, the robots are also …
May 02 2021
The Pear-Green Apple: A Meditation on Yuri Norstein’s ‘Tale of Tales’
Why I Love Tale of Tales I recently featured Yuri Norstein’s animation Tale of Tales for Soviet Film Wednesday, and this week I would like to take some time to delve into my thoughts on this epic film, which has been voted the “Greatest Animation Film of All Time” by an international jury. It is …
