La Pursé
2022 · 9m · Brazil
Directed by Gabriel Nóbrega, Lucas René
Genres: animation, comedy, horror
Tones: dark, humorous, whimsical
A taxidermist named Mr. Badú attempts to woo his elderly neighbor Mrs. Aurelia through a series of increasingly questionable gifts, until one finally gets him what he desires — or at least a version of it.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Stop-motion octogenarian-courtship-via-taxidermy that escalates to gore. Brazilian, lush, willing to be ugly — exactly my register.
Nóbrega and René starting in octogenarian dark comedy and escalating into stop-motion bloody horror — the tradition runs from Henry Selick to Adrián García Bogliano, and the Brazilian puppet aesthetic is genuinely unusual. Nine minutes of confident tonal swerve.
Stop-motion and 3D hybrid escalating from charming octogenarian courtship to bloody horror is the kind of medium-driven tonal pivot that only works when the puppet detail is lush enough to hold both registers. 9:25, 23K views; the texture should carry the swerve.
Reviews
La Pursé perfectly blends humor, fantasy, and horror, resulting in a dark yet entertaining watch. The pacing, score, sound effects, and dynamic camera movements create a surprisingly effective climax.
The directors do not shy away from making the film as bloody as possible while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing animation style, showcasing interconnected levels of revenge.
Festivals
- Sitges Film Festival 2022
- Festival Tous Courts
- Kortfilmfestivalen
- Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival 2023
- Arctic Film Festival
- Animac 2023