There would be no better way to begin the 38th edition of CINANIMA – International Animated Film Festival of Espinho, Portugal than with the Special Opening Session and the Official Opening Session, with the participation of the directors of both films.
On the 10th of November, at 18:00, on the Special Opening Session we will screen the feature film – The boy who wanted to be a bear directed by the prestige Danish director Jannik Hastrup. Directed in 2002, the film tells the moving story of a polar bear that gives birth to a stillborn. In a cabin some way off a woman bears a strong healthy boy. The polar bear is so grief-stricken at the loss of her cub that she lies down on the ice to die, so her mate steals the woman’s baby and takes him out onto the ice. The little boy is raised by the she-bear, learning all the skills a bear requires: no easy task for a little boy. The woman grieves deeply over the loss of her baby. The man vows to get him back and kill the bear.
The Official Opening Session, that will be held at 21:30, presents the French feature film directed by Jérémie Malavoy – Le soldat méconnu. This 56 minute animated dodumentary takes us to the morning of the 11th November 1918 – the day the Allies and German MilitaryForces declared peace, putting an end to almost 5 years of war. Augustin Trébuchon was entrusted with delivering the armistice message to the enemy. He was killed instantly by a bullet to the head, five minutes before the ceasefire came into effect. Officially, no losses were recorded on the 11th of November, 1918, as if this last operation never took place. Yet Trébuchon did indeed die for peace that day. His ultimate sacrifice, on the sidelines of the fast-moving political manoeuvers to establish peace, symbolizes the whole absurdity of that war.”The Last Fallen Soldier” is an animated documentary that sets out to give an account of this dual history. That of the military leadership of the countries involved, all trying to pull the best deal out of the macabre power games that had swept Europe in the early part of the century. And that of a handful of anonymous individuals, humble sorts who were the frontline players in the generals’ game. By blending archive images and traditional animation, we will follow in parallel the final peace negotiations and the movements of the 415th Infantry Regiment, which included Augustin Trébuchon, the last Frenchman killed in the Great War.
Centro Multimeios of Espinho
Room António Gaio
18:00 | Special Opening Session | The boy who wanted to be a bear | Jannik Hastrup | + 6
21:30 | Official Opening Session | Le Soldat Méconnu | Jérémie Malavoy | + 12