FilmTecknarna, headquartered in Stockholm with offices in New York, has inked a deal to represent Berlin-based director Lucas Zanotto for exclusive commercial representation in the U.S., Canadian, French and Nordic markets. This marks the first time Zanotto has been repped stateside; he continues to helm projects independently in Germany.
Zanotto’s aesthetic blends a variety of mixed media in new and experimental ways, a modern and minimal approach perhaps best exemplified by a network identity project produced and directed by Berlin-based dyrdee Media in conjunction with the director for Nickelodeon Germany. The idents went on to win the Gold Design Lion at the 2009 Cannes International Advertising Festival.
“We love Lucas’ ability to mix different media. His way of styling classic animation in combination with digital media gives his film a very modern and analog feel. It’s a decidedly different approach that conjures new and unexpected animation possibilities,” said Lars Ohlson, FilmTecknarna CEO.
Zanotto comes from a background as a product and graphic designer. After receiving his design diploma in Milan, he worked in several different international design studios (including the noted product design firm Continuum). Slowly he moved into graphic design area and then went on to directing films and creating motion graphics.
After Milan, he lived in Barcelona and later moved to Berlin. Zanotto’s work has been recognized by numerous award shows, including Promax International, and the Ottawa Animation Film Festival.
Zanotto comes aboard a FilmTecknarna directorial roster that consists of Jonas Odell, David Nord, Johanna Andersson, Jessica Laurén, Boris Nawratil, Stig Bergqvist, Jonas Dahlbeck, and Jory Hull.
The company is repped in the U.S. by Judy Wolff on the East Coast, Hill Reps in the Midwest and Reber Covington on the West Coast. Hesty Reps handles FilmTecknarna in Canada.
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More