Master Class of Michelle and Uri Kranot

As part of its FNC Explore section, devoted to new media works, the Festival du nouveau cinéma invites you to a master class with artists Michelle and Uri Kranot.

As well as being members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, Michelle and Uri Kranot are respected figures in the field of animation. In their work, the duo uses techniques such as painting, drawing and clay puppets but pushes the boundaries of traditional animation by merging them with new technologies, notably with virtual reality. Born from this union of traditional and contemporary practices are fascinating projects like NOTHING HAPPENS (2017), an immersive installation where the spectator becomes participant and explores a different kind of narrative by being in a painting. Their work has been awarded multiple prizes, such as the Adelaide Film Festival International VR award and the UK’s Lumen prize.

Their more recent project, THE HANGMAN AT HOME (2020), presented in this year’s edition of the Festival du nouveau cinema as part of FNC Explore’s Horizon competition, is just as captivating. With a non-linear narrative inspired by the poem of the same name by Carl Sandburg (1922), this VR interactive experience gives the user the opportunity to explore multiple rooms where different animation scenes are played out. These scenes demonstrate a colossal and infinitely meticulous work from the Kranots, as the animation is hand-painted frame-by-frame with acrylic. As a result, THE HANGMAN AT HOME is a poetic artwork asking questions about acknowledgement and participation.

Michelle and Uri Kranot are founders of the animation production company TinDrum, and also the producers and creative directors of ANIDOX, a program from The Animation Workshop in Denmark. The duo act as tutors at the Anidox:Lab, an annual animation documentary professional training program organized by The Animation Workshop, where they share their practices, resources and research. Join the FNC’s master class to discover these two extremely promising artists.

The master class will be offered online on October 17, 2020 at 10am (Montreal time).

Although the event is free, spectators are required to get an online ticket in order to attend.

Tickets available here