Away by Gints Zilbalodis delivers what personal computers promised
— Kleidi Eski
Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis challenges the limits of one-man Computer Graphics (CG) creation with his first feature film Away, after seven short films. Disappointingly though, it took decades before CG animation became an adequate tool for auteur creation. Some may argue that it is still not.
In the mid seventies, the personal computer was romanticized as the freedom tool. A powerful instrument that would enable artists, activists and citizens to create content with the potential to inspire, provoke and catalyze change.
Indeed, computers changed everything. Today I could not start writing this review in lack of a power outlet. My new notebook (made of paper) stayed in my backpack, unused.
Away comes as an expanded version of Gints Zilbalodis’ previous film Oasis, where a young boy, cannot escape an idyllic oasis, because a malevolent spirit awaits at the entrance.
The film follows the journey of the character through fabulous landscapes, where wonder and danger delicately waltz together. He is followed by a dark giant with a ghostly presence. The film is structured in four chapters: Forbidden Oasis, Mirror Lake, Dream Well and Cloud Harbor.
Throughout the film, the character evolves from an insecure child to a daring explorer. He learns to ride a motorbike and finds ways to escape the death-hungry creature. A little bird becomes his sidekick hero and follows the same path towards growth and exploration.
Away can be seen as a reflection of many of Zilbalodis’ generation who struggle forward, having the way back blocked by fears, and the way in front, filled with amazement. Hopes and fears, indeed, as the theme of Anibar suggests, loom in the atmosphere of each chapter.
Through an extensive use of wide shots, and elaborate camera movement Zilbalodis makes us travel through the world he has created. A world ingeniously designed to overcome technical obstacles of CG production. Environments and characters are modeled in low-poly and shaded in flat-looking textures. The whole set of technical and artistic choices contribute to sleek minimalist aesthetics, enhanced by dreamy fogs and glows.
The soundtrack, also produced by Zilbalodis features extensive use of synth strings, sometimes epic, and sometimes lulling.
Despite a few scenes of mellow tension, Away is mostly a descriptive visual film. Landscapes and creatures come and go to no surprise. Even death comes in a slow eerie manner. In a length of 74’, the film is a soothing emotional experience.
This article is an output of the Film Criticism and Journalism workshop which is being organized within the project “Development of animation culture between Western Balkans and Visegrad Group” implemented by Anibar and Civil Association for the Support of the Animated Film, Primanima Ltd.,Institute of Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Marie Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague – Film and TV School – Department of Animated Film.
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
