As the animals return from a walk in the sun, they find their house in ruins, the trees turned to stumps and the forest to a wasteland: it is high time they met their greedy neighbors, humans. They immediately put in motion various stratagems to build a connection, communicate the importance of the forest and come up with a joint solution. A vivid, joyful and dreamy animation that reverses the classic iconography of tales: the forest turns from a space of doom and sorrow to a sanctuary of hope and life, as opposed to the cruelty and selfishness of modern civilization.
Strange Creatures
Extrañas criaturas
60th TIFF: Greek Premiere
Screening Schedule
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No physical screenings scheduled. |
- Direction: Cristóbal León, Cristina Sitja Rubio
- Script: Cristóbal León, Cristina Sitja Rubio
- Editing: Cristóbal León, Cristina Sitja Rubio
- Sound: Diego Lorenzini, Roberto Espinoza
- Music: Diego Lorenzini
- Production: Diluvio
- Producers: Catalina Vergara, Cristóbal León, Cristina Sitja Rubio
- Executive producer: Catalina Vergara
- Sets: Cristóbal León, Víctor León, Cristina Sitja Rubio
- Narration: Alvaro Morales
- Format: ProRes
- Color: Color
- Production Country: Chile
- Production Year: 2019
- Duration: 15΄
- Contact: Diluvio
Cristóbal León
Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña, both born in 1980 in Chile, have been collaborating since 2007. Both attended the Catholic University of Chile, with León furthering his studies at UDK (Berlin) and De Ateliers (Amsterdam). Through their experimental films, León & Cociña offer a fresh interpretation of religious symbolism and magical rituals deeply entrenched in Latin America’s traditional culture. Their film production incorporates various techniques, including photography, drawing, sculpture, dance, and performance. Their stop-motion films are characterized by a raw cinematic language, where papier-mâché figures and innocent-looking drawings starkly contrast with themes such as religion, sex, and death prevalent in their works. Winners of prestigious awards, their films are regularly featured at international film festivals and showcased in museums and biennials across Latin America. They have exhibited their work at renowned venues such as the Whitechapel Gallery, the Guggenheim Museum NY, KW Berlin, AJG Gallery Seville 2012, Art Basel Hong Kong Film section 2014, the Venice Biennale 2013 (representing Chile in the Latin American pavilion), and Art Basel Statements 2012. Their debut feature film, The Wolf House (2018), garnered acclaim for its innovative approach. Shot in various public locations such as museums, cultural centers, and art galleries, it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2018, earning the Caligari Award in the Forum section. The film has since been screened at over 100 festivals, receiving more than 12 awards and mentions. Three years later, their animated short Los Huesos (2021) debuted at the Venice Film Festival, earning the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film. Their second feature film, The Hyperboreans, celebrated its World Premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
Filmography
2007 Lucía (short, co-direction)
2009 The Smaller Room (short)
2011 The Arc (short, co-direction)
2013 The Andes (short, co-direction)
2018 The Wolf House (co-direction)
2021 Los Huesos (co-direction)
2024 The Hyperboreans (co-direction)
2009 The Smaller Room (short)
2011 The Arc (short, co-direction)
2013 The Andes (short, co-direction)
2018 The Wolf House (co-direction)
2021 Los Huesos (co-direction)
2024 The Hyperboreans (co-direction)
Cristina Sitja Rubio
Cristina Rubio was born in Caracas and studied Fine Arts in Montreal, specializing in Printmaking. She later completed an MFA in Color Photography using homemade pinhole cameras in her projects. She moved on to become an illustrator, and has since created a number of successful picture books. Cristina spends her time between Berlin and Barcelona.
Filmography
2019 Extrañas criaturas | Strange Creatures (co-directed)
