Russian animator up for second Oscar
Published 08 February, 2008, 08:49
Russian film maker Aleksandr Petrov is in the running for an Oscar. The Academy has nominated his latest production, called “My Love”, in the Best Animated Short Film category.
The film is based on “First Love”, by the Russian writer Ivan Shmelev, which was published in the 1920's. It has now been made into in an animated film by film director Aleksandr Petrov.
A sixteen-year-old boy, named Tonichka, is enamoured by two completely different women. One is his tender and timid maid, Pasha, the other a mysterious and sophisticated lady, Serafima.
Aleksandr Petrov
“My love” is 27 minutes long, but it took more than three years to complete. The film is truly handmade.
Petrov depicted the whole story on glass, using his fingers. The technique is called 'revived painting'.
“Revived painting can show us something that no other animation technique can reproduce – sensuality, the thrill, the breath of the environment, of the substance itself, which is also one of the main characters,” stressed Petrov.
Petrov's talent of breathing life into painted images for animation has already earned him one Oscar.
In 2000, his film “The Old Man and the Sea” won the Best Animated Short Film category. The director says he didn't expect it at all.
“Just in case, I prepared a piece of paper with some English phrases written in Russian letters, because I don't speak any English. But when I went on stage, I was so embarrassed, I forgot about it, and said something in half Russian-half English,” he explained.
And there are now just over two weeks left until the moment Petrov might have to go on stage once again to accept his Oscar.
discuss it
