Oh Willy... by Marc Roels and Emma de Swaef is among the 10 titles shortlisted for the César for Best Animated Short. Also among the 10 is The Monster of Nix by Rosto, a co-production with Flanders. Oh Willy... recently won the Cartoon d'Or for Beste Animated Short in Europe. The film further also features on this year's longlist for the Oscars. The nominations for the Césars, the most important kudos in France, will be announced in January 2013.
In this 17-minute stop-motion animated film, fiftysomething Willy returns to the naturist community where he spent his youth to visit his dying mother. When she dies shortly after he arrives, Willy is confronted with the choices he made in his life. In confused sadness he flees into the forest. After a rough start, he finds the motherly protection of a big, gentle, hairy beast.
The film is written and directed by Emma de Swaef and Marc James Roels. The latter is also known for directing the live-action short A Gentle Creature which got shown in competition in Berlin. Oh Willy... is a Belgian-French-Dutch co-production with both characters and backgrounds created in wool and felt. The film has already been invited to more than 100 festivals and collected 23 kudos. Flemish producers are Ben Tesseur and Steven De Beul for Beast Animation.
The Monster of Nix is a dark fairytale musical for which both Tom Waits and filmmaker Terry Gilliam lent their voices. It's the story of Willy, a troubled boy who fights the destructive force of Virgil, an all-devouring monster in the village of Nix. Flemish co-producer of this 30-minute short is Willem Thijssen for CinéTé.
Both Oh Willy... and The Monster of Nix received support from the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF).