Singaporean filmmaker Eric Khoo has just screened his first animated film ‘Tatsumi’ at the Cannes Film Festival, and is currently seeking U.S. distribution. The film is an autobiographical documentary celebrating the life of the artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi, a disciple of the legendary Osamu Tezuka and pioneer of the alternate Japanese comic art Gegika.
I really like the cel animation, it is very simple yet charming, reminscent of Waltz With Bashir and Persepolis. Coincidentally, it also shares its peers’ themes on war and conflict, although these are a side-theme to the journey of the artist, as he develops throughout his ‘illustrious’ life.
I’ve actually applied for an internship to the studio ‘Infinite Frameworks’ before (unfortunately, they weren’t accepting applicants at the time) and I’ve known about Eric Khoo (he’s a famous Singaporean indie director, but unfortunately I haven’t seen any of his films), so this is definitely a must-see for me. I’m so proud to see such stunning animation from a small-time studio and relatively unknown director, that isn’t angsty or pessimistic, but full of love, sentimentality, and a great appreciation of life’s infinite wonders.
