Das Mädchen, das Bienen schluckte

I saw this at the 2007 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films and it's a charming animated fable with live action. This is a story about a teenage girl (Pia Miranda) who suffers from depression and dreams and sketches ways on how to end her life. She comes across a beehive one day and comes up with a bizarre plan when she decides that if she swallows enough bees they will sting her death. Actor/writer Paul McDermot wrote and directs this wonderful short and also is it's production designer. Veteran actor Hugo Weaving, best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings films, is the narrator of this fanciful story. Miranda is an Austrailian television actress who will team with Weaving again in the forthcoming feature film The Tender Hook. Tony Melou is the film's animator, Rebecca O'Brien is art director, Justine Kerrigan photographs and Matt Bisson does a great job with editing. I really liked this visually enchanting film and of the 46 shorts I saw at the festival this would tie with another animated short, Love and War, as my festival favorites. I would give this a 9.5 out of 10.