Latest feature Films
Making-of: Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
Pierre Földes took on the challenge of adapting a work by Haruki Murakami. He successfully wove a collection of twenty-four stories, which have been defined as magical realism, consisting of memories, dreams and fantasies, into one single narrative and into an example of innovative storytelling. The director and screenwriter tells us all about how this project led to a highly visual story.
Adapting the work of one of the world’s most acclaimed and widely read contemporary authors is no easy task. But director Pierre Földes did just that when he decided to transfer Haruki Murakami’s work to the big screen. In the process, he managed to successfully reach an audience that extends beyond the millions of Murakami fans. Földes weaves a collection of twenty-four tales into a string of innovative stories that have been defined as magical realism, with a narrative based on memories, dreams and fantasies. Initially, Földes intended to make an anthology film. However, he gradually merged characters and plots into one cohesive story about a handful of unique individuals who come together to save Tokyo from an earthquake.
Never before has any of Murakami’s work been adapted using animation. It seems like an excellent medium for capturing the atmosphere of his stories, however, and for reaching viewers that would otherwise never even consider watching animation at the cinema. A similar phenomenon was witnessed with the animated adaptation of the life and work of the great Vincent van Gogh.
Földes was born in the US and raised in France as the son of the renowned animator and computer animation pioneer Peter Földes, creator of “Hunger” (Canada, 1974). These roots combined with a contemporary Japanese story make for a delicate and at times vulnerable style. The “Making-of” will focus on Földes’ adaptation, which successfully remained true to Murakami’s world. (Erik van Drunen)
Adapting the work of one of the world’s most acclaimed and widely read contemporary authors is no easy task. But director Pierre Földes did just that when he decided to transfer Haruki Murakami’s work to the big screen. In the process, he managed to successfully reach an audience that extends beyond the millions of Murakami fans. Földes weaves a collection of twenty-four tales into a string of innovative stories that have been defined as magical realism, with a narrative based on memories, dreams and fantasies. Initially, Földes intended to make an anthology film. However, he gradually merged characters and plots into one cohesive story about a handful of unique individuals who come together to save Tokyo from an earthquake.
Never before has any of Murakami’s work been adapted using animation. It seems like an excellent medium for capturing the atmosphere of his stories, however, and for reaching viewers that would otherwise never even consider watching animation at the cinema. A similar phenomenon was witnessed with the animated adaptation of the life and work of the great Vincent van Gogh.
Földes was born in the US and raised in France as the son of the renowned animator and computer animation pioneer Peter Földes, creator of “Hunger” (Canada, 1974). These roots combined with a contemporary Japanese story make for a delicate and at times vulnerable style. The “Making-of” will focus on Földes’ adaptation, which successfully remained true to Murakami’s world. (Erik van Drunen)
Info
Appointments & Tickets
Additional Information
In the presence of: Pierre Földes
Curated and moderated by: Erik van Drunen
Language: English