I had the opportunity to see The Firefly Man at Telluride and left with the undeniable feeling that I had seen something groundbreaking. Most of the shorts one encounters these days are traditional animation, digital animation or solely claymation, but rarely is one ambitious enough to involve all of the above, and then some (robotics, sculptural set design, etc.,). Todd Fjelsted has kicked a mossy, decaying log to reveal a beautifully tragic tale of loss and enlightenment. If you have the privilege to see this unique short, be sure to look beyond the incredibly well done surface, to a poetic subtext surging underneath. I heard from sources at Telluride that Fjelsted is working on a feature based on the life of Johnny Appleseed and I look forward to experiencing more of a meal from this promising young director.
