Best Shorts of the Ottawa International Animation Festival

I've gotta say, I totally slacked off on my coverage of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. But better late than never right?!

Here are a few of my favorite shorts from Short Film Competition 5 at the Ottawa International Animation Festival:

1. Butter Ya'Self (Julian Petschek): Of all the things that I was expecting from these shorts, I was actually surprised by this stand-out piece. A stop-motion music video that also featured food as the artists and subjects was not something I was expecting to see -- or to like either, for that matter. Still, Butter Ya'Self creates a hilarious, and surprisingly catchy, music video that mimics and parodies legit rap videos. "We on a roll...bitch, I am a roll."

2. 365 (The Brothers McLeod): This short was like nothing my brain has ever had to process before. Each day of the year 2013, The Brothers McLeod made one second of animation to reflect something about the day, whether an event, a dream, or something random. Consequently, the short moves so quickly and so nonlinear..ly that it's like nothing that you've ever seen before. While it takes a bit for your brain to adjust as the animation zips along, it's a pretty cool project, and definitely something I had never seen before. (Actual short unavailable, but here's a taste.)

3. The Terror Pulse (Christopher Mills): While this short is technically a music video, and not really my favorite kind of music, I liked how multi-media the animation is in this. Mills employs stop motion, pastels, CGI, and even a live action overlay. Points for creating an interesting story with a lot of different animation techniques. Very cool.

4. Somewhere (Nicolas Menard): Between the animation style and the sound editing, this short really creates a sad and haunting tale in a matter of a few minutes. An armless astronaut lost in space and the woman he's left at home become realer than real without help from any dialogue.

5. Supervenus (Frederic Doazan): A disturbing look at how women are pressed to alter their bodies (with horifying results). Wish the below video were in better focus, but...damn. Effective. 

6. Stop the Show (Max Hattler): I mean, really. It speaks for itself.

7. Crazy Little Thing (Onohana): Creepy, creepy vignette of a little girl who kills her father. But interesting mystical realism with the tree, and I like the pencil-drawn animation.

8. A Tale of Momentum and Inertia (Kameron Gates and Kirk Kelley): A much-needed playful short after a handful of scary ones. This was short and sweet. Really nice CGI as well; very finely detailed.