Mermaid

While I am a huge fan of Pixar and have complained in a few of my reviews when I felt some of their shorts were unfairly snubbed by the Oscars (especially for KNICK KNACK), here I actually think the winning short for 1998 (Pixar's GERI'S GAME) wasn't nearly as good a film as Petrov's MERMAID--which was also nominated but somehow came up short.

Russian director Aleksandr Petrov has been nominated for several Oscars for Best Animated Short Film--such as for THE COW and THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA. Each features a style totally unlike any other studio, as Petrov's shorts are like little epic movies and moving tapestries combined. I am not exaggerating to say that his films are much more works of art than films--and you could never call them cartoons! I will try to describe the style, but frankly the only way to really appreciate them is to see one yourself. The artwork is like a painting that moves in a very fluid style--like the wind is pushing the scenes.

each film of Aleksander Petrov is a gem. it is a basic rediscovered truth discovered again and again. and not only the special technique is the explanation. but a sort of spell. Rusalka is a simple story about faith, temptation and sacrifice. but the manner to remind more than presents aspects from Russian folklore, Orthodox Church's life, feelings who are the most inspired translation in the frames of oil colors on glass are the axis of the profound emotion who grows up. a story about Christianity who could be page from the Patericon. but who has the gift to becomes, scene by scene, reflection of yourself. because it is simple - the forms of love, the duty, the voices from different ages, the salvation as fruit of sacrifice. and the beginning of real life. a film like a medicine. useful when the present becomes a mermaid.

There is not anything admirable about this short except the unique animation style. The story ,like everyone says, is hard to follow. Some scenes are beautiful, like the storm and flowing water. It's beautiful but vague (or the other way around ). The story has nothing new, the it's not about the story but the style.

Watch it for it's style only.

The narrative in Mermaid is somewhat muddled. The old monk has what must be considered a flashback 1/4 of the way through the film and then a dream 3/4 through, and frankly I'm a bit at a loss to try to explain either. Generally Petrov's storytelling is considered somewhat pedantic, despite or perhaps because he works entirely with literary adaptations, necessitating sometimes difficult omissions. Yet it's his art that he is famous for, and that is firmly on display in Mermaid. He is the most accomplished practitioner of a unique medium —he animates using oil paint on glass, using 2-to 3 layers to add depth to the images, animating new plates as the finished ones dry. It is a meticulous, yet beautiful technique that has won him much acclaim—3 previous Oscar nominations, including the win in 1999 for his adaptation of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. That film was a huge technical step forward as he adapted his style to the unforgiving IMAX format with the help of the Canadian production house Pascal Blais.

While Mermaid did not win, it likewise was nominated for the Oscar in 1996. Mermaid is in some ways the perfection of Petrov's original technique before money, improved technology, and production teams lead to Old Man and the Sea and My Love. Indeed it was the success of Mermaid that enabled Petrov to receive the kind of corporate patronage that allowed those films to happen.

As somebody who's very fond of Russian animation, Rusalka(aka Mermaid) has to be one of the most beautiful and fascinating of any Russian animated film or short. The high point is the animation, it is hard to put into words how truly gorgeous it is, not only is an animation style unlike any seen before in animation(oil paints on glass) but every frame and movement flows so smoothly it's almost dream-like. There is so much atmosphere in the setting, and the vast details and the way the colours are used were a visual feast. The music is soothing, almost like it's coming from a distance, and wisely sparingly used, while the sound effects are truly evocative and add so much to that magical dream-like effect. While it is understandable why anybody would have difficulty following the story(particularly if you are unfamiliar with the Slavic folklore tale it's based on), it wasn't a problem for me and the hauntingly gentle mood conveyed in the short is really to be admired, while the ending was incredibly poignant and stayed with me for a while after. The characters are very well drawn and expressively characterised(facial expressions and gestures rather than vocal, particularly good in this regard was for Rusalka) and carry Rusalka beautifully. In conclusion, a breathtaking Russian short film. 10/10 Bethany Cox