The Pearce Sisters

Last updated

The Pearce Sisters
Directed byLuis Cook
Story byLuis Cook (adaptation)
Based onthe short story by Kirkham Jackson
Produced byJo Allen
Edited byDan Williamson
Production
company
Release date
  • 11 June 2007 (2007-06-11)(Annecy Film Festival)
Running time
9 min 16 sec
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Pearce Sisters is a 2007 short film created by Aardman Animations.

Contents

Production

Plot

Two strange and quirky sisters named Rose and Violet Pearce, who reside in a small seaside village, are at the center of the narrative. The sisters' peculiar conduct, especially their penchant for beards, disturbs the locals.

As the story progresses, the town's residents resolve to act independently, guided by the barber in the area. In an attempt to bring the sisters' beards back to normal, they set out to forcibly shave them off. The sisters, on the other hand, fight against this invasion since they are quite protective of their facial hair.

The movie addresses themes of conformity, societal expectations, and the effects of trying to conceal uniqueness, often taking strange and bizarre turns. The film's dark humor and poignant societal commentary are enhanced by its distinctive animation technique and unusual characters.

Ultimately, "The Pearce Sisters" is a visually arresting and provocative short film that tackles topics of cultural conformity and the difficulties experienced by those who dare to be different through dark comedy.

Cast

Critical reception

Sundance Film Festival review- Cook used computers and hand-drawn animation to tell a somber story in contrast to the cheerful, claymation style of animation that Aardman Animations is known for. He wanted very minimal music and no dialogue to complement the story's austerity. Sound was added in advance of animation, serving as a foundation for the editing. The computer generated animated faces for expressionless characters. After then, the animation was printed out. Each frame's 2D features and emotions were manually sketched in a rough, scratchy way, scanned back into the computer, and then utilized as an overlay for the 3D animation. Generally, colors appeared to have been bleached by the sea.

IMDb review- "Nasty....just nasty...and not in a good way" 5/10 stars

IMDb review- "Grotesque and macabre but somewhat endearing" 8/10 stars

Awards and nominations

This is a list of awards and nominations of The Pearce Sisters.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2007Luis Cook (Tied with Juan Pablo Zaramella for Lapsus) ANIMA - Córdoba International Animation Festival Best Animation award for Animated StoriesWon
2007Luis CookAnnecy International Animated Film Festival Special Jury Award for Short FilmsWon
2007Luis CookAnnecy International Animated Film Festival The Annecy Cristal awardNominated
2007Luis CookEurope Cartoon Forum Cartoon d'OrWon
2007Luis CookCinanima Grand PrizeWon
2007Luis CookKrok International Animated Films Festival Grand PrixWon
2007Luis Cook Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival award for Best Animated Short FilmWon
2007Luis CookTallinn Black Nights Film Festival Animated Dreams Special MentionWon
2008Jo Allen and Luis CookBAFTA Film Award for Best Short AnimationWon
2008Luis CookClermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival award for Best AnimationWon
2008Luis Cook (Prix UIP Tampere)European Film Awards Best Short Film AwardNominated
2008Luis CookTampere International Short Film Festival Prix UIP Tampere (European Short Film)Won
2008Luis CookGrand Prix at World Festival of Animated Film Animafest Zagreb Won

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References

    1. Cook, Luis, The Pearce Sisters (Animation, Short, Horror), Len Gray, Dan Williamson, Aardman Animations, retrieved 15 November 2023
    2. "The Pearce Sisters". europeanfilmawards.eu. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
    3. "The Pearce Sisters by Luis Cook | Short Film". www.filmsshort.com. Retrieved 11 December 2023.