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One of the things that I love about living in Montreal is joining in the awe-stricken daze and wonderment that people fall into upon seeing the very first snowfall at the end of autumn. It matters not whether you’re a wide-eyed tourist or a jaded local — at the sign of the first snowfall, everybody just stops and stares in admiration at the snowy grey sky for a good 10 seconds before resuming whatever activities they were priorly busy with. Every single year, it never fails because in those 10 brief seconds, all is right in the world — the world is a beautiful place.
That’s probably why I particularly enjoyed watching Joanna Lurie’s Le silence sous l’écorce (also known as The Silence Beneath the Bark). This quaint animated short captures that child-like innocence so perfectly, it’s no wonder that it’s now officially shortlisted for the Oscars. If you don’t watch it for the animation, then at least watch it for the soundtrack.
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Synopsis
In the depths of a great forest clad in a great white mantle, curious creatures discover how beautiful and fascinating and white snow is as it whirls them giddily on their way to extraordinary encounters with the strange and wonderful.
Credits
Director: Joanna Lurie
Production: Christian Pfohl, Jean Francois Mozerr
Editing: Marc Boyer
Screenplay: Joanna Lurie
Soundtrack: Michel Korb
