SYNOPSIS
Through the eyes of a young girl suffering from mental illness, CALDERA glimpses into a world of psychosis and explores a world of ambiguous reality and the nature of life and death. Done by Animation filmmaker and composer Even Viera. For more info see the About section on Youtube.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
CALDERA is inspired by my father's struggle with schizoaffective disorder. In states of delusion, my father has danced on the rings of Saturn, spoken with angels, and fled from his demons. He has lived both a fantastical and haunting life, but one that's invisible to the most of us. In our differing understanding of reality, we blindly mandate his medication, assimilate him to our marginalizing culture, and entirely misinterpret him for all he is worth. CALDERA aims to not only venerate my father, but all brilliant minds forged in the haunted depths of psychosis.I was drawn to this short because of the thumbnail and I'm very glad I watched it. It's breathtaking and captivating. Though nothing is shoved into your face, the scenes, music, and overall designs definitely lead the viewer into knowing that this is a story of anxiety. The characters emote very well and the conflict is subtle but dangerous. You feel for the character and her struggles and the beautifully sad ending leaves you feeling satisfied and touched. This is the type of animation I am interested in. Creating visually compelling scenes with colors and characters. Having dynamic shots and symbolic images that makes the viewer think harder. Using music and sound to convey the raw emotion or danger or sadness or anxiety that you want the viewer to feel in the pit of their stomachs.
