Vaysha la ciega

Blind Vaysha (2016)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

This short was nominated for Oscar's Best Animated Short and it's certainly much darker than the other nominees. This one here tells the story of Vaysha, a young girl who was born with two very different eyes. Her left eye can only see the past while her right eye can only see the future. This here puts her into a dilemma on how to live the rest of her life.

I'm not going to say BLIND VAYSHA was a bad movie but I didn't think it was worthy of an Oscar-nomination. It certainly wasn't better than the other nominated movies but at the same time I can respect it for trying to do something a tad bit different. This really plays out like a dark fairy tale and the animation is quite dark itself. I thought the film was visually impressive and the story had some interesting ideas but I just didn't think it ever really came to life. I also didn't care too much for the narration, which lasted throughout the picture.

This animated short, nominated for an Oscar in that category, is an interesting affair. It does not seem right to me for this meditation on a girl who sees the future with one eye and the past with the other, to win, but I have old-fashioned tastes.

It is a very interesting effort, mostly for the quality of its visuals, which resemble wood-cuts rather than other, more conventional drawings or computer animation. This is clearly intended to offer some visual gloss on the subject, which is about how difficult it is to see only the past and the future, but never to exist in the moment, I have no idea how it does so, but it is a pleasant change from the more usual techniques.

dark atmosphere. shadows of the Balkanian myths. a simple story. with great impact. a parable. about the absence of present in many lives. and the right animation. because it is part of story in a so perfect manner than becomes itself the skin of the words. a film about the status of silhouette. because the past gives the hope, the future - the fall. between them - no bridge. and the bitter, harsh animation has the status to reflect this hole. doing "Blind Vaysha" a tool of wake up. because the girl is every viewer. memories against plans, projects and illusions, fears and too late. and this does the film a pure masterpiece. its cruel honesty about us. the lost of present . and the need to choose the right eye. a film about a gift. who defines our world so profound.

This animated short immediately draws the viewer in with its captivating and mesmerizing tale. The storytelling and visual artistry on display are impressive, keeping the audience enthralled from start to finish.

The story builds a remarkable climax, but the ending falls. Opting an ordinary conclusion rather than an extraordinary finale to match the brilliance preceding it is disappointng. This leaves a tinge of disappointment at the film's close.

Nonetheless, with its engaging originality and stunning visuals, the short remains a laudable artistic achievement that leaves a lasting impression.

This is one of two Canadian nominees (the other being Pear Cider and Cigarettes). It's sort of like a very, very dark modern fairy tale. It's a strange tale about a little girl born with two very strange eyes. Through one, she can only see the past and with the other she can only see the future. So, for example, when she sees an adult, they appear in one eye as a small child and in the other incredibly elderly and feeble. As to what all this means, well I was left wondering this when the film ended.

As far as the animation goes, you'll either love it or hate it and it strongly accentuated the darkness of the story. It certainly is NOT a pretty film to watch and many of the animations are a bit horrifying to watch. Like too many shorts this year, I did wonder why it was nominated as well as feeling a bit depressed after seeing it.

I think "Blind Vaysha" is very unlikely to take home the Oscar, as "Piper" is much more of a crowd pleaser and it s sweet little film...without the dark edges the other nominees all see to have in spades!