Fem.Cine.Anarchy. 2019 – Embraces & the Touch of Skin
Embraces & the touch of skin is an animated poem about the vital need for embraces and contact with other beings.
Interview with Director/Animator/Editor, Producer Sara Koppel
Watch Embraces & the Touch of Skin here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made this short film Embraces & the Touch of Skin because I felt an urgent need of expressing my thoughts on how & why we need connection with other beings. I made this film together with a poem I wrote, with very much self-biography-experiences. So, in that case, it is a very personal story & film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I hope a given audience will get an emotion of important of embracing & hugging other beings, and hopefully, think about being even more open-minded to what we do not know & who we meet. I hope the audience will get involved in the film through the Animation style & colourful frames. Every drawing is hand-drawn on paper and I have tried to keep a certain amount of analog poetry also in the look of the film.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I am very much aware of what is happening around me and around the world & globe, so I try to give my contribution through animation art, about what I think is important themes. My films are very personal & abstract & universal at the same time... I hope. :)
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The first idea was to make an animation short film built up on a lot of beings embracing each other, and showing the necessity of love.
Then it slowly developed into a poem, and then I planned how the film should be.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback I have received has been very emotional. People I have talked to has felt a lot of connection to it.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It is always very anxiety-filled to show such personal work to an audience. And I never really know what will come out of it, but in this case, I am very honoured and happy that people like my film.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope always to have my work out all over the world. Since I do all my short films with NO BUDGET, I am in very much need of feedback from the audience, not just in my own community, but also from people from other cultures & countries.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Anyone who gets curious.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope people go out on the streets and make contact with other beings they do not know yet. :)
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why is it not everyday and all over, we look each other in the eyes when we pass on the street, and say hello through at least the eyes?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Now I am in the pre-production of my next 7-10 minutes Animated short film: 2nd Day & the End of the World. It is a follow up on a super short one I did 2018: 1st Day & Next Minute, and is a family drama about being divided between lust & responsibility in a hyper-changing-world, where it can seem very difficult to find room & space & power to effect whats happening all around.
Interview: September 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Embraces & the Touch of Skin
Embraces & the touch of skin is an animated poem about the vital need for embraces and contact with other beings.
Length: 2:42
Director: Sara Koppel
Producer: Sara Koppel
Writer: Sara Koppel
About the writer, director and producer:
SARA KOPPEL is an Animation Artist, Director, poetry writer, who produces and distributes her own work. She started in the Danish Animation industry at 14 years old. In 2002, she created Koppel Animation & Naked Love Film. She made 20 small hand-drawn animated independent art film. In her newest short film, Embraces & the Touch of Skin, she is telling an important story about beings vital needs for embraces & connection to each other through the art of Animation & the spoken poetry word. Sara is currently working on a new seven minutes hand-drawn erotic animation film: 2nd Day & The End of the World.
Key cast: Music by Sune Køter Kølster / Poetry spoken by Iben Hjejle / Vocals by Molly Koppel
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook: Naked Love Film
Instagram: @nakedlovefilm
Hashtags used: #Embraces
Website: www.nakedlovefilm.com
Other: IMDb
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Love&Anarchy Helsinki International Film Festival 28th September 2pm Helsinki Finland; Encounters Film Festival 26th September Bristol UK; Great Message International Film Festival 25th -26th September Pune India; Mykonos Biennale Apathia 25th September - 1st October Mykonos Greece; 26th October Ottawa International Animation Festival Salon de refuses Ottawa Canada; Minikino Film Week 6th October Bali Indonesia; MikroFAF 10th October Belgrade Serdia; Amina Cordoba International Animation Festival 11th October Corbada Argentina; Portland Unknown Film Festival 12th Ocetober Portland Oregon USA; Shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival 17th October Bern Switzerland; Braunschweig International Filmfestival 19th November Braunschweig Germany; Copenhagen Shortfilm festival 6th November Copenhagen Denmark; Yellowknife International Film Festival 6th november Northwest Territories X1A 3X9 Canada.