Fall of the Ibis King
2021 · 10m · Ireland
Directed by Josh O'Caoimh, Mikai Geronimo
Genres: animation, drama, thriller
Tones: dark, theatrical
The antagonist of a dark opera grows increasingly unhinged when the former lead actor returns, igniting a jealous love triangle that mirrors—and ultimately bleeds into—the tragedy unfolding on stage.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Hand-drawn characters on oil pastel backgrounds, a dark opera collapsing into off-stage tragedy — when animation goes this hard on the labor it usually justifies itself. Vimeo's dead, which I will absolutely hold against it.
Frame-by-frame digital characters integrated with oil pastel backgrounds, a backstage opera Othello in nine minutes — O'Caoimh and Geronimo are working in the Quay Brothers' theatrical-doubling tradition. Even with the page broken, the technique alone commands respect.
Hand-drawn frame-by-frame characters on top of oil-pastel painted backgrounds is a labor-intensive hybrid that makes sense for a story about theatrical performance bleeding into reality — the medium is the bleed. Can't verify execution since the Vimeo link is dead.
Reviews
The directors' intention was to explore the intimate breakdown of a relationship between three characters in an overtly fantastical manner, and the tragic melodrama that results, drawing from touchstones like Othello, is incredibly captivating as bottled-up feelings burst out.
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Festivals
- Venice Film Festival 2021
- Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2022, Jury Special Mention
- Palm Springs International ShortFest 2022
- Cork International Film Festival 2021, Grand Prix Irish Short Special Mention
- Animation Dingle 2022, Best Irish Short
- Dublin Animation Film Festival 2021, Best Student Film
- Rhode Island International Film Festival 2022
- Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) 2022, Best Animated Short
- European Film Awards 2021, Nominated Best European Short Film