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DramaComedyDocumentaryAnimationExperimentalMusic
The Gates Of Heaven
Lucy Lee
average rating from 26 members 
       
animation | 2004 | Wales | 2 min
Published 27 Mar 06
Carp take a leap of faith. Can we be more than we are? We are compelled to try.
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synopsis
An animated adaption of the Chinese tale, The Dragon Gate.
short fact
Based on the Chinese myth ‘The Dragon Gate’ this film is a metaphor for the struggle to make something of your life, the struggle to ‘jump the waterfall’ and achieve your goals. The act of trying itself makes you learn, and experience life fully, even at the risk of failing.This film also cuts through time and culture by using references to a recent American poet and a modern English interpretation of an ancient Chinese myth. The text was found in a 12th century Japanese Buddhist text, using an ancient Chinese tale to explain a concept, for all cultures in the distant future to learn from.
crew
  • director Lucy Lee
  • writer Lucy Lee
  • producer Lucy Lee
  • editor Lucy Lee
  • director of photography Lucy Lee
  • sound Sam Sutton
  • music Sam Sutton
cast
  • Narrator Margaret Robertson
festivals, awards and screenings include:
  • Winner of the Jose Abel Prize for Best Animation in a European Film (for poetic visual style) at Cinanima 2005
  • Birds Eye View, London 2005
  • Bimini, Latvia 2005
  • Festival of Cinema and Technology, worldwideZlinfest, Czech Republic 2005
  • Corta! Porto Int. Short Film Festival, Portugal 2005
  • Canadian Film Centre's Worldwide Short Film Festival 2005
  • Anima Mundi, Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo 2005
  • Experimentica, Cardiff 2004
  • format
    digital
    © 2004 Lucy Lee

    comments

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    comment by Mario Cavalli
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    posted Oct 6, 2006

    Very pretty but I couldn't make any sense of the narration -- and I tried! Three times! Also, there's a marked difference in the look of the underwater carp and the above water animation, the underwater animation seeming very naturalistic, like live action that's been treated. Some rotoscoping there, I wonder? That's not a criticism, by the way!

    Mario Cavalli is Founder and Director of Colony Media and a member of Film Network's Industry Panel.
    comment by Ostap  Bender
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    posted Aug 24, 2006

    No way any water can be falling faster than a flying arrow. Attractive animation (a little too pretty, a little too sentimental about overused symbols: scrolls and wispers from faraway) but dodgy script and narration.

    comment by sharon  joseph
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    posted May 13, 2006

    delightful film. The rhythm of time and place merged to create an effect of peaceful interlude on the mundane. The music helped to firmly establish this piece as 'class act'.

    S.J.

    comment by Matt  Sandbrook
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    posted May 9, 2006

    Really beautiful. I envy your animation skills, at times it was like watching real life footage.

    comment by Jessie Anne  Sheridan
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    posted Apr 24, 2006

    This really appealed to me, Beautiful artwork, very inspirational,however I agree with another comment made that at parts it was difficult to understand the narration.

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    useful links
    • www.lucyleefilms.co.uk
    • www.instinctfilms.co.uk
    • Listing on www.britfilms.com
    funded by
    Chapter Arts and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

    produced by
    Instinct Films

    selected by
    This film was chosen by the British Council from their catalogue.

    more shorts with similar themes

    This film is included in the film catalogue under the following themes:

    • Animal Magnetism
    • Out Of This World
    British Council selection index

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