Global creative studio Psyop has unveiled the official trailer for Christopher at Sea, director Tom C J Brown’s “queer operatic thriller” on animated waves, ahead of the 20-minute film’s previously announced premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Co-produced by Psyop, Temple Carrington & Brown and Miyu, the piece will screen in the Orizzonti Short Films Competition.
Christopher at Sea follows Christopher (voiced by James Potter) as he embarks on a transatlantic voyage as a passenger on a cargo ship. A chance encounter with Third Engineer Valentin (Andrew Isar) under moonlight waylays his hopes of finding out what lures so many men to sea and sets him on a journey into solitude, fantasy and obsession.
“After embarking on a crossatlantic cargo ship voyage, I set out to write a love story, but Christopher’s romance soon became entwined with my own struggle with identity, discovering my truth, a dramatic retelling of the communal showers in a Sundance hostel, and my mother’s nightmares set to the score of Schubert’s song cycle ‘Die schöne Müllerin’,” Brown explains in his director’s statement.
Produced in cinescope, the digital 2D animated drama was written by Brown and Laure Desmazières, and received additional production support from Crooked City.
The short blends Schubert’s classic work with the contemporary music of Casey Spooner, Walt Disco and composers Brian McOmber and Judith Berkson. To give audiences an experience that “bursts with emotion and fantasy,” Brown directed the animation team to strive for aesthetic ideals over realism:
“’If you have to choose between what is correct and what is fashion, choose fashion,’ I frantically explained to the wonderful animators as I described how we were attempting to portray the most beautiful mohair jumper ever seen on the silver screen. Twenty minutes of sumptuous hand-drawn animation awaits the viewer, the combination of thousands of hours, years of love, and an incredible team of artists and collaborators bringing Christopher to life on open waters,” Brown writes. “My enduring thanks to everyone — and there have been many — who have lent their time, money and talents to this project.”
Brown is a British artis and filmmaker known for his shorts t.o.m. (2007), teeth (2015) and Cousin John – The Arrival (2020), which have collectively won over 50 awards at festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Annecy and AFI Fest.
Organized by La Biennale di Venezia, the 79th Venice International Film Festival will ltake place at Venice Lido from August 31 to September 10. Learn more at www.labiennale.org.
The second Psyop Origina, following Bottle Cap, Christopher at Sea has also been selected for Korea’s prestigious Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022), taking place October 21-25. Psyop is a completely cloud-based studio, maintaining locations in New York and Los Angeles while working with directors and creative partners all over the world. For more info, visit psyop.com.
