“Last Day of Autumn”: Like an Animated Children’s Book

Swiss director Marjolaine Perreten has showed her work at BAICFF before, as in our 2018 festival we screened her animated short A Festive Wind (2017). Perreten even runs her own film event, as in 2017, she founded the Animation Film Festival of Savigny, the first animation festival in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

She excels at wordless storytelling built upon the kind of lovely, graphically-crisp visuals you’d find in a children’s illustrated storybook. This instant, universal appeal has charmed audiences around the world, and her work was even recently shown before some theatrical screenings of Studio Ghibli films, such as the Hayao Miyazaki fantasy classic Kiki’s Delivery Service.

"Last Day of Autumn" still image
From Last Day of Autumn

Her newest work uses color as a separate character, as the earth-tones of fall give way to onrushing colorless winter. Indeed, the animals race against winter itself, in their yearly bicycle race that is part of their very “cycle” of life.

The film is charming, funny, and sweet, but also made with great care and artistry.

Be sure to see this beautiful work at BAICFF 2020, as part of Shorts All Ages: Program 2.

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