Waste Away
From the Archives
•
Animation, Short Films, 18-Jun-2020
In a trash-filled city, a homeless woman's encounter with a fish takes an unexpected turn. Elly Stern directs “Waste Away,” a beautifully designed and executed stop-motion animated film, an allegory of motherhood in various forms, and a depiction of the overabundance, wastefulness and decay of modernity. The woman living in an alley next to an overflowing dumpster spots a discarded, uneaten fish in the garbage. When she swallows it, it comes to life inside of her, forcing her into the natural world, itself mistreated and discarded. A portrait of human irresponsibility and social/ecological collapse — the darkness is rendered with meticulous care and artistry (it took 10 months to make) — Stern’s film is a reckoning, textured, evocative and surreal. -KA. Director & Animator: Elly Stern. Musical score: Daniel Hass. Sound design: Elly Stern. Sound mixing: Kyle Jones. Produced at Massachusetts College of Art & Design.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
The Role
A cook is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to act in a film. “The Role,” directed by Paolo Chianta, is a hand-drawn animated film that traces a quiet man’s foray into an unfamiliar world. After discovering that he bears a striking resemblance to their father, a pair of siblings ask the co...
-
Staycation
Unforeseen circumstances have brought a man to New York City alone. A trip that was meant for him and his girlfriend — they were to see a show — is now just him. And there’s something off about his Airbnb. Written & directed by Zach Fleming. Starring Rob Malone, Joanna Arnow, Sam Stillman.
-
Meet the Director: Zach Weintraub ("R...
