“Guaxuma”

August 2, 2019

Nara Normande’s beautiful animated short shares the story of a blossoming childhood friendship that is cut short.

By: Patrick Donovan – Author/Screenwriter

Seattle, WA (The Hollywood Times) 8/2/2019

“A wonderful film about life, friends and loss…”

– Pat Donovan

This award-winning film mixes several animation techniques all connected to sand and has won prizes at SXSW, Palm Springs, Hamptons, Cinequest, selected at TIFF, Annecy, LA Shorts.

Writer/Director Nara Normande was born in Guaxuma and later moved to Recife, where a new generation of Brazilian directors were about to emerge. In 2014, she co-directed with Tião a live-action fiction, Sem Coração, that received the Illy Prize of Best Short Film at the Director’s Fortnight.

Producer Damien Mehgerbi and Justin Pechberty created their production company Les Valseurs in 2013, in 2018 their animated film Wicked Girl was the first animation to win the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand, before winning the César. They have produced twenty short films, including QIU Yang’s She Runs (Leitz Discovery award at International Critic’s Week, Cannes 2019), Nara Normande’s Guaxuma and Yves Piat’s Nefta Football Club (Oscar-qualified for 2020, Audience Award & Best Comedy at Aspen Shortsfest, Audience Award at Clermont-Ferrand and Florida Film Festival). Their first live-action feature, Fendas, directed by Carlos Segundo will premiere at FIDMarseille in July 2019.

Guaxuma qualified to be considered for the 2020 Academy Awards after winning four top prizes at SXSW, Palm Springs, Hamptons and Cinequest.

Quadruple Oscar-qualifying animation ‘Guaxuma’ selected for LA Shorts International Film Festival

Review:

A beach and the peaceful sounds of the ocean… Sand gives way to begin to tell the story in pictures under the sand.

This is a beautifully told story of two friends and how that friendship transcends all boundaries. The animation in sand mixed with pictures to help the story come to life really grabs you and makes you think. There was a scene where all seemed like it didn’t make any sense and resulted in chaos through colors sound and then silence. But as the film progressed, you understand what happens and how this woman narrating her story brings you in closer to what it’s really about.

I loved the way the sepia tone was used throughout with the sand as the canvas. This is a short review, but I really enjoyed the peacefulness coupled with the sadness of this film and the message it told.

Awards: