The Umbrella

short film – 15’33 – 2022

SYNOPSIS

The earth is eroded by an incessant rain, its matter collapses, nothing remains of the landscape except a long field and narrow pillars rising against an immense sky. On one of these islands a survivor stands motionless, clinging to his umbrella, his only weapon against the deluge. It is in the narrow confines of this tiny stage that individuals will be forced to live one on top of the other.

DIRECTION

Claire Ledru

SCRIPT

Claire Ledru & Mino Malan

PRODUCTION

Xbo films

TECHNIQUE

paint-on-glass animation (cel animation)

DISTRIBUTION

Manifest

Claire was born in 1990. She began traditional stop-motion animation in 2012,  leading animation film workshops with the Toulouse association Cumulo Nimbus. She directed her first short film with cut-outs, The Weeping Bird, in 2015. Then, she joined the team of the Menagerie, where she continues to lead workshops and direct commissioned films. Produced by Xbo Films in 2022, The Umbrella, her second short film, is made with painted animation.

Unifrance nomination for the best short film 2022
Audience Award Animaphix 2022 (Italy)
Jury Award Séquence Court Métrage 2022 (France)
Animation Award at Rencontres Cinéma-Nature 2023 (France)
Special Distinction of the Jury at Festival du Film de Fontenay-le-Comte 2023 (France)

Festival des cinémas engagés 2024 (France) / Human Rights Film Days 2023 (Turquiye) / Girona Film Festival 2023 (Spain) / Faites des courts 2023 (France) / Festival Traversées 2023 (France) / Festival du Film de Fontenay-le-Comte 2023 (France) / Trois Jours Trop Courts festival 2023 (France) / Rencontres Cinéma-Nature 2023 (France) / Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2023 (Japan) / Carrefour du cinéma d’Animation 2021 (France) / FICAM à Meknès 2022 (Marocco), Festival Nouveaux Rêves 2022 (France), Festival International du Film Insolite 2022 (France), Anibar 2022 (Kosovo), Imaginaria 2022 (Italy), Animaphix 2022 (Sicilia), Supertoon 2022 (Croatia), San Giò Verona Video Festival 2022 (Italy) / Tindirindis 2022 (Lithuania) / FestCurtasBH 2022 (Brazil) / Animage 2022 (Brazil) / Festival International du Film Francophone de Tübingen-Stuttgart 2022 (Germany) / REX Animation Festival 2022 (Sweden) / Balkanima Festival 2022 (Serbia) / Etiuda&Anima 2022 (Poland) / French Film Festival 2022 (Czech Republic) / Séquence Court Métrage 2022 (France) / Festival du Film Court Villeurbanne 2022 (France) / Bogoshorts 2022 (Colombia) / CutOut Fest 2022 (Mexico)

With support of CNC, Région Occitanie, Toulouse Métropole, Sacem (Occitanie Films), Procirep and Angoa. Special mention from the Innovation Jury at the 21st Valence Scénario - International Screenwriters Festival.