The Cathedral

On a far distant planet stands a immense cathedral, seemingly derelict and lifeless. A solitary traveler stands before the crumbling columns, silently watching and waiting. The film leaves countless questions unanswered, its dialogue-free script allowing for the visuals and music to tell the story, and for the viewer to fill in the blanks. Where is this beautiful planet? Who is this lone traveler? Why has he made this pilgrimage to such a remote cathedral? Indeed, who actually built this cathedral, and for how long has it stood here?

Tomek Baginski's animated short film, 'Katedra / The Cathedral,' is a fascinating and visually-stunning journey into the unknown, and a philosophical exploration of the nature of religion. It is based upon Jacek Dukaj's short story of the same name, and was created using 3ds Max, a full-featured 3D graphics application developed by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. The CGI visuals, which allegedly took three years to produce, are nothing short of perfect, every frame as beautiful as the last. With no dialogue to speak of, 'Katedra' also relies heavily on its choice of music, and the steadily-building electronic track used during the film's climax is wonderfully rousing.

The conclusion itself is worthy of some discussion, though I'll stop short of giving away what actually happens. What could this ending actually be implying? That a religion is comprised solely of its believers? Could the pilgrim's faith have allowed him to become a part of something wonderful and glorious? This, of course, is without considering whether or not the traveler knew what was about to happen when the sun made its dazzling appearance. Whatever your interpretation, there's no denying that this film is simply a thing of beauty.

maybe, its profound simplicity is the basic motif for the fascination . than, the music. not the last, CGI. not the last because, in many cases, technology is the first, against the story. in this case, it is the clothes of a seductive - bitter story about the price of knowledge, about the force of place who transforms the visitor in part of it. all is great and touching and impressive in this short film. the tension and the memories about old fairy tales, the grace and the revelation. so, a gem.

This film is absolutely amazing. This is one of those categorys at the Oscars you don't pay much attention to. When are you ever going to see any of these? Besides, I am hungry so forget this, I am going to the fridge. And I would have this year, had I not seen this truly stunning peace. A friend of mine went to college with the director of this movie. He told me about it and got a copy for me to view. Honestly, it is absolutely stunning and is by far the best computer animation I have ever seen. The thing is a mere 7 minutes long, yet it took more then 3 years to make. A true peace of art. If you can find this anywhere, take the time and enjoy it.

The first time I ever saw The Cathedral, I was sitting in Film class in high school. It was the only movie all year that I didn't want to end. It held my attention, from the beginning to the end. In fact I didn't even notice that I didn't blink until my contacts blurred over. The computer animation is just stunning, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the story is brilliant; there can be so many different interpretations. Once I saw The Cathedral, I wanted to watch it again and again. If you get a chance to see this film definitely see it, see what you think it means. You'll definitely have fun trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

I agree with all the previous comments - excellent animation etc...-a masterpiece indeed. However I find the plot of the movie at least as fascinating as the visualization. It's about the power of existence and coming to an end - beautiful, magnificent, unavoidable and horrifying, about sacrifices that allow us to last. ....and thousand other interpretations. You may not agree with mine but what can be said without any doubts is that the plot IS NOT LIGHT!