Muybridge’s Strings

Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010; 800-542-2164Produced by Michael Fukushima, Keisuke Tsuchihashi, Shuzo John ShiotaDirected by Koji Yamamura2011, DVD, color, 12 min. Part biography and part daydream, this short animation explores the intense human desire to freeze time and moments of happiness. Separated by an ocean and a century, the film follows the turbulent life of Eadweard Muybridge and that of a mother in modern day Tokyo. Muybridge is considered one of the most important figures in the development of the motion picture. Much of his work focused on suspending time by capturing animal and human movement. He is most notable for his study of a galloping horse. The film focuses on both the high and low points in Muybridge’s life while simultaneously flipping between the story of a mother trying to recapture the memories of her growing daughter. Koji Yamamura tells a beautiful story of the ties that bind and reminds us to savor our memories because time is fleeting. Yamamura’s beautiful artistry is supported by a delicate soundtrack from Normand Roger. The reliance on symbolism makes this film well suited for a course on storytelling, animation, or film studies. Awards Firebird Award, 2012, International Film Festival Excellence Award (Animation Division), 2012, Japan Media Arts Festival