Part Two: with Michael Dudok de Wit

(1) The Heron and the Crane

Directed by: Yuri Norstein 1974 / 10:00 / Russia

Original story: Vladimir Ivanovich Dal
Sript: Roman Kachanov, Yuri Norstein
Animation: Yuri Norstein
Art Direction: Francheska Yarbusova
Production: Soyuzmultfilm
Distribution: Child Film

An animated short based on a Russian folk tale by Vladimir Ivanovich Dal. A love between a heron and a crane is described using techniques adopting Japanese Ukiyo-e and ink painting.

(2) Father and Daughter

Directed by: Michael Dudok de Wit
2000 / 9:00 / U.K. Netherlands

Story, Animation, Art: Michael Dudok de Wit
Shooting: Alistair Beckett / Nic Gill
Production: CinéTé Filmproductie bv and Cloudrunner Ltd
Producer: Claire Jennings / Willem Thijssen
Distribution: Studio Ghibli

Despite its short length of 9 minutes, this masterpiece of devotion between father and daughter has touched the hearts of audience over the world. A father bids his young daughter good-bye and rows out to the sea. The seasons turn, yet whether on rainy or windy days the young woman continues to look out at the distant sea, hoping for a glimpse of her father, a deep longing in her heart for him. Drawn in simple lines, the changing landscape and a woman’s lifetime are richly depicted with poetic sentiment.

“How the ideas for my films were born”

 (language: English, interpreter: Ilan Nguyen)

SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Michael Dudok de Wit was born (1953) and educated in the Netherlands. After school he studied etching in Geneva, and animation at Farnham, England, where he made his first film “The Interview”. After animating for a year in Barcelona he settled in London in 1980. Working free-lance with different studios, in particular with the production company Richard Purdum Productions, he directed and animated many award winning commercials for television and cinema.
In 1992 he created his short “Tom Sweep”, followed by “The Monk and the Fish” which was made at the studio Folimage, France. This film was nominated for an Oscar and it won a César. His best known short film “Father and Daughter” won the Grand Prix in Annecy and in Hiroshima, an Oscar and a BAFTA award. In 2004 he completed his short film “The Aroma of Tea” and he has recently written and directed the feature film ‘The Red Turtle’ in France with Prima Linea Productions. “The Red Turtle” was coproduced by Studio Ghibli, Japan. It was nominated for an Oscar (2017) and it has won the Special Prize at Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2016, as well as numerous other international awards.
Michael also illustrates books and gives masterclasses on animation at art colleges and universities in the UK and abroad.

FILMOGRAPHY

Independent films
“The Interview” (graduation film, 8 mins, 1978)
“Tom Sweep” (2 mins 30 secs, 1992)
“The Monk and the Fish” (made at Folimage, France, 6 mins 30 secs, 1994)
“Father and Daughter” (8 mins, 2000)
“The Aroma of Tea” (3 mins 30 secs, 2006)
“The Red Turtle” (feature film, 80 mins, 2016)


TV and Cinema Commercials, direction and animation: dozens, including:
“Actifed Germ”, cough syrup, the Welcome Foundation
“Heinz Egg”, salad cream
“Macallan, the Long Sleep”, malt whiskey
“VW Sunrise”, VW garages
“Owens Corning Pink Foot”, roof insulation
“Smarties Smart-illusions”, Nestlé
“The Irish Lottery, Noah”
“AT&T”, six films
“United Airlines, A Life”
and many other commercials.


Contribution to Features and TV Specials directed by other film directors
“Heavy Metal” (animation, Feature, London, 1980)
“Beauty and the Beast” (storyboarding, Disney Feature, 1989)
“Mickey’s Audition” (animation, Mickey Mouse Special, Disney, 1991)
“Prince Cinders” (animation, TV special directed by Derek Hayes, 1993)
“Fantasia 2000” (animation, Disney Feature, Noah’s Ark section, 1996)
“T.R.A.N.S.I.T.” (animation, short film directed by Piet Kroon, 1997)
“Charlie’s Christmas/L’Enfant au Grelot” (animation, TV special, produced by Folimage, France,1997)
“The Canterbury Tales/The Knight’s Tale” (animation, TV special, Pizazz/S4C, London, 1999)
“La Prophétie des Grenouilles/It’s Raining Cats and Frogs” (animation, feature produced by Folimage, France, 2002)
and other films.