A Film Supported by Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry and
Leading Internet Addiction Psychologist, Phillip Tam
MEDIA RELEASE – Sydney, Australia, Wednesday December 12, 2012……
“Anima”, a touching and visionary Australian film, follows the journey of a rogue scientist as he struggles to preserve his terminal wife inside a virtual world of his own making. With the timely theme of technology addiction at its core, the ambitious film was able to beat a record breaking group of over 7,500 registered films from around the world to screen at the prestigious 35th International Short Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand* in France from February 1-9 2013. This will be the film’s international premiere.
The 13 minute drama/sci-fi was crowd-funded by emerging local filmmaker, Scott Mannion and has also been selected for competition at the OSCAR and BAFTA accredited 22nd International Short Film Festival, Flickerfest in Bondi, New South Wales from January 11-20, 2013.
Written and directed by Scott Mannion, “Anima” was crafted by experienced skilled technicians, including veteran cinematographer, Mike Molloy ASC BSC, known for his work with Stanley Kubrick, Stephen Frears, Michael Caine and Christian Bale. Starring Henry Nixon (The Pacific, Noise), Katherine Hicks (Winners & Losers, Black & White & Sex), Laura Brent (Not Suitable For Children, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader) and Karl Beattie (the Oscar nominated Miracle Fish and X-Men Origins: Wolverine), the concept of technology addiction was thoroughly investigated and the film garnered support from Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry and leading internet addiction psychologist, Phillip Tam.
Filming was completed around the world, from epic cosmological time-lapse of the stars in the mountains of Austria, to precise striking microscopic fluid dynamics shot in the USA, and principle photography shot in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.
“Anima” follows the lives of Roman (the scientist), and Anastasia, who since a deadly car accident, have lived in seclusion, their only connection and addiction, technology. Psychologically and physically, it’s killing him and Anastasia is beginning to reject the fantasy. But with the outside world closing in and his wife’s body deteriorating, Roman desperately keeps her alive the only way he knows how…inside the system.
Scott Mannion reached out to the online community for finance, using the internationally recognised crowd-funding website, Kickstarter, to ensure adequate budget was available to achieve a world-class standard film, the funding trailer for “Anima” immediately connected with the digital community resulting in the much-needed $10,000 dollars raised for production.
“The technology addiction theme resonated with people because we are starting to really see an unhealthy obsession emerge in today’s society. I was thrilled by the response and support we received – the evolution of crowd-funding proves if you reach out to the online world community, there are people willing to help you and be a part of making something truly unique. If you take a risk and put yourself out there, it’s more egalitarian than one would think in the art world. Just by reaching out we had specialist cinematographers from Austria and the USA shooting some truly epic work. It certainly has been a wonderful baptism of fire directing a film which enlisted such a wide scope of individuals – even some from different countries! To work with such a talented cast and crew and to have the faith of the crowd-funding supporters is extremely humbling and a responsibility I took very seriously” said Director, Scott Mannion.
To view the film’s trailer: