Teacups
2023 · 8m · Australia
Directed by Finbar Watson, Alec Green
Genres: animation, documentary
Tones: melancholic, tender
Based on the true story of Don Ritchie, an Australian Navy veteran who spent nearly 50 years approaching people contemplating suicide at Sydney's notorious cliffside known as The Gap, offering them his hand and a cup of tea — and estimated to have saved between 160 and 500 lives.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
Hugo Weaving narrating the true story of a man who saved hundreds at a suicide cliff — the kind of moving-tribute animation that ends up at every mental-health screening. Earnest, polished, predictable.
Hugo Weaving narrating Don Ritchie's fifty years of suicide prevention at The Gap, in restrained 2D animation — the formal restraint matches the subject's gravity exactly. Quietly significant.
Eight minutes of minimalist 2D animation narrated by Hugo Weaving telling the true story of Don Ritchie's nearly 50-year cliffside suicide-prevention work — that restrained color palette and expressive brushwork keeps a story that could have gone graphic into something genuinely tender. Weaving's voice alone carries enormous weight.
Reviews
A poignant and poetic reflection of life... beautifully animated thick brush animation that emphasizes hope against despair.
A minimalist style that prevents distractions and puts focus on Don's emotional state, with colors carefully chosen to dictate tone.
Festivals
- Sydney Film Festival 2023, Yoram Gross Award for Best Animation
- Spark Animation Festival 2023, Best in Show
- Palm Springs International ShortFest 2023, Special Mention, Local Jury Award
- Flickerfest 2023, Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian Animation Short Film
- Dublin Animation Film Festival 2024, Social Recognition Award