Sweaty Eyeballs 2019

Animation and lovers of film if you are ever in the Maryland area in Fall, Sweaty Eyeballs is for you! This is the first film festival, I have had the pleasure of attending, and this year’s International Competition 4 opened my eyes. This showcase ran on October 5.

The synopsis of this category states “Cosmic degeneration pimples, genetically engineered slug lovers, coping with loss, naked morning dancing, intense strangers, eating disorders, crowd behaviors, and what goes on in other people’s bedrooms. This intense and captivating program of short films offer an experience that will make you rethink your definition of the word animation.”

This synopsis could not have been more spot on, out of 12 animations 4 embodied these tag lines perfectly, and captured my attention. The Fall by Boris Labbé “crowd behaviors”, We’re Having a Party and Everyone’s Invited by Arius Ziaee “intense strangers”, Slug Life by Sophie Koko Gate “genetically engineered slug lovers”, and Sweet Sweat by Jung Hyun Kim “what goes on in other people’s bedrooms”. From the USA to Estonia these animations all had something different and nothing was like the last.

From reading the synopsis a month prior, I was intrigued by what animations could fit these tag lines. Also given these animations are international, depending upon the censorship how far can these animations push. I enjoy animations that are adult content and push those limits of what can be shown visually with a cartoon appeal. These types of animation, sit with me and I think about them until I come to a conclusion of what I witnessed while watching a piece of animation.

My favorite piece was The Fall by Boris Labbé. This French animation is a story of celestial beings fall to Earth, the cause and effect resulting in, the creation of Heaven and Hell. The use of looping frames and the pockets of color show detail or draw attention to a scene. The combination working together help keep the eye focused and move along the frame. This looping of frames also help communicate the circle of life and how everything is connected showing cause and effect. This piece also resonated a Dante’s Inferno themed animation that I screened in a past art class. This version consisted of loops as well but used a single pan instead of panning around a larger screen.

We’re Having a Party and Everyone’s Invited by Arius Ziaee, created in the United States, is a range of emotions for me from perplexed to laughing out loud. The crazy contrast of colors and the range of styles showcased in one animation was pleasing to see without being to muddy. When I first saw this short I could not understand the concept or meaning. When I sat down to write this review and rewatched it with a friend, the concept was realized. We have all been there, you are walking down a city block minding your business and boom, their is someone stopping you in your tracks to talk about nonsense. In this case the lines blur and the crazy colors can be viewed as a drug or alcohol journey and we are viewing from the characters perspective. Given this is based on a real interaction on a way to a party this seems the most logical.

Slug Life by Sophie Koko Gate, was a cacophony of beautiful expression, funky 80s color and design, with inter-dimensional characters. I loved this piece for the perception my mind saw. In this short from the United Kingdom, we follow a woman named Tanya. Tanya has come to the road where she favors non human lovers. This quest leads her to create her own beautiful giant slug of a lover. While the character designs leave me stunned in pleasure the take away, I received is living in your sexuality of what you like. With the different classifications of sexuality one can have the idea of loving who or what you want is the best practice of life to be in. Through this you live in truth and your lifestyle and expression reflect that euphoria state of being.

Sweet Sweat by Jung Hyun Kim, encapsulates child curiosity, with a familiar topic. This short from Estonia, is a hand drawn animation done in pastels. Adding to the childlike feel some of the shots are shown from the child’s perspective emphasizing the curiosity. Throughout the piece you see the child’s curiosity in the erotic playful relationship between their parents. Soon everything the child sees references their parents, pushes them to take action, and open the door when the opportunity is given.

[TL] The Fall. [TR] We’re Having a Party and Everyone‘s Invited. [BL] Slug Life. [BR] Sweet Sweat.