Israeli animated movie wins Taiwan Festival
An Israeli movie won the Best Animated Short Film Award at the Kuandu Festival in Taiwan in October.Created and directed by filmmaker and visual artist Tal Kantor, the movie opens with a Holocaust survivor reading a letter he wrote to the pig who saved his life. A young schoolgirl hears his testimony in class and sinks into a twisted dream where she confronts questions of identity, collective trauma, and the extremes of human nature.In her animated works, Kantor uses a unique technique combining drawing, photography, video, painting, and animation.The festival is organized by the Taipei National University of the Arts, and it is one of the most important on the island.The jury described “Letter to a Pig” as a “very humane and moving film.”“Letter to a Pig is a very powerful film on the theme of trauma passing down from one generation to the next and the ways in which the younger generation tries to process it,” wrote the jury. “The graphic technique of the film is very strong, with a sophisticated and seamless integration of live action and animation.”“The figure of the pig became a chimera-like metaphor that constantly shifted in meaning, from begin protector to a figure of horror and disgust, and finally to an image of vulnerability and innocence,” it added. “Even though the film specifically deals with the aftermath of the Holocaust it also touches on universal themes of victimization, rage, and ultimately the possibility of healing.”
In November 2022, the Israeli Embassy in Sweden invited Tal Kantor to the Stockholm Animation Festival. After the screening of the film, Tal conducted a behind-the-scenes presentation about the film and the special process in the making of this wonderful film. The film was honored with the “Crowd Favorite” award at the festival.In November the film was shown at festivals in Estonia, China, Portugal, France, England, USA, Italy, Slovenia and Mexico