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- 04 - 07 Sep 2024
- The Labia Theatre, Cape Town
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Arnaud van Vliet is a multi-disciplinary creative. He is a performing musician, composer, animator, storyboard artist, character designer, theatre-maker and the director of animated short films. Most recent original film scores include the feature-length film “Fire in the Mountains” directed by Ajitpal Singh that had its debut at Sundance Film Festival 2021 in the World Dramatic Category. Short film titles include “An Ordinary Blue Monday”, an animated short film directed by Naomi van Niekerk that was awarded “Best First Film” at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival as well as “Box Cutters” by the same director that will have its debut at Animafest Zagreb, 2023.
Based in the Netherlands and South Africa, he collaborates with South African writers to adapt their scripts for animation in partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa while at the same time developing his own work.
What inspired the story behind the short film “THIRST”?
The idea of how a street kid with absolutely nothing could plan a heist was the initial spark. From there, the ideas kept flowing. I wanted to create a light-hearted film that blended my filmmaking background with my animation skills, and this film was the perfect opportunity to bring those worlds together.
Can you discuss any unique challenges you faced during production?
During the final stage of production in the last half of 2022, Stage 6 load shedding was introduced for an extended period. This meant I often had to start work at midnight or even 2 AM, working until 4 or 6 AM until the next bout of load shedding. Animation is a time-consuming and intense process, and this forced change to the daily production schedule was extremely tough physically and mentally.
How did you approach character development within the limited runtime of a short film?
In “THIRST,” there is no dialogue. Character development is shown visually. The main character, the Pilot, starts off confident and strong but gradually weakens as she journeys across the desert. Her posture changes from upright to stooped, and her walking pace slows down until she crawls. It was important to show this progression slowly, giving viewers a sense of time passing and distance covered.
What message or emotion do you hope the audience takes away from the film?
I hope the film provokes thoughts about our interaction with the natural world. We are responsible for taking care of the planet, and our individual actions matter. War, greed, and selfishness are destructive, and we can all make a difference through the choices we make.
What’s the most unexpected thing that happened during the making of THIRST?
One unexpected moment was when I started experimenting with coloured paper and cellophane on the light table and found the beautiful colours and textures used in the film’s backgrounds.
Why are festivals like the FAME Shorts Film Festival so important?
Film festivals like FAME Shorts Film Festival are crucial because they promote independent short films, giving them exposure to a broader audience. Short films are rarely shown outside the festival circuit, yet they are an important part of the cinematic world. Festivals allow filmmakers to be more experimental and take more chances with their films, and more people need to discover the amazing short films out there.
“THIRST,” directed by Arnaud van Vliet, is a visually compelling film that explores the interaction between humans and the natural world. Be sure to catch it at the FAME Shorts Film Festival.
